“I can't get going without coffee”. Surely you have said that many times before, and there is a reason for it. Coffee helps us to stay awake, concentrate, and stay alert thanks to its caffeine content, a substance that stimulates the nervous system.
But coffee has additional health benefits: it is rich in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, such as polyphenols, which fight free radicals involved in the development of several diseases.
Some of the diseases against which coffee can protect are:
- Cancer: Moderate coffee consumption decreases the risk of oral, esophageal, pharyngeal, breast, liver, prostate, and colorectal cancers.
- Type 2 diabetes: Magnesium and chromium in coffee help the body use insulin more effectively. This hormone is used by cells to transform glucose into energy so that it can be used by the muscles.
- Alzheimer: Some studies suggest that people who consume 3-4 cups of coffee a day are 65% less likely to develop Alzheimer and other forms of dementia.
- Digestive system: Coffee improves the release of gastrin, an hormone that regulates the acid secretion of the stomach and promotes the growth of the gastric mucosa. In addition, it improves the movements of the smooth muscles of the digestive tract necessary for proper intestinal function.
- Pain relief: Caffeine can enhance the effect of some painkillers by up to 40%. In fact, some pain medications contain caffeine.
- Obesity and weight control: Caffeine increases thermogenesis and fat oxidation, thus helping to lose weight.
- Longevity: The largest study on coffee to date, sponsored by the World Health Organization, has shown that drinking 3 or more cups of coffee a day reduces premature mortality by 18% in men and 8% in women, mainly due to cardiovascular causes and digestive diseases. But the benefits are also obtained with smaller amounts. For example, drinking just 1 coffee a day reduces premature mortality by 3% in men and 1% in women.
What happens if I drink too much coffee?
To get the benefits of coffee, you must drink it in moderation and not exceed the recommended daily consumption. If you drink too much coffee, it can have negative effects on your health:
- Headaches: People who consume too much coffee have a higher risk of headaches.
- High cholesterol: Coffee prepared without a filter has more cholesterol. This happens because the filter absorbs some molecules that increase the level of cholesterol in the blood.
- Heart palpitations: Caffeine stimulates the central nervous system and nerve impulses can occasionally alter the spontaneous rhythm of the heart. However, for the effect to be harmful, you would have to drink several liters of coffee a day.
- Hypertension: Coffee causes a temporary increase in blood pressure, so people with hypertension should drink it in moderation.
- Sleep disorders: Drinking coffee before bedtime makes sleep shorter and more intermittent.
So how many cups of coffee should I drink a day?
There are no universal recommendations on how much coffee to consume. It depends on each person's tolerance to caffeine (and other substances in coffee) and whether they have any medical conditions. For example, people who are not used to drinking coffee are more sensitive to the effects of caffeine, while older people absorb caffeine more slowly, so they feel less of its effect.
In general, a healthy adult can drink up to 400 milligrams (mg) of caffeine a day without experiencing ill effects. Espresso coffee of about 60 ml, contains 80 mg of caffeine; 200 ml cup of filter coffee, contains 90 mg; 354 ml American coffee, contains 154 mg, and 236 ml instant coffee contains about 57 mg of caffeine.
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