Coffee oh coffee!
Everybody loves coffee, I love coffee, I mean, my mornings are not the same without that coffee smell all over my home and having that warm sip while still slightly asleep. Coffee is a subject that a lot of people talk about, but at the same time, it is a subject that creates a lot of conflict and questions. Some say it’s bad but others say it is good but the truth is if we used it right, it is very beneficial for you.
Coffee does have many health benefits, some researchers present at a meeting of the American Heart Association suggested that drinking coffee could help reduce your risk of heart disease and stroke. They looked at the Farmingham Heart Study, a study that is considered the longest heart study so far (studying more than 17,000 people from ages of 44 and older) analyzed the data obtained from 1948 till now.
They used machine learning and the results indicated that for every eight ounces of coffee consumed the risk of developing heart failure was reduces by 7% and the risk of developing a stroke was reduced by 8%. Also, researchers from the Stanford University School of Medicine found that caffeine may counter the inflammatory process linked to cardiovascular diseases and aging.
Drinking coffee has also been linked with weight loss, hah, who doesn’t love that? Researches from the Huazhong University of Science and Technology in Wuhan, China, found that caffeine boosted the release of oxytocin. Oxytocin is also known as the love hormone because it is released when you cuddle or bond with someone else. Oxytocin helps to suppress appetite by blocking adenosine receptors in your brain (this part of your brain creates feelings of sleepiness or drowsiness) triggering adrenaline, endorphins, and release of oxytocin in the brain cells.
Caffeine excites the central nervous system and temporarily reduces fatigue and improves alertness. According to The Archives of Internal Medicine coffee helps to reduce risks of depression and suicide, according to a 10-year study of 86,000 female nurses, it showed that there was a reduced risk of suicide in coffee drinkers. Another study conducted by the Harvard School of Public Health found that women who drink 4 or more cups of coffee were 20% less likely to suffer from depression.
It is believed that coffee prevents the neural inflammation that possibly leads to Multiple Sclerosis. Also, moderate consumption of coffee can reduce the odds of developing colorectal cancer by 26%.
The health benefits are so many that I could literally never finish, so here is a list of some other benefits:
. Improves memory and performance.
. Reduces risks of liver cancer.
. Helps you to be more alert.
. Reduces risks of colorectal and prostate cancer.
. Increases longevity.
. Prevents retinal damage.
. Reduces gout risks.
. Reduces risks of breast cancer.
. Reduces risks of developing type 2 diabetes.
. Reduces the risk of developing Parkinson’s diseases and Alzheimer’s.
There are some con’s if you exceed your consumption such as:
. Miscarriage.
. Increases levels of cholesterol.
. Increases blood pressure.
. It causes insomnia.
. Decrease the absorption of zinc, calcium, and iron (drink before or after consuming supplements or any meal high in these minerals to secure their absorption.
Fun Coffee Facts
. Coffee is slightly acidic.
. Two billion cups of coffee are consumed every day worldwide.
. There are two main varieties of coffee: Arabica (mild taste, less caffeine) and Robusta (bitter taste, 2x cafeine0.
. 125 Billion People depend on coffee for their livelihoods.
. It is the second most popular drink in the world (the first is water).
. The average American spends about $400 in coffee annually.
. 82% of people in the US are coffee drinkers.
. Coffee is not a dehydrating drink; it is pretty much neutral because it doesn’t hydrate either.
. Americans are the number one consumers in the world.
. Coffee is a pain killer; two cups of it after a workout can cut muscles pain up to 48%.
. A cup of brewed has up to 1.8 grams of fiber.
Recommended Limits
Men and Women 19+ = 1-2 cups per day or stay below 400mg a day Pregnant or Breastfeeding women = 1 cup per day or stay below 300mg a day
Coffee Addiction?
If your coffee intake is way too high and you are trying to cut it down, there are a few things you can do to help you low down your coffee intake.
. Do it gradually: Cutting it down all at once will not help you at all; it will give you headaches, fatigue, and inability to concentrate, forcing you to go back to your old big amounts of coffee intake.
. Cut other sources: Caffeine is the part that makes you addicted to coffee but if you mix it with other drinks that have caffeine it can be harmful to your health. Go and try out to eliminate other caffeine drinks such as sodas and energy drinks; they are extremely high in sugar and have other adverse health effects as well.
. Mix: Mix regular coffee with decaffeinated coffee. You can start with 80% caffeinated coffee + 20% decaffeinated and then you can keep going down as you go.
. Brew time: the longer you brew your coffee (and tea!), the more caffeine will be extracted. If you want less caffeine, try brewing for a shorter time.
. Drink water: sometimes feeling fatigued and cloudy is a sign of dehydration, try to drink a large glass of water and see how you feel.
