Coffee V.S. Tea

Tale as old as time, song as old as rhyme…

No, it’s not Beauty and the Beast, it’s the age-old author’s debate. Now, some people may prefer neither caffeinated drink at all, but here’s where the caffeine addicts beg to differ. I mean, one day, I may decide to go cold turkey and avoid coffee/tea shops all-together. But until that mythical, magical day, the teenage me absolutely requires coffee and/or tea. It’s the lifeblood flowing through my veins. It is the drink of the gods, the fruit of the vine, the–.

Aw, forget it. Let me just list some Pros and Cons for both of the drinks when you’re a hardworking author who’s burning the midnight oil on yet ANOTHER revision on your manuscript.

COFFEE PROS

1. More caffeine content than tea. The caffeine amounts differ as to whether the coffee is diluted or how long it’s been brewing, but as a whole, coffee tends to be the much stronger dose than its teakettle counterpart.
2. Coffee beans covered in chocolate are positively delicious.
3. Coffee is a favorite amongst many popular urban areas. Nothing says, “I woke up late and I’m going to miss my train” like a morning trip to the coffee shop.
4. Coffee tends to work fast. It has a fifteen minute “working” time period in order to really set in and give you that jolt you need to start the day.

COFFE CONS

1. It has a higher caffeine content. Kiss that regular sleep schedule goodbye, because if you drink more than a couple cups, you’ll be so buzzed that sleep will seem like an impossible dream.
2. Coffee has been a favorite amongst scientists and their studies for years. You can’t turn on the news channel without seeing, eventually, some scientist either praising coffee for fighting off deadly diseases or causing premature death. It’s like playing with freshly brewed medical-health-related fire.
3. Unless you drink coffee without milk or sugar, your favorite frappe or mocha grande supreme is probably loaded with extra fats and caramel that you don’t need. Sadly.
4. The post-coffee crash is very real, causing you to become addicted if you don’t get that instant coffee satisfaction.

TEA PROS

1. It’s soothing. Along with lower caffeine content, some teas are meant to help aid insomnia, like chamomile.
2. It’s simple. Skip the added fats and sugars. Tea is usually taken plain in most places, with only a dollop of honey for flavoring if you must.
3. It’s sophisticated. While coffee seems to be the drink of the hardworking or the young kids, tea is perfect for all ages. High Tea, Garden Parties, you name it.
4. Tea can be taken at any time of day. While coffee serves as a pick me up, tea doesn’t like to steal the show. Drink as many cups as you want. Most studies revolving around tea tend to be generally positive. It’s the wonder drink of the medical world.

TEA CONS

1. It takes a while to make. Coffee machines seem to be fast-paced. Espressos have you out the door in mere minutes. Tea, meanwhile, seems to take a while to brew. It’s an art.
2. Its distinctive taste. With tea, you either love it or hate it. Coffee drinks can be mixed and hidden so that all you taste is cookie crumbles or strawberry cream. Tea can’t be masked quite so easily. Milk teas and added creams might mask the tea flavor for a little bit, but you either love it or hate it. (I happen to love both tea and coffee, so it’s twice the fun for me!)
3. It’s not as main stream. Coffee houses are everywhere. But in the U.S., tea is a backburner sort of affair. Tea can be served, but varieties tend to be lacking compared to the options given to coffee.
4. Again, just like coffee, tea has caffeine which gives it addictive properties. Tea-drinker beware!

<3 Hope you enjoyed, my fellow caffeine lovers. Keep on enjoying that tea and coffee. The benefits are amazing, but always keep it in moderation, a common rule of thumb for life in general!