Green Tea vs Coffee (IV)

Though both coffee and green tea are known for their benefits, they also have some drawbacks. 

For example, if you add ingredients — such as sweeteners, creamers, and flavored syrups — may significantly increase your coffee or tea’s calorie and sugar count. This is associated with weight gain, type 2 diabetes, heart disease and dental cavities. 

Oils naturally present in coffee, including cafestol and kahweol, may increase blood cholesterol levels although they may be good for the liver and protect against cancer while consuming coffee made without a paper filter was associated with increased total and LDL (bad) cholesterol in the blood.

Also, chronic intakes of caffeine may lead to increased alertness and anxiety. If consumed in high doses of over 400 mg per day, it can worsen symptoms of anxiety, panic disorder and insomnia. 

Too much caffeine may also promote headaches, migraine and high blood pressure in some individuals. 

In addition, caffeine can easily cross the placenta, which can increase the risk of miscarriage or low birth weight. Thus pregnant women should limit their intake. 

Caffeine may also interact with some medications.

Furthermore, caffeine use may lead to caffeine dependence in some people. Those who have caffeine dependence may continue to use caffeine despite experiencing harmful effects. 

Thus people with anxiety, insomnia, and panic disorders should consider choosing green tea over coffee due to its lower caffeine content and because it contains L-theanine — an amino acid that promotes a state of calm alertness.

Green Tea vs Coffee (III)

Green tea is associated with a reduced risk of stroke, diabetes and depression. This is because it improves insulin sensitivity and reduces blood sugar levels.  Thus it may lower the risk of type 2 diabetes. 

Also, coffee drinkers have a much lower risk of type 2 diabetes. Those who drink the most coffee have up to a 29% lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes. 

Regularly drinking 4 cups of coffee per day may also reduce the risk of developing gout by 40% in men and 57% in women while consuming 3 cups of coffee a day for as few as 3 weeks may increase the amount and activity of beneficial gut bacteria.

Boost longevity

Given that some compounds in green tea may help protect against cancer and heart disease, it could help you live longer. In one study, it was found that those who drank the most green tea — 5 or more cups per day — were significantly less likely to die during the study period.  

The same for coffee drinker.  

Coffee drinkers have a lower risk of death. Drinking coffee was associated with a 20% reduced risk of death in men and a 26% decreased risk of death in women. It may decrease the risk of premature death by as much as 30%, especially for women and people with diabetes.

Contain Essential Nutrients

A single cup of coffee contains: 

• Riboflavin (vitamin B2): 11% of the Reference Daily Intake (RDI).
  Riboflavin is crucial for breaking down food components, absorbing other nutrients and maintaining tissues. It is important for body growth. It helps in red blood cell production. It also aids in the release of energy from proteins.
  
  
• Pantothenic acid (vitamin B5): 6% of the RDI.
  Pantothenic acid is necessary for making blood cells and it helps convert the food into energy by breaking down fats and carbohydrates. It also promotes healthy skin, hair, eyes and liver.

• Manganese and potassium: 3% of the RDI.
  Manganese and potassium are trace minerals. It is vital for our body.

  Manganese contributes to many bodily functions, including the metabolism of amino acids, cholesterol, glucose and carbohydrates. It also plays a role in bone formation, blood clotting and reducing inflammation. For people with diabetes, manganese may help lower blood sugar levels and help the pancreas create insulin.
  
  Manganese also helps form an antioxidant enzyme called superoxide dismutase (SOD) which breaks down a dangerous free radical, called superoxide, into smaller components that are not harmful. 
  
  

  Potassium regulates fluid balance, muscle contractions and nerve signals. A high-potassium diet may help reduce blood pressure and water retention, protect against stroke and help prevent osteoporosis and kidney stones.
  
