Coffee and tea are both popular drinks, especially among women. But, are they healthy? And, if so, which one is the best choice? The answer, according to Marla Ahlgrimm, is that it depends on a person’s goals and tolerance for caffeine. Here, the women’s health entrepreneur answers a few common questions about our favorite caffeinated (and decaffeinated) beverages.
Q: What are the biggest benefits of drinking coffee and tea?
Marla Ahlgrimm: The obvious answer would be the energy boost you get from either of them. But, the truth is that that’s not even the most profound benefit of drinking a moderate amount of coffee or tea. Both contain antioxidants, compounds that help the body fight certain types of cancer. If you’re going solely for health benefits, green tea should be your drink of choice.
Q: How much caffeine is in coffee?
Marla Ahlgrimm: That depends on the kind of coffee that you drink. Regular brewed coffee contains 96 mg per every 8 ounces. Espresso has a whopping 64 mg per ounce. Contrary to popular belief, even decaffeinated coffee contains some of the energy-boosting compounds, with about 2 mg for every cup.
Q: How does the amount of caffeine in coffee compare to tea?
Marla Ahlgrimm: The average cup of coffee has more than twice the amount of caffeine as a cup of brewed black or green tea.
Q: Bottom line: is it unhealthy to drink coffee and tea?
Marla Ahlgrimm: Antioxidants are certainly beneficial to the human body. And, while there is nothing wrong with a few cups of coffee each morning, keep in mind that 400 mg of caffeine every day is considered the highest safe amount. This does not account for people’s body size and ability to metabolize caffeine.
Marla Ahlgrimm has co-authored two ground-breaking books,