Your morning cup of Joe has health benefits! Keep sipping while you read about all the amazing things coffee can do for your health.
Health Benefits
Coffee contains polyphenols, which act as antioxidants and are thought to protect against heart disease and cancer. Additionally, magnesium is an important mineral found in coffee that helps with regulating blood sugar, muscle contraction, and nerve function.
When used for sports, coffee helps athletes delay fatigue so they can push through their workouts. Most people will do well with 1-2 cups of coffee about an hour before exercising.
According to the Natural Medicines Database, scientists have researched coffee for the prevention of Type 2 Diabetes with some encouraging results! Coffee has also been used to treat high blood pressure, headaches, and constipation. It’s also used to treat Parkinson disease.
How much Coffee is Okay?
It depends on how much caffeine is in your coffee. The caffeine content varies based on the type of coffee roast, how coarse the grind is, how much water was used, and how long the coffee beans had contact with water. Dark roasts have less caffeine than light roasts. Here are some caffeine estimates for 8-ounce servings:
- K-Cup: 75-150 mg
- French Press: 80-135 mg
- Cold Brew: 155 mg
- Drip: 165 mg
- Pour Over: 175 mg
Most people shouldn’t have more than 400 mg of caffeine per day. Pregnant women should have even less (300 mg/ day). Children under 2 years old shouldn’t have anything with caffeine.
Side Effects
If you’ve ever thought you had a caffeine withdrawal from skipping your morning coffee, you were probably right! Humans really do become dependent on it. Your withdrawal may feel like getting a headache, not being able to concentrate, feeling exhausted or even depressed, or having anxiety and overall, just not being a fun person to be around. (Don’t blame me, it’s the coffee!)
On the flip side, too much coffee (especially too close to bed) can also keep you up all night. You might have a headache, jitters or nervousness, anxiety, or notice changes in the way your heart beats. Some people are more sensitive to caffeine than others. You can find out if you’re predisposed genetically through our TNT Testing program.
Coffee can interact with some medicines, like those for low blood pressure or blood thinners. It’s always a good idea to know what foods may interact with your medications. You may be surprised!
Healthy Ways to Drink Coffee
Now that you know about the amazing health benefits of drinking coffee, time to delve into how we drink coffee. Unfortunately, cream and sugar lessen the health rating. Here are some creative ideas for how you can enjoy your coffee:
- Black- zero calories, although bitter and may cause gastrointestinal upset. If your body can handle it, go for it!
- With a plant-based milk, like soy milk, for added polyphenols. Read Which Kind of Plant-Based Milk is Best? And try our Guilt-Free K-Cup Iced Coffee recipe.
- With 2% milk, 1% milk, skim milk, or fat-free Half & Half
- Drop in a dried date instead of sugar
- Trick your senses by adding cinnamon to your coffee
- Use cold coffee inside of a smoothie. It tastes like a dessert with chocolate protein powder, a frozen banana, and peanut butter
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