Happy National Coffee Day!
Before you celebrate today with your 4th cup of the day, take a look at some of the pros and cons to drinking coffee.
Pros:
Promotes mental sharpness and memory. Coffee has been confirmed to boost short term memory and those who drink 3-5 cups of coffee per day had about a 65% decreased chance of developing Alzheimer's disease or dementia. Coffee also blocks certain receptors on brain cells to give its stimulating 'wake-up' affect.
Coffee contains healthy antioxidants. The body is very good at absorbing the antioxidants from a fresh cup of coffee. Coffee beans contain thousands of antioxidants and even more get released during the brewing process.Â
Improves your mood and lowers stress. Coffee has been linked to lowering risk of depression for both men and women as caffeine triggers the release of dopamine and serotonin in the brain; our 'feel good' hormones.
Tastes delicious.Â
Cons:
Insomnia. Caffeine depletes your level and length of sleep. People who drink more than three cups per day are proven to have less than restful sleep.
Decreased sex drive. Coffee effects the adrenal glands which is responsible for making hormones that make us feel sexual. Stop making coffee and start making love.
Digestive issues. The acidity of coffee is associated with indigestion, heart burn, and digestive discomfort
Increases inflammation. increases in cortisol and insulin from coffee leads to inflammation. This can also cause insulin sensitivity making your cells lousy at regulating blood sugar.
Coffee tastes great and has its benefits, but the cons are important to weigh as well. Everything in moderation is better, avoid loading your cups with creams and sugars, and balance your coffee intake with water consumption, exercise, and proper nutrition. If you have inflammation, lack of sleep, or any other issue listed in the cons, re-consider brewing that next cup.Â
Drink responsibly!