Top 8 Health Benefits of Coffee and Tea

After water, tea and coffee are the most loved beverages the world over! Whether you are looking to savour and sip something first thing in the morning or trying to break that mid-evening slump, both these beverages give one an instant zeal of freshness and that complete reboot.

Regular tea and coffee drinking may call you an addict, but did you know that both these have numerous benefits too. Read on to learn more!

1. Fighting Free Radicals

Our body produces free radicals when it converts specific food into energy. These chemicals can damage the body cells and give rise to various diseases and ailments. Both tea and coffee help to produce antioxidants that help fight these free radicals.

2. Parkinson’s Disease

Coffee has been linked to a reduction in the risk of Parkinson’s disease in research over the years. Although caffeine appears to play a role, other chemicals may also be involved in the fight. Decaffeinated coffee, for example, has been shown to protect against neurodegeneration in a Parkinson’s disease model in some studies.

The caffeine found in both tea and coffee helps to protect the human body against Parkinson’s disease. Studies have also revealed that caffeine not only protects the brain but also helps to identify the early signs of this brain disorder.

Let me tell you a little secret: drinking dark roast coffee may actually strengthen your DNA. You see, our DNA strands can naturally break, and if they’re not repaired properly, it could lead to some serious health issues like cancer or tumours. But here’s where coffee comes to the rescue. Dark roast coffee might reduce the breakage of DNA strands, giving your cells a better chance to repair them effectively.

Dr. Siddharth Gupta, B.A.M.S, M.D (Ayu)

3. Control of Diabetes

Diabetes is a serious health condition that becomes a cause of numerous other ailments. While getting the blood sugar level under control is a humungous task, the humble cup of tea or coffee can, in fact, play a pivotal role in controlling it. Coffee is loaded with antioxidants that help to keep the blood sugar level under control, and the antioxidants present in tea may, in fact, help the body to process the sugar in the blood better.

You won’t believe this interesting study I came across! Turns out, drinking tea might have some surprising benefits when it comes to arthritis. Tea not only contains caffeine but also boasts a variety of nutrients, like flavonoids, that may have an impact on our bone health. There was a study conducted in Britain, and guess what they discovered? Older women who regularly enjoyed a cup of tea possibly had greater bone mineral density compared to those who didn’t drink tea.

Dr. Rajeev Singh, BAMS

4. Liver Diseases

The liver is one organ that is known to benefit immensely from coffee. Regular coffee consumption helps to keep liver diseases such as liver cancer, liver cirrhosis, and other chronic liver diseases at bay.

5. Heart Ailments

While earlier doctors recommended heart patients to control their tea and coffee intake, recent studies suggest that medical practitioners are now slowly understanding and appreciating the role that tea and coffee play in maintaining a healthy heart. Many doctors also believe that consuming a cup of coffee each day helps to build the calcium in the blood vessels that carry blood to the heart.

I may have got some fascinating news for you. Turns out, drinking coffee might actually lower your risk of getting Alzheimer’s disease. How marvellous is that? Here’s the deal: two cups of coffee might significantly reduce your risk of contracting the disease because of their caffeine content. Indeed, a study found that women 65 and older who drank between two and three cups of coffee each day had a lower risk of dementia.

Dr. Smita Barode, B.A.M.S, M.S.

6. Formation of Gallstones

Coffee is known to reduce the formation of gallstones in the gallbladder significantly. This pear-shaped organ aids in digestion and coffee is known to help the fluids move smoothly through the bladder. The gallstones are known to be tiny pieces of cholesterol and coffee helps to prevent the cholesterol from crystallizing into such gallstones.

Earlier studies of  coffee’s benefits  had shown inconsistent findings, despite the fact that it was known to have various metabolic actions that could explain the reduction in gallstone formation.

Beverages with lower caffeine concentrations did not have the same positive effects as coffee in the trial. The researchers discovered no such effect on men who drank tea, decaffeinated coffee or carbonated soft beverages.

Let me share an interesting finding with you! A report published in the Journal of Biomedicine and Pharmacotherapy in 2018 may have revealed some of the black tea’s protective effects against heart attacks. The secret behind this may lie in the polyphenols found in black tea, which might have the amazing ability to relax your blood vessels, keeping them from constricting!

Dr. Anuja Bodhare, B.A.M.S, M.D (Ayu)

7. Weight Management

Provided you keep a check on the sugar intake, drinking low-calorie tea and coffee can help you lose weight effectively. Only ensure that you opt for the basic brew rather than gulping down cups laden with sugar and cream.

8. Treatment of Cancer

Studies suggest that both coffee and green tea help to control prostate and breast cancer. For this, doctors give credit to the antioxidants present in these beverages.

Disclaimer: The information provided here is for educational/awareness purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for medical treatment by a healthcare professional and should not be relied upon to diagnose or treat any medical condition. The reader should consult a registered medical practitioner to determine the appropriateness of the information and before consuming any medication. PharmEasy does not provide any guarantee or warranty (express or implied) regarding the accuracy, adequacy, completeness, legality, reliability or usefulness of the information; and disclaims any liability arising thereof.

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