How To Make A Coffee Lover Fall For Tea

In the United States and most of Europe, coffee is the preferred choice of caffeinated beverage. Globally, however, there's a different picture. A 2002 study found that for every one cup of coffee consumed, there are three cups of tea consumed.

This might be surprising (particularly if you live in the United States where coffee shops like Starbucks are king), but there are a lot of reasons why this is true.

For starters, there are historical and geographical reasons. Two of the biggest producers and consumers of tea are China and India, which also have the world’s two largest populations. They also have been colonized by the British Empire who distributed their tea all over the world. (That’s the reason why countries like South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand are more likely to choose tea over coffee.)

But here’s the question: If you've been a lifelong coffee lover, are you missing anything by avoiding tea? Aside from the well-known, fantastic health benefits, are there any other advantages to switch from coffee to tea?

Absolutely. We'll outline some of the most significant reasons. And don't be surprised if you become a tea drinker in less time than it takes to brew a cup of tea!

Tea is Less Expensive

Are you digging a little deeper into your pockets at the end of each month? It could be the cost of your cup o' Joe habits. Want proof? Next time you're in a Starbucks — or any other coffee shop — check out the cost of a cup of tea compared to a cup of coffee. More often than not, tea will be cheaper than even plain black coffees.

Considering how often some people order coffee to go, it's easy to see how this switch could save you hundreds of dollars a year.

Tea is Easier to Make

Want to save yourself a bunch of time? All you need for a delicious cup of tea is three minutes, hot water, and a teabag.

Compare that to the process that coffee connoisseurs go through: Grind the beans, clean out the filter, put into a filter, turn on the machine, wait for five minutes, and then clean out the filter.

Tea Can Be Lower Calorie

The good thing about black coffee is it’s only one calorie per serving. But how many people actually drink their coffee black?

Coffee drinks such as lattes, cappuccinos, flat whites, and all the other combinations can be anywhere between 200 to 600 calories per serving. Compare that to a cup of tea, which even with milk and sugar will only come to around a maximum of 40 to 50 calories.

There Is More Choice

There are quite a few variations of coffee beans, but it is not on the same level as tea.

There's Earl Grey tea, Assam tea, green tea, Darjeeling tea, white tea, black tea, chamomile, oolong tea, English breakfast tea, mint, and the list goes on and on. None of these teas taste even remotely the same!

Different countries also have unique ways of drinking tea. For example, in China, it's served via loose leaf in boiled water with nothing added. In India, you have Masala Chai, which is a mix of black tea and Indian herbs and spices that tastes like nothing else you've ever had. Then there's Britain and Ireland where tea is served with milk and sugar.

In the US, tea is often served with the teabag left in and rarely served with milk or sugar. It's truly one of the most diverse drinks on the planet.

Of course, there is nothing to stop you from enjoying the unique benefits of both coffee and tea. But if you are firmly on “Team Coffee,” it might be worth it to give the tea a chance.

You might find that it's the best move you ever made 

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Learn more about various teas and their caffeine levels here.