Coffee may seem harmless during the day, but experts say some precautions should be taken when consuming it, despite its benefits.
A cup of coffee when you wake up is usually the ally of many to start the day with energy. More and more people, and at an earlier age, are getting into the coffee habit, whether it’s while working, studying, or simply buying a frappuccino on the street.
Companies and advertising have popularized the consumption of coffee by adding flavors, varieties of preparation and giving meaning to consumption. Multiple surveys have indicated the benefits of drinking coffee with a reduced risk of cancer, heart failure, type 2 diabetes And even death . It also speeds up metabolism, increases fat burning and reduces appetite.
But there is also a caveat, some studies have shown that drinking a lot of coffee is linked to an increased risk of dementia and stroke and one increased risk of death from cardiovascular disease in people with hypertension.
So the question arises How much coffee do you need to get the benefits without going to extremes?
Evidence suggests that moderate coffee consumption is not unhealthy, but people with pre-existing health conditions may experience its negative side effects more according to NBC News.
Tricia Psota, member of the American Society for Nutrition, nutritionist for Nutrition on Demand, told the outlet that while there is “strong and consistent” evidence that coffee is not harmful, this does not mean that it should be consumed for its benefits.
“I would never recommend that people who don’t consume caffeinated beverages start incorporating them into their day for any reason,” Psota said.
This is the necessary amount you should consume per day
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommends drinking 400 milligrams of caffeine daily, which equates to about four or five 250ml cups of coffee.
With this amount, you are unlikely to experience the negative effects of caffeine such as irregular heartbeat, vomiting, diarrhea, seizures, or even death. unless you drink about 12 cups a day, which equals 1,200 milligrams of caffeine, according to the FDA.
However, four or five cups can have unwanted side effects, as bodies have different tolerance levels, so in some people can cause anxiety nervousness and sleeping troubles according to the Post.
This is the case of the nutritionist, who discovered that his body tolerates caffeine less well. “I’ve noticed that on days where I may not have slept well the night before and have passed that stage, I feel jittery and uneasy,” she said. “So for me, I definitely stay below the FDA recommendation.”
Posta recommended that pregnant or breastfeeding women consume no more than 200 milligrams of caffeine, which is equivalent to no more than two cups of coffee per day, because caffeine can be passed to the baby through breast milk.
The investigation showed What Caffeine consumption during pregnancy can have negative effects on the baby at a lower birth weight. However, another study found that pregnant women who consumed caffeine in moderation had a less risk of gestational diabetes than people who do not consume caffeine.
Nikki Cota, a registered dietitian at the Mayo Clinic in Arizona, told NBC News that a daily cup of coffee could be riskier for people with cardiovascular disease or diabetes if sugar or cream is added to it.
With the increase in beverages with coffee and added sweets such as cream, vanilla, caramel, chocolate, etc., some contain up to 50 grams of sugar, which is the amount of sugar the FDA recommends for all day for people they eat 2,000 calories a day, Cota says.
“Watch out for that pumpkin spice latte with sugar and calories,” she said.
When should you stop drinking coffee?
The FDA explains that if the person has insomnia, nervousness, anxiety, rapid heartbeat, stomach pain, nausea, headache, or a feeling of sadness (dysphoria) , it is likely that she has consumed more caffeine than her body can tolerate.
As people age, they may also experience more of the negative side effects of coffee, as their ability to tolerate certain chemicals and foods changes, the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics spokeswoman told NBC News. Jessica Sylvester, registered dietitian at the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Florida Nutrition Group.
“Within these recommendations for milligrams or cups of coffee, if you’re starting to feel too tired and the caffeine isn’t helping, then you should stop.” said Sylvester. “If your heart starts beating incredibly fast, you need to stop. It’s different for every person.”
As for teenagers, Dr. David Buchholz, a pediatrician at Columbia University Irving Medical Center, told NBC News that no amount of caffeine is healthy for them.
Yet Dr. Buchholz understands that teenagers drink coffee: “If a teenager drinks a cup of coffee and he’s okay, his family is okay, it has no side effects, there’s no probably doesn’t hurt.”, says. “But different people have different sensitivities, so if that person is complaining about not being able to sleep at night, the first thing they would do is avoid caffeine.”
The pediatrician recommends no more than 100 milligrams per day for teenagers, which is the equivalent of a 250 ml cup of coffee.
The FDA explains that if you want to reduce your caffeine intake without nasty side effects, it’s better to do it gradually. Although caffeine withdrawal is not considered dangerous, it can be unpleasant, so it is recommended to consult your doctor on how to properly reduce consumption.
Source: Latercera
I’m Rose Brown , a journalist and writer with over 10 years of experience in the news industry. I specialize in covering tennis-related news for Athletistic, a leading sports media website. My writing is highly regarded for its quick turnaround and accuracy, as well as my ability to tell compelling stories about the sport.
