Black Coffee vs Green Tea: A Full Comparison

Jake Bonneman All About Coffee | All About Tea
4 minute read

Coffee or tea? It's the eternal question.

But when it comes to comparing black coffee to green tea, it's mostly a matter of personal preference.

Both have their benefits, and many of those benefits are very similar. So here’s a look at some of the key differences between black coffee and green tea, so that you can make an informed decision—Which is the better choice for you?

Coffee Vs Green Tea: Caffeine Content

One of the major differences between black coffee and green tea is the caffeine content. A cup of coffee has more caffeine than a cup of green tea—there’s no doubt about that.

A cup of (non-decaffeinated) black coffee can have anywhere from about 95 to about 150 mg of caffeine. Some stronger coffees like Black Insomnia can even have more.

Read: Caffeine Content in various drinks

In comparison, a cup of green tea has roughly 30 to 50 mg of caffeine.

So, if you’re mostly looking for a morning pick-me-up, coffee may be the better choice. On the other hand, if you’re sensitive to caffeine or you’re looking for a relaxing afternoon or evening drink that will still keep you alert, green tea may be a better option.

Coffee Vs Green Tea: Acidity

Coffee is more acidic than green tea, though it's no more acidic than other foods and drinks we consume on a daily basis, like orange juice, pickles, honey, and many others. However, if you’re sensitive to acidity, green tea may be a better choice.

Coffee Vs Green Tea: Health

When it comes to health benefits, green tea may have a very slight edge over black coffee—depending on what benefits you're looking for, anyway.

Green tea is loaded with antioxidants that can have various positive effects on your health. These include improved brain function, fat loss, a lower risk of some diseases, and reduced inflammation.

In comparison, well, black coffee is also a great source of antioxidants that do all of the same things listed above.

Unlike coffee, green tea also contains L-theanine, which promotes feelings of calm alertness. (Source) But coffee contains more caffeine, so if you're more interested in the alert part than the calm part, black coffee may be the better choice.

Green tea is associated with a reduced risk of stroke, diabetes, and depression. Coffee is linked to reduced heart disease mortality. (Source) Green tea also contains less caffeine than coffee, so it’s less likely to cause anxiety and sleeplessness.

So, if you’re looking for the healthier choice, green tea is a slightly better option—though both black coffee and green tea offer plenty of health benefits.

Coffee Vs Green Tea: Taste

Another important consideration is taste. Black coffee has a bold, rich flavor that some people love and others find bitter.

Green tea, on the other hand, has a more subtle flavor. It can be grassy, sweet, or even a little savory.

So, if you’re looking for a drink with a strong flavor, black coffee is the way to go. If you prefer something with a more delicate taste, green tea is a better choice.

Coffee Vs Green Tea: The Bottom Line

Black coffee and green tea are very close when it comes to health benefits. Green tea has a slight edge, but both drinks help with energy, alertness, and focus, both can improve your mood, and both provide plenty of antioxidants and other health benefits.

It's hard to say that one is definitively "better" since it largely depends on personal preference. So let's talk about personal preference.

When it comes to taste, black coffee is bold and rich while green tea is more subtle and grassy. And when it comes to energy and alertness, coffee has much more caffeine than green tea—but green tea has L-theanine, which promotes "calm alertness".

You really can't go wrong with coffee or green tea, but hopefully this comparison has helped you decide which is the right choice for you—or even better, maybe you'll decide that you should just drink both!

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