For centuries, people have debated coffee or tea, and to be honest: we still don’t have an answer. It seems as though each drink has its own devout followers, complete with rituals and entire life systems revolving around each drink.
Coffee is different. It just is. That very first sip in the morning is a shock to your system like tea just isn’t. The caffeine alone is enough to warrant this win if we are talking about actually waking up before 10 am. Also, the items you can drink are absolutely wild. Espresso, cappuccino, cold brew, or French press? They are all truly different drinks.
And of course, tea drinkers will insist, till they are the wrong color, that tea is still better. And to be fair? Perhaps it is better. Tea has been around for a significantly long time. Ancient emperors were drinking tea thousands of years ago while the coffee berry had yet to be discovered in Ethiopia. The health issues are different for the two also – tea is full of antioxidants, easier on your stomach, and I can’t think of anyone having jitters after too much tea.
The entire ritual aspect is significant in this scenario. Coffee culture is all about speed and convenience most of the time. Drive-through windows, grab-and-go. Tea takes patience. Steeping, water temperature, teaware—it’s meditative. Some people need to have that force slow down in their day.
Let’s break down the taste. Coffee is strong, bitter and punchy. No excuses. Tea is made up of delicate white tea that could taste like a whisper to strong black tea that could go toe-to-toe with any coffee. Green tea is somewhere in the middle, grassy, and clean. Herbal tea isn’t even technically tea, but we have a tendency to drink it anyway.
Socially speaking, it also splits in a weird way. Coffee shops became default “let’s meet up” locations in pretty much every western country. Tea rooms feel fancy or like a throwback unless you’re in the UK or somewhere that values tea as just tea, like a way of life. Go to a British home and you’ll be offered tea within minutes of walking in. No question.
Both drinks have their supporters in the research community when it comes to health. Drinking coffee may result in a decrease in diabetes risk as well as liver protection. Drinking tea may decrease the chances of heart disease and help with weight loss. Choose your poison based on which tales you want to buy into.
Price? Tea wins easily. A box of tea bags (not from the grocery store) costs less than a coffee trip for one, typically. You can make tea at home without developing and maintaining an array of equipment. Coffee means a grinder, a brewer of some sort, filters, plus the extra gear if you want to do it right.
While the afternoon slump shows your true feelings about coffee and tea. Coffee drinkers generally go for another cup and crash even harder the subsequent session. Tea drinkers will generally sip through the middle of the day without the roller coaster and maintain energy levels. Different strokes for different folks…
Perhaps the coffee or tea indifference misses the bigger point. Each drink serves a purpose for a different occasion. If you are in a hurry to wake up, then coffee. If you want to unwind after dinner, then tea. Depending on the date, will determine what you drink.
There might not even be any end to this debate, and maybe there shouldn’t be. Coffee or tea isn’t even an objective judgement. It’s about what your body needs in the moment, what your palate craves or is used to, what your lifestyle dictates. Some people need that coffee jolt. Others prefer tea’s comfort and smooth energy.
Both beverages have their roles in human history, and both beverages can coexist in daily life. The real question isn’t coffee or tea, it’s simply have you found the beverage that works for your body and life!
