Coffee or green tea: which is better for heart health and hypertension?

Hypertension or high blood pressure has been advertised as a “silent epidemic” affecting countless people worldwide. One of the many factors influencing the disease is the type of lifestyle and diet we follow. Blood pressure and heart health can be easily managed with the right kind of food and drinks included in our daily diet. Many times people wonder whether coffee or green tea is better suited to manage hypertension and improve heart health. A recent study has offered some insights on this matter.

The study was conducted by JACC (Japan Collaborative Cohort Study for Evaluation of Cancer Risk) and published in the Journal of the American Heart Association (JAHA). About 18,000 participants took part in the study which was conducted over a 12-year period. The purpose of the study was to see how participants’ coffee and green tea consumption habits affected their blood pressure and heart health.

Researchers noted that coffee contains between 95 to 200 mg of caffeine while green tea contains 35 mg. Therefore, a single cup of coffee contains about three times more caffeine than green tea. The study found that between coffee and green tea, the latter proved more beneficial for hypertension and heart health. Coffee consumption actually proved harmful to those with high blood pressure. Green tea, therefore, was the ideally preferred drink for better heart health. This is thanks to the polyphenols present in the beverage which override the harmful effects of caffeine.

These beneficial effects of green tea catechins can somewhat explain why only coffee consumption was associated with an increased risk of mortality in people with severe hypertension, despite both green tea and coffee containing caffeine.

Health Benefits of Green Tea

Green tea has repeatedly proven to be a healthy brew that offers multiple benefits. Besides the study results on green tea’s impact on hypertension, there are many health benefits that green tea has to offer.

1. Boosts Immunity

Did you know green tea can help give your immunity a boost? Green tea is rich in antioxidants that protect against cold, flu, and cough. So, drink the warming brew whenever you have a sore throat.

2. Improves Brain Health

The catechin compounds in green tea can have a positive impact on neurological health, as experts have found. It can also help slow down or reverse the brain aging process.

3. Aids Weight Loss

Green tea has been advertised as a miracle potion for weight loss. Studies have shown it boosts metabolism and can positively affect fat burning.

4. Reduces Bad Breath

This is one of the surprising benefits of green tea that not many know. Green tea can actually positively impact oral health, due to its mechanism of suppressing bacterial growth.

5. May Prevent Diabetes

Not just for your weight, green tea can also prove beneficial for diabetics. Studies show green tea can improve insulin sensitivity and reduce the risk of developing diabetes.

Surprising Health Benefits of Coffee

Although coffee has been associated with blood pressure and hypertension, there is another variety of coffee that actually has surprising health benefits. Green coffee beans are seeds of coffee fruits that are not roasted, unlike regular coffee. These have a higher amount of chlorogenic acid which is thought to have numerous health benefits, not limited to antioxidant properties.

Source Food DNPA