Some have the perception that tea is healthier than coffee, while others believe the other way around.

“It is not exactly accurate to say that tea is healthier than coffee,” shares Javier Won, a Dietitian from Sengkang Community Hospital (SKCH). SKCH is managed by SingHealth Community Hospitals (SCH), a member of the SingHealth group.

“When compared to coffee and energy drinks, tea contains a lesser amount of caffeine. However, apart from the difference in caffeine content, both beverages do not have many calories and how good or bad they are depends on additional ingredients added to the beverage.”

“Thus, tea (like coffee) should be drunk in moderation as excessive caffeine consumption can cause sleeplessness, restlessness, an elevated heart rate or irritation to the digestive tract,” he adds.

“Also found in tea are tannins (a compound found in bark, leaves and fruit), which bind with the iron present in our food, leaving less iron available for absorption by the digestive tract. Therefore, adults are generally recommended to limit their tea intake to no more than 3 cups per day,” explains Javier.

Alternatively, you can enjoy herbal teas, which contain lesser or no caffeine. These are brewed from the roots, leaves, flowers and other components from a range of plants such as chamomile, mint and chrysanthemum.