Coffee has become code for life. It’s a social lubricant that helps you take a break with friends. It’s the adrenaline hit that peps up your limp morning. Procure it from the right establishment and you display your discerning tastes to anyone who cares to listen. Coffee has become ubiquitous because scarcely a month goes by where new research says it will help you live longer or be healthier. That is until a study says it will do precisely the opposite. While the bean science is an on-again, off-again relationship with health, most people have decidedly fallen in the on-again camp. If you want evidence, Starbucks posted a $4.6 billion profit this year. Coffee is here to stay, but at what price? Read on to find out why coffee may have its limits and why you might want to consider other ways of getting a caffeine hit.
Reason 1: Coffee forges a tiredness loop
You’re exhausted so you drink a cup. That cup disturbs sleep, so you wake up and have several cups throughout the day to stay awake. And the carousel of energy and sleepiness keeps whirring in circles. Or does it? Research in the journal Sleep found caffeine does not keep you up at night. Nicotine and alcohol were far worse offenders. Sorry caffeine, we had you all wrong. Put the kettle on then but know that everyone is different so it could keep you up.
Reason 2: Coffee makes you fat
Poor sleep quality and obesity might be closely connected, but if coffee isn’t keeping you up, how can it impact your weight? That depends on when you drink it. People who drank coffee before breakfast increased their blood glucose response to breakfast by 50% compared to those who drank it after breakfast, found a paper in the British Journal of Nutrition. The more even you can keep your blood sugar the better you’ll be at losing weight. This makes a good case for getting your caffeine in ways that don’t involve a mug with a bad joke on it.
Reason 3: Coffee roles with a bad crowd
Black coffee by itself is not overly calorific, but it is bitter by nature. To most palates, bitterness demands rectifying. This means sugars, fats and flavorings are added to correct this taste sensation. With them comes the nutrient-devoid calories. Some boast over 500 calories which is the same as a meal. Rather get your caffeine fix from elsewhere so it’s more targeted and not sipped on all day.
Reason 4: Coffee can lose its punch
It’s nice to relax with a hot drink but that’s what tea should be doing. Sipping 4 cups of coffee each day lowers your caffeine sensitivity to the point where it hardly offers any more than a raised eyebrow. This means you’re left wanting when you have your pre-workout supplement or caffeinated food products. Go for decaf coffee to give yourself a little sensitivity training or switch to a caffeine-free tea like rooibos. You’ll be more receptive so that when you do choose to power up, caffeine will be up to the task.
Reason 5: Your throat is sensitive
Pouring hot liquid down your gullet each day doesn’t do it any favors, even if you are getting an energy uptick. How bad? Well, a paper in the International Journal of Cancer found hot drinks can increase your risk of esophageal cancer by 90% if you have more than 700ml each day. If you consider a coffee cup holds 150-250ml, that’s just a few hot drinks each day and you risk pushing your singing voice to the limit. Coffee and caffeine are no doubt good for you, but it’s worth considering other options for getting your caffeine fix the smart way.
STUDY REFERENCES:
STARBUCKS: https://www.macrotrends.net/stocks/charts/SBUX/starbucks/gross-profit
COFFEE SLEEP: https://academic.oup.com/sleep/article/42/11/zsz136/5535848
COFFEE BREAKFAST: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/10/201002091053.htm
THROAT: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/ijc.32220
