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Shocking Facts About Coffee and Your Health
My morning routine: Wake up. Take a shower. Drink coffee. …and then more coffee.
Like many people, I am obsessed with drinking coffee to boost my energy throughout the day. America’s coffee obsession is evident through the long lines and steep prices at Starbucks, and the ever-present catchphrase “America runs on Dunkin”. But despite the energizing jolt that we get from consuming caffeine, is coffee good for us?
Caffeine — a major ingredient in coffee, tea, and chocolate — blocks adenosine, which usually acts as a calming agent throughout the body. Because of this blockage there is an extra release of adrenaline, which causes your heart rate to increase, and your pupils to dilate. This causes that initial morning buzz that you feel when drinking coffee. Although this may feel like a jolt of energy, this feeling is temporary. In the long run, caffeine can cause restlessness, irritability and headaches (which, ironically, it can also cure for some people). Caffeine, like nicotine, is also addicting so after consuming caffeine on a regular basis your body becomes immune to the responses of caffeine. Because of this, caffeine addicts start drinking more coffee, which increases the negative effects.
But it might not be all bad. After years of negative press, I’m glad that coffee is finally getting recognized for health reasons, most popularly for being rich in antioxidants.
Read on for the benefits and risks of drinking coffee:
Edith Glover
Coffee is so delicious that there HAS to be downsides to it!
Angie Becker
I drink black coffee once a day. I’ve heard health benefits and side effects. I’m torn. Would sticking to a cup a day reduce the negative effects and still give you the health benefits needed?
Muriel Vargas
Thanks for a very thoughtfully written-article!!!
Dianne Copeland
There are many other beneficial drinks out there, so if you have hypertension, leaky bladder, touchy stomach, or are pregnant… AVOID COFFEE!
Lillian Arnold
Informative article! Coffee has significant health benefits but can have negative side effects if one drinks TOO MUCH!
Melba Harrington
Yeah, the key here is MODERATION! ☕️
Margaret Palmer
So confusing! While many people joke that they can’t function without coffee, others would say they hate it!
Dixie Castro
I gave up coffee due to some digestive problems. I switched to tea (I read it has less caffeine). The first three days was painful for me, I felt tired (withdrawal syndrome?! I don’t know)… But I guess my body adjusted, I feel better today and digestive problems have improved.
Betty Young
My bad, I’ve been averaging four cups of coffee per day 🙁
Irene Evans
Coffee has been both praised and mocked for centuries and I feel great to read scientifically-proven benefits of coffee.
Margaret Ross
Indeed, for every benefit is a disadvantage!