A coffee is a drink that is made from coffee beans. The coffee beans are the roasted fruits that come from the Coffea arabica bush.
People tend to drink coffee when they are feeling tired in order to provide themselves with a mental and physical pick-me-up. Additionally, coffee has been linked with a decreased risk of developing Parkinson’s disease, gallstones, type 2 diabetes, gastrointestinal cancer, lung cancer, and breast cancer. Some people also use coffee as a way to treat headaches, low blood pressure, obesity, and attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
For coffee lovers out there, we listed the pros and cons coffee can do to and for the human body:
It might make you live longer
According to research published in the journal Circulation, drinking coffee could lengthen your life. Harvard School of Public Health researchers surveyed more than 250,000 Americans over 28 years and asked them questions about their diet and coffee consumption. After analyzing their rates of disease and death over the following twenty years, they found that, among nonsmokers, those who drank between three and five cups of java daily were up to 15 percent less likely to die of any cause than those who weren’t as friendly with their neighborhood barista.
It can give you better vision
The caffeine in coffee will stimulate your adrenal glands to produce adrenaline. Within 20 minutes, your pupils will dilate as a result of this natural exciter. The upshot? You could temporarily enjoy sharper vision.
Attention, men! Coffee perks you up
Men who consume between 85 and 170 milligrams of caffeine a day are 42 percent less likely to suffer from erectile dysfunction, according to a recent study published in the journal PLOS ONE. Researchers attribute the benefits to caffeine’s relaxing effect on the arteries, which improves blood flow to the area.
Coffee can exacerbate heartburn
When you drink coffee, you make your stomach more acidic. This can be helpful because it makes it easier to digest food. But if you drink too much coffee when you’re not eating anything, it can cause heartburn because the acidity can irritate the lining of your throat.
Too much coffee could cause you to store more fat
A study published in 2005 showed that caffeine can make levels of cortisol, a stress hormone, go up in people who are stressed. If people have high levels of cortisol too often, it can cause them to store too much fat, which can lead to obesity.
The molecules cafestol and kahweol, which are found in coffee beans, can increase LDL levels in humans. This can be a cause for concern if you drink coffee without a paper filter, as the filter can bind cafestol and kahweol and prevent them from entering your body.
Coffee can reduce anxiety
Coffee is often associated with making people anxious, so it may seem strange that it can actually help lessen people’s worries and concerns. Coffee stimulates the release of dopamine, which is a chemical that creates feelings of happiness. This is probably why coffee is often free in offices.
A little coffee may slow your heart rate
If you drink coffee, your blood pressure will increase slightly. Your heart will slow down in response to this drop in pressure, but if you keep drinking more than one cup, your heart will speed up again.
Coffee drinking can exacerbate stomach ulcers
If you have an ulcer, you should avoid coffee, as it can worsen the pain.
Coffee can make you hear things
A study done in 2009 at Durham University found that people who consumed at least 315 milligrams of caffeine per day were three times more likely to hallucinate than those who drank less. Seeing things, hearing voices, and sensing the presence of ghosts were among the experiences reported by participants in the study.
Coffee stimulates you
Just 20 minutes after drinking coffee, you’ll start to feel more alert and be able to concentrate better.
Coffee is good for your heart
Harvard researchers found that coffee drinkers have a decreased risk of death from heart disease. However, a common coffee add-in may negate the drink’s health benefits: creamer. Traditional varieties of creamer are packed with trans-fats, which raise levels of cholesterol and increase the risk of cardiovascular disease. Therefore, it is best to avoid creamer in coffee to reap its heart-healthy benefits.
Coffee makes you poop
The study found that coffee may stimulate a “gastrocolonic response” by affecting receptors in the stomach or small intestine. This response is most likely mediated by either neural or hormonal mechanisms.
Coffee can smooth out dimply parts
Coffee grounds that have already been used can often just be thrown away without much thought. However, some people believe that taking used coffee grounds into the shower with you can help to reduce the appearance of cellulite. The idea is that the exfoliation and massage from the coffee grounds can help to increase blood flow and tighten the skin.
Coffee can smooth your feet
According to Carolyn Doe, spa director at The Umstead Hotel and Spa, a combination of antioxidant-rich coffee and moisture-locking coconut oil is the perfect way to remove and repair rough skin. Her recipe includes one cup of virgin coconut oil, half cup of your ground coffee of choice, and one to two teaspoons of vanilla extract blended together.
A cup can help prevent headaches
Caffeine can help prevent certain types of headaches, including hypnic headaches, which are rare and occur in older adults. According to Dr. Kathleen Digre, a fellow of the American Academy of Neurology and director of Headache and Neuro-ophthalmology Division at the University of Utah in Salt Lake, drinking coffee before bed may help prevent hypnic headaches. Caffeine is also often used to treat post-lumbar puncture headaches, which can occur after a person has a spinal tap.
Coffee isn’t good for unborn babies
A 2008 study published in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology found that women who consume more than 200 mg of caffeine per day are more than twice as likely to miscarry as those who consume no caffeine. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommends a 200 mg per day upper limit for caffeine consumption during pregnancy.
Reducing the risk of colorectal cancer
Researchers have found that consuming more than three cups of coffee per day may help to lower the risk of developing rectal cancer.
Preventing gallstones
Drinking documents that contain caffeine seem to prevent the formation of gallstones. The more caffeine that is consumed, the lower the risk is.
Reducing the risk of colorectal cancer
More than three cups of coffee a day may help reduce the risk of rectal cancer, some research suggests.
Preventing dizziness in older people caused by low blood pressure after eating a meal (postprandial hypotension)
Caffeinated beverages such as coffee may raise blood pressure in older people who feel dizzy after eating.
Preventing or delaying Parkinson’s disease
There is evidence that people who drink caffeinated beverages such as coffee, tea, and cola have a decreased risk of Parkinson’s disease. In men, the effect seems to depend on the amount of caffeine consumed. Men who drink the most caffeinated coffee, 28 ounces (three to four cups) per day, seem to have the greatest reduction in risk. But drinking even 1 or 2 cups of coffee cuts their Parkinson’s disease risk significantly. In women, the effect does not seem to depend so much on the amount of caffeine consumed. Moderate consumption of caffeinated coffee, 1-3 cups daily, provides the most reduction in risk in women. Interestingly, coffee does not seem to help prevent Parkinson’s disease in people who smoke cigarettes.
Coffee precaution and warning
Pregnancy and breast-feeding
It is best for pregnant women to limit their caffeine intake during pregnancy. Pregnant women have an increased risk of miscarriage, premature birth, and low birth weight if they drink more than 200mg of caffeine a day.
Based on the findings, it is safe for breast-feeding mothers to consume 1-2 cups of coffee per day. However, consuming larger amounts of coffee can irritate a nursing infant’s digestive tract, and also cause sleep problems and irritability.
Children
It may not be safe for children to drink caffeinated coffee because the side effects of caffeine may be more severe in children than in adults.
Anxiety disorders
The caffeine in coffee might make anxiety worse.
Bleeding disorders
People with bleeding disorders should be careful about drinking coffee, as it may make their condition worse.
Heart disease
Drinking unfiltered coffee increases the amount of cholesterol and other fats in the blood, which raises the level of homocysteine. Homocysteine is associated with an increased risk of developing heart disease. Some research suggests an association between heart attacks and drinking coffee.
Diabetes
Caffeine has been shown to potentially change the way that people with diabetes process sugar. It is important to use caution when consuming caffeine if you have diabetes, and to monitor your blood sugar carefully.
Diarrhea
Coffee has caffeine in it. Caffeine from coffee, especially when consumed a lot, can make diarrhea worse.
Irritable bowel syndrome
Coffee’s caffeine content can make diarrhea worse, especially when consumed in large quantities. Additionally, the caffeine might exacerbate symptoms of IBS.
Glaucoma
Drinking caffeinated coffee increases pressure inside the eye. The increase starts within 30 minutes and peaks at 90 minutes.
High blood pressure
If you have high blood pressure, you might want to avoid drinking caffeinated coffee as it could cause your blood pressure to increase. However, this effect is lessened in people who drink coffee regularly.
Thinning bones
If you have osteoporosis, you should limit your caffeine intake to less than 300 mg per day, as caffeinated coffee can increase the amount of calcium that is flushed out in urine, which can weaken bones. Taking calcium supplements may help to make up for any calcium that is lost.
Coffee side effects
Most adults can drink coffee without any issues, however drinking more than six cups a day can lead to “caffeinism”. This is characterized by symptoms such as anxiety or agitation. People who drink coffee frequently may need to drink more coffee to feel the same effects and can become “dependent” on it. If they suddenly stop drinking coffee they may experience withdrawal symptoms.
Coffee that contains caffeine can lead to a number of side effects, including insomnia, nervousness, restlessness, stomach upset, nausea and vomiting, increased heart and breathing rate, and headaches. consuming large amounts of coffee might also cause anxiety, agitation, ringing in the ears, and irregular heartbeats.
Drinking unfiltered coffee can have negative effects on cholesterol levels, potentially increasing the risk of developing heart disease. Using coffee filters helps to reduce these effects.
Some researchers are concerned that people with heart disease may be at risk if they drink more than 5 cups of coffee per day. However, for people who don’t have heart disease, drinking several cups of coffee on a daily basis does not appear to increase the likelihood of developing a heart condition.
There is also concern that coffee might trigger a heart attack in some people. People who usually don’t drink coffee and also have multiple risk factors for heart disease seem to have an increased risk for heart attack within an hour after drinking coffee. But people who regularly drink coffee do not seem to have this risk.
Enemas consisting of coffee have been associated with severe side effects, including death.