Countless studies has established the innumerable health benefits of coffee. But confusion among consumers and in the media still remains.
Regardless of the fact that it is recommended that people should be drinking about 3-5 cups of coffee daily for optimal physical benefit, reducing caffeine intake is often cited as the main reason to shrinking coffee consumption.
Let us take a quick look at the few common misconceptions about coffee.
Myth 1: Coffee is Addictive
Caffeine is often said to be addictive but in reality it is a dependency. Over time, your body becomes dependent on caffeine to function. It acts as a stimulant by transmitting dopamine signals to the brain making you feel happy, motivated and more awake. Eventually, our bodies get accustomed to this dopamine rush, and relies more on it to function. Often regular coffee drinkers, while trying to reduce intake often complain of feeling sluggish, trouble concentrating etc.
But the dopamine surge caused by coffee is very miniscule while comparing it to the imbalance caused by other stimulants such as drugs. For this very reason coffee is said to cause a dependency rather than an addiction.
Myth 2: Caffeine is Not for Pregnant Women
Although this is partly true, you need not cut back on all caffeine immediately. But since caffeine can reach the fetus, it would be advisable to limit caffeine intake to not more than 150 mg/day or 1 cup. Too much caffeine can cause spiked heart rates for the baby which can be too much for the baby to handle. It can also cause a miscarriage.
Myth 3: Coffee is Unhealthy
For a vast majority, moderate amounts of coffee intake is fairly healthy. There is little to no evidence of any serious health risks. Some research even point to the health benefits of coffee for adults who consume 3-4 cups of coffee, or 300-400mg of caffeine, per day.
Studies also show that coffee might even help in the prevention of chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes, Parkinson’s disease, and liver disease.
But people with high BP, the elderly and children should limit their coffee intake. Needless to say, coffee stops being healthy once you add other add on such as add cream, sugar, syrups, or corn syrup solids and hydrogenated oils.