Caffeine: Good for You?
You are either for it or against it but the research shows that caffeine can be good for some people in some situations some of the time.
There is fairly convincing evidence that people who drink coffee regularly have a lower risk of developing Parkinson’s Disease and gallstones. Nice to know. And that caffeine improve alertness, reaction time, mental performance and overall mood. One large US study showed that people who drank at least two cups of coffee a day were 60% less likely to commit suicide than those who drank none! Most athletes know that caffeine can help the body burn more fat and improve their aerobic physical endurance. People who drink 200 to 600 mg of caffeine before running, jogging,swimming or cycling can last longer that those who don’t. Also caffeine is great for headaches – it acts as a mild painkiller by causing blood vessels to constrict.
Before you go running for another cuppa though, think about the coffee you are choosing. Coffee is one of the most highly contaminated crops in terms of pesticides. For your health’s sake and for the safety of the people who are growing and harvesting the coffee beans, choose only fairly traded organically grown coffee.
And for some people, it’s just not a good idea. Caffeine interferes with the brain’s natural sleep regulator and will disturb sleep if consumed within three to five hours of bedtime. And coffee is definitely not recommended for people trying to get pregnant. Large amounts of caffeine is linked to decreased fertility, increase in miscarriages and perhaps some birth defects. Caffeine also seems to provoke migraines in people who are genetically susceptible to them.
Well so much for the research. What does your body tell you about caffeine? Can you enjoy a cup or two each day and not get jittery or dependant on coffee to keep you going?
Some people are more sensitive and can’t tolerate any caffeine. Listen to your body. And remember that caffeine is also found in:
- Coffee flavored ice cream 30 mg
- Dark Chocolate 10 mg
- Coke 50 mg
- Tea 20 – 80 mg
- Red Bull 80 mg
- Tim Hortons 14 oz 140 mg
- Starbucks 16 oz 330 mg
