Wake Up And Smell The Coffee

 

Coffee is so much more than a beverage, it is a way of life! There are MILLIONS of COFFEE DRINKERS worldwide and for a reason… coffee can be good for your health. Some people choose to steer clear because of common misconceptions such as it causing osteoporosis, height loss, stunted growth, and increasing the body’s elimination of calcium. These misconceptions are just that, misconceptions (Harvard Health Publishing, 2020)!

3-5 CUPS OF COFFEE A DAY LOWERS THE RISK OF ↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓

 

Did you KNOW that a component in coffee called CAFFEINE can briefly enhance your energy and stamina, lower cholesterol, improve vascular endothelial function, and promote weight loss (Harvard Health Publishing, 2020)?!

Coffee has added health benefits, and drinking it at the right time of the day ensures that. Our body naturally creates adenosine and cortisol. Adenosine promotes sleep and suppresses arousal. Cortisol helps the body respond to stress and keeps us alert. Throughout the day our body naturally builds up adenosine (making you tired) and decreases cortisol (making you less alert). Coffee contains a molecular compound called caffeine. Caffeine blocks adenosine and stimulates the production of cortisol which triggers wakefulness (Lee et al., 2017).

The right time to drink caffeinated coffee is between 10 am-12 pm and 2 pm-4 pm when adenosine and cortisol levels are at a low.

Did you know the average 8 oz cup of coffee contains approximately 80 to 100 mg of caffeine??

When is a good time to pass on that cup of caffeinated joy you ask? Research suggests that adverse effects start and are largely related to habitual consumption of higher caffeine (over 400 mg/day) (Samoggia & Riedel, 2019).

ADVERSE EFFECTS OF 400+ MG/DAY

  • poor calcium absorption
  • poor bone mineral density
  • anxiety
  • nervousness
  • decrease fertility numbers
  • migraines
  • insomnia
  • worsened heartburn
  • temporary high blood pressure (Samoggia & Riedel, 2019)

 

Research also suggests the risk of developing lung and gastric cancer is increased because of the associated smoking habits in relation to coffee consumption (Samoggia & Riedel, 2019).

So when it comes to drinking coffee, moderation of 3-5 cups per day or limiting caffeine consumption to under 400 mg/day, are associated with added health benefits. It is never recommended to exceed the recommended dose of anything because of the adverse effects it may have on our health. So sit back, relax, and drink up your delicious coffee beverages!

 

References

Bestie. (2020, July 1). Drinking coffee every day does this to your body. [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=we79_qZ-sW4

Doctor Oz. (2021, October 31). Can coffee improve your health. [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1VK7yZ0ukaQ&t=2s

Harvard Health Publishing. (2020, January 7). Can coffee really stunt your growth? https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/can-coffee-really-stunt-your-growth

Healthy java. (2016). American Fitness, 34(2), 56. https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=asn&AN=114283087&site=ehost-live

Lee, J., Lee, J.-E., & Kim, Y. (2017). Relationship between coffee consumption and stroke risk in korean population: the health examinees (HEXA) study. Nutrition Journal, 16(1), 7. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12937-017-0232-y

Rajendran, P., Rengarajan, T., Thangavel, J., Nishigaki, Y., Sakthisekaran, D., Sethi, G., & Nishigaki, I. (2013). The vascular endothelium and human diseases. International journal of biological sciences, 9(10), 1057–1069. https://doi.org/10.7150/ijbs.7502

Samoggia, A., & Riedel, B. (2019). Consumers’ perceptions of coffee health benefits and motives for coffee consumption and purchasing. Nutrients, 11(3). https://doi.org/10.3390/nu11030653

Science Insider. (2019, February 26). What happens to your body when you drink too much coffee. [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1_6_6TAuoGc

 

2 thoughts on “Wake Up And Smell The Coffee”

  1. 005036743

    As a student coffee is a daily drink and often multiple times a day. Knowing some of the benefits like decreasing the risk of diabetes and helping increasing fiber intake makes me not feel as guilty. I was unaware of the half life coffee had and will keep mind of the recommended times to drink coffee.

  2. 001411527

    I loved the tone of you blog post, definitely caught my interest. Also with the benefits you mentioned I’m considering upping my daily coffee intake!

Comments are closed.