Pros and Cons of Drinking Coffee

Coffee is the most popular beverage world wide, being enjoyed every morning by millions of people. Most of us enjoy its amazing taste without ever thinking about the impact it has on our health. Find out about about the health benefits and the risks associated with drinking coffee. 

Coffee was discovered in the 15th century and it has been used as an energizing and revitalizing beverage ever since. Millions of people rely on its abilities to fight fatigue,increase alertness or speed up thought processes every day. But coffee has a lot of other features you must take into consideration when deciding whether you should drink it or not.           

Pros

Drinking coffee can increase alertness, improve concentration and boost mental performance.

Coffee contains antioxidants that fight off diseases. However it is important to know that only fresh brewed coffee has this benefit as coffee starts to lose these antioxidants ten minutes after it was brewed.

Drinking coffee is beneficial for digestion and can also ameliorate headaches and migraines.

Regular coffee consumption might boost metabolism, making it easier to lose weight

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Because caffeine is a mental stimulant it can be beneficial in preventing Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease as well as promoting good mood and reduced anxiety.

Coffee can have a positive effect on your kidneys and on your liver by preventing gallstones, kidney stones and cirrhosis. Coffee might also play a role in preventing type 2 diabetes and it is also beneficial for respiratory problems and can improve asthma symptoms.

Cons

Although coffee has a lot of health benefits it is a well known fact that excessive consumption can lead to a large variety of problems. Also if you have certain conditions, the risks of drinking coffee might be greater than the advantages. Think twice about reaching for a cup of coffee if you have or if you are prone to having these conditions:

High blood pressure: Coffee has a negative effect on blood pressure, increasing your risk of hypertension and can also affect vessel tone by increasing artery stiffness.

Heart disease: Caffeine causes irregular heartbeats and unfiltered coffee can raise your cholesterol levels putting you at risk for complications.

Osteoporosis: Caffeine can interfere with calcium absorption putting you at risk for osteoporosis. Moreover, because coffee is a diuretic it may induce calcium excretion. Try consuming calcium rich foods and dairy to counteract this negative effect and limit your coffee consumption.

Pregnancy and breastfeeding: avoid drinking coffee during pregnancy as it can have a negative stimulating effect on the fetus and can increase the risk of premature birth.

Insomnia: Coffee can disturb your sleeping patterns by interfering with your natural body rhythm. Avoid drinking coffee after 5 pm to solve this problem.

Digestive problems and dehydration: Because coffee is a diuretic it promotes dehydration and can also cause heartburn. It is recommended to drink about two glasses of water for every cup of coffee you drink.

Addiction: Caffeine is addictive and it can cause unpleasant withdrawal symptoms and contrary to popular belief it does not increase athletic performance.

source : http://nutrition.beautyhill.com