Drinking Coffee Daily: Good or Bad A hot cup of steaming, freshly brewed coffee. A lot of people wake up to this vision and, in it, there is anticipation that makes them look forward to their day. Whether they have it the start of their day, during or a combination of both, coffee drinking has become a regular part of life for many individuals. There are many ways that coffee may be prepared or sweetened as well as the temperature and many people are excited that they get to choose based on their preference. Regular coffee drinkers may have one, four or more cups per day.
It is, also, drunk socially and the statement, “Let us go out for a cup of coffee.” is very commonly heard. Most people use it as a means of catching up with acquaintances or to get to know someone. Even though coffee is a favorite of many worldwide, there are different opinions as to whether it is good or bad to drink it daily. The popularity of coffee has a timeline ranging from different regions. It was discovered in Ethiopia, Africa; brought to the Middle East, following to Europe then to the Americas (Prendergast, 2010). The way it is prepared has also changed over time.
Inventions and improvements on different brewing machines has caused people to be able to choose the concentration or flavor of the drink. Coffee is produced in many countries especially those closer to the equator where the best climatic conditions for the plant are found. It is exported quite often from these countries and the Coffee Industry is one of the biggest there is. There are many reasons as to why daily coffee consumption is considered good or bad. One of the main considerations has to do with its effect on health. Modern investigations have found that there are many benefits, as well as some disadvantages to drinking coffee daily. Many of the disadvantages found, however, stems from reasons not related to coffee itself but factors such as the amount of coffee drunk daily, the reactions and health condition of that particular person as well as the way in which the drink is prepared.
There are substances within the coffee infusion that aids different structures in the body especially if drunk long term. Coffee in its straight, pure form has a lot of rich ingredients that may not be found in the same concentration in other food sources. Coffee has been shown to have beneficial physical, mental and emotional effects on the body.
It has a high percentage of antioxidants. Antioxidants are known to reduce the chances of developing cancer as they mop up free radicals that affect cells. Many people receive most of their antioxidants from coffee.
Regular coffee drinkers have a reduced rate of developing Type Two Diabetes and have been found to have a lower risk of developing heart disease and stroke (O’Keefe, 2013). In fact, the cardiovascular system seems to be benefit greatly from daily coffee. Also of high advantage is its effect on the liver organ. The liver is needed for many metabolic purposes in the body yet is exposed to many toxins such as from alcohol, fructose and various medications. Cirrhosis, an irreversible disease in which scar tissue is found in the liver, is found at a significantly reduced level in individuals who consume an average of four cups of coffee a day. Caffeine is also useful for weight loss for the increase in energy levels prepares the body for work and causes one to burn more during a workout session. One of the notable effects of coffee is the increase of energy levels produced by the caffeine. Caffeine causes spikes in energy which stays for a certain period depending on the tolerance level of the individual.
Many people use this to their advantage regularly. It is also valuable when doing assignments that will take longer hours to complete or for regular day to day activities. Caffeine increases cognitive functioning and keeps the mind alert (Gunnars, 2013). The effects of lack of sleep, such as from doing a longstanding project may be helped by drinking coffee.
It also has been found to help in memory retention and daily coffee intake may also reduce the risk of Parkinson’s disease. Coffee drinking is used as a leisure activity. People gather in coffee houses often to bond with others. This is recognized as an opportunity to unwind and relax. Different ideas and updates may be shared with a sense of ease over a regular coffee drink even with potential business partners. Some find it a hobby to search for the best coffee as well as the best preparations of it.
One of the reasons some people have traveled the world has been to try different coffees. In that way, they are able to gain new experiences and learn about new cultures. Some may even find it restful to have a cup of coffee alone. Many people find it enjoyable to have a morning routine which involves the first cup of coffee for the day. One of the benefits of coffee that many may not consider, as it does not affect the body directly, is the effect on economy. The coffee industry creates global relationship between different countries due to exportation and importation between them. Jobs are created by employment into the coffee production businesses. Job opportunities range from workers on coffee farms to employees in coffee houses and even coffee machine operators.
The coffee industry brings a lot of revenues into countries which adds to their economic stability. As mentioned before, coffee improves cognitive functions in employees who consume it regularly. As a result, the mental boosts that coffee provides helps to sustain productivity in the workforce. There are some negative effects found with regular coffee consumption. One needs to be aware, however, that most of these risks involve the substances added to coffee; usually for flavor. Though caffeine has been linked to weight-loss, the extra sucrose and fats found in sweeteners and cream, especially if added to a high degree, may reduce this benefit significantly.
Heavy cream which is added to most coffee drinks may actually increase the fats consumed, therefore causing an increased risk of cardiovascular diseases. Non-dairy coffee creamers has a lot oils and fats, perhaps even more than cream, in order to get the same creamy effect that heavy cream would produce. Some coffee drinks are highly packed with sweeteners. This, in turn, leads to a higher chance of developing Diabetes, if consumed regularly. In addition to that, the frequent exposure to high amounts of sucrose can cause caries to develop as well as acne. Though sugar free sweeteners may be seen as the solution, they have been linked to headaches as well as intestinal issues.
Coffee has an adverse effect on teeth due to acidity and may cause them to wear down gradually. It may also cause discoloration of teeth over time. Coffee is a natural diuretic and people loses ore hydration with daily consumption. Therefore, they are encouraged to drink more water daily to combat this effect.
It has been found to increase blood pressure slightly, therefore people with hypertension have been discouraged from having too many cups per day. In fact, too many cups of coffee in and of itself may be bad for anyone. The optimum number may depend on the effects that coffee causes on a person but no more than eight per day is recommended. Pregnant or nursing mothers have been discouraged from having more than one cup of coffee a day, if they used to be regular drinkers, as a small about of caffeine can have a bigger effect on the fetus or baby than on an adult.
Due to their smaller body size, metabolism is slower and the effects last longer. Children and teenagers are discouraged from having coffee at all by most authorities. The preparation process of the coffee is very important. In the brewing method, the filtration process needs to be thorough. If a proper filter is not used, substances may be passed through that may increase LDL cholesterol levels. These are low-density lipoproteins which are known as bad cholesterol. A person with a high cholesterol level needs to be aware of this and pay particular attention to the filter they use. It is also important, for anyone, to use coffee brewers of a good standard and quality.
The quality of the coffee beans is also relevant. Overripe coffee beans release harmful toxins when brewed. Decaffeinated coffee is an option to many. It does not mean it has no caffeine but has significantly less caffeine than regular coffee.
If the same additives are added at a high level, the benefits of decaffeinated coffee may not be that much but for people who are trying to avoid as much caffeine as possible, it is a something to consider. Also, for individuals with a very low tolerance to caffeine, they are able to receive the other nutritional gain of coffee without caffeine. Daily coffee drinking has become a normal part of the average person’s day. Many people cannot stand the thought of not being able to have their daily coffee.
As such, there are many opinions as to whether daily drinking is bad or good.The decision to drink coffee daily is usually due to personal preferences but if a person is to make a decision based on health or other benefits, it is useful to consider all the evidences found over the years. Most of the benefits are long term and based on the substance of the coffee itself. Most of the negatives have been shown to be the effects of additives or consuming more than normal amounts of coffee.References:Predergast M. (2010) Uncommon Grounds: The History of Coffee and How It Transformed Our World. New York: Basic Books.
O’Keefe JH, Bhatti SK, Patil HR, et al. (2013) Effects of Habitual Coffee Consumption on Cardiometabolic Disease, Cardiovascular Health, and All-Cause Mortality. Journal of the American College of Cardiology. 62(12), 1043-1051. Retrieved from https://www.sciencedirect.
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