THE BIGGEST PROS AND CONS ABOUT DRINKING COFFEE

There are many myths and half-truths about this popular drink, so we looked at the latest research for pointers on the pros and cons of coffee.

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Did your grandmother say too much coffee will give you fleas in your tummy? That was obviously to scare you, but many reports have said that coffee is bad for your health. New research turns that idea on its head.

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The reason for the change is that old research didn’t consider other factors in their subjects. For instance, heavy coffee drinkers also tended to smoke, which might have been the real reason for any negative effects.

“The overall evidence has been pretty convincing that coffee has been more healthy than harmful,” said Frank Hu, chair of the Department of Nutrition at Harvard University where the new study was done. “For most people, moderate coffee consumption can be incorporated into a healthy diet.”

THE BENEFITS OF DRINKING COFFEE
Here are some of the benefits of coffee according to the latest science.

• One to two cups of coffee per day may help prevent heart failure when a weakened heart has difficulty pumping enough blood to the body.
• Caffeine is linked to a lower chance of developing Parkinson’s Disease and can also help people with the condition to control their movements.
• Research shows that coffee drinkers are more likely to have healthy liver enzyme levels.
• Coffee can reduce the risk of colon cancer by up to 26%.

EVEN MORE BENEFITS

• It improves performance. A cup of black coffee about an hour before a workout can improve performance by up to 12%. The caffeine increases adrenaline levels, your body’s “fight or flight” hormone, which prepares you for physical action.
• Goodbye body fat! Caffeine also helps break down body fat which then becomes fuel for your training sessions.
• Better memory. Coffee has been shown to improve memory and cognitive function. This means you'll remember more things, solve problems faster and focus on and complete tasks more productively.

THE NOT-SO-GOOD
Try not to have coffee first-thing. Downing coffee to wake you up after a bad night’s sleep might not be a great idea. A study at the University of Bath in the UK shows it could limit your body’s ability to tolerate sugar in your breakfast.

“Our blood sugar control is impaired when the first thing our bodies come into contact with is coffee, especially after a night of disrupted sleep,” explains Professor James Betts, who led the study. "We might improve this by eating first and drinking coffee later if we feel we still feel need it.”

It could affect digestion. There isn’t enough evidence for the belief that coffee can mess with digestion. However, a small proportion of people are sensitive to coffee and can experience heartburn, vomiting, or indigestion.

It can be addictive. You can get addicted to caffeine and the tendency could be in your genes. The reason is that regular coffees can alter your brain chemistry, so then you need more and more to get the buzz.



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IS TOO MUCH COFFEE BAD FOR YOU?
Most experts agree that 400 mg caffeine per day is a safe limit. That’s 4 to 5 cups (around a litre) of coffee.

• It may affect stress levels. Coffee may cause a temporary rise in the stress hormone cortisol, so too much coffee can cause anxiety, restlessness or heart palpitations and worsen panic attacks if you’re prone to them. Some people get headaches, migraines and high blood pressure.
• You may have a restless night. The effects of caffeine last up to seven hours so it can disrupt your sleep if you drink it late in the day.
• It may affect insulin levels. Some research suggests that caffeine could impair insulin sensitivity, which is bad if you have diabetes. For you, decaf would be better so you can also get the benefits of coffee’s antioxidants and minerals without the insulin problem.

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WHAT IS THE BEST COFFEE TO DRINK?
There are two main types of coffee beans. The most popular is Arabica, which originated in Ethiopia and produces a mild coffee. It’s harder to grow than the other type, robust, but this bean always has a lot more caffeine. So if that’s a concern, make sure your beans or instant says 100% Arabica.

HOW TO BREW THE PERFECT CUP – THAT’S RIGHT FOR YOU
The longer you brew coffee, the more the caffeine.

Espresso. For the most flavour with the least caffeine, an espresso is the best choice. Add extra water to taste – and a little milk for an American, if you prefer.

French press. The second is a French press (or plunger, as some call it). Then it’s drip-brewed coffee and the highest caffeine comes from the traditional way of boiling coffee in a bag in a kettle.

Moka pot. Perhaps the ultimate (and affordable) way to make a flavourful coffee with little caffeine at home is the stovetop espresso maker or moka pot. This Italian classic forces steam from water in the bottom through coffee grounds to a top chamber, which fills up with coffee, ready to pour.

MYTHS AND FACTS ABOUT COFFEE

1. Some people think coffee with a “strong" taste is also more potent, but a darker roast contains less caffeine than a lighter roast. The longer beans are roasted, the more caffeine burns off.
2. It is true that coffee works as a diuretic, but you’re also having liquid at the same time which offsets that. It won’t hurt to have a glass of water after your espresso as people in Europe like to do.
3. Instant coffee loses a bit of the flavour of beans but retains most of the health benefits. Because it contains slightly less caffeine and is so easy to make, you might drink more of it (or too much). But no science so far proves it’s bad to have instant.

MOST IMPORTANTLY
See how your body reacts to coffee. If you have side effects, try to cut down or switch to decaf. If you can’t function without a constant supply of coffee, consider that you might be addicted and reduce your caffeine fix. If it’s hard, try mixing regular and decaf beans so you lose some caffeine but not much flavour.

Sources: https://www.hsph.harvard.edu, https://www.mayoclinic.org, https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org, https://www.medicalnewstoday.com, https://scitechdaily.com, https://www.epicurious.com