Coffee and tea have different origins and flavor profiles. Coffee is made from Coffea plants and originated in Ethiopia, while tea comes from Camellia sinensis plants and has been popular in Asia for thousands of years. Herbal teas do not contain Camellia sinensis and are caffeine-free. Both drinks are prepared by steeping in hot water, but taste and chemical composition differ.
Coffee and tea are among the most popular beverages in the world, with several surveys seeming to suggest that tea is the number one hot drink in the world and often lumped together on restaurant menus. However, coffee and tea are actually very different beverages, each with a venerable and distinctive history. It has also been noted that many people are fans of one, but not the other.
Coffee is the product of plants of the genus Coffea, with C. robusta and C. arabica being the two cultivars used for coffee production. Coffee is believed to have originated in Ethiopia, with legends dating back to around the 9th century. Coffee spread to the Middle East and from there to Europe, where it became a hugely popular beverage in the 1600s.
Depending on how the coffee is handled and where it is grown, it can have a variety of flavor profiles. Coffees can be roasted for different lengths of time and have different levels of caffeine, the chemical compound that makes coffee such a popular beverage. It can also be prepared in a variety of ways, with drip coffee and espresso being two popular preparations, and can also be flavored with essential oils.
Tea is produced from Camellia sinensis, a plant native to China. Like coffee, tea can vary greatly in flavor depending on where it’s grown and how it’s handled. Some broad categories of teas include green, white, oolong, and black teas. Chinese legends place the birth of tea at around 2700 BC, making it much older than coffee, and tea has long been popular in many parts of Asia. In the 1600s, tea began appearing in coffeehouses, creating a lifelong association between coffee and tea among Europeans, and the drink quickly rivaled coffee in terms of public appeal.
It is important to note that so-called “herbal teas” are actually herbal teas. To truly be considered “tea,” a drink must contain Camellia sinensis, although other plant products can and commonly are blended. A drink made solely from herbs, such as peppermint leaves or chamomile flowers, is more properly known as herbal tea, despite what the label on the package claims. In religious communities where caffeine consumption is not permitted, herbal teas can be consumed safely, and these drinks are also safe for people who avoid caffeine for health reasons.
Both coffee and tea are prepared in a similar way, by steeping or leaching plant products in hot water, and are often served with similar accessories, such as cream and sugar. These two drinks can also contain enough caffeine. However, coffee and tea taste very different and contain a variety of different chemical compounds. Teas, for example, have numerous antioxidants, while coffees don’t.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
