Is green tea better than coffee? 🍵🆚☕️
This is a question a lot of people ask, and in this article, we’re going to break it down.
We’ll be comparing the antioxidants green tea vs coffee as well as various other compounds to see is green tea healthier than coffee.
We’ll also be looking at a few different teas you can use to help you drink green tea instead of coffee, helping you replace the flavor and caffeine that you love.
Let’s get started! 💪
Is green tea better than coffee?
So right off the bat, is green tea better than coffee?
The word “better” is pretty subjective, so we prefer not to take a side.
Instead, we’re more interested in learning if coffee or green tea is better based on science.
And the answer is the following: green tea is better than coffee.
In the next section, we are going to take a look at the unique compounds within the leaf to see if green tea is healthier than coffee.
Why is green tea healthier than coffee?
While it is tough to say is green tea better than coffee, we can certainly compare the two based on their health benefits. Here are a few of the benefits you get from drinking green tea instead of coffee.
Rich in Catechins
Another reason people wonder is green tea better than coffee is because of the catechins. Green tea is abundant in catechins, a type of antioxidant.
The most notable catechin is epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), which has been associated with various health benefits, including potential cancer-fighting properties. When comparing antioxidants green tea vs coffee, there is no contest.
L-theanine Content
So given that both drinks have caffeine, is coffee or green tea better for you? Well green tea has something that coffee does not have, the amino acid L-theanine, which has calming and relaxing effects.
The combination of L-theanine and caffeine in green tea can provide a balanced and focused energy boost without the jittery side effects often associated with coffee.
Gentler on the Stomach
So is green tea better for you than coffee? It may at least be easier on your stomach! Green tea is generally gentler on the stomach compared to coffee, which can be more acidic and may cause digestive discomfort for some individuals.
Dental Health Benefits
When we compare antioxidants coffee vs green tea, not only does green tea have more catechins, but it also has another antioxidant class - polyphenols. These polyphenols may help inhibit the growth of bacteria in the mouth, potentially reducing the risk of cavities and promoting overall oral hygiene.
Potential Cardiovascular Benefits
Some studies suggest that green tea may have cardiovascular benefits, including the potential to lower LDL cholesterol levels, improve arterial function, and contribute to heart health. These benefits are not as prominent in coffee.
Lower Caffeine Content
Green tea generally contains less caffeine than coffee. This can be advantageous for people that are looking to lower their caffeine intake or those sensitive to its stimulating effects.
Improved Hydration
Green tea contributes to daily fluid intake and can be a hydrating option. Unlike coffee, which can have a diuretic effect, green tea is less likely to contribute to dehydration.
Weight Management Support
Some research suggests that the combination of catechins and caffeine in green tea may have a mild thermogenic effect, potentially contributing to weight management by increasing calorie expenditure.
Because it is so important, green tea vs coffee weight loss is a topic we will be covering in more detail later on in the article. If you can't weight and you want to learn more about it now, you can read this article 👉 Your Ultimate Green Tea Weight Loss Guide
Mental Alertness without Jitters
Finally on our list of reasons why is green tea better for you than coffee is the mental alertness factor. The combination of caffeine and L-theanine in green tea provides a state of alertness without the same jittery feelings often associated with high doses of coffee.
Drink these types of green tea instead of coffee
If you’ve been convinced on the “is green tea better than coffee debate” here are some great teas to start with. These teas are good for coffee lovers, whether you are missing the caffeine or the taste.
Gyokuro
Gyokuro is a long shaded Japanese green tea that has a unique sweet and savory flavor.
It is also very high in caffeine and theanine. Gyokuro has between 120-140mg of caffeine per serving, which is more than a cup of coffee.
You may not notice the same jolt or crash as you would with coffee, because gyokuro is also high in l-theanine.
Try swapping out your morning cup of coffee for this supercharged green tea and see how you feel!
Matcha
Matcha powder is another long shaded, high caffeine green tea.
Like gyokuro, it is also high in theanine to buffer some of the negative side effects of the caffeine.
Ceremonial matcha contains about 68mg of caffeine per teaspoon, but you can easily use double this in a cup to get your morning caffeine fix.
It also works great in lattes! If you want to mix your tea in with milk and sugar, we recommend you go for the latte grade matcha.
Hojicha
If you’re okay giving up the caffeine but not the flavor of coffee, hojicha is a good option!
This is a roasted Japanese green tea, which gives it a bolder, more roasted flavor of coffee, caramel or chocolate.
This tea is low in caffeine, but it does a good job at mimicking that coffee flavor!
If you want to learn more about the taste of hojicha and why it tastes so similar to coffee, you're going to love this article 👉 Complete Guide about Tea that Tastes like Coffee
Green tea vs coffee antioxidants
You’ll notice when we were exploring is green tea better than coffee, antioxidants came up a lot. This is one of the major reasons to drink green tea instead of coffee. Green tea is rich in antioxidants like EGCG. In fact, matcha tea has 20 times as many antioxidants as blueberries, which people normally think of as being antioxidant rich.
Catechins are the most prevalent antioxidant in green tea and they are formed naturally as the tea leaf is exposed to sunlight. So when it comes to antioxidants green tea vs coffee, there really is no comparison.
Green tea vs coffee weight loss
So now that we’ve answered is green tea healthier than coffee, let’s compare green tea vs coffee for weight loss. Here we’ll also be looking at green tea vs coffee antioxidants and what impact they can have on weight loss.
By the way, if you're looking for the best green tea for losing weight, you're going to want to read this article 👉 What’s the Best Green Tea To Lose Weight? Find Out Here
Thermogenic Effects
One advantage of green tea vs coffee for weight loss has to do with the thermogenic effects. Green tea contains catechins, particularly epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), which may have a mild thermogenic effect.
This means it could help increase calorie expenditure and fat oxidation, potentially contributing to weight loss.
Caffeine and L-theanine Combination
As we mentioned before, one of the reasons why is green tea better than coffee has to do with the fact that green tea contains both caffeine and l-theanine. The combination of caffeine and the amino acid L-theanine in green tea provides a unique synergy.
While caffeine can increase alertness and energy expenditure, L-theanine has calming effects, resulting in a balanced and focused state. This combination may support physical activity and weight loss efforts without the jittery side effects often associated with high doses of coffee.
Enhanced Fat Burning during Exercise
Some studies suggest that green tea extract, when consumed before exercise, may enhance fat burning during physical activity. This could be beneficial for individuals incorporating exercise into their weight loss routine.
If you want to learn how matcha can help you during excercise, we have an article you might like 👉 Recover Like a Champion with Matcha Protein Powder
Potential Appetite Suppression
When discussing, green tea vs coffee weight loss, we have covered a lot about calorie expenditure, but haven’t talked much about the other end of the equation - diet. Green tea may have appetite-suppressing effects, helping individuals manage their food intake.
This can be advantageous for those aiming to reduce calorie consumption as part of a weight loss strategy.
Improved Insulin Sensitivity
Green tea has been linked to improved insulin sensitivity, which is essential for the regulation of blood sugar levels. Better insulin sensitivity may contribute to more stable energy levels and potentially reduce the risk of overeating.
Reduced Absorption of Dietary Fat
Some research suggests that the catechins in green tea may inhibit the absorption of dietary fat in the digestive tract. This could lead to a decrease in overall calorie absorption and support weight loss.
If you want to learn more about how green tea can help with weight loss, we made a full guide all about it 👉 Your Ultimate Green Tea Weight Loss Guide
Is green tea better than coffee besides health?
So now that we’ve thoroughly answered the question is green tea healthier than coffee, let’s talk about the non-health related benefits of drinking green tea instead of coffee.
Versatility
If we take a look at matcha, the powdered green tea, it can be incorporated in all sorts of different drinks and recipes. While espresso powder can make a nice dusting on a tiramisu, there aren't very many recipes that can easily incorporate coffee.
If you're interested in preparing a fund green tea recipe, you can read our article here 👉 The Best Matcha Cookies You’ll Ever Eat!
Variety
Of course there is also a great variety in coffee between robusta and arabica, light roast and dark roast but tea may have an even wider spectrum of flavors. There are 6 major types of tea, white tea, yellow tea, green tea, oolong tea, red tea and dark tea.
Within each tea type there are hundreds of different subspecies that can be used to make it, not to mention growing, processing and aging techniques. Almost every flavor you're looking for, you can find it in the world of tea.
Is green tea better than coffee? The Final Verdict
So is green tea better than coffee? We’ll let you be the judge of that. All we can say is that there are many advantages of drinking green tea instead of coffee.
When it comes to green tea vs coffee for weight loss, green tea seems to be the clear winner. Also, with regard to antioxidants green tea vs coffee is no real contest because coffee barely has any antioxidants. Whatever drink you prefer, we’re not here to judge! We just want to make sure you have options.
