Health and coffee

Coffee is one of the most widely consumed drinks on the planet. It is a staple in many communities and nations’ breakfasts around the world. It is also a cocktail that is consumed at periods of relaxation, such as dates and free time with friends. Because of its success, some firms have developed vast enterprises that cover several countries, with coffee as their main commodity. Starbucks is the most well-known coffee shop. The culture around Starbucks shows how much the passion for this coffee has contributed to the company’s growth (Trefis Team, 2016). While coffee remains to be a sweet flavor, a primary point of concern is the impact on the human body considering that it is directly taken into the body. Coffee has both benefits and side effects on the human health and may be beneficial or detrimental depending on one’s health status.

Benefits of Coffee

Coffee is consumed with the primary reason of relieving physical and mental fatigue while raising one’s mental alertness (Fernstrom, 2012). It contains caffeine, which is a stimulant. Besides increasing attentiveness, coffee has been proven to provide a protection against Parkinson’s disease, type 2 diabetes, gallstones, lung, gastrointestinal, and breast cancers (Chu, 2012). It is also used for relieving Attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Coffee is also used to prevent the effects of low blood pressure such as dizziness among the older population as it increases the blood pressure. In most of these applications, the amount of coffee consumed hardly matters (Fernstrom, 2012). One to three cups per day is considered to be enough consumption.

Side Effects

Coffee, on the other hand, has some side effects. This makes it safe for only certain people; this group constitutes most adults. It is an addictive drug. People who take large amounts of coffee per day are likely to become dependent on the drink (Weil, 2004). Therefore, whenever they stop taking it, they are bound to have withdrawal symptoms. The frequent consumption of coffee is associated with insomnia, stomach upsets, nervousness and restlessness, and increased breathing and heart rate. Large amounts of coffee cause anxiety, headache, irregular heartbeat, ringing in the ears, and agitation. Unfiltered coffee increases the risk of low-density lipoprotein (LDL), increased total blood cholesterol and triglycerides (a type of blood fat) (Preedy, 2014). These side effects are significant among the people who take more than five cups of coffee per day as this amount may lead to a heart attack and other heart problems. It may also worsen diarrhea and irritable bowel syndrome in people with stomach problems or any other diseases associated with these symptoms.

Conclusion

It is unsafe for children to consume caffeinated coffee as the side effects are much more severe in them in comparison with adults. Therefore, pregnant and breastfeeding women are advised to significantly reduce the amounts of coffee taken per day and maintain total caffeine content below 200 mg. Any greater amount increases the risk of pregnancy complications that may lead to still births, miscarriages, low birthweight, and premature birth. People suffering from heart-related problems should also be cautious about coffee consumption as it raises the amount of blood cholesterol, fat, and homocysteine, all of which may potentially cause death. Its effect to increase high blood pressure makes it unsafe for people suffering from diabetes and could cause glaucoma. Caffeinated drinks cause massive osteoporosis. Therefore, consumption of coffee should be done with great caution in order to benefit from it while minimizing the side effects.

References

Chu, Y.-F. (2012). Coffee: Emerging Health Effects and Disease Prevention. John Wiley & Sons.

Fernstrom, M. (2012, September 20). 7 things you didn’t know about caffeine. Retrieved from http://www.today.com/health/7-things-you-didnt-know-about-caffeine-1B6013380

Preedy, V. R. (2014). Coffee in Health and Disease Prevention. Academic Press.

Trefis Team. (2016, October 13). Starbucks Is Maintaining Its Competitive Edge. Retrieved from https://www.forbes.com/sites/greatspeculations/2016/10/13/how-is-starbucks-maintaining-its-competitive-edge/#44360b56759c

Weil, A. (2004). Natural Health, Natural Medicine: The Complete Guide to Wellness and Self-Care for Optimum Health. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.