In One Tea vs. Coffee Battle, It's a Close One

Tea appears to have a slim lead over coffee for hip bone strength, but the margin is so small that it may not matter much in real life. In a study of close to 10,000 women ages 65 and older, Australian researchers tracked tea and coffee habits against bone mineral density in the hip and femoral neck, key areas for serious fractures. After 10 years, tea drinkers showed slightly higher hip bone mineral density than coffee drinkers, according to findings in the journal Nutrients. One possible reason, a co-author says, is that tea contains compounds such as catechins that may spur bone-forming cells, per ScienceDaily.

Experts, however, cautioned against reading too much into the tea leaves. The difference was described as minor and probably not clinically important, per the Washington Post. Coffee, meanwhile, showed more of a "how much" than "whether" effect: Two to three cups a day didn't appear to harm bone mineral density, but five or more cups daily were linked to lower bone mineral density. Heavy coffee drinkers who reported higher lifetime alcohol use also had weaker bone mineral density at the femoral neck. Researchers noted several limits to the study: Beverage intake was self-reported, and they didn't capture tea types, brewing methods, or cup sizes.

Other studies have even suggested coffee may lower osteoporosis risk, and a recent analysis tied both coffee and tea to a reduced chance of developing the condition. Specialists say the practical takeaway is moderation: Sticking to roughly two to three cups of coffee a day, in line with the FDA's 400mg caffeine guideline, is considered reasonable for bone health. The researchers add that more important than switching from coffee to tea are the fundamentals: getting enough calcium and vitamin D, doing resistance and weight-bearing exercise, avoiding smoking, and limiting alcohol.