Green drinks are one of the best hot beverages you can ever think of in terms of goodness. You might have seen green coffee and green tea and wonder if there is any difference between these two green drinks. Well, there’s a clear-cut difference between the two, and each of these green drinks have carved a niche for themselves in the health community.

Many people are talking about green tea and green coffee and in relation to weight loss and many other health benefits. So you might not know the main differences and which one works better.

Although it is not easy to quantify which one of the two green drinks is the best, in this article, we shall show you the differences between them and why there is so much hype about these two drinks.

Let’s start by defining each separately.

What is Green Coffee?

The green coffee beans are unroasted and that's the only difference they have with regular coffee beans. Being unroasted, the green coffee beans contain a high amount of chlorogenic acid, which is known to boost metabolism and blood sugar levels, amongst other health benefits.

Many studies have shown that the chlorogenic acid in green coffee beans have anti-inflammatory, anti-obesity, anti-diabetic, and anti-carcinogenic properties, all of which work to improve your overall health.

Green coffee proves to be a better health drink in the following functions:

•         Consuming green coffee helps boost memory skills in older people if taken for a longer time.
•         Green coffee helps reduce high blood pressure.
•         Green coffee naturally detoxes and cleanses the liver.
•         The antioxidant properties of green coffee support anti-aging.
•         Regular intake of green coffee makes your hair healthy and strong.

What is Green Tea?

Green tea is derived from a plant called “Camellia sinensis.” The leaves of this plant are plucked near the harvest season and steamed on high temperature to enhance its polyphenols content. The presence of polyphenols in green tea supports several bodily functions, including the prevention of inflammation and swelling in the body.

Also, green tea is rich in catechins, antioxidants, and other phytochemicals that boost brain function and fight against several health diseases.

Just like green coffee, green tea also supports body metabolism and aids in weight loss. However, green tea proves better for the following functions:

•         Green tea helps improve bone health over time.
•         The catechins in green tea helps reduce bad breath, improving overall oral health.
•         Green tea helps reduce inflammation and prevent cell damage
•         Taking green tea can slow down the deterioration caused by Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease.
•         Drinking green tea helps improve heart health as well as reduce the risk of stroke.

So now that you’ve seen a short description of these two green drinks, let’s move on to discuss some major differences that make them unique.

Differences in Caffeine Content in Green Coffee and Green Tea

The caffeine content is worth discussing when comparing green coffee and green tea. Caffeine is a compound that boosts energy, mood, and concentration power.

Green coffee contains about 100 mg of caffeine in a 250 ml cup, while green tea contains about 35 mg of coffee in the same serving.

Although both green drinks have naturally occurring caffeine in them, you should always take them in moderation to avoid side effects.  

However, the coffee content may vary depending on the plant variety and growing conditions.

More so, some green coffee capsules are decaffeinated, while some others are low in caffeine and 100% organic.

If you need to take a caffeinated drink at bedtime, green tea proves to be a better option here.

Which Works Better for Weight loss - Green Coffee or Green Tea?

Both green coffee and green tea have the potential to support weight loss.

Green tea has been known to contain antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties which supports weight management, but recently, studies show that green coffee also works for weight loss.

When you consume green coffee regularly, it can speed up your weight loss process without the need for heavy workout or a crash diet. The chlorogenic acid content of green coffee beans is the main ingredient that supports your weight shedding process.

However, green tea is also effective for this purpose. The catechins content in green tea helps burn fat, causing a significant reduction in your waistline and decrease in body mass index (BMI).

To wrap up, we would say both green coffee and green tea support weight loss. You can use them simultaneously to better manage your weight.

Do Green Coffee and Green Tea Taste Differently?

Talking about taste, green coffee has a mild taste, producing an herbal effect on the tongue, whereas green tea has a strong and bitter taste.

Green tea is made from oxidized leaves, more reason why the taste is not so appealing. But it is mostly consumed for its health properties.

Green coffee does not leave any bitter after-taste like green tea. So you can enjoy both the taste and health benefits.

What are the Differences in Brewing?

The brewing process largely influences the overall health function of green drinks. If brewed the wrong way, you can lose the taste, main essence and properties of the green drink.

So here are some tips on brewing.

For green tea, there are several ways to brew this drink. You can simply add hot water to the tea leaves and allow it to settle for 10 minutes. After that, strain the tea leaves, and your cup of hot green tea is ready.

However, you can find several forms of green tea online, including tea powder, tea bag, or tea leaves. But note that the brewing method is still the same.

If you like, you can add ginger, lemon, or honey to minimize the aftertaste effects.

Now to green coffee, there are not many differences in brewing. Pour hot water on the green coffee beans (grinded form), and allow it to stay for about 10 minutes. After that, filter it and your coffee is ready to enjoy.

You can decide to add honey to enhance the flavor.

Summary: Main Differences Between Green Coffee and Green Tea

To keep it simple for you, here are the main differences between these two green drinks:

• Green coffee is extracted from the coffee beans, while green tea is extracted from the bud and leaves of the “Camellia sinensis” plant.
• Green coffee is not roasted but used in their natural form. The dried leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant are used to make green tea.
• Green coffee has a mild flavor, while green tea is pungent in taste
• The chlorogenic acid content of green coffee offers most of its health benefits, while the polyphenol content in green tea is responsible for all the goodness.
• Green coffee has less caffeine compared to roasted coffee, while green tea has less caffeine content as compared to green coffee.

Final Remark

Several research has shown that both green coffee and green tea offer many health benefits, from increase in metabolism, to weight shedding, and more.

However, if we have to rate both green drinks for their effect on weight loss, green coffee takes the lead as it is more effective in producing results without heavy workouts and crash diets. On the other hand, green tea works at its own pace and produces better results when you keep a regular active lifestyle.

In conclusion, green coffee is a more reliable choice for weight loss, at least for now, until further research proves otherwise.

Mike Miryala, Head Pharmacist at CoBionic