Coffee or Tea: Which Is Tops?
A hot cup of something steamy always sounds good first thing in the morning.
But which — coffee or tea?
Both coffee and tea are chock-full of antioxidants, so feel fine about sipping either. But this might sway your decision: Tea also contains something that seems to fight nasty infections. What is it?
Bacteria Basher
It’s L-theanine, an amino acid that boosts immune responses to bacteria, including the ones that cause gut-churning food poisoning. Coffee, which lacks L-theanine,
shows no such antibacterial activity in studies.
More Reasons to Sip a Cuppa
Black, green, or oolong tea all provide a nice dose of the bacteria-thwarting compound. And these fragrant brews give you a host of other health benefits, too, from helping your heart to cutting cancer risk.And although it’s lower in caffeine than coffee, tea still provides about as much of the pick-me-up stuff as a soda. So pour yourself a cuppa!
Adding this to your tea makes it even more of an antioxidant powerhouse:
Okay, we know you probably don’t have a yellow-capped squeezy bear of buckwheat honey in your pantry. But the next time you’re in a natural-foods grocery or speciality market, pick up a jar. Although several types of honey have some antioxidant effects, researchers have pronounced buckwheat honey far and away the star. And buckwheat itself (think pancake mixes, Japanese soba noodles) is being investigated as a “functional food,” thanks both to its high levels of protein, fiber, and minerals, and its lab-tested ability to reduce body fat and cholesterol and even prevent gallstones. So the next time you’re making yourself a cuppa, try sweetening it with something that’s got a lot more going for it than sugar’s empty calories.
Look for honey recipes over on http://www.elementarychef.com/
tea, honey, antioxidents
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