Grinding Through the Facts: What You Need to Know About Coffee
By Madhusudhan Tammisetti
A cup of coffee is more than just a morning pick-me-up. For many people, this hot cuppa Joe helps them feel energetic during work and, later, refreshed after a busy day in the office. Drinking coffee is a worldwide phenomenon with several myths and facts.
If you are a coffee lover and conscious about your regular coffee intake, or you are an enthusiast who simply wants to know more about health benefits of what might be the world’s favorite drink, you can join on this journey to learn more about coffee. So let’s start brewing!
Is Coffee Healthy?
Coffee contains antioxidants and caffeine, which makes it anti-inflammatory and protective against disease. Research has shown that drinking decaf or regular coffee can also improve enzyme levels in the liver and offer protection. Similarly, consumption of dark roast coffee can lower DNA strand breakage and reduce the risk of cancer or tumors.
Although colon cancer is common in 1 of every 23 women, consumption of decaf or regular coffee can reduce the chances of developing colorectal cancer by 26 percent. Moreover, women who drink one cup of coffee a day are less likely to get a stroke, one of the leading death causes in women.
Dietary guidelines for Americans mention that most women can safely consume 3-5 cups of coffee daily, but the maximum caffeine intake should be 400 milligrams (about 4-5 cups of coffee). It is important to remember that different coffee types have different amounts of caffeine.
It must also be noted that you can always make your cup of coffee healthier by making the right addition to it. For instance, substituting cream and sugar with milk and natural sweeteners can be a good choice.
Drinking coffee regularly can help you avoid heart disease and type 2 diabetes. Some common health benefits include supporting brain health and weight management. Regular consumption of coffee may help prevent liver-related conditions and promote heart health. Along with anti-inflammatory benefits, it increases longevity and improves athletic performance.
What’s the Deal With Caffeine?
Caffeine is a naturally present substance in tea leaves, coffee beans, cacao pods, and kola nuts. However, caffeine is synthetically produced as well.
Energy drinks, painkillers, and energy-boosting snacks are made with the use of synthetic caffeine. There are different edible products in which caffeine can be found, including medicines, food items like dark chocolate, and beverages.
When someone consumes caffeine, it has a stimulating effect on their body. Consumption of caffeine can stimulate the muscles, heart, central nervous system, and blood pressure. Because of these properties, coffee is commonly consumed for mental alertness, athletic performance, headache, and obesity.
Does Coffee Cause Inflammation?
Have you also felt guilty about consuming coffee because it might lead to inflammation? Well, there is no real proof that coffee consumption can lead to inflammation. In fact, coffee is renowned for its anti-inflammatory properties.
Regular coffee consumption can actually reduce inflammation and the risk of conditions related to inflammation, such as heart diseases, certain types of cancers, type 2 diabetes, Parkinson’s disease, and Alzheimer’s.
Does Coffee Stunt Your Growth?
One common myth associated with coffee is that drinking coffee can stunt your growth if you are a growing teenager. However, there is no scientific proof that consuming coffee can actually hamper bone growth and stunt the growth of a person.
So, a limited amount of coffee intake is safe for teens, and they can enjoy their coffee -- hot or cold -- without stressing about their hampered growth.
Does Coffee Raise Your Blood Pressure?
Coffee can increase blood pressure for a short period in a healthy person, though the increase is not dramatic. Regular coffee drinkers can see a spike in their blood pressure even though they are not suffering from high blood pressure. A cup of coffee a day may not have health risks as compared to drinking two or more cups a day.
The reasons that coffee consumption leads to an increase in blood pressure are not clear. However, it has been found that people who regularly consume coffee are more likely to have high blood pressure when compared to people who do not consume coffee. There is also a possibility of developing tolerance against caffeine for regular consumers of caffeine. As a result, those who take caffeine on a regular basis may not see its long-term effects on their blood pressure.
It is suggested that people who have the condition of high blood pressure should see a doctor about whether their caffeine consumption should be limited or stopped.
Why Does Coffee Make Me Jittery?
The reason behind getting jitters while drinking coffee is related to the caffeine present in it. Caffeine jitters are related to the tolerance against caffeine.
Caffeine boosts energy levels and gives you an adrenaline rush, as caffeine has a stimulating effect on your nervous system. Thus, consuming large amounts of coffee can make you restless. It can increase your heart rate and cause shakiness. And this is how coffee can cause jitters.
But there are ways to get rid of coffee jitters. People can limit the amount of caffeine they consume in a day to one cup or they can follow a decaf routine. Beverages that have higher amounts of theanine can also be chosen as a replacement for coffee.
Coffee, Dehydration, and Chiropractic Care
Many people are not aware that coffee can dehydrate the body, although it makes them feel energetic. Besides stimulating the brain, caffeine affects the kidneys. As the blood flow increases to the kidney, it starts passing more urine than usual. The body starts losing more water on consumption of coffee when taken in higher amounts.
As the body urinates more, the caffeine is likely to impact the amount of water in the body and reduce it. And this is how coffee dehydrates the body. Dehydration can lead to problems in muscular health and stiffness. Lack of hydration in muscles makes them prone to stiffness and causes cramps. Dehydration of muscles can further lead to discomfort due to a lack of flexibility.
Chiropractic care uses non-invasive techniques to treat muscle and stiffness-related problems. Chiropractors routinely deal with the musculoskeletal system. Dehydration can lead to inflammation and increase the chances of muscle pain, stiffness, or cramps. Because of stiffness, you may experience a reduction in flexibility and a decrease in your range of motion. Visiting a chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic can help remedy these problems.
The chiropractic adjustment typically includes the application of a gentle force on the affected area to ease inflammation and joint restrictions; a side effect of this is often reduced pain and discomfort. Adjustments may increase blood flow and reduce inflammation and it may help you heal and recover more quickly.
Chiropractors may suggest you stretch a little bit and do simple exercises as a means of mitigating muscle pain. A walk in your neighborhood or a park can help you stay healthy and improve your range of motion. You can apply ice or heat therapy on the affected area to get relief from stiffness.
A Love Affair
Coffee is not just a morning drink but a global culture. People take coffee as a source of energy and sometimes as refreshment. Whether you drink coffee casually or treat coffee as a part and parcel of your life, you can choose to be a well-informed coffee consumer. One can always learn more about their next cup of coffee.
The information, including but not limited to, text, graphics, images and other material contained on this page are for informational purposes only. The purpose of this post is to promote broad consumer understanding and knowledge of various health topics, including but not limited to the benefits of chiropractic care, exercise and nutrition. It is not intended to provide or be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek the advice of your chiropractor, physician or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or treatment and before undertaking a new health care regimen, and never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this page.