I Am A Proud Coffee Hater

According to a survey by the National Coffee Association in 2018, about 62% of Americans start their day with a cup of coffee, which is an all-time high. While regular coffee drinkers may experience several health benefits from their morning cup of Joe, they are also at an increased risk for more than just yellowed teeth.

Drinking coffee after a morning workout can ease your sore post-gym muscles by up to 48%. Regular coffee drinking can also lower risks of heart disease, Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, colorectal cancer, and cirrhosis of the liver.

However, people who take their coffee black have more of a benefit than those who use additives to sweeten up their morning. If you're adding creamer, milk, and more specifically, sugar, you're cutting your benefits, as sugar increases the risk of heart disease and makes your body less able to fight off cancers.

We all know that coffee is full of caffeine. One cup of coffee has, on average, about 95mg of caffeine, but depending on your brew, could have as much as 145mg. Symptoms of caffeine withdrawal are felt anywhere from 12 to 20 hours after you've stopped drinking coffee and other caffeinated beverages, and they can last up to a week. Symptoms include lethargy, irritability, muscle pain, headaches, and nausea.

Along with caffeine withdrawal and its symptoms, caffeine consumption can raise blood pressure and increase risks of heart attacks for young adults. While older individuals may drink one or two cups of coffee every morning, younger people are more likely to head to Starbucks or their local barista to order a double shot frappuccino, meaning they're consuming more caffeine and are more at risk.

You may see toothpaste commercials that give credit to coffee for staining your teeth. However, coffee also softens the enamel on your teeth, which reduces the strength of your teeth. Additionally, teeth whitening strips are also not a healthy way to combat your yellowing teeth. Whitening strips also employ chemicals that make your teeth's enamel porous. Having your teeth cleaned professionally twice a year is the best way to battle coffee-stained teeth.

I used to drink a Starbucks Frappuccino every Friday morning, as a treat to myself for making it through the week. Every Friday turned into every Monday as a kickstart for the week, and every Monday and Friday turned into every day that I had to be up before nine.

When I first started drinking them regularly, I felt like I could anything accomplished because I had so much energy! But after about a week and a half, I started having stomach aches and more frequent headaches. The coffee drinks had been the only change in my diet and routine, so I knew that had to change. I stopped drinking them at all, and soon everything was back to normal. Coffee is not for me, and you may be brushing away the side effects of your morning routine.