Is Coffee Good for You?

Coffee affects everyone differently. Some can drinks pots of it and feel great long after the caffeine has worn off. Others drink a half cup and immediately get jittery, nervous, and have a hard time keeping focus. If you are one of those that have a strong negative reaction to caffeine, I would recommend staying away from it. Most people can handle moderate amounts of coffee and for those it does have benefits.

Studies have shown that people who drink coffee live longer than those who don’t.  In fact, the amount of coffee consumed was shown to have an inverse relationship with mortality rates. Meaning the more people drank (up to a certain amount) the less death occurred within the studied group. The reason why coffee drinkers tend to live longer is likely due to the increased antioxidants consumed.  The average American takes in far too few antioxidants and many times coffee is the only major source. The same effect could theoretically occur by eating more vegetables.

Drink Organic
Many people make a considerable effort to eat organic, but it is also important to drink organic. Coffee can be a heavily sprayed crop. Being an international crop, cultivation techniques can vary and so can the amount of pesticides. Some inorganic coffee beans may be quite clean while others are heavily sprayed. I would advise to go organic and not risk the chance of taking in a large dose of chemicals.

Sometimes negative side effects of coffee are from the pesticides on the coffee beans. If you don’t drink organic, make the switch and look to see if you feel less jittery, wired, or nervous. I’m someone who typically doesn’t handle caffeine well, but after making the switch to organic I noticed a major drop in these side effects. How you drink your coffee can also make a difference in how you feel.

Best Way ti Drink Coffee
Of course you can drink coffee any way you like, but it is always best to stay away from sugar. Natural sweeteners like Stevia or Truvia are your best substitute for sugar. For those who are sensitive to caffeine, add full-fat cream to your coffee. It will not only make your coffee taste rich, but also will significantly slow down the absorption of the caffeine. Like alcohol, caffeine is absorbed through the stomach, so any food, especially fat, will make a big difference on the magnitude of effects. For those who are sensitive to dairy, Full-fat cream is contains no lactose and is free of any milk proteins so nearly all people can handle it.

It is best to drink coffee after having breakfast, not before. Drinking coffee on an empty stomach will intensify the effects and will usually include the negative ones. I know many people like to drink coffee right when they wake up, but sure to have something in your stomach before taking that first sip.

References:

1)Sugiyama K, Kuriyama S, Akhter M, Kakizaki M, Nakaya N, Ohmori-Matsuda K, Shimazu T, Nagai M, Sugawara Y, Hozawa A, Fukao A, Tsuji I. Coffee consumption and mortality due to all causes, cardiovascular disease, and cancer in Japanese women. 2010 May;140(5):1007-13.
2)Lindsted KD, Kuzma JW, Anderson JL. Coffee consumption and cause-specific mortality. Association with age at death and compression of mortality. 1992 Jul;45(7):733-42.