Is Coffee Good or Bad for Your Health?

There are some good reasons why you should drink coffee (or start to if you are not presently a coffee drinker) but there are also reasons why java has developed a bad reputation. Here we look at why you should go easy on coffee or maybe even not drink it at all.

Caffeine Sensitivity = Jitters:

Some people are sensitive to the effects of caffeine and they respond to it in a negative manner. Consuming caffeine in large doses can lead to anxiety and irritability. The reason for this is because caffeine is very similar in nature to a brain chemical called adenosine, which is thought of as the “slow down” chemical.

Adenosine is instrumental in relaxing the blood vessels and preparing the brain and body for sleep. What happens when an individuals takes in too much caffeine is that the drug binds to adenosine receptors on the nerve cells. This leaves little if any room for this brain chemical to find its way in. As a result of this the activity of the nerve cells is accelerated and the blood vessels constrict. This leads to a feeling of jitters and irritability that some people refer to as a caffeine buzz.

For those who take in high amounts of caffeine on a daily basis they will develop a tolerance to it and the jitters will be less likely.

This also means however that you will constantly be requiring a caffeine fix. Your body will adapt to the constant barrage of caffeine by producing more adenosine receptors which will make you more and more sensitive to the effects of this brain chemical.  As a result of this, if you do not get your daily dose of caffeine you will experience withdrawal symptoms. These symptoms may include bad headaches, which are brought about due to the constricting of blood vessels, and extreme tiredness.

Sleep Issues:

If you suffer from insomnia or sleep does not come easily to you when you go to bed then you may wish to switch from caffeinated coffee to decaf or simply to decrease the amount of caffeinated coffee that you drink throughout the day. You also may wish to choose a cut off time during the day and not drink it any time after that. It generally takes six hours for caffeine to leave your system entirely, although this does tend to vary from one individual to another.

A recent study has yielded the result that caffeine robs you of sleep to a greater extent as you age.

Cholesterol Problems:

If you have high cholesterol levels (the bad kind, LDL) then you need to drink up with caution. Boiled or unfiltered coffee such as Turkish-style coffee contains higher levels of a compound called cafestol which can increase the LDL cholesterol in the blood. Your best bet is to select filtered coffee methods such as making a cup with a drip coffee maker.

Pregnant and Nursing Women- Watch Your Consumption:

Pregnant women can safely drink a moderate amount of coffee pr day but should not drink excessive amounts of caffeine.

Moderate amounts in this case would be equivalent to two cups a day or no more than 200 milligrams. At present it is not clear if caffeine amounts that are higher than that can increase the risk of miscarriage. Nursing mothers can safely drink about the same amount as pregnant women but must be aware that the caffeine that they drink will find its way into their breast milk. Nursing mothers should reduce their intake of coffee if their babies start to show signs of irritability or restlessness.

Becca

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The Many Health Benefits of Drinking Coffee

Coffee is a commonly discussed and disputed topic. The views on it are mixed. Some say go ahead and enjoy your jolt of java because it is good for you while others say forgo it in favor of tea. Let us look upon coffee in a positive light here and explore its health benefits.

Many of the health benefits that surround coffee are connected with consuming approximately two to four (eight ounce) cups per day. This tends to be the amount that most Americans drink on a daily basis.

Good for the Brain:

Coffee drinking has been found to be good for the brain – in moderate quantities that is. Drinking between one and five cups of coffee on a daily basis may help to reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease, dementia and Parkinson’s disease, according to various studies that have been conducted.

This sounds like a tall order for a hot beverage. How can this be the case?

Coffee contains antioxidants that may prevent a certain amount of damage occurring to the cells of the brain. According to experts in this area it also boosts the effects of neurotransmitters that are required for cognitive function. There are some new studies that suggest that as the consumption of coffee or tea goes up, the incidence of a form of brain cancer called glioma goes down.

Scientists speculate that there are compounds found in the brews of both coffee and tea that activate a DNA-repairing protein in cells. This in turn prevents damage to the DNA that can turn healthy cells into cancerous cells.

Reduce Risk of Diabetes:

Research studies have found that the frequent consumption of coffee, which would be four to five cups or more on a daily basis, is associated with a reduced risk of acquiring type two diabetes.

It is hypothesized that the antioxidant compounds in the hot beverage, which are quinides and cholorogenic acid, may increase the sensitivity of cells to insulin which helps to regulate blood sugar. It is not clear whether caffeinated or decaffeinated makes a high difference in this case but some studies suggest that decaffeinated may be the superior choice in this regard because caffeine has a tendency to lessen the boost found between insulin and sensitivity.

Good for the Heart:

Coffee may be heart-healthy but once again, this only works for moderate consumption.

Some research studies have proven that moderate coffee drinkers- which is to say, those who drink one to three cups per day – have lower rates of stroke than those who do not drink coffee at all. It is theorized that the antioxidants in the brew may play a role in suppressing the damaging effects that inflammation can cause to the arteries. It has also been theorized that these compounds may support the work of nitric oxide, which is a substance that widens blood vessels. By so doing it lowers blood pressure.

This does not mean that the more coffee you drink the healthier your heart will be. You can go overboard and take things to the opposite extreme by over consuming coffee.

You may like java but you do not want to drink more than five cup per day. This habit has been linked to higher risks of developing heart disease.  Medical researchers also believe that excessive caffeine can sabotage the work that the antioxidants perform.

Good for the Liver:

There is evidence that points to the fact that coffee can be of help to the liver. The research on this is limited at the present time but it does appear from what is known so far that those who drink coffee are less likely to develop cirrhosis as well as other types of liver diseases.

The initial findings point to the belief that caffeine, the antioxidant chlorogenic and caffeic acids may help to inhibit cancer cells and prevent inflammation from building in the liver.

Becca

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