Tea Vs. Coffee

Coffee beans grow on trees, are hand picked, washed and ROASTED (burnt at high temperature).  Natural color of the coffee bean is green or red (see   http://coffeebean.com/coffee/harvesting.html  ).  After roasting the color turns into black (like burnt wood).  The molecules are damaged & distorted.  In essence you are drinking burnt beans - void of any natural nutrients.

Tea is the common name of Camellia sinensis -the "Chinese Camellia"- a flowering evergreen shrub native to southern China. "Tea" is also the name of the processed dry leaves of this shrub and the infused beverage produced by soaking these leaves in hot water. This means that different tea varieties, i.e. green tea, oolong, etc., are all derived from the same plant (see question 2) and, further, that "herbal tea" is a misnomer since tea itself is a herb and any other herbs, therefore, are not tea.   (source:  http://www.tributetea.com/faq.asp#1 )

Q: "What are the health benefits of tea?"
A: Scientific research suggests that tea is beneficial to health in many significant ways:
Cardiovascular - Epidemiological studies have shown a correlation between drinking black tea and lower incidence of heart disease, probably because the polyphenols in tea prevent the peroxidation of low-density lipoproteins (LDL or "bad cholesterol"), which is the precipitating factor in the development of arterial plaque.
     
Anticancer - Although epidemiological studies remain inconclusive, laboratory studies strongly suggest that tea inhibits tumor growth. It has definite antioxidant properties, although there may be other reasons for its effect. Most research has focused on the prevention of lung, throat, and gastrointestinal cancers, but evidence also suggests a positive effect on skin and liver cancer.
     
Nutritional - Puerh and oolong teas have been shown to lower cholesterol levels, although green tea has not been shown to have the same effect. Tea may also protect teeth, as it can contain fluoride, as well as inhibit glucosyltransferase, the enzyme that helps bacteria adhere to teeth, thus leading to tooth decay.