You don't have to trust me on this one.
Because I may be - a little bit - biased.
Why?
Because I love tea and coffee (especially on a Sunday morning...)
But here's the thing...
More and more research is coming out about their benefits
^^^ I'm not talking about that Bootea diet stuff you find in Holland & Barrett for buy one get one half price...
I'm just talking your good older builders tea (and Earl Grey...which I do have a soft spot for)
And of course, my beloved coffee.
Now, I have spoken before about the many benefits of coffee, such as:
* Increased energy so you can do more of the things you want to do and burn more calories during exercise
* Boosted immune system due to the antioxidants which will help to stop you getting a cold and fight fatigue
* Associated with a decreased risks of many diseases (so we can spend more time on earth drinking...coffee!!)
But thanks to the journal: 'Science'...
I have one more for you:
Drinking tea, coffee (and wine for that matter) were associated with a healthier and more diverse community of gut bacteria living in our gut.
And if you're wondering what a diverse community of gut bacteria could mean...
I explain many of the benefits here
^^^ which range from improved skin to better regulated hunger levels to help stop you snacking
And with all the 'doom and gloom' going on in the world right now...
I don't blame you for thinking that there's a catch.
Because there kind of is...
Sugary drinks, savoury snacks like crisps, biscuits and sweets...
And indulging in frequent snacks (which is interesting given what I spoke about yesterday)
Were associated with lower levels of diversity in our guts!
And perhaps unsurprisingly...
On top of tea, coffee and wine...
They found that yoghurt (yes, my beloved Greek yoghurt!!!)
and fruits and vegetables <<< linked to their high fibre content
Were associated with healthier guts.
Now, here's my attempt to keep a level head and not get carried away:
The truth is, we are still trying to figure out what a 'healthy gut' really is.
Because our guts change all of the time.
Hormones, pre / post natal, weight gain, weight loss...and the foods we eat
Can all impact our guts.
So, it does STILL come back to focussing on the OVERALL food intake (as I explain here)
But along the way...
You can enjoy your tea, coffee and wine!
Speak soon,
Matt 'slightly biased towards coffee' Fruci
PS. did you now there's 20 elephants in Thailand who are eating and excreting one of the most expensive coffees in the world?
It's believed that the fermentation in the elephants gut gives it a unique taste (I'm not convinced, either).
They're selling for more than £30 a serving (yet the coffee I bought in Waitrose had a picture of an elephant on it...which I'm now worried about!)
PPS. Here's 4 things coffee lovers MUST do (and judging by the latest research...it might just make us and our guests...healthier!)