September 10, 2017

I love coffee. It’s not really that I love the actual cup of coffee as much as I love the whole experience and routine of coffee. I love the ritual of waking up, smelling a fresh cup brewing, and sitting down with my pretty, ceramic mug ready to slay my day. And I’m not the only one. Did you know that there are over 400 billion cups of coffee consumed each year? That’s a lot of coffee! But is coffee actually healthy for me?

Is coffee healthy?

If you follow the latest health trends, that answer changes so often it will make your head spin. But the answer is so much more complex than just yes or no. Coffee can actually affect everyone differently depending on their body. For example, people with a history of dieting, slower metabolism, and malnutrition will not respond well to coffee. On the flip side, when paired with proper nutrition intake, coffee can be rather therapeutic and even add nutritional value to your body. Knowing the positive and negative side effects of coffee will help you make an informed decision.

Negative side effects of coffee

First, let’s take a peek at some of the more unfavorable side effects of coffee.

It's a diuretic

If you drink coffee regularly, you know the effect coffee has on your digestive system. Many people praise coffee for this effect that keeps them “regular” in the mornings. But if you struggle with balancing your electrolytes or you have difficulty staying hydrated, coffee’s diuretic effect could be adding to your problems.

Stimulates adrenal glands

Coffee acts as a stimulant to your adrenal glands. That’s why one or two cups of coffee give you a quick and temporary boost of energy. When excessive amounts of coffee are consumed, however, it can cause extreme fatigue because it drains your adrenal glands. Since your adrenal glands also influence your hormone levels, over time coffee may contribute to a hormone imbalance.

Raises acidity level in the blood

Sometimes, coffee can raise the acidity of your blood. When blood gets too acidic it can cause acidic congestion in your body. This can eventually lead to chronic illness and degenerative diseases.

is coffee healthy?

Positive side effects of coffee

The question of “is coffee healthy?” is a very heavily researched topic. Let’s take a look at the positive side of your cup of java.

Full of antioxidants

Coffee is so complex that we still don’t know all of its compounds. One thing we do know is that coffee is chock full of antioxidants. Studies have shown there are at least 1,000 antioxidants in coffee. That's more than green tea and cocoa! Believe it or not, people typically get more antioxidants from coffee than they do from fruits and vegetables.

Helps to improve mood

Any regular coffee drinker is probably saying “duh” to this one, but it’s a proven fact. The caffeine in coffee can help people feel less tired and more alert. Whose mood wouldn’t improve with that?

But did you know that coffee has been shown to lower depression risk in women who drink four or more cups a day by 20%? That’s amazing! While it’s no cure, it certainly is useful information to know for someone suffering from depression.

Can improve athletic performance

Need a cost-effective way to boost your performance in the gym? Caffeine is one of the most effective supplements for improving exercise performance. In fact, drinking coffee about half an hour before your workout can increase your performance by 11-12%!

Fights/protects against many ailments

It might sound too good to be true, but there has been a ton of research to support the claim that coffee can help fight and protect your body from lots of different diseases (as if you needed another reason to love coffee).

For example, did you know that coffee can actually decrease your risk of diabetes and even improve diabetic symptoms? Coffee’s effect on diabetes is actually one of the most researched topics surrounding coffee, and for good reason. Studies found that people who increased their coffee consumption during the study decreased their risk for type 2 diabetes. Even crazier, if they decreased their coffee intake, their risk became higher. Coffee may even protect against certain cancers, brain disease, and is beneficial to your liver.

Improves focus

This one’s pretty obvious and usually the key reason why so many people use coffee as a way to stay alert. It might not seem like that big of a deal, but to someone who is needing a little help to get their work done, it can be a lifesaver.

Helps you lose weight and keep it off

This is one benefit that people love to hear. Studies found that people who drink coffee regularly are thinner than those who do not. Coffee has also been shown to help people be more successful in maintaining weight loss. This could be because coffee boosts metabolism and helps burn fat. No matter the reason, it is obvious that drinking coffee could have a positive effect on your weight loss goals.

So, is coffee healthy? As with anything that goes in your body, moderation is key. Excessive use of coffee can obviously cause your body harm. Nothing beats good sleep and proper nutrition to keep your body alert and functioning properly. And as for the question “is coffee healthy?”, the answer will vary depending on your body. Look at all the evidence and decide what’s right for you.


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