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I simply love coffee, i regularly drink at least 2 cups a day but recently I have been worried about the effects of coffee on my health. When I recently went to hospital I had my blood pressure taken and at regular intervals during my stay it was quite high. The doctor's seemed to think this was down to the amount of coffee I drink, they seemed to imply that coffee increased blood pressure and I should cut down my favorite hot beverage.
There are other reports though regularly in the media that coffee is in fact very good for you. For example, it is good for the brain, makes you more alert, a kind of natural high. Obviously the high levels of caffeine cannot be denied but these too have some side effects.
Caffeine is a natural stimulant and can stop the drowsiness you feel at important times of the day but what time should you stop drinking coffee?
Some people will not drink coffee after 8pm, others after 6pm whilst some won't have a cup after midday. These people swear that coffee will keep them awake at night. Whilst coffee of course keeps you awake and alert, it does not necessarily stop you from falling asleep, especially if you are fatigued. There is one such study that says there is a 20 minute gap where the effects of coffee have not entered your body. So if you can fall asleep within the first 20 minutes of having a coffee, it will not affect your sleeping pattern at all. For those that believe drinking coffee late at night will keep them awake, it could be more a psychological phenomenon than actual science at work. Don't people drink coffee after dinner? After a date, isn't it usual to be asked in for a coffee? When did people start worrying about staying awake at night?
While there are no defined studies about coffee and exercise one thing it does do is help increase your metabolism. The Caffeine contained in coffee will make you feel like you have more energy and subconsciously increase your motivation to workout. I feel much better in the gym following a couple of coffees a few hours before.
The problem is that a few hours after you could feel even more tired. This is because the coffee has drained you of all your energy and given you an artificial high, you must make sure you fully recover after a good workout when you have been drinking coffee.
There are numerous reports in the media regularly about the good and bad effects of coffee and one are they seem to focus is the liver. There are some compelling arguments that suggest coffee is indeed very good for the liver. Some studies suggest it can guard against liver cancer or cirrhosis. These are bold statements and scientists will argue over the results of scientific analysis so the truth is not clear here
There are numerous coffee shops around these days, from the big chains to the small shops on the corner. There are also all types of coffee, latte, mocha, cappuccino, Americano and a range of brewed coffees from all over the world. There are also a number of ways you can brew coffee. For example, the traditional coffee machine, syphon, cafetiere. One of my favorite places to drink coffee is at UCC, a Japanese coffee company that has some amazing tastes.
I like to drink coffee so I'm not going to stop. There are so many reports out there on whether coffee is good or bad for you, who knows what the answer is. I think it really depends on the type of person you are and your other habits as to how it really effects you. If you are a heavy drinker, smoker and don't do much exercise then you are vulnerable to the side effects of coffee. If you live a reasonably healthy lifestyle I'm sure 1 or 2 cups a day will have very little effect on you overall.
