Drinking coffee is an important ritual for many people who start their day with a cup and likely even have a few up until their afternoon or early evening cut-off time.
Although coffee in moderation is usually acceptable, there is a flavored alternative out there that can provide the same warming, relaxation that coffee does, with a bonus of multiple health benefits.
Tea is a popular drink in many parts of the world, although it takes a back seat to coffee in the U.S. Drinking coffee can become so ingrained in a person’s routine that switching it out can be difficult, but doctors are starting to recommend integrating tea into your daily routine as a healthy alternative.
Here are five reasons why you should replace coffee with tea:
- Tea can help prevent diabetes.
In honor of November being American Diabetes Month, many organizations have begun to promote the health benefits of tea for help with diabetes prevention. Tea, particularly green tea, is very good at metabolizing sugar. Diabetics struggle with sugar metabolism, and green tea can help, in addition to helping keep your waistline in check and improving bone density.
- Tea contains great antioxidants.
Many studies suggest that the antioxidants in tea can go a long way toward preventing a range of cancers – breast, ovarian, skin, lung, colon, stomach, liver prostate and more.
- Tea has less caffeine than coffee.
Like coffee, tea comes caffeinated and non-caffeinated, but in general tea contains less caffeine – sometimes two to three times less. Most doctors recommend that patients who have trouble sleeping, have headaches or feel jittery after drinking coffee switch to tea.
- Tea is better for your teeth.
Tea actually contains fluoride, which helps prevent plaque from forming on your teeth and gums, and tea can be even better for your teeth when unsweetened.
- Tea provides good hydration.
Coffee is a diuretic because of the high amount of caffeine in it – which means that drinking it makes a person urinate more often. Thus, it’s difficult to count coffee as a beneficial fluid for the body because it is flushed out so quickly when compared to tea. Even though tea may also be caffeinated, it generally contains far less caffeine and is a good alternative to coffee.
Patients should note that the benefits of tea can vary depending on the type of tea, although darker and green teas are the more beneficial varieties. The amount of sugar used in a cup of tea should also be taken into account.
