Your cup of steamy java is always there for you when you need it the most. It's there to wake you up in the morning, on your way to work, conveniently next door on your lunch break and on your way home. Coffee is such a good friend because it is still there even when you don't need it. But how do you know when your healthy friendship is becoming obsessive behavior that could be harming your health?
Healthy Consumption
Coffee, like anything, needs to be consumed in moderation no matter how many times you can justify that you need it. Caffeine is a powerful substance that exists naturally in coffee beans. If you consume too much caffeine, it can negatively impact your body. An 8-oz. cup of coffee contains approximately 95 mg to 200 mg of caffeine. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, three 8 oz. cups of coffee per day is an average, healthy amount. Exceeding 10 cups per day is considered excessive and harmful to your health.
Benefits
Coffee supplies your body with antioxidants, and, according to CNN Health, coffee provides the greatest amount of antioxidants in the American diet because of how frequently it is consumed. Coffee contains flavonoid antioxidants. Caffeine stimulates your central nervous system, which increases mental alertness. It can also improve weight loss because it elevates your metabolic rate, slightly suppresses appetite and acts as a diuretic, which can temporarily reduce weight. It also helps you burn more calories, as it enhances thermogenesis, which is a way your body generates energy and heat from digesting food, according to Katherine Zeratsky, registered and licensed dietitian at MayoClinic.com.
Side Effects
The caffeine content in coffee affects everybody differently depending tolerance. Too much caffeine for your body can cause anxiousness, irritability, headaches and restlessness. It can inhibit restful sleep and cause irregular heart beats as well. Caffeine can also lead to "crashes," or sudden low energy, when it is leaving your system. If you stop drinking caffeine suddenly, you may experience symptoms of withdrawal, which causes side effects such as fatigue and headaches.
Alternatives
If your coffee consumption is beginning to be excessive and you want to kick the habit, you may want to consider alternating between coffee and beverages that contain less caffeine. Tea and soft drinks are alternatives to coffee, as they still provide caffeine but far less than coffee. White tea contains only approximately 15 mg of caffeine per serving, and green tea contains slightly more, approximately 20 mg per serving. Soft drinks contain close to half of the amount of caffeine in coffee, according to MayoClinic.com.
References
- MedlinePlus: Caffeine
- MayoClinic: Caffeine Content for Coffee, Tea, Soda and More: Coffee; Oct. 3, 2009
- MayoClinic; Does Caffeine Increase Weight Loss?; Katherine Zeratsky, May 29, 2009
- White Tea Central: White Tea Vs. Green Tea
- MayoClinic: Caffeine Content for Coffee, Tea, Soda and More: Soft Drinks; Oct. 3, 2009
- CNN Health: Coffee: Is It Healthier Than You Think?; Sarah Klein, April 28, 2010
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