Does the thought of not having your morning coffee make you a little anxious? It certainly does, us. But the irony here is that our morning coffee also makes us anxious when we overdo it. That’s because caffeine is a stimulant and if you drink too much of the good stuff, well, it’s no wonder you get jittery. Instead, why not embrace the glorious variety, delicious taste and reported health benefits of switching from Joe to Char?
To explore a little further and drink a little deeper, here are 7 reasons to switch from coffee to tea today.
CONTROL YOUR CAFFEINE INTAKE
Personally, we dread the thought of eliminating caffeine totally from our life. We’d just like to reduce it, somewhat. To take control of your caffeine intake, it might be a wise idea to switch from coffee to tea, as the concentration of caffeine in tea (when comparing mugs of the same size) is considerably less.
Why not try a cup of tea instead? Like for like, you’ll find around half the amount of caffeine in black tea compared to coffee, less still in green tea, and absolutely none in the herbal stuff. So, you can control that pick me up a little easier, as well as enjoying several other benefits.
HYDRATION STATIONS
Proper hydration is a vital part of our health, and fortunately, tea provides an excellent alternative to water when you want a bit of excitement from your drinks. Excessive coffee, on the other hand, can dehydrate you. Indeed, the experts at Ahmad Tea USA say that ‘’tea consumption does not produce a diuretic effect unless the amount of tea consumed at one sitting contains more than 300mg of caffeine. This is equivalent to six or seven cups of tea at one sitting. Single servings of caffeine at doses exceeding 300mg may have a diuretic effect’’.
So, to get your caffeine fix whilst still achieving hydration, tea is the answer.
APPETITE SUPPRESSANT
Additionally, some teas such as mate, pureh, green, and mint are known to be appetite suppressants, due to both their caffeine and catechin content. Matcha green tea, in particular, is known to be an adept queller of the munchies. So, grab a cup of tea next time you’re longing for a mid morning snack, and see yourself through to lunch. Who knew it was so easy?
SLEEP AID
Certain teas also help you get a better night’s sleep. Chamomile tea has numerous health benefits, one of which is its ability to help people relax and fall asleep. Other no-or-low caffeine teas that are thought to help with sleep are green, valerian, passionflower, mint, lavender, and lemon balm. Check out our other tips on hacking your circadian rhythm with food for more of the same.
DRINK ALL YOU WANT
That’s a phrase you don’t often hear associated with a beverage. Indeed, overconsumption of alcohol has numerous consequences, none of which are good. Too much coffee leaves you frazzled and may result in an edgy morning. Even recent wisdom has opined that fruit juice should be limited to 150ml a day (one small glass) due to its sugar content.
But drinking several cups of tea a day will result in positive effects such as hydration and relaxation without enduring the detrimental elements of other commonly consumed drinks.
BRIGHTEN YOUR SMILE
Coffee may leave stains on your teeth which build up over the years, leading to a cosmetically undesirable appearance. On the flip side, white tea is a good source of fluoride and antioxidants that make your teeth stronger and whiter, though it should be noted that black tea can also stain your nashers.
RELIEVE HEARTBURN
Certain properties of coffee cause physical changes that result in acid reflux, with overindulgence in caffeine a key player in causing heartburn. Go for a low or no caffeine tea and you’ll likely relieve this. Indeed, herbal teas can improve digestion and soothe stomach problems, but avoid mint teas, which can trigger an acid reflux in some.