In college, select ingestables are the vices of choice. Sure, the idea of substances that make you “feel some sort of way” can conjure up images of crushed Keystone cans and crusty eyes of a well-deserved 10am hangover. However, some substances don’t operate under this secrecy, namely because they aren’t “illegal” to those of us under the age of 21. Yes. Let’s talk about caffeine.
Coffee, energy drinks, and soda are consumed en mass by college students everywhere. Furthermore, Kenyon College recently announced that it is celebrating coffee week this week. I’m not saying this is a bad thing per se — in fact, coffee has plenty of health benefits! But when given the choice between coffee and tea, most students take the coffee. For many students, coffee is considered a vital bodily fluid. Tea gets something of an odd rap in college. However, this often has nothing to do with taste.
I get it. Coffee and studying are two peas in a pod. Every time midterms or finals arrive, students are pounding down coffee for the sake of not falling asleep on a textbook. But, often times the effects are less than impressive leading to a coffee crash and ultimate urge to nap away any stress instead of grinding through.
Some classy ol’ Westminster tea.
Sure, tea is lacking in variety as it is derived from only four different types (green, black, white, and oolong) of Camellia sinensis. But what is lacks in variety, it makes up for with some serious health benefits. Polyphenols (a type of antioxidant) contribute to several healthy benefits of Tea. Tea can boost exercise endurance. Researchers have found that these antioxidants increase the body’s ability to burn fat, protect against cardiovascular and degenerative diseases, and may help protect against a huge contingent of cancers, including breast, colon skin, esophagus small intestine, pancreas, etcetera. In other words, it’s pretty good for you.
Don’t get me wrong; I’m not saying tea has more of these benefits than coffee. What I am saying is that it wouldn’t hurt to try a new source of caffeine. But, a word of caution for both coffee and tea drinkers: plain coffee and tea are healthful, calorie-free beverages. Cream, sugar, and flavorings can add up to 80 calories and 6 grams of fat to a relatively simple beverage.
So, give tea a try. The myriad of flavors and varieties of tea will keep your tastebuds entertained. As always and as with other consumable college-related vices, drink responsibly.
Image credits: Wikipedia