Coffee and tea have invigorating properties, help focus and improve motor skills. The thing is that these drinks contain special compounds - alkaloids of caffeine, theophylline and theobromine.
The problem of morning sleepiness is extremely relevant for the inhabitants of large cities, so many are wondering which of the drinks invigorates better and which of them contains more caffeine. Experts have studied the properties of coffee and tea and have come to some interesting conclusions.
Invigorating effect
The composition of alkaloids in coffee and tea is fundamentally different. Tea contains not only caffeine in significant quantities, but also theobromine and theophylline. The content of the last two compounds in coffee is very low.
These alkaloids have completely different effects on the body. Caffeine stimulates the central nervous system well, accelerating the speed of nerve impulses. In other words, coffee provides an effective, but very short, shake-up to the body. But theobromine or theophylline has an extremely weak effect on the central nervous system, but at the same time they stimulate cardiac activity, accelerating blood flow. This saturates the tissues of the body with oxygen. Due to the similar effects of theobromine and theophylline, tea is considered a more gentle and mild stimulant.
How much caffeine is in tea?
The amount of caffeine in a mug of tea is primarily influenced by its type. The better and more expensive the tea, the higher the caffeine content. This substance is especially rich in very young tea leaves and buds, which are part of good tea. In addition, the caffeine content often depends on the growing area of the tea. This parameter is influenced by the climate of the area, soil characteristics and altitude. On high altitude plantations, tea leaves grow more slowly, accumulating more caffeine.
The degree of fermentation affects the caffeine content of tea. The lower this degree, the more caffeine is in the tea. So, theoretically, green and white teas should contain the most caffeine. However, not everything is so simple. It's not just about fermentation, but also about the way the tea is made. The caffeine content of the finished drink is influenced by the temperature of the water used to brew the tea. The hotter it is, the more caffeine is released. White and green teas are traditionally brewed with warm water, so the caffeine content in them is much lower than in black tea, which is brewed with boiling water.
If we talk about the average caffeine content, it can be noted that a cup of black leaf tea has two and a half times less caffeine than strong brewed coffee. At the same time, a cup of espresso has four times more caffeine than regular coffee made in a Turk or a coffee machine.
