For fuelling your workouts or simply abetting the daily grind, coffee and green tea have long battled to claim the victor’s cup. But which shot is hotter?
Cost Per Day
Hitting your 400mg caffeine limit with a 4-cup French press can set you back as much as R30. (Assuming you go for the good stuff.) Reaching your green-tea limit costs about R10, or 8 to 10 cups. Probably best not to drink them all at once.
Steep Impact
Coffee’s high caffeine content triggers hormones such as adrenaline to deliver a short-term burst of energy. Use it as your pre-workout, 30min before the gym. Tea contains natural relaxant l-theanine and less caffeine, for a smoother effect on energy. Use it for a late-afternoon boost that won’t disturb your sleep.
Helpful For
Coffee reduces pain and guards against sunburn while boosting liver health and sexual function. Tea improves your heart health and immune system while reducing the symptoms of diabetes and lowering your risk of developing cancer.
Sworn Nemesis
Minerals: your java curbs the absorption of iron and calcium. Down it at least an hour before lunch. And don’t use it to wash downsupps. Carbohydrates: tea can’t quite flush out a bread binge, but its polyphenols help stabilise blood sugar by increasing insulin activity in fat cells.
Hipster Points
Cold-brew coffee: the latest in coffee-shop trends will score you big hipster points, with an 86% Google search increase since January 2015. Matcha latte: matcha just squeaks this point, up 90% in the search stakes. Plus it’s infinitely more ’grammable than a mug of boiled leaves.
THE MH VERDICT
Green tea wins! For a quick pick-me-up or pre-workout jolt, Joe will get the job done. But for proven health highs (weight-loss and disease prevention) without the caffeine comedown, green tea takes it. Your PB is in the bags.
