How many times to drink coffee in a day that is still healthy?
A cup of warm black coffee in the morning is a daily ritual that can be said to be sacred for some of us. Countless scientific studies have confirmed that the habit of drinking coffee is healthy for most people, and may carry a million health benefits – from fighting depression in women, lowering the risk of stroke and prostate cancer for men, to offsetting the loss of muscle strength that occurs with aging.
However, much of the news out there relating to these reports doesn’t tell the whole story, leaving people now wondering, “How many cups of coffee a day is fair?”
Before answering the questions above, first read the four factors you should consider, reported by Time, before drinking your second cup of coffee today.
Why is everyone’s coffee needs different?
1. Different people, different needs
Even though the coffee habit is proven to have many benefits, it is you who understand your body the best. Some people are able to drink high doses of black coffee and feel refreshed all day long. For some people, drinking just half a cup can make them restless and have stomach upset. There are many individual variations that come into play when determining how coffee affects the body.
So, don’t make the above conclusions a mandatory benchmark for your coffee portions. Consider what’s good for you – if the answer is no coffee at all, no problem. Don’t use this as an excuse to start drinking coffee.
2. Your body’s health
If you already have heart disease or other chronic diseases, the automatic “3-5 cups per day” guideline does not apply to you and you will probably have to change your coffee portions each day. While there is no solid evidence linking hypertension to coffee, this habit might make the condition worse.
The bottom line: if you have an acute medical condition or your blood pressure is above normal, talk to your doctor or personal nutritionist about what’s best for you.
3. Watch your sleep patterns
One thing we do know for sure, caffeine interferes with restful sleep, at least for the majority of people. Getting enough sleep is important for you physically and mentally, as well as for helping you control your weight.
A good rule of thumb to watch is: cut out any type of caffeine, especially coffee, at least six hours before your bedtime. So, if you are tempted to have an afternoon cup of coffee, find other ways to deal with the drowsiness – take a walk, for example, stretch, or drink a glass of cold water.
4. Your genetics also play a role
Due to genetic variations that affect certain enzymes in the body, some people can break down caffeine for a very long time. This is quite common and, for these people, even 1-2 cups of coffee per day can increase the risk of heart disease and hypertension.
So, about how many cups of coffee a day are still considered healthy?
How many cups of coffee a day are good for health?
Quoted from NPR, a study published by the Mayo Clinic Proceedings shows that coffee consumption of more than 28 cups per week – an average of 4 cups per day – is an excessive portion, at least for those of you who are less than 55 years old (with a limiting factor is smoking. )
Researchers found that young adult men who consumed more than 28 cups of coffee per week had an increased risk of death from all causes (heart problems, high blood pressure, etc.) by 56 percent. Meanwhile, women who drink heavy coffee have more than twice the chance of dying. A cup of coffee is defined as 8 ounces of coffee (240 ml). Meanwhile, studies show that the same high consumption of the elderly does not show any effect. This study shows that sipping two or three cups of coffee per day is still within reasonable limits and healthy, and may bring benefits.
The Huffington Post cites five separate studies – the journals PLOS ONE, NCBI, Nature, and NRC Research – all of which support the above theory. Each of these studies found health benefits from coffee, ranging from managing symptoms of erectile dysfunction (including in obese and hypertensive men); fight free radicals and encourage new cell growth; reduced risk of cardiovascular disease, digestive problems, and neurodegenerative diseases along with a reduced risk of dying from these diseases; long-term memory sharpening; to support sports performance and endurance. The common thread: you can achieve this benefit if you limit your coffee consumption to only 2-3 cups per day.
But, once again you have to remember, listen to your body. If you depend on your life on those cups of coffee to function normally, then you won’t enjoy it any longer – it will run into dangerous health risks. You will only destroy the balance of your life. As a productive human being, you will definitely need enough sleep, reduce stress, eat better, and control your caffeine intake.
Drink healthy coffee, as long as you don’t use sugar
Coffee is no longer a healthy choice if your cup of hot drink is loaded with sugar. If you prefer a trendy coffee drink topped with cream, sugar, syrup, and a tower of whipped cream, then the health risks of the coffee will outweigh the benefits.
It’s not just calories that play a part here, but these drinks get most of their calories from cane sugar and corn syrup which are high in fructose (also, milk fat). Simple sugars like these have been linked to a number of metabolic disorders, and are thought to have contributed to the origins of heart disease and other serious medical conditions.
Every extra scoop of sweetener in coffee increases the calorie surplus which is responsible for developing fat cells. For example, a cup of vanilla latte contains 150 calories, which sounds trivial, but with the addition of so much sugar and syrup, these extra calories each day go beyond what your body really needs to support your ideal weight, adding 5 to 7 kg in weight. next time you weigh yourself.
Hello Health Group does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.
Two to Three Cups of Coffee a Day Can Actually Be Good for You http://www.huffingtonpost.com/manuel-villacorta/two-to-three-cups-of-coff_b_8078368.html accessed August 30, 2016
How Much Coffee Should You Really Be Drinking? http://time.com/3739326/coffee-healthy-caffeine/ accessed August 30, 2016
How Many Cups Of Coffee Per Day Are Too Many? http://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2013/08/17/212710767/how-many-cups-of-coffee-per-day-is-too-many accessed August 30, 2016
Early Morning is Actually the Worst Time to Drink Coffee http://time.com/3903826/coffee-early-morning-worst-time/ accessed August 30, 2016
The New Habit Challenge: Drink Your Coffee When Science Tells You To http://www.fastcompany.com/3034375/coffee-week/the-new-habit-challenge-drink-your-coffee-when-science-tells-you -to accessed August 30, 2016
