There’s evidence that for more than 5,000 years, people have been testing, changing and developing all kinds of mixtures and flavors of tea, coffee, apple cider and hot cocoa.
Our ancestors drank them for the same reasons we do: They’re healthy, they taste good and they engender that warm, cozy feeling. Which one is our favorite? And what’s our favorite way to drink it? Before casting your vote, consider the qualities of each member of this quartet of popular beverages.
Coffee – It has existed for centuries, but, in the modern world, coffee has found its way into concoctions such as smoothies and frappes. If you drink it in moderation, hot coffee can boost your energy, help keep your weight down and even lower your risk of depression.
Tea – This hot drink comes with a legend about its Chinese origins – and whether a 19th-century English duchess really established the tradition of teatime. An ancient medical wonder, it can help you fight off cancer, improve your blood pressure, sharpen your memory, increase alertness and add a daily boost to your body’s immune system.
Apple cider – Possibly traced to the Celts as long ago as 3,000 B.C., a sip of hot apple cider immediately makes your body feel warmer. Besides the taste, its antioxidants can help your body fight against cell damage, inflammation and heart disease.
Hot cocoa – Whether you’re 5 or pushing 105, nothing quite beats the taste and feel of hot cocoa on a cold winter night. It’s a major plus that this treat can lower your blood pressure and improve blood flow to your brain.
So which one’s our favorite? Coffee – far and away.
Based on 2022 reports by Grand View Research, an international market research company headquartered in San Francisco, Americans of all ages consume approximately 517 million cups of coffee every day. And Conagra Brands, Inc., states that 79% of us take coffee with cream, sugar, milk and assorted flavorings such as French vanilla, hazelnut and mocha. Among Europeans, black coffee is the preference.
Meanwhile, the Tea Association of the U.S.A. Inc. reported that in 2021, Americans drank almost 80 billion servings of tea, with 84% of it black tea, 15% green tea and the rest oolong, white and dark teas.
“For both tea and coffee, I recommend choosing an organic version,” said Vered Kantor, registered functional and integrative dietitian in Greenville. “And for additional flavoring, you can choose cinnamon, clove, cardamom and other spices, which are much healthier than blended sugar-loaded drinks.”
It’s not surprising that apple cider and hot cocoa are in a distinct minority, with only a fraction of the hot beverage market’s approximately $20-billion-a-year industry. Both are associated with fall and winter.
Regardless of the season and which of these four drinks is at the top of your list, it’s hard to go wrong with any one of them.
There’s evidence that for more than 5,000 years, people have been testing, changing and developing all kinds of mixtures and flavors of tea, coffee, apple cider and hot cocoa.
By L. C. Leach III
