This article discusses the benefits and drawbacks of using Postgres's JSONB data type, particularly when compared to storing data in regular text fields. The author sets up a test application using OpenTelemetry to compare the performance of both storage methods, finding that JSONB can be 3 times more intensive than text storage. However, this comes with the benefits of being able to store structured and unstructured data together seamlessly in the same database environment, supporting modern apps' rapidly changing needs. The article also highlights the importance of understanding and optimizing database usage, using tools like Lumigo to observe traces and resource usage, making it easier to diagnose issues, debug faster, and gain a deeper understanding of microservice applications.