Tea, coffee, or herbal infusions: when to consume them?

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Extract from the article: Consuming tea, coffee, or herbal infusions every day, but in moderation, brings numerous preventive and therapeutic benefits. These beverages have positive impacts on all levels of the immune system, provided they are consumed at the right time....

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Consuming tea, coffee, or herbal infusions every day, but in moderation, brings numerous preventive and therapeutic benefits. These beverages have positive impacts on all levels of the immune system, provided they are consumed at the right time.

Water is the only essential beverage for the functioning of the body. Every day, a large quantity of water naturally escapes from our bodies through breathing, sweating, or urination. To stay healthy, it's important to compensate for these losses through diet and by drinking 1.5 liters of water throughout the day. In addition to this necessary water intake for hydration, we also consume beverages like tea, coffee, or herbal infusions.

Introduction to these three beverages

Coffee is a drink prepared from coffee beans, which come from a shrub called the coffee tree. There are mainly two varieties of coffee trees cultivated: Coffea Arabica (which produces Arabica coffee) and Coffea Canephora (which produces Robusta coffee). Tea is a beverage derived from the infusion of dried leaves from a shrub in the tea family called the tea plant. Depending on the processing of the harvested leaves, various colors are obtained, allowing for the differentiation of several tea families: green, black, white, yellow, or Oolong. Unlike tea or coffee, which come from shrubs, herbal infusions encompass a wide variety of preparations made by infusing, decocting, or macerating leaves, roots, or flowers of a large number of plants. Examples include lemongrass, moringa, mint, ginger, and kinkeliba.

Benefits and risks associated with the consumption of tea and coffee: When consumed moderately, coffee and tea have been shown to offer numerous health benefits through numerous scientific studies. The polyphenols found in coffee and tea (in green tea and black tea) and other antioxidants are believed to reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases, Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, gout, and gallstones. However, they also present some negative effects. Coffee and tea stimulate the central nervous system, which can interfere with sleep or lead to poor-quality sleep. If consumed with meals, they can reduce the absorption of micronutrients, particularly iron.

Benefits and risks associated with the consumption of herbal infusions

Consuming herbal infusions has various positive properties for our bodies. Due to the thousands of plants used for their preparations, it's impossible to list them all. However, some examples include ginger tea aiding digestion, kinkeliba tea promoting better sleep, and lemon balm reducing anxiety. As for side effects, two main ones can be mentioned. Pregnant women and hemophiliacs should avoid aloe vera as it thins the blood. Pregnant women should also avoid herbal infusions containing phytoestrogens, such as ginseng.

Recommendations for consuming these 3 beverages

Apart from contraindications, it's recommended to consume a maximum of 3 coffees or teas per day, preferably in the morning and early afternoon, with some time between consumption and lunch to allow for the full absorption of micronutrients like iron. Coffee and tea should be avoided from 4 pm to 5 pm to prevent sleep disturbances. From this time, it's possible to consume decaffeinated tea or coffee or relaxing herbal infusions. Before bedtime, a herbal infusion that promotes sleep can be consumed. These beverages are calorie-free, provided they are consumed without sugar. However, if sugar is added, especially in large quantities, it will lead to excessive sugar consumption and excess calorie intake. Therefore, it's important to consume these beverages without sugar.

Source: Stéphane Besançon, Nutritionist/Priorité Santé