In modern society, coffee is what keeps people going. Over 50% of Americans drink coffee each day, and most coffee drinkers don’t stop at one cup. Although coffee has a variety of health benefits, it can also have physical repercussions when overconsumed.
For many busy Americans, drinking coffee is an essential part of their day. However, giving it up for tea can improve your health and positively impact the rest of your life. Here are three reasons to consider swapping your coffee for tea.
1. Soothe Digestion
Non-organic coffee beans are one of the heavily chemically treated crops in the world. That means that every time you drink a cup of non-organic coffee, you’re exposing your body to pesticides. These chemicals then disrupt the microbiome in your gut, causing digestive issues like leaky gut.
If you’re stuck on coffee, definitely consider switching to an organic brand. However, even organic coffee can cause intestinal distress because it’s high in caffeine and coffee acids. These acidic compounds stimulate acid production in your stomach. If you’re having tummy trouble, coffee could be the cause.
By contrast, many herbal teas can actually soothe your digestive tract. Peppermint, ginger, and dandelion tea are good examples. Some caffeinated teas, like green tea, can also improve digestion by reducing inflammation in your intestinal tract.
Every person’s body is unique, so it’s important to pay attention to how you respond to drinking coffee or tea. Some people are so sensitive to caffeine that even low-dose teas can upset their stomachs. However, as a general rule, tea keeps your digestive system running much more smoothly than coffee.
2. Improve Sleep
Most people drink coffee for its high caffeine content. Caffeine is a natural stimulant that can improve focus and performance by reducing feelings of tiredness. It does this by blocking the neurotransmitters in your brain that signal to your body that you’re tired.
Because caffeine interferes with natural sleep signals, it can affect your quality of sleep. Caffeine is metabolized quickly, so it’s recommended that most people avoid drinking it anywhere from four to six hours before they go to sleep.
It can be difficult to practice that principle on a daily basis because Americans culturally drink coffee to ward off tiredness. However, many people who reduce their daily levels of caffeine report improved sleep and more consistent energy levels throughout the day.
Although many teas are caffeinated, the amount of caffeine found in tea is drastically lower than that found in coffee. For example, an eight-ounce cup of coffee typically has 102-200 mg of caffeine compared to 40-120 mg in the same amount of tea.
Switching from coffee to tea can reduce your caffeine intake and improve your sleep and quality of life. Caffeinated tea provides a perfect stepping stone for reducing your caffeine levels without cutting it cold turkey.
3. Reduce Cost
The cost of coffee varies widely depending on what kind you get and where you buy it. Coffee can be as cheap as $1.99 from Dunkin’ Donuts or cost $2.45 on average per cup at Starbucks. Prices and calories rise if you choose to add flavoring, creamer, sugar, or other additives.
Drinking coffee at home is usually cheaper than buying it already prepared. At-home costs depend on the kind of coffee you drink, but even expensive specialty coffee costs less than most coffee shops. At $40 per pound, you can have 32 eight-ounce cups for $1.25 each.
Making the switch to organic coffee means you’ll have to spend more per cup, whether you make it at home or order the organic option at a coffee shop. Organic farmers charge per pound more to cover the costs of smaller harvests grown with natural farming methods.
In general, drinking tea is much cheaper than drinking coffee. The difference in cost stems from the way each product is grown as well as its perceived cultural value. Around the world, coffee is associated with a high paced, successful professional life, so it sells in affluent cities.
Switching to tea can save you money in several ways. First, the amount of tea needed to brew a cup is much smaller than it is for coffee. Tea isn’t nearly as addictive as coffee, so it’ll likely take you longer to get through the same number of cups. Finally, the actual cost of high-quality organic tea is much lower than that of a comparable coffee.
Time to Try Tea
If you’re a heavy coffee drinker, switching to tea will initially be very challenging. Most coffee drinkers who make the switch go through an uncomfortable withdrawal period where their body readjusts to functioning without the help of caffeine.
However, after the first few weeks of detox, you’ll be amazed at how good you feel. Better sleep, enhanced digestion, and reduced spending will hook you on drinking tea from here on out. You may even notice other benefits like balanced mood and reduced stress.
To perform well without high levels of caffeine, you may need to slow down your schedule and prioritize good nutrition and sleep. However, switching from coffee to tea is a mental more than a physical challenge. Use tea to replace coffee and create a morning ritual that preps you for your day.