5 Reasons Why You Should Switch to Tea From Coffee

Like a lot of people, I love tea. A cup of hot tea, like the one Chitra Divakaruni describes so beautifully in her story "The Blooming Season for Cacti":

She takes me up to her apartment and makes me chai, boiled thick and red-brown and fragrant with cloves.

Seems a lot like heaven to me!

Tea is, come to think of it, one of those ultimate literary accessories. There's nothing better than flipping pages and sipping tea with the frosty window near you, looking out into the mist.

But surely coffee is just as good? Coffee comes with its own colorful sun-ripened berries and the promise of bright-eyed energy. But recent reports suggest that tea might be much better for you in the long run.

Here are some reasons you might want to make the switch:

1. It's Healthier

Tea contains antioxidants, chemicals that are good for you. It's good for your blood, helping to bring cholesterol levels down and improving blood flow. It can even reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease. It also helps that tea is less addictive than coffee, as it doesn't contain so much caffeine.

2. It Makes You Younger

While it doesn’t quite Benjamin Button you, it does help to slow down the aging process. Reports suggest that tea, specifically healthy teas like green tea, act at the cellular level and slow down the aging process. 

3. The Teeth Say Thank You

Coffee causes major teeth discoloration. While tea isn't totally exempt from this, it will not stain as much. It also has additional benefits such as reducing bad breath and staving off fungal infections.

4. It Makes You Thinner

Wow, this is major. But apparently true. Studies found that people who regularly consumed tea managed to keep their weight in check, and even managed to become thinner. There is a catch, though: Don't add too much milk.

5. It Makes You Stronger

Tea helps to improve bone density and strength, by increasing the mineral content.

Tea might be good for you but drinking heavily sugared tea with too much milk all day long is just as harmful as sticking to coffee. But as long as you keep things in check, you can get all of the benefits tea has to offer.