Caffeine: 10 facts about coffeeCoffee has long been regarded as a disease-maker. Today, the positive characteristics are increasingly coming to the fore. What is true now?
Harmful or not for the body? There are numerous myths surrounding coffee.
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For a long time, coffee was considered to be a disease-maker. Today, the positive properties are increasingly coming to the fore. What is true?
Caffeine is a poison. It serves as a frass guard for plants by stunning or killing insects. A healthy adult would have to ingest ten grams of caffeine for a lethal dose – that would be over 330 cups of espresso. But just one gram can cause mild poisoning.
Caffeine can be found in coffee, cola, energy drinks, black and mