It has been established that tea, which also contains caffeine, is the most popular among consumers – about 3.2 billion cups of it are drunk per day. Exactly half as much coffee is drunk – about 1.6 billion per day.
Each of these drinks has its own flavor and aroma properties, as well as the ability to invigorate or calm the body. The main component of vigor is caffeine, which can not only fill the body with energy, but also have a negative effect. Let’s try to figure out which of the above drinks contains more of this substance.
General information about caffeine
This substance is a full-fledged natural stimulant of the human nervous system. If its use is strictly dosed and does not go beyond the adequate amount, then caffeine can have a beneficial effect on the body. But if you take too much caffeine, then there is a high risk of getting negative consequences from the substance.
The discovery and description of the substance took place in the 19th century and belongs to two famous chemists – F. Runge and E. G. Fischer. The first scientist discovered this substance and established a direct connection with theine. The second one found out the molecular structure of caffeine.
Theine as an independent component is isolated from tea waste and enters the body through the consumption of tea.
Properties of theine
In general, there is a certain similarity between substances such as caffeine and theine. Since the molecules of each substance bind to other elements, the overall effect of the substance on the human body is different. This difference is based on the rate of breakdown of the substance in the body.
In addition to tenin, adenosine also plays one of the controlling roles in the body, it helps to enter the sleep phase, while blocking excitation and vigor. Adenosine can also be called the “fatigue molecule”.
The principle of theine’s work is easy to predict – it blocks receptors designed to produce adenosine. It is easy to assume that in order to perk up and get energized, you need to drink a drink that contains theine, which is able to “block” fatigue and relaxation.
Impact on the human body
Tenin can affect the consumer in different ways, everything will depend on how sensitive the person is to this substance. In addition to the wakefulness effect, tenin can have a beneficial effect on the gastrointestinal tract, is useful for gently stimulating the central nervous system, and can enrich tissue cells with oxygen.
It is important to take into account that caffeine consumption has its limitations. It should not be consumed in the presence of heart and vascular diseases, anxiety, sleep problems, and blood pressure surges.
Caffeine can have a beneficial effect on the body only if it is consumed strictly in dosed quantities, since an overdose of the substance can lead to a deterioration in the nervous state, and in the most dangerous cases – to the development of psychosis.
Content in different drinks
Caffeine is very popular as a natural psychostimulant, and the amount of theine is directly dependent on the technology of preparation of the drink. The maximum amount of the substance will be in the coffee drink espresso.
Coffee
This drink is rich in caffeine (up to 2.7%).
When choosing a drink, you should pay attention to the following factors:
the country of growth, collection and processing of coffee beans (climate, soil, minerals and harmful substances contained in it, moisture – all this will affect the quality and type of the drink),
intensity of roasting coffee beans. This procedure affects not so much the benefits of the drink as its flavor and aroma properties.
Tea
It sounds paradoxical, but tea contains almost twice as much caffeine as its direct competitor in popularity – coffee. However, the concentration of caffeine in a tea drink will be somewhat lower, since a modest amount of tea leaves is needed to brew one cup of tea.
In addition, it is necessary to take into account that the natural composition of tea, in addition to caffeine, includes many other substances – essential oils (creating the taste and aroma of the drink), phenols, enzymes. As a result, it turns out that a cup of tea will contain a lower concentration of caffeine than a similar cup of coffee.
Comparison table
| Drink, ml | Caffeine content (approximate, mg) |
|---|---|
| Natural coffee, 250 | 100-200 |
| Instant coffee, 100 | 30-50 |
| Decaffeinated Coffee, 250 | 2-30 |
| Espresso, 30 | 40-75 |
| Black tea, 100 | 40-50 |
| Green tea, 100 | 20-30 |
What determines the amount of caffeine in tea
The concentration of the theine compound will not be a constant value in any cup of brewed tea. The amount of the substance will depend on the quality of the raw material, the technology of its processing, as well as the time of preparation of the drink. If you want to get tea with a higher concentration of caffeine, then you need to not only increase the brewing time (the time when useful substances will be extracted from the tea), but also increase the amount of brewing. Only in this case the tea drink will be stronger.
Method of preparation
The brewing technology will definitely have a direct impact on the amount of caffeine in a cup of tea. The brewing time will affect the amount of substances “pulled” from the tea raw materials. If you support the tea during the brewing process, the drink will be saturated with a large amount of tannins, which can give the tea a bitter taste. Such a concentration of substances can reduce the absorption of iron from incoming food products. There is a natural neutralizer for tannins – milk.
Tonic properties of tea and coffee
Everyone knows that both tea and coffee are quite popular among a huge number of people, the number is in the billions. As a rule, both drinks are consumed as natural psychostimulants and tonics.
Drinks are capable of:
- reduce or eliminate headaches,
- activate mental abilities,
- significantly reduce the risk of memory impairment,
- invigorate and tone.
Drinks that can be used as a substitute
Getting energy – this is the role that food and drinks play in the body. If you want to perk up, but at the same time reduce the amount of theine consumed, then coffee and tea can be replaced with the following drinks:
- Ginseng infusion. The drink can invigorate, improve cognitive abilities and CNS reaction, and also has many healing properties.
- Chicory. The drink is obtained from the root of the plant of the same name and contains a significant amount of vitamins, minerals, oils, polyphenols. Regulates blood sugar levels.
- Barley coffee. An incredibly healthy drink that can not only invigorate, but also saturate the body with a significant amount of vitamins (A, PP, group B and others) and minerals. Safe for people suffering from stress, panic and anxiety disorders.
