Monday, February 8, 2010

Is Green Tea Better Than Coffee?


It’s not necessarily about better or worse as both have beneficial properties. It’s about picking the right tools (food and/or supplements), nutritionally, for getting a specific job done (goals)

Green tea has many benefits. A few that we specifically care about for our clients:

Green tea has an alkaline pH balance which is health promoting (good for the cells and the blood) coffee is actually neutral acid / alkaline but commercially prepared coffee is harsh on the digestive lining. When the lining of the stomach gets too thin, digestive pain and symptoms. Additionally coffee can inhibit absorption of nutrients from food and supplements so drinking coffee around your meals or with supplements is not recommended. We aim to feed the body things that AID in digestion (like green tea, lemon juice) and limit foods / drinks that can HINDER digestion ( like coffee and vinegars)

Green tea is high in something called L-theanine which increases neurotransmitters and brain wave activity that makes you feel good, happy, content, euphoric. When you feel good / happy you are more likely to make healthy food choices and engage in healthy habits

Green tea is lower in caffeine (only an average of 35 mg / serving) whereas most traditional coffee we drink is high (150-200 mg). If someone suffers from adrenal problems (high stress / high cortisol levels /sleep problems) caffeine can over stimulate the adrenal gland (where cortisol, the “stress hormone” is released) even more.

Stress is one of the #1 contributing factor in our society for the problem with our weight and health. So anything we can do to manage stress levels helps us get lean and healthy. Additionally, excessive caffeine intake can actually contribute to constipation in that it acts as a strong laxative. We want the digestive system to work more naturally and not really on harsh laxatives to get that system going.

For more info on negative side of coffee, check here.

The best way to drink your coffee: Organic, free trade Arabica beans recently roasted then prepared in a French press.

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