As a college student, coffee is a necessity. Whether it's late nights or early mornings, coffee always seems to be the go-to answer. Although I have only recently grown to like coffee within the past year, it is now definitely on my list of favorite things. Lately, it is very unusual for me to not have at least one cup of coffee a day, but I do try to keep in mind that it does have some negative effects. Here's the research I've found.
The Pros
1. It tastes damn good
Whether you like it with two sugars and some cream, or you like to indulge in a Pumpkin Spice Latte, you're guaranteed to get that great taste!
2. Coffee gives you energy
Maybe it's at 8:00 a.m. for your first class or 2:00 a.m. when you're trying to finish your 10-page paper, coffee is always there for you to give you that extra boost, keep you motivated and make you feel like you can accomplish anything.
3. Coffee can help prevent diseases
Coffee beans are a plant product filled with phytochemicals and antibiotics to help lower the risk of cancer, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and Type 2 diabetes. It can also act as a mild anti-depressant by boosting the production of particular neurotransmitters in the brain. It's like a delicious natural medicine!
4. Coffee improves memory and cognition
Studies show that drinking a cup of coffee in the morning helped with cognitive function and long-term memory with learning new information. So don't forget to brew yourself a cup or stop by your campus' coffee shop before your next class as it might help you on your upcoming test!
5. Coffee can prevent cirrhosis
Drinking coffee can help protect your liver from cirrhosis, the irreversible scarring of the liver that can be caused by excessive drinking. So after a night out of partying, coffee may be your saving grace the next morning.
The Cons
6. Coffee stains your teeth
Along with stained teeth it can give you bad breath, yuck. Drinking coffee with a straw can reduce stains because it won't hit your teeth directly, or rinsing with water after drinking can help prevent the coffee from setting on the enamel of your teeth fully.
7. It can cause stomach problems
When you drink coffee your stomach produces large amounts of hydrochloric acid (HCI). By raising stomach acidity, it can lead to ulcers, heartburn, or even impair digestion. The over production of HCI is more likely to happen if you drink a cup of coffee on an empty stomach, so be sure to eat something with your morning coffee, otherwise, you may be setting yourself up for an unpleasant stomach ache.
8. Calories! Calories! Calories!
Coffee by itself is an extremely low-calorie beverage, a small cup of black coffee is only about five calories. However, it is all the extra cream and sugar you add that causes your caloric intake to jump to 500 calories really fast. Next time you have that caffeine craving, skip the venti salted caramel mocha frappuccino and just go with the classic house brew.
9. Coffee can cause insomnia and restlessness
Obviously, that's the caffeine working there. The recommended maximum amount of caffeine is 400 milligrams, that you can get from roughly four cups of coffee. It is definitely important to pay attention to your sensitivity to caffeine and to keep track of what times of the day your consuming it to ensure that it's not the cause of what is keeping you up at night when you need your rest.
10. Addiction
Caffeine is most definitely addicting and can even come with withdrawal symptoms like any other substance. No, it isn't heroin, cocaine or tobacco, it is caffeine, a substance that is consumed so widely in such routine settings that we often forget it's a drug. It is very common for people that begin drinking coffee regularly that once they cut back too quickly they are likely to have, headaches or migraines, loss of appetite, constipation, drowsiness, and/or possible nausea and vomiting.
Simply put, coffee is all about moderation. Clearly, too much can be harmful, but the right amount can also be beneficial to your health! I know I will continue to love the pros coffee brings to my life, but we all should remember not to abuse the wonderful creation that comes in a warm mug or iced to perfection.
