2024-04-12 12:58:19
People’s relationship with coffee fluctuates between love and hate. In contrast to the great love that many have for this drink, which represents an integral part of their daily routine, other groups are concerned about coffee consumption and the effects of caffeine on their health.
A 2023 study by the National Coffee Association found that 63 percent of Americans drink coffee daily, more than any other beverage except water. In the same year, coffee overtook tea to become the drink of choice in the United Kingdom; According to the British Coffee Association, the UK consumes around 98 million cups of coffee every day, according to figures cited by The Guardian.
But on the other hand, many people feel uncomfortable about the amount of coffee they consume, which is something that companies such as MudWtr, which makes mushroom-based drinks, have exploited to advertise their products as a “healthier” alternative to a regular cup of coffee.
“Coffee has a bit of a bad reputation,” says Dr. Peter Hayes, professor of hepatology at the University of Edinburgh. Pointing out that current concerns about coffee often refer to the concept of “detoxification,” which refers to the idea of ridding the body of toxic or harmful substances accumulated due to lifestyle or eating habits. But this concept is vague and difficult to measure scientifically, according to Hayes.
“Everyone speaks in very vague terms,” Hayes told The Guardian, adding, “Coffee is not poison.”
What happens when we drink coffee?
Dr. Sander Kirsten, professor of molecular nutrition at Cornell University, explains that the main active ingredient in coffee is caffeine.
Anyone who has had a cup of coffee in the morning will be familiar with these effects. As a stimulant, caffeine makes a person feel more alert, Kirsten says.
People have faster reaction times, are better able to concentrate, and have greater endurance. Studies have found that caffeine consumption is linked to improved athletic performance.
According to Kirsten, these effects usually start within half an hour and last up to two hours. “This is why people tend to keep drinking coffee throughout the day,” he says. “The effects don’t last long.”
What are the health benefits of drinking coffee?
Experts agree that there are many benefits to your morning coffee, since coffee contains “hundreds if not thousands of ingredients,” says Dr. Edward Giovannucci, a professor of nutrition and epidemiology at Harvard’s T. H. Chan School of Public Health.
Some of these ingredients “may have a range of beneficial effects, which may improve health in the long term,” he states.
Some compounds, for example, have powerful anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, Giovannucci explains. Other compounds reduce insulin resistance, a risk factor for diabetes.
In an analysis of the effects of coffee consumption on health, Hayes and his colleagues found that drinking three to four cups per day was associated with a lower risk of cardiac deaths, some types of cancer, and conditions of the nervous, metabolic, and liver systems.
The liver seems to benefit the most from coffee. One cup of coffee a day can reduce the risk of cirrhosis by 20 percent and five cups a day can reduce the risk by 80 percent, Hayes says.
Hayes also points out that “it is important to distinguish between coffee and caffeine.” For example, a coffee drinker can see these benefits even with decaffeinated coffee. “So there is something in coffee, not caffeine, that protects the liver,” he says, noting that drinking too much of it is not a healthy option despite its benefits at this level.
Is there a limit to the amount of coffee one should drink in a day?
Up to 400 milligrams of caffeine per day appears to be safe for most adults, according to the Mayo Clinic.
One eight-ounce cup of brewed coffee contains about 95 mg of caffeine, Giovannucci says, so that’s the equivalent of about four cups of coffee.
Above these levels, people may feel nervous and have an elevated heart rate — “symptoms that can be felt during a panic attack,” Giovannucci says.
He adds that people with underlying panic or anxiety disorder are particularly vulnerable to experiencing these negative side effects.
For his part, Hayes says that drinking two to three cups a day generally seems to be the ideal area for reaping the benefits of coffee without being exposed to its negatives. But the ideal amount varies from person to person.
In turn, Nimb Diop says, “It is necessary to listen to your body,” adding that each person has a different level of sensitivity to caffeine, and some may feel jittery after one cup, while others may feel best after three cups.
Excessive caffeine intake can have much more serious effects. According to the US Food and Drug Administration, toxic effects of caffeine, such as seizures, have been observed with rapid consumption of 1,200 mg of caffeine at once.
Accordingly, the administration notes that highly concentrated caffeine products, such as those found in caffeine powders or energy drinks, “pose a significant threat to public health.”
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2024-04-12 12:58:19