Green Tea vs. Coffee: Benefits, Risks, and Health Effects
Effects of Caffeine:
Caffeine comes from natural resources. It is found in coffee beans, cacao (chocolate), tea leaves, and more. Manmade forms of caffeine can be added to certain drinks and foods.
Caffeine is a drug that is know as a stimulant. This means it excites the nervous system, making the consumer more alert. Many people find that it gives them a temporary energy boost, and for some can even enlighten their mood.
An estimated 80% of people worldwide consume some form of caffeine every day. This includes roughly 70% of the children of the world! Fewer teens are drinking pop compared to a decade ago. They are turning to caffeinated beverages and energy drinks. For teens this is a dangerous drink that has some powerful health side effects.
Caffeine can work within a few minutes of consumption and have a half-life of about 5-6 hours. In other words, it takes 5-6 hours for caffeine to clear your blood stream. Be careful of chocolates or added caffeine to beverages after supper if you find yourself sensitive to caffeine.
Caffeine, a stimulant drug, excites the central nervous system. Drinking too much can make you nervous, restless, interrupt your sleep, cause muscle twitches, and even trigger arrhythmias. Some people are more sensitive than others. (I know I can only drink caffeinate beverages before 3:00 p.m.)
It is not unusual today to read about teens dying due to an energy drink. For teens adolescence is a time of brain development. The brain’s most neural connections happen during teen years. This continues into the mid-twenties.
Drinking caffeine from an early age can stunt brain development, as these connections become less efficient and stop forming.
Caffeine triggers pleasure circuits in the brain’s reward and addiction center and may influence a child’s food and drink preferences in later life. Children can be unconsciously sensitive to the pleasure of a caffeinated beverage and lack the knowledge of its side-effects.
Sleep is the area of concern for many people with caffeinated products. Every 10mg of caffeine a 13-year old consumes cuts the chances of getting 8.5 hours of sleep by 12%. Sleep deprivation, especially in teens, can affect their education, mental and physical health.
Caffeine also causes the body to lose calcium. Consuming too much caffeine could lead to bone loss over time. Additionally, soft drink consumption has also been linked to a higher incidents of fractures. Drinking caffeine and energy drinks as a teen, instead of milk, can raise the risk of osteoporosis as the child ages.
Recommended Consumption for Different Age Groups:
A recent study showed 85% of the US population has had at least one caffeinated beverage per day, with an average of 185 mg of caffeine consumed daily. (I know there were days in my 40s and 50s whereas I consumed a whole pot of coffee daily!)
How much is too much? For an adult the mark is at 400mg of caffeine per day, which comes out to 4-5 cups of coffee.
For children 12-18, the recommended amount is no more than 100mg of caffeine per day. For children under 12: NONE.
Food items with caffeine:
12 ounces caffeinated soft drink: 30-40mg
8 ounces of green tea or black tea: 30-50mg
8 ounces of coffee: 80-100mg
8 ounces of decaf coffee: 2-15mg
8 ounces of dark chocolate: 12mg
8 ounces of an energy drink: 40-250mg of caffeine in one container!
Symptoms of too much Caffeine:
Headache, anxiety, trouble sleeping, irritability, increased heartbeat, increased thirst, frequent urination, chest pain.
Sleep: Consuming too much caffeine will not only affect your mood, but your sleep. When consumed close to bedtime the sleep disruption can be mild to moderate. It is recommended not to consume any caffeinated beverage up to 6 hours before bedtime.
This can also included any alcohol with coffee or cocoa added.
Comparative Analysis of Coffee vs Green Tea
Green tea does contain caffeine, but remember coffee has 3 times the amount.
Free radicals, when in excess, can negatively affect your health by causing diseases and speeding up the aging process. The polyphenol, EGCG, found in green tea in greater amounts, has a beneficial effect on cancer cells of the head, neck, lung, prostate, breast, colorectal and pancreatic cancer cells.
L-theanine, a natural amino acid, found in green tea, can increase feelings of calm alertness. (Contrary to the nervousness of coffee and energy drink caffeine.)
Evidence also shows that green tea is associated with a lower risk of stroke, diabetes, and depression.
Be careful of adding sugars to your coffee and tea. This is where it can be associated with Type 2 Diabetes, weight gain, heart disease, and dental cavities.
Which is Better?
For children, even teenagers, I would advise not encouraging caffeinated drinks.
Consider: Coffee has higher caffeine level; whereas Green Tea’s l-theanine and its calming properties, may help you decide which one to drink, and what time to drink it.
My supplier, Shaklee Corporation, offers an Energizing Tea, which does contain caffeine in the lesser amounts, but also includes other teas and their health benefits.
Tea can be better for you when you look for a pure tea, not metal processed; and research it’s caffeinated level. Use your head for the timing, as a hot cup of Camomile, an herbal tea, perhaps with honey as a sweetener, can be the choice for bedtime.
https://majestycoffee.com/blogs/posts/black-coffee-vs-latte
https://www.verywellhealth.com/effects-of-caffeine-on-teenagers-4126761
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/green-tea-vs-coffee
Precision Nutrition: Sleep, Stress Management and Recovery.
Mary Jessen: Wellness Makes Cents 