Caffeinated Conversations – Coffee vs. Tea

Posted on Friday, April 5th, 2024

The debate between coffee and tea has always been a hot topic of discussion. I prefer coffee, particularly iced! But let’s first discuss caffeine in general.

Caffeine occurs naturally in coffee beans, tea leaves, cocoa beans, guarana, and yeba mate. It is often included in various foods, drinks, supplements, and medications. Whether you need a little pep in your step, or just like the taste; it’s important to note that caffeine can affect everyone differently. For some with higher sensitivity to caffeine, it can lead to symptoms such as irritability, sleep disturbances, nervousness, rapid heartbeat, and headaches.

Regardless, the recommended limit of caffeine for adults 18 and above is 400mg/day. This can look different depending on the source of your caffeine. See the chart below for some examples:

Source: https://www.unlockfood.ca/en/Articles/Caffeine/Facts-on-Caffeine.aspx

If you feel your caffeine intake is higher than you’d like, there are simple ways to reduce it gradually. For example, start by replacing one of your caffeinated drinks with decaf or enjoy alternative beverages.

Coffee

Coffee is a livelihood for many and is considered one of the most cherished drinks in the world. Coffee is a brewed drink prepared from roasted coffee beans. Coffee beans are the seeds of berries from certain Coffea species. It is thought that the coffee plant was discovered when a goat herder noticed his goats become lively after eating coffee berries. Currently, the most grown Coffea species are Arabica and Robusta. Arabica is generally preferred due to its subtle flavors and aromas, while Robusta beans have a stronger, more bitter flavor and higher caffeine content. There are various ways to prepare coffee which include drip, espresso, pour-over, cold brew, etc.

Tea

Following water, tea ranks as the second most popular beverage globally. Although tea doesn’t just refer to the drink, it also refers to a mid-late afternoon meal in regions of British heritage.

It comes from the leaves and buds of the evergreen plant Camellia Sinensis. Tea’s color is based on the duration and extent of processing as well as exposure to oxygen. A shorter processing time yields a light tea, like green tea, while a longer processing duration results in a darker tea with a richer flavor profile like black tea. Tea falls under 3 main groups; Black, Oolong, and Green. Herbal teas are a separate category as they are derived from roots, barks, leaves, seeds, or flowers from other plants like chamomile and rooibos. The amount of caffeine in tea depends on how long the tea was brewed and how many tea leaves were used for the cup.

In terms of sustainability, there are challenges with tea and coffee including deforestation and the need for fair wages and better working conditions for farmers. You can look for various certifications like Fair Trade, Rainforest Alliance (which we have on campus), and Organic to ensure that the tea and coffee you choose are produced using sustainable practices.

At the end of the day – both tea and coffee have their unique benefits and flavors. It usually just comes down to personal preference. Too much caffeine in general can lead to negative side effects, especially for those more sensitive than others. However, you can certainly enjoy caffeine as part of a healthy lifestyle.

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