Do you love coffee? Do you wonder if it is bad for you? Have you ever considered it might actually be good for you in moderation? So what are the health benefits of coffee?

As I’m writing this, I am currently tucking into my second cup of coffee of the day. For so many years I used to be a tea girl and somehow that has changed and now I love coffee. I can’t get enough of the stuff.

I do have to alternate between caffeinated and decaffeinated throughout the day, otherwise by 5:00pm am a gibbering, nauseous wreck, that feels like I’m rushing around at 100 miles an hour and dropping everything as I go. Not a great look really. Lol.

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Why is it that we’ve developed such a strong coffee culture in the last couple of decades? Us Brits used to be known for our tea. We were a nation of tea drinkers. Tea was the solution to everything. If in doubt, put the kettle on and make a cup of tea, but over the years I feel we are losing this passion for tea ever so slightly.

I’m definitely moving in the direction of coffee. I’m sure there are still plenty of you Brits out there who would argue this and say that you are still tea drinkers and to be honest I don’t mind a cup of tea now and then, especially with a chocolate Hobnob dunked in it, but coffee is definitely my go to drink, especially a nice frothy latte.

Starbucks is my favourite rather than a Costa, although my husband would dispute this. I guess it boils down to personal taste. I love coffee that is creamy and he likes a strong coffee. There is no right or wrong way of having your coffee or which coffee shop you choose to frequent, but what I want to know is am I drinking too much coffee?

How much is too much coffee? What are the dangers of too much coffee? Are there any health benefits of coffee?

So, let’s start answering some of these questions shall we?

The health benefits of coffee

Firstly, research has shown that coffee drinkers have a much lower risk of several serious diseases. Here is a list of ten health benefits of coffee according to healthline.com:

  1. Improvement of energy levels and reaction times
  2. Increased fat burning
  3. Improvement of physical performance
  4. Supply of essential nutrients
  5. Lowers the risk of type 2 diabetes
  6. Could protect you from Alzheimer’s disease and dementia
  7. May lower your risk of Parkinson’s
  8. May protect your liver
  9. Fights depression
  10. May lower the risk of certain cancers

I think the question “What are the dangers of too much coffee?” comes under the heading “Am I drinking too much coffee?” so I’ll answer the two together.

Reasons why coffee is bad for you

These are just a handful of disadvantages of coffee and I’m sorry if you are indulging in a cup this morning and I’ve put you off. That was not my intention, but I think it’s good for all of us to be aware of the effects things are having on our body and this will help us to make informed decisions.

  1. Anxiety – According to Healthline.com caffeine is known to increase alertness. It works by blocking the effects of adenosine, a brain chemical that makes you feel tired. At the same time, it triggers the release of adrenaline, the “fight-or-flight” hormone associated with increased energy. However, at higher doses, these effects may become more pronounced, leading to anxiety and nervousness.
  2. Insomnia – some studies have found that a higher caffeine intake appears to lengthen the amount of time it takes to fall asleep. It may also reduce our total sleeping time, especially in the elderly.
  3. Digestive Issue – a lot of people find but having a cup of coffee in the morning helps to get their bowels moving. The laxative effect of coffee has been put down to a release of gastrin, a hormone that the stomach produces. Interestingly enough decaffeinated coffee can produce a similar response. However, caffeine itself does seem to stimulate bowel movements by increasing peristalsis, the contractions which move food through your digestive system. Excessive doses of caffeine may lead diarrhoea in some people.
  4. Muscle breakdown – There have been a few reports of a very serious condition called rhabdomyolysis which causes muscle fibres to enter the blood stream leading to potential kidney failure and other problems being related to excessive caffeine intake, although this is very rare.
  5. Addiction – research has shown that there is a possibility caffeine can trigger certain brain chemicals similarly to the way cocaine and amphetamines do, although it does not cause classic addiction in the same way. It may however lead to psychological or physical dependency specially at high dosages.
  6. High blood pressure – according to healthline.com caffeine has been shown to raise blood pressure in several studies due to the way it stimulates the nervous system, however it doesn’t seem to increase the risk of heart disease or stroke in most people.
round white ceramic saucer and coffee cup
Photo by Anna Tukhfatullina Food Photographer/Stylist on Pexels.com

To answer the question “How much is too much coffee ?” I think the answer is if you drink a large amount of coffee each day and you are experiencing any of the above symptoms it may possibly be down to the quantity of coffee you’re consuming on a daily basis. As I always say in any of my health related posts if you have any concerns it is important that you contact your GP to gain professional advice.

So hopefully that cheered you up a little bit and you can now carry on enjoying your delicious cup of coffee.

Please share this post with a friend who you think may find it useful.

Here is another post you may enjoy:

Good mental health tips – The blissful release of writing a journal


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