A Rosy Lee, a Cuppa Tea, a Cup o’ Joe, Java, Rocket Fuel…tea versus coffee, the debate
is never off the table!
After water, tea and coffee have been battling it out for the top spot of the most popular
beverage in the world for years.
With their differing varieties, tastes, and benefits, it’s difficult to select a clear
winner, as it mostly boils down to consumer preference.
So, let’s take a look at a few fun facts and we’ll let you decide.
The earliest origins of coffee date back to the 9th century when a farmer in Ethiopia
noticed that his goats were lively and unable to sleep at night just after nibbling on the
berries of a particular tree.
After reporting these findings to a local monastery, the berries were crushed and made
into a drink.
The abbots there also found that after consuming the drink, they were able to stay awake longer
for their evening prayers.
Word of this magic berry slowly moved east, and coffee reached the Arabian Peninsula where
cultivation and trade then began around the 15th century.
The history of tea is significantly older than coffee dating back 5000 years to 2732
B.C. in China!
Legend has it that whilst the Emperor sat beneath a tree on a windy day, leaves dropped
into his pot of boiling water, He drank and enjoyed it very much and so, tea was born.
Tea is often linked with British culture and is believed by many to have originated in
Britain.
However, the truth is that Brits have only been drinking it for about 350 years.
The real origin of tea is the Far East and China is the world’s No. 1 in terms of both
production (around 40% of the world’s tea) and consumption (1.6 billion pounds per year).
Having said all that, what is surprising is that per capita, China is not the biggest
consumer of tea…in fact, it’s Turkey, closely followed by Ireland and then the UK.
As for coffee, Brazil is the largest producer and accounts for around 40% of the global
coffee supply.
However, it is Finland that is the biggest consumer on a per-person basis, and they are
believed to drink an average of 4 cups of coffee per day.
In fact, the Finns love their coffee so much that two 10-minute coffee breaks are legally
mandated in the workplace!
Nowadays, the biggest debate surrounding the two beverages is about which one is healthier.
However, whilst coffee gives you that immediate energy boost, tea offers a more sustained
energy.
We often hear the advice that drinking coffee before bed is a bad idea but drinking tea
will help you feel relaxed.
How do they make you feel?
On that note, go put the kettle on and make your own choice…What till it be coffee or
tea?
Coffee for me, thanks!