Coffee is one of the most consumed drinks right behind water. In fact, over 2.25 billion cups of coffee are drank around the world each day! I mean with a practically calorie-free drink that gives you the energy and joy to the start of your day, there's nothing wrong with taking a sip after that long, restless night. I loved it so much, I became a Barista so I could learn all the ins and outs of the coffee world (and get a free cup along the way). But, even Barista's don't even know everything about coffee...

Coffee beans-or should I say fruit pits-are the fruit of most peoples life. Just drinking a cup will improve blood flow and your energy levels. But having that sip right after you wake up may be not the greatest decision. Your body naturally produces cortisol which is a hormone that helps you feel alert and awake. Cortisol is at its highest level once you wake up so waiting a little longer after your waking slumber to keep your alertness would be the smartest decision (also the hardest).

After as little as 10 minutes, the caffeine concentration in your blood reaches half the maximum concentration, which is enough to have an effect. The caffeine reaches maximum levels, making you most alert, after 45 minutes.Depending on how fast or slow your body's able to break down the drug,you could feel the effects of caffeine for three to five hours. Coffee contains lots of antioxidants that help the body fight

chemicals called “free radicals.” As a result, coffee drinkers are at a lower risk of diseases such as Parkinson’s Disease, Type II Diabetes, and Heart Disease. A single cup of coffee contains 11% of the daily recommended amount of Vitamin B2, 6 percent of Vitamin B5, 3 percent of Manganese and Potassium, and 2 percent of Niacin and Magnesium.

Caffeine can bind to receptors, blocking the natural effect of adenosine. This allows the brain's stimulants to work unimpeded, keeping you up and alert. The brain makes even more of the receptors so that adenosine is still able to bind its target. This means that over time, the chemistry of your brain changes so that you'll need to drink more and more coffee just to have the same effect. Caffeine is also a stimulant to the central nervous system, and like other drugs, regular use of caffeine can cause a mild physical dependence. Caffeine withdrawal is now recognized as a mental disorder. So consume carefully.

There are also side effects that come along with this delicious, enjoyable drink. You can have blurred vision, dizziness, and dryness of the mouth. Cold sweats could occur, pallor, muscle tremor, troubled breathing, nausea and an ache in your stomach. Even ketones in your urine and increased urine, increased/decreased hunger, thirst, anxiety, confusion, irritability, and insomnia in some cases. And this isn't to say that this happens to everyone with every cup, but to be aware of what could happen just like the hundreds of side effects with medicine.

As mentioned earlier, coffee has very little calories but it also has other belly losing reasons to drink it down. Studies have shown that drinking caffeine can increase your metabolism 3

to 11 percent. It’s one of the few chemicals that can actually help with fat burning! Caffeine increases your levels of adrenaline, and releases fatty acids from fat tissues, leading to a better physical performance by those who consume caffeine before working out.

Honestly, all the mental, social and health benefits outweigh all the negative effects and make coffee worth it. Think about all the times you have said "wanna catch up and get coffee?" For students specifically, studying in a coffee shop with that shot of espresso is really what keeps the world round.