The morning of many women begins with a cup of coffee. Coffee is one of the most controversial health products. Some sources talk about the results of regular research that proved its usefulness. At the same time, there are sources that are full of information about the dangers of this drink. In the article, you will find the arguments for harm and benefits of coffee.
What do we know about coffee?
In coffee, the caffeine content is up to 1500 mg / l. It has a stimulating effect on the nervous system. When caffeine is consumed, cardiac activity is accelerated, and blood pressure rises. It regulates the processes of excitation in the cerebral cortex, in large doses enhances positive conditioned reflexes and increases motor activity. The stimulating effect leads to an increase in mental and physical performance, reducing fatigue and drowsiness.
- The action of caffeine lasts for several hours. As soon as it stops, fatigue appears.
- Systematic consumption of caffeine in large doses (1000 mg per day or more) provokes depletion of nerve cells. After a while, an addiction appears. A very large dose (about 10 grams) can cause death.
- Coffee actively affects the human body. Let’s try to find the answer to the main question: “What outweighs – harm or benefits of coffee”?
Coffee causes physical addiction
For a while, stop drinking coffee and other caffeine-containing beverages. Only, in this case, you will understand whether you have a dependency on it. Its signs are headache, fatigue and drowsiness, irritability, mood worsening, from mild depression to depression, nausea, muscle pain. You may only have some of the above symptoms. When used, the tonic effect of coffee is gradually reduced, and an even higher dose is required to achieve the same effect. So the dependence is proclaimed.
The harm of coffee for the nervous system
With prolonged stimulation of the nervous system, the body is constantly in an excited state. The nervous system is experiencing prolonged systematic stress. It causes depletion of nerve cells and disrupts the normal functioning of all body systems.
The harm of coffee for mental health
The use of caffeine in large quantities can lead to the development of various psychoses, epilepsy, paranoia, and also provoke unmotivated aggression.
The harm of coffee for the heart
Coffee enhances cardiac activity, stimulates the vasomotor center, and increases the pulse rate. Caffeine has a short-term effect on blood pressure, leading to a slight increase in pressure. The above-mentioned properties of coffee make it especially harmful for people with diseases of the cardiovascular system: arterial hypertension, ischemic heart disease. The drink can harm the cardiovascular system of healthy people. The greater the amount of coffee consumed, the greater the risk.
The harm to coffee for the cardiovascular system depends on the following factors.
- The amount of coffee consumed.
- The presence of diseases of the cardiovascular system.
- Hereditary predisposition to diseases of the cardiovascular system.
- The method of preparation of the drink. Coffee, made by brewing, is much more harmful to the heart than coffee.
- Other factors contributing to such diseases (weight, nutrition, physical activity).
Coffee interferes with the absorption and flushes out important trace elements from the body.
Caffeine washes out some important trace elements and interferes with their absorption. It prevents the absorption of magnesium, potassium, sodium, vitamins B1 and B6. This provokes many serious problems:
- Due to a lack of calcium, teeth deteriorate, bones become fragile, osteochondrosis can develop.
- The imbalance in the calcium-magnesium system leads to chronic pain in the back and cervical spine.
- Lack of vitamins B1 and B6 leads to problems with blood supply to the brain. Symptoms – headache and irritability.
In large quantities of coffee provokes the appearance of cellulite
If a woman likes to drink coffee but does not play sports, the skin tone gradually becomes weaker. Almost all the representatives of the weaker sex, in this case, there is an orange peel.
Coffee changes the color of skin and teeth
All girls want to have a fresh complexion and a snow-white smile. It is unlikely that this will happen if you often drink coffee and drinks containing caffeine.
The harm of coffee for children and pregnant women
Drinking coffee during pregnancy increases the risk of fetal death in the womb. Approximately 4 cups of coffee per day increase the risk to 33% and cause significant harm to the development of the fruit:
- A baby is born with caffeine addiction.
- A child is often born with low weight.
- Teeth begin to cut later than they should.
- The growth of the child is lower than that of peers.
The use of products containing caffeine (chocolate, coca-cola) causes great harm to children’s health. The harm of coffee for a child can lead to problems such as enuresis (bedwetting), nervous tics (involuntary constant muscle contractions, twitching), mood swings, tearfulness, aggressiveness, and other inappropriate behaviors, fears, and anxiety. Of course, for children, everything that was said about the dangers of coffee for adults is relevant.
The harm to coffee for health mentioned above is associated with caffeine. The main argument against decaffeinated coffee is that in its production completely harmful chemicals are used. Decaffeinated coffee also contains caffeine, albeit in smaller doses than regular coffee. In addition, decaffeinated coffee adversely affects the cardiovascular system and contributes to the deposition of fat. It increases the level of harmful cholesterol in the blood, which in large quantities leads to serious diseases of the arteries.
There are many studies proving the benefits of coffee for health. We give the most important of them.
Coffee reduces the risk of cancer
Approximately two cups of coffee a day reduces the risk of liver cancer, pancreatic cancer, colon cancer, and colorectal cancer.
Coffee is a prophylactic agent for Parkinson’s disease.
Women to prevent this disease is enough to drink coffee in moderation, and men to achieve this effect requires large doses.
Coffee prevents diabetes
To reduce the risk of diabetes by 50%, men should drink about 6 cups of coffee. Women will get a little less effect from 6 cups of coffee. The risk of diabetes will decrease by one third.
The benefits of coffee for the prevention of other diseases
The results of some studies show that coffee reduces the risk of developing such diseases as asthma, cholelithiasis, liver cirrhosis, heart attack, atherosclerosis, hypertension, hypercholesterinemia, and migraine.
The benefits of coffee for weight loss
The stimulating effect of caffeine helps to lose those extra pounds. 1 cup of coffee makes aerobic exercise a third more efficient than usual for “burning” calories. If you follow diets and regular sports, coffee causes the body to use not energy, but carbohydrates, for energy.
The benefits of coffee for digestion
Coffee and caffeine-containing beverages are often used for digestive problems and indigestion. It is believed that coffee helps the assimilation of food, for which you need to drink a cup after dinner.
The benefits of coffee in medicine
Here it is, of course, not about the drink itself, but about caffeine. In medicine, caffeine is used:
- in cases of depression of the central nervous system (for example, in case of poisoning with drugs and poisons),
- with infectious diseases,
- in case of insufficiency of the cardiovascular system,
- With vasospasm.
Caffeine is one of the components of some drugs. We are talking about the treatment of existing diseases. These drugs have their own side effects.
Is coffee harmful or healthy?
In some cases, the obvious disadvantages of coffee can be compensated for by its beneficial properties. Everyone can decide whether they should drink coffee based on their own health. In general, coffee should be treated as medicine. Like any medicine, it can help with certain diseases, but it also has many side effects.