In Europe, as in many countries, morning coffee is a real ritual. It is the daily charge to juggle work and commitments and not to compensate for stress.
Do you want a little curiosity? If you think that the Bel Paese has the primacy as the biggest consumer, you are wrong!
The Scandinavian countries hold the podium. According to their studies, coffee is not good for your health. Instead, more expert rumors show that the increase in cholesterol they talk about is dictated by their method of extraction, which is totally different from ours.
Many articles published over the years have confronted us with a question.
Is coffee good or bad?
The answer is very simple, in the right quantities and depending on the mode of extraction can bring benefits to the body.
If you frequently drink espresso or bar coffee: the optimal amount is 5 cups of espresso (each contains 60 mg of caffeine).
If you love to enjoy your mocha coffee in the comfort of your own home, the recommended amount is 3 large cups (each containing 85 mg of caffeine).
But let's look specifically at the effects of coffee on the body and try to understand if the coffee is good for your health or if it hurts:
What are the benefits of daily coffee intake?
1) Improving memory
Caffeine is a short-term and long-term memory enhancer. Let's take a small example, a university student during exams will be able to take advantage of the beneficial effects of coffee to store and store as much information as possible. Are you a person who forgets the keys to the machine or does he thank God that your head is attached to the rest of your body? Maybe you need a good dose of quality coffee!
2) Improving your mood
Caffeine is a brain stimulant that makes us spazzy and more resistant to daily exertions. What would life be like without quality coffee?
Maybe that doesn't make sense!
3) Coffee helps to improve athletic and psychomotor performance
But watch out for the right timing, if you're a competitor remember to drink your good coffee at least three hours before the competition or you risk not passing the anti-doping tests.
4) It is a stimulant of gastric secretion
In addition to being taken in the morning has an excellent digestive function after a meal. Everyone is convinced that the best coffee is 100% Arabica, but are we sure that it is right for us? If Arabica is delicate, less bitter and with an intermediate amount of caffeine, Robusta has an extra dose. It's the best digestive you can take! Thanks to the presence of multiple bioactive elements are also the effects of coffee on the intestine.
If you want to learn more about this topic, I suggest you read this interesting article about the differences between the qualities of Arabica and Robusta coffee.
5) Coffee makes you lose weight and has an anorexic and lipotic effect.
It reduces the appetite and allows you to burn more quickly the calories taken in the day. Obviously, coffee should not be a way to lose weight or fight obesity. Entrust yourself to an experienced dietician and not to the do-it-yourself, who will advise you on a diet tailored to your characteristics and your pace of life. On the basis of the prescribed diet, remember only these little tricks:
- a cup of bitter coffee contains about 2 calories;
- a cup of bitter coffee stained with milk contains 10 calories;
- a cup of coffee with a teaspoon of sugar provides about 20 calories.
It will also help you to have a healthy and balanced lifestyle, practice sports, eliminate or reduce your intake of alcohol and smoking.
6) Improvement of allergies and asthma
Caffeine in optimal doses slows down the heart rate and dilates the bronchi and coronary arteries.
7) Reduces the risk of type 2 diabetes by 25%.
In addition to caffeine, coffee contains other anti-inflammatories, antimutagenic and antioxidant substances that protect the body's tissues and cells from toxic proteins.
8) Improves skin hydration
Coffee as well as tea improves skin hydration and has a diuretic effect on the body. It is useless to repeat it all in the right doses without overdoing it.
9) It is a natural viagra
Through a chemical process, it stimulates the erectile tissue and reduces the risk of dysfunction to one third. Women, wide to the chatter, make your men drink coffee and the result will be a success!!! Perhaps comparing it to viagra is excessive, but it can certainly bring benefits in that specific field too.
Negative effects of coffee and contraindications
Coffee has more than just benefits and its negative effects should not be overlooked. Coffee is an excellent drink, but it has strengths and weaknesses and you should never exceed the set limit. The recommended dose of caffeine per day is 300 mg. Then it varies from person to person depending on the constitution and tolerability level of the caffeine.
Excessive consumption of coffee exposes us to different types of risks. Let's analyze some of the main negative effects of coffee:
1) Coffee increases the production of gastric juices in the stomach
If you have problems with ulcers, gastroesophageal reflux or gastritis. We advise you to limit your daily coffee and always choose a coffee with a high percentage of "Robusta" which has a low degree of acidity.
2) The lipolytic effect is canceled out by sugar and milk.
The benefits of the lipolytic property of coffee created by the intake of the right quantities, once exceeded the threshold, totally lose its effect and this effect is also lost when combined with other foods such as milk and sugar.
3) The unbalanced or exaggerated tonic and stimulating effect can be harmful for those suffering from insomnia.
Hot flashes and hypertension. Excess quantities can cause pressure fluctuations, tremors and tachycardia.
If you really can't do without it after dinner, treat yourself to a barley coffee that relaxes and helps you sleep.
4) Problems with coffee consumption during breastfeeding
Nervousness, difficulty falling asleep and poor sleep quality. During the lactation period do not exceed the consumption of coffee, to avoid situations of irritability and difficulty in sleeping for the newborn.
5) May promote the onset of anemia and osteoporosis
The inhibitory effect on the absorption of calcium and iron may preclude the onset of anemia and osteoporosis.
Much attention for women in menopause, you are the most susceptible!!!
6) Risk for a fetus of not having the correct intrauterine development
Doctors suggest limiting the consumption of coffee during pregnancy, as with high doses of caffeine the newborn can be born underweight. However, clinical studies have not produced data to support this hypothesis.
7) Increased risk of miscarriage
Women resist for 9 months for you the recommended cups are only two, and if you really can not resist replace it with decaf coffee or alternatives without caffeine.
Conclusion
The dangers we have highlighted and the contraindications can be aggravated if combined with other drugs, alcohol and drugs.
Remember that caffeine is not only found in coffee, it is also present in teas and herbal teas, in Coca-Cola, chocolate and cocoa.
So if in a day, you find yourself enjoying one of the following six foods or drinks, stay in the right balance and respect the recommended limits.
And if in doubt, seek advice from your doctor!!!