Depending on who you ask, both coffee and tea claim to be second only to water as the most consumed beverage worldwide. Both claim that half the US population drinks at least one cup daily. And while both claim to have health benefits, tea is generally thought as the healthier of the two. Which one really is better for you? That depends.

Caffeine -
According to figures from the Center for Science in the Public Interest, a typical 8 oz cup of coffee has about 133 milligrams of caffeine, a Starbucks Grande about 320 mg. A typical 8 oz cup of brewed tea has about 53 mg, with Snapple bottled teas containing about 42 mg. To give you an idea of what those levels are, the official FDA limit for caffeine in sodas is 72 mg. Coke has 35 mg, Red Bull has 80 mg and Monster 160 mg. A single NoDoz tablet has 200 mg. So a Starbucks Grande has as much caffeine as four Red Bulls, and just over one and a half NoDoz.

Besides getting you through finals week in college, caffeine is proving to have some health benefits as well. Studies show caffeine increases alertness and attention. It also increases dopamine levels, stimulating your pleasure centers. (No complaints there.) And a study published in 2003 in the Journal of Pain (that's a medical journal, not an S&M magazine), showed that drinking coffee before exercise can not only give you more energy and endurance to get through the workout, but may stimulate the release of endorphins and hormones that depress the sensation of pain or discomfort, reducing muscle soreness.

Caffeine also constricts blood vessels and increases the absorption speed of analgesics, which is why it is so effective when used in headache medications.

But - and there is always a "but" - caffeine can also be highly addictive and cause sleeplessness, jitters and rapid heartbeat in some people. And it has been shown to decrease fertility in both men and women.
Winner: Both.
Obviously there's pros and cons to consuming caffeine, and there's varying amounts of caffeine in both beverages. So you'll need to assess your individual needs and condition.

Antioxidants -
Antioxidants work to neutralize free radicals, which researchers believe, over time, damage elements in the body, such as genetic material and lipids, and contribute to many chronic diseases.

According to a study at the University of Scranton, most people get their antioxidants not from fruits, but from coffee first, and tea second. The reason? While many fruits are much higher in antioxidant levels, like cranberries and blueberries, people drink coffee and tea with more frequency and regularity than they eat fruits. (Which is why there are many more Starbucks on street corners than fruit stands.)

What have antioxidants been credited with? Everything from lowering the risk of certain cancers to reducing heart attacks to slowing the aging process.
Winner: Both.
Mom couldn't get you to eat your fruits and vegetables everyday, what makes you think your doctor - or that pain in your chest - can? If drinking a daily cup (or three) of coffee or tea gets these free-radical fighting compounds into your system, then drink up.

Heart/Cardiovascular Health -
Many studies have shown the heart benefits of drinking tea. According to the Tea Council of the USA, combined analysis of 13 published studies found about an 11% lower rate of heart attacks among those drinking three or more cups of tea per day. And a large study in Japan showed those drinking two cups of green tea per day had a 22-33% less chance of dying from heart disease than those who drank less than half a cup per day.

Coffee, long thought to be bad for your heart, has been cleared in recent studies of being a major factor in heart disease. However, if you have high blood pressure or preexisting cardiovascular problems, most doctors advise you stay away from coffee, or limit your intake.
Winner: Tea.
Its ability to improve blood vessel function and circulation make tea the one to choose for you Type A personalities.

Metabolism -
According to the Tea Council of the USA there is significant preliminary research that suggests tea may have effects on body weight, fat accumulation and insulin activity. A study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that daily consumption of 690 mg of tea catechins (about five cups of strong green tea) might be useful in preventing and improving obesity.
Winner: Tea.
You've seen the ads for the "negative calorie" tea drinks. They were developed because of this research. Next up: fast food joints offering super size green tea and mega-burger combos.

Diabetes -
Harvard researchers studied over 126,000 people for as long as 18 years and found that drinking six or more cups of coffee per day reduces the risk of developing diabetes in men by 54% and in women by 30%. (Drinking a more humanly-possible one to three cups drops the risk reduction to single digits.) Those who drank decaf had a reduction as well, but it was cut almost in half. Those drinking tea did not show a risk reduction in this study. However, preliminary research from recent studies are beginning to show there may be a link between drinking tea and decreased diabetes risk.
Winner: Coffee. For now.

Cancer -
Research shows those same flavonoids present in tea and coffee may reduce cancer risk by combating free radical damage. These include digestive cancer for both coffee and tea drinkers; and oral, lung and prostate cancers for tea drinkers. Several new studies show green and black teas may help lower the risk of skin cancers when ingested or applied topically.
Winner: Tea. For now.
There's more research out there for the connection between tea and cancer prevention, but coffee does contain some of the same antioxidants. I'm sure more studies will follow.

Liver Disease -
A study of 125,000 people by Kaiser Permanente in Oakland, CA showed those who drank four cups of coffee per day had an 80% less chance of developing cirrhosis of the liver. Drinking one cup cut the risk 20%.
Winner: Coffee.
But this doesn't mean you can abuse your liver on the weekends and drink it back to health with coffee all week long.

Parkinson's Disease -
As many as six studies have shown that regular coffee drinkers are up to 80% less likely to develop Parkinson's than non drinkers. A study at the Harvard School of Public Health showed it may be caffeine's adenosine-blocking power that protects brain cells lost to Parkinson's.
Winner: Coffee.
Tea also contains caffeine, but a lesser amount. Could tea also fight this disease? Possibly. But I was unable, at the time of this post, to find a study.

Immune System Health -
Researchers from Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard University recently published new data showing that tea contains a component that can help the body ward off infection and disease, and that drinking tea may strengthen the immune system. They identified L-theanine in tea, which primes the immune system in fighting infection, bacteria, viruses and fungi. during clinical trials they found that people who drank five cups of black tea a day for two to four weeks secreted up to four times more interferon, an important part of the body’s immune defense. Consumption of the same amount of coffee for the same duration had no effect on interferon levels.
Winner: Tea.
This study suggests that drinking black tea may provide the body’s immune system with natural resistance to microbial infection. Meaning you can stay healthier in that germ-farm you call your office.

Oral Health -
Studies are showing drinking either tea or coffee can have both a positive and negative effect on your grill. On the positive side, researchers believe the flavonoids may inhibit the ability of bacteria to form plaque deposits. Italian researchers show a compound in coffee called trigonelline, which gives coffee its aroma and bitter taste, has both antibacterial and anti-adhesive properties to help prevent dental cavities from forming.

On the negative side, both coffee and tea can stain teeth.
Winner: Both.
I'll take stains over cavities and gum disease any day. That's why they invented bleaching.

Bone Health -
The research is very preliminary, but some studies are showing a correlation between bone density and tea consumption in certain women. It is unsure if the cause is from the antioxidants or the fluoride found in tea.

Coffee, long thought to contribute to bone degeneration, has been found to not contribute to bone loss.
Winner: Tea. Maybe.
The studies are still new, and show effects on only certain women.

Kidney Stones/Gallstones -
More fluid equals more urination which equals less likelihood of developing stones. Studies involving both tea and coffee drinkers show significant decrease (up to 45%), in the risk of developing these stones with regular consumption.
Winner: Both
While peeing more frequently may be inconvenient and annoying, I'd bet my entire bankroll you'd take that over trying to pass a stone.

So which is the overall winner in the healthiest brewed beverage department? Looks like tea. But just barely. Coffee, long thought to be harmful, is fighting off its bad reputation. So brew your Oolong. Order up a large cup of joe. As long as you don't pile on the cream and sugar.