  
• Magnesium and niacin (vitamin B3): 2% of the RDI. 
  Low levels of magnesium can significantly affect the sleep and cause you to feel fatigued while niacin keeps skin healthy, helps with digestion and can lower cholesterol levels while magnesium benefits the body by:
• relieving muscle tension
• improving sleep quality
• repairing muscle tissue
• strengthening bones
• helping to synthesize proteins
• replenishing the skin

Green tea contains two substances related to caffeine: theobromine and theophylline. Both have several physiological effects on the body. 

Theophylline relaxes smooth muscles in the airway, making breathing easier while also stimulating both the rate and force of heart contractions.  

Theobromine can also stimulate the heart, but it does have a mild diuretic effect and improves blood flow around the body, leading to a net reduction in blood pressure. 

Green Tea vs Coffee (II)

Fight Depression

In a Harvard study published in 2011, women who drank 4 or more cups of coffee per day had a 20% lower risk of becoming depressed. And in another study, it was found that 53% drinking 4 or more cups of coffee per day were less likely to die by suicide. 

Feel calm

L-theanine is an amino acid naturally present in green tea. This compound is known to affect the brain, increasing feelings of calm alertness. 

L-theanine increases the activity of the inhibitory neurotransmitter GABA, which has anti-anxiety effects. It also increases dopamine and the production of alpha waves in the brain.

L-theanine, especially when combined with caffeine, can improve attention and brain function. Not only in the short term, but also protect the brain as age.

Protect from Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s Disease and Dementia

The catechin compounds in green tea can lower the risk of dementia, a common neurodegenerative disorder in older adults.  

Besides the catechin compounds in green tea, several studies show that coffee drinkers can have up to a 65% lower risk of Alzheimer’s disease, which is a leading cause of dementia worldwide.

And studies also show that coffee drinkers have a much lower risk of Parkinson’s disease, with a risk reduction ranging from 32–60%. 

The caffeine in coffee appears to be the active ingredient responsible for these protective effects. 

Reduce bad breath

The catechins in green tea have benefits for oral health. The catechins can suppress the growth of bacteria, potentially lowering the risk of infections, reducing the risk of bad breath.

Help prevent cardiovascular disease

Green tea increases the antioxidant capacity of the blood, which protects the LDL particles from oxidation, which is one part of the pathway toward heart disease. Studies show that people who drink green tea have a lower risk of cardiovascular disease.

Some studies also show that coffee drinkers have a 20% lower risk of stroke. And evidence shows a 16–18% lower risk of heart disease in men and women who drink between 1–4 cups of coffee daily. 

Protect the Liver

Coffee may protect against cirrhosis — people who drink 4 or more cups per day have up to an 80% lower risk. It may slow disease progression, improve treatment response and lower the risk of premature death.

Green Tea vs Coffee (I)

Coffee and green tea are the world’s most frequently consumed beverages and have multiple health benefits:

Great antioxidant sources 

Coffee and green tea are loaded with antioxidants called polyphenols. 

Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) and chlorogenic acid (CGA), are the most abundant polyphenols in green tea and coffee, respectively. They may have potent anticancer effects. 

EGCG in green tea has a beneficial effect against cancer cells in head and neck tumors, as well as in lung, prostate, breast, colorectal, and pancreatic cancer cells. Research has linked green tea compounds with a reduced risk of cancer. Its anti-inflammatory effect may help prevent the chronic inflammation involved in the onset of cancer. 

To get the most health benefits, avoid adding milk to the tea as this might reduce its antioxidant value.

Meanwhile, CGA in coffee appears to inhibit tumor growth and promote cancer cell death, in particular against liver, endometrial and skin cancers. 

Studies show that coffee drinkers have up to a 40% lower risk of liver cancer, and had a 15% lower risk of colorectal cancer for those who drank 4–5 cups of coffee per day. Consuming 4 or more cups of caffeinated coffee per day may also lower the risk of skin cancer.

Additionally, CGA may also benefit heart health and blood sugar control by regulating blood triglyceride levels and improving how our cells respond to the hormone insulin.  

Weight loss effects

Coffee’s CGA and green tea’s EGCG, together with caffeine, provide both drinks with weight loss properties. 

CGA lowers insulin, blood cholesterol, and triglycerides in the blood. It may also decrease levels of leptin — a hunger-regulating hormone — leading to reduced weight and visceral fat, which linked to an increased risk of heart disease and diabetes. 

Similarly, green tea helps reduce body fat, especially in the abdominal area, as EGCG can also lead to weight loss and reduced visceral fat by promoting fat breakdown. 

It also helps promote the growth of beneficial bacteria in the gut. This can help burn fat and improve insulin sensitivity.  

In addition, both coffee and green tea contain caffeine. In fact, coffee provides more than three times the amount of caffeine than green tea. Studies found that caffeine is associated with weight loss. It appears to: 

• Reduce hunger.

• Increase calorie burning. Because of its ability to stimulate the central nervous system, caffeine may increase metabolism by up to 11% and fat burning by up to 13%.

• Activate a type of fat called brown adipose tissue (BAT), whose quantities decrease as you age and BAT has the potential to produce large amounts of heat and modulate fat and glucose metabolism.  Several studies show that caffeine can boost your metabolic rate by 3–11%.

Further, caffeine has the following health effects: 

• Increased energy levels, alertness, attention and wakefulness.  
  Caffeine improves physical performance by mobilizing fatty acids from fat tissue and making them available for use as energy. It increases the use of fat as fuel. It may also improve muscle contractions and increase tolerance to fatigue. Finally, it reduces perceived exertion during exercise by up to 5.6%, which can make workouts feel easier.
  
  
• Enhanced exercise performance.  
  As caffeine stimulates the nervous system, signaling the fat cells to break down body fat, making it available as fuel, it can improve physical performance, on average, by 11–12%.

• Lowered mental and physical fatigue.
  Caffeine may suppress feelings of fatigue. However, the energy boost only lasts for a certain amount of time before it starts to wear off.

• Quickened reaction times and improved accuracy.

• Improved memory and mood.
  Evidence also suggests caffeine has protective effects on brain health, reducing the risk of dementia and other degenerative diseases. Caffeine affects the brain by blocking an inhibitory neurotransmitter called adenosine.  
  
  Adenosine is believed to increase in the brain throughout the day, building up a kind of a “sleep pressure.” Caffeine partly reverses this effect. This way, it prevents adenosine from slowing you down. It increases the firing of neurons and the concentration of neurotransmitters like dopamine and norepinephrine. This change in brain messaging is thought to benefit your mood and brain function. It promotes central nervous system stimulation, making you feel alert.

Healthy foods Vegans eat

A well-planned plant-based diet can help vegans stay healthy and avoid nutrient deficiencies. Here are some foods that can be part of a healthy vegan diet:

1. Legumes 

Beans, lentils and peas contain 10–20 grams of protein per cooked cup (237 ml).

They are also excellent sources of fiber, slowly digested carbs, iron, folate, manganese, zinc, antioxidants and other health-promoting plant compounds. 

To increase our absorption of iron and zinc from legumes, it is better to avoid consuming them at the same time with calcium-rich foods. Calcium can hinder their absorption. In contrast, eating legumes in combination with vitamin C-rich fruits and vegetables can further increase our absorption of iron.

However, legumes also contain a good amount of antinutrients, which can reduce the absorption of minerals.

Luckily, sprouting, fermenting and proper cooking can increase nutrient absorption. Sprouting may also slightly reduce the amount of gluten found in certain grains. 

Fermented plant foods are also good sources of probiotic bacteria, which may help improve immune function and digestive health. 

In addition, they contain vitamin K2, which may promote bone and dental health as well as help decrease the risk of heart disease and cancer. 

2. Nuts, Nut Butters and Seeds

A 1-oz (28-gram) serving of nuts or seeds contains 5–12 grams of protein. 

In addition, nuts and seeds are great sources of iron, fiber, magnesium, zinc, selenium and vitamin E. They also contain a good amount of antioxidants and other beneficial plant compounds.

Try to choose unblanched and unroasted varieties whenever possible, since nutrients can be lost during processing. 

3. Hemp, Flax and Chia Seeds

All three contain larger amounts of protein than most other seeds. One ounce (28 grams) of hemp seeds contains 9 grams of complete, easily digestible protein — about 50% more protein than most other seeds. 

The omega-3 to omega-6 fatty acid ratio are also found in hemp seeds. 

Research also shows that the fats found in hemp seeds may be very effective at diminishing symptoms of premenstrual syndrome (PMS) and menopause. It may also reduce inflammation and improve certain skin conditions. 

For their part, chia and flaxseeds are particularly high in alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), an essential omega-3 fatty acid our body can partly convert into eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). EPA and DHA play important roles in the development and maintenance of the nervous system and also play beneficial roles in pain, inflammation, depression and anxiety. 

4. Tofu and Other Minimally Processed Meat Substitutes

Both contain 16–19 grams of protein per 3.5-oz (100-gram) portion. They are also good sources of iron and calcium. 

Tofu, created from the pressing of soybean curds, is a popular replacement for meats. It can be sautéed, grilled or scrambled. It makes a nice alternative to eggs in recipes such as omelets, frittatas and quiches. 

Tempeh is made from fermented soybeans. Its distinctive flavor makes it a popular replacement for fish. 

The fermentation process of tempeh may produce small amounts of vitamin B12, a nutrient mainly found in animal foods that soybeans do not normally contain. 

Seitan is another popular meat alternative. It provides about 25 grams of wheat protein per 3.5 oz. It is also a good source of selenium and contains small amounts of iron, calcium and phosphorus. 

However, individuals with celiac disease or gluten sensitivity should avoid seitan due to its high gluten content.

5. Calcium-Fortified Plant Milks and Yogurts

Vegans tend to consume smaller amounts of calcium per day than vegetarians or meat eaters, which may negatively affect their bone health. 

For this reason, vegans should attempt to make calcium-fortified plant milks and plant yogurts part of their daily menu. 

Calcium-fortified plant milks and yogurts are usually also fortified with vitamin D, a nutrient that plays an important role in the absorption of calcium. Some brands also add vitamin B12 to their products.

6. Seaweed

Seaweed is one of the rare plant foods to contain DHA, an essential fatty acid with many health benefits. 

Algae such as spirulina and chlorella are also good sources of complete protein.

In addition, seaweed contains magnesium, riboflavin, manganese, potassium, iodine and good amounts of antioxidants. 

The mineral iodine, in particular, plays crucial roles in our metabolism and in the function of thyroid gland. 

Similar to tempeh, seaweed is often promoted as a great source of vitamin B12 for vegans.  

7. Nutritional Yeast

Nutritional yeast is made from a deactivated strain of Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeast.

One ounce contains approximately 14 grams of protein and 7 grams of fiber. In addition, nutritional yeast is commonly fortified with zinc, magnesium, copper, manganese and B vitamins, including vitamin B12. 

8. Whole Grains, Cereals and Pseudocereals

Whole grains, cereals and pseudocereals are good sources of complex carbs, fiber, and iron, as well as B vitamins, magnesium, phosphorus, zinc and selenium.

In addition, the ancient grains spelt and teff contain 10–11 grams of protein per cooked cup.

The pseudocereals amaranth and quinoa come in a close second with around 9 grams of protein per cooked cup. They are also two of the rare sources of complete protein in this food group. 

9. Choline-Rich Foods

The nutrient choline is important for the health of our liver, brain and nervous system.

Choline can be found in small amounts in a wide variety of fruits, vegetables, nuts, legumes and grains. 

The plant foods with the largest amounts include tofu, soymilk, cauliflower, broccoli and quinoa. 

10. Fruits and Vegetables

Mashed banana is a great substitute for eggs in baking recipes. 

Eggplant and mushrooms, especially cremini or portobello, are a great way to get a meaty texture in vegetable form. 

Jackfruit is a great stand-in for meat in savory dishes such as stir-fries and barbecue sandwiches. 

Meanwhile, cauliflower is a versatile addition to many recipes, including pizza crust. 

Vegans should also aim to increase their intake of iron- and calcium-rich fruits and vegetables. This includes leafy greens such as bok choy, spinach, kale, watercress and mustard greens. Broccoli, turnip greens, artichokes and blackcurrants are also great options.

Comparing COVID-19 Vaccines

 

Vaccine	Country of origin	Doses, interval	Efficacy
Pfizer–BioNTech	United States, Germany	2 doses 3–4 weeks	Overall efficacy was 52% after first dose and 95% after second dose.
Sputnik V	Russia	2 doses 3 weeks	91.6% efficacy.
Oxford–AstraZeneca	United Kingdom, Sweden	2 doses 4–12 weeks	A single standard dose of vaccine provided 76% protection. Efficacy reached 82.4% after a second dose in those with a dosing interval of 12 weeks or more. If the two doses were given less than six weeks apart, the efficacy was only 54.9%. And overall efficacy was 70%, ranging from 62% to 90% with different dosing regimens.
Sinopharm BBIBP-CorV	China	2 doses 3–4 weeks	79.3% efficacy.
CoronaVac Sinovac	China	2 doses 2 weeks	50.4% effective at preventing severe and mild COVID-19 in the late-stage Brazilian trials.
Moderna	United States	2 doses 4 weeks	Overall efficacy of 94.1%, including against severe disease.
Johnson & Johnson	United States, Netherlands	1 dose	Overall efficacy in preventing Covid-19 cases that produced symptoms was 66.1%.
Convidicea (Ad5-nCoV)	China	1 dose	An efficacy of 65.7% against moderate cases of COVID-19 and 90.98% efficacy against severe cases.
EpiVacCorona	Russia	2 doses 3–4 weeks	“100% effective” in early-stage trials.
COVAXIN (BBV152)	India	2 doses 4 weeks	Interim clinical efficacy of 81%.
CoviVac	Russia	2 doses 2 weeks	Granted approval before seeing any late-stage trial results.

Some side effects to a vaccine are usually mild, including mild-to-moderate pain, flushed skin, swelling at the injection site, fatigue, headache and a bit of a temperature.  

How to eat vegetables and fruits?

The American Heart Association has long associated consuming a variety of colorful fruits and vegetables with disease prevention. 

“All fruits and vegetables contain vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients that may help prevent heart disease, cancer, and other illnesses,” says the American Heart Association website. “Some of these nutrients are fiber, potassium, folate, and vitamins A and C.”

However, the nutrient content of vegetables changes depending on the cooking technique. Some methods cause nutrient loss. For example, water-soluble vitamins such as vitamin B and C and other substances are more susceptible to degradation during cooking.

Moreover, deep-fried vegetables are often cooked with significant quantities of fat that are not present in other cooking techniques. Vegetables prepared in this way should be consumed in moderation to maintain a balanced diet and lifestyle.

Consumers are often advised to buy fruits and vegetables fresh when they will use them immediately and to purchase canned and frozen items for longer shelf life. But Kristin Kirkpatrick, MS, RDN, the author of “Skinny Liver,” recommends choosing frozen over fresh. 

“I love frozen and think there is a fallacy in many minds that the frozen option is not as good,” she said. “The data, in fact, shows that frozen options can be more nutrient-dense since they are frozen at peak ripeness which retains all the nutrients.” 

Frozen options also last longer and do not run the risk of spoiling before you get a chance to eat them.