Why not Tea and Coffee for Krishna Conscious Devotees

Do we need an agitated, distracted and uncontrolled mind to progress in Krishna Consciousness or we need a calm, peaceful controlled mind?

It is a frequent argument that tea and coffee are obtained from plants. They have a vegetarian source. So why do you ask us to stop these for progressing in Krishna consciousness.

Conventional black tea has both caffeine and tannin in it. Arguably, neither is all that good for the body, both are addictive. If you don't think you are hooked on black tea, stop drinking it for a couple of days - you will experience headaches, weariness, and cravings. You may find you want to sleep all the time. If you continually take caffeine into the body you don't produce adrenaline. This can increase blood pressure and stress, lead to sleeplessness and general poor health. Black tea can stain the teeth. Though on the plus side, there are things in tea that help your body deal with toxins from other sources, but there are other ways also to obtain this effect.

If you take sweetened butter milk (Lassi, Chhacha) you will feel sleepy because of a neuro-inhibitory chemical, gamma-amino butyric acid and on the contrary taking a cup of tea or coffee makes you awake because of neuro-excitatory chemicals caffeine, tannin.

It is thus clear that any thing, which stimulates mind, has to be avoided for controlling the mind and senses. Tea and coffee are proven stimulants.

Mind altering drugs by Bryn Pearson

http://www.dooyoo.co.uk/drinks/tea-in-general/323637/