All you coffee-lovers out there are probably rolling your eyes right now thinking that nothing in this world will make you say ‘no’ to that morning cup of joe, but there are a few facts that just might shift your opinion a bit. It’s true that coffee gives you a great boost and frankly speaking it tastes great, especially infused with milky froth and spices, but there are a few drawbacks that outweigh whatever benefits drinking coffee might have. One way to get a bit of a caffeine boost without stained teeth, digestive problems, and disrupted sleep is to switch to drinking tea instead. Here are 7 reasons why you should switch from coffee to tea and a few ways to do it.
Coffee is irritating
It’s not that coffee makes you irritated (well sometimes it does), but your stomach surely feels every sip you take and believe me it’s not happy at all! Coffee is a known stomach irritant and caffeine is not the only active component responsible for this. People with sensitive stomachs experience pain and discomfort, sometimes even diarrhoea. Tea, on the other hand, works its magic in a much milder way and it’s almost impossible to overdose on tea as the caffeine in it has a different chemical structure and affects your body a bit differently.
Bye-bye white teeth
You can forget all about a Hollywood-style white smile because with coffee your teeth will always have a yellowish tint that just never goes away. Whitening is costly and most of the time hurts the enamel of your teeth. It is true that some teas also stain your teeth, but not nearly as much as coffee. Especially if you go for lighter green, white, and some red teas.
Do you really like how it tastes?
There’s a simple test that will show if you really like the taste of coffee or you simply drink it for the boost it gives you (er, that smells a bit like addiction). So, can you drink coffee without milk and sugar? Does it taste good or you can’t stand it and have to infuse your cup of pure black coffee with something extra? If you can’t stand the thought of drinking your coffee black, it’s a sure sign that you don’t actually like the taste of coffee, which means you can easily switch to some kind of tea.
Coffee makes you jittery
Some people are more sensitive than others, but as a rule if you overdose on coffee and the caffeine it contains – you’ll feel quite awful, all jittery, jumpy and there might even be some stomach spasms that signal that coffee isn’t actually good for you. It’s best to take a break from this drink and try a milder substitute like Rooibos or Mate, which are known for their energizing properties.
Theine and coffeine are like heaven and hell
Both tea and coffee are great psychostimulants, but each of them affects you in a different way. Caffeine in coffee hits you abruptly like a train and when its effect is gone you feel great physical discomfort. Theine in tea is much milder (3 cups of tea are equivalent to 1 cup of coffee), it works its magic slowly and energizes you for a longer period of time. Green tea is also packed with antioxidants, so it’s actually healthy to drink it and it’s much harder to overdose on tea than it is on coffee.
Coffee boosts anxiety
Being a highly stimulating drink, coffee destroys whatever peace and quiet of mind you managed to gather and sends you into a rush of excitement, heightened emotions, and anxiety. If you have a tendency to experience anxiety in any form, coffee will surely bring it up to the surface, it reduces levels of serotonin, a neurotransmitter that is responsible for your good mood. The less you have it, the more depressed and anxious you are. Some teas, on the contrary, have a calming effect, so depending on your mood or needs you can use different teas, blends, or herbs to boost your health.
Types of teas to drink instead of coffee
If you like your caffeine strong, you can opt for Guayusa – this tea packs almost the same amount of caffeine and will give you a mild, but strong boost. Yerba Mate is yet another drink that has a highly rejuvenating and energizing effect. Shou Pu-erh tea, when brewed properly, looks much like coffee and has a taste that is a bit similar, but there is less caffeine in it. Among other coffee-like substitutes you can try: houjicha, roasted Oolong, white tea, etc.