Whether you love plain black coffee or you’re passionate about specialty coffee, you might be wondering if your favourite drink is good for you.
Sure, coffee gives you a boost of energy in the morning, and it can instantly help you feel more productive whenever you get tired at work. But is it good for your health?
Actually, yes, coffee can be very good for your health. But only as long as you drink it in moderation.
To be more specific, let’s weigh the pros and cons of drinking coffee.
Pro #1: It helps you wake up in the morning
If you sometimes find it difficult to get out of bed and go to work, you know you can count on coffee to help you out. Just one cup might motivate you to get up and have a great day.
But of course, if one cup is not enough, you can always drink two! Consider trying a different blend or a specific type of specialty coffee to mix up your routine.
Pro #2: It can boost your productivity
Whatever it is you have to do during your day, coffee can help you get it done.
If you’re feeling tired or overwhelmed, caffeine will help you focus and be more productive. Of course, this boost in productivity will only be temporary, so it’s a good idea to drink another cup when you get tired again.
Pro #3: It helps improve your cognitive functions
But why does coffee help you focus on the tasks you have to do at work? Well, it interacts with the parts of your brain that are responsible for your memory and your cognitive functions.
Plus, as you get older, drinking coffee regularly should help improve your cognitive functions.
Pro #4: It’s full of antioxidants
Another pro of drinking coffee is that it contains a lot of antioxidants, which are beneficial to your health.
Antioxidants are compounds that can fight free radicals, which are unstable atoms that can cause damage to the cells of your body. So whenever you drink coffee, you help protect yourself from free radicals.
Pro #5: It can help your digestive system
If you have some digestive issues, coffee could help give you some relief. It can support your digestive system and make it easier to do what it’s supposed to.
But of course, that’s only if your digestive issues are not caused by coffee itself, because yes, that can happen.
Pro #6: It reduces your risk of some diseases
When you drink it in moderation each day, coffee can support your overall health by reducing your risk of developing some diseases.
Think about diabetes, heart disease, and even cancer. Coffee can also help prevent strokes, Parkinson’s disease, and Alzheimer’s disease, among others.
Con #1: It can make you addicted to caffeine
Although coffee is, of course, perfectly legal, the caffeine it contains is still a drug. This means that if you drink too much coffee, you can become addicted to it.
And if you don’t get to drink your daily cups of coffee for one reason or another, you could suffer from withdrawal symptoms. This can include headaches and restlessness, as well as mood swings.
Con #2: It can give you severe mood swings
Coffee can make you anxious, nervous, or perhaps even aggressive if you’re sensitive to caffeine.
And when you drink too much of it, or when you can’t get your daily dose, it can result in severe mood swings that could have serious consequences on your life.
Con #3: It can dehydrate your body
Another con of drinking coffee is that drinking too much of it can lead to dehydration.
Although the antioxidants of coffee can help reduce the signs of aging, dehydration can make you more prone to developing wrinkles.
To be safe, drink water after drinking coffee.
Con #4: It makes you crave sweets
Caffeine can spike your blood sugar levels, making you crave sweets. Plus, depending on what type of coffee you get from the coffee shop, it might be loaded with sugar and calories.
This means drinking coffee and getting a donut or a few cookies could make you gain weight.
Con #5: It can give you sleep issues
Drinking too much coffee can make it difficult for you to fall asleep, or it can even keep you awake at night.
Even if you drink your favourite beverage in moderation, it could still give you insomnia if you drink it too late in the afternoon.
Con #6: It can result in different health problems
Coffee can overstimulate your digestive system, which means you could end up with nutrient deficiencies if you don’t exactly have a healthy diet.
But drinking too much coffee can also increase your risk of osteoporosis and heart conditions. So, if you want the pros of coffee without the cons, just avoid drinking more than 4 or 5 cups daily.