What changed
A new review of coffee and tea health research puts the choice in perspective: moderate coffee intake was associated with an 8% lower risk of heart failure, while higher black-tea intake was associated with a 14% lower risk of death from heart disease. The sharper warning is about temperature: drinks above 65°C were linked with three times the risk of oesophageal cancer, and coffee is often served at 65–70°C.
Why it matters
The practical lesson is less “switch coffee for tea” than “let the drink cool.” Tea with milk is typically around 57°C, while black coffee can arrive hot enough to cross the risk threshold described here. That makes temperature a simple habit worth changing, whatever is in the mug.
Coffee still has a plausible heart-health case. Its polyphenols may help protect blood vessels, and the reported moderate range is roughly two to four cups a day. But caffeine can temporarily raise heart rate and blood pressure, particularly in people who are sensitive to it or have certain heart conditions. More than four to five filter coffees may also exceed about 400mg of caffeine.
Tea offers a lower-caffeine route to the flavonoids associated with cardiovascular health. The reported range for potential benefit was one-and-a-half to three cups a day, with two cups of unsweetened tea described as providing useful flavonoid levels.
Neither drink wins outright. These are associations, not proof that coffee or tea causes better heart outcomes, and the studies do not show how their findings apply to any one person. For a low-effort wellness habit, drink it warm rather than scalding, keep caffeine moderate, and choose the mug you can enjoy consistently.
Comments
No comments yet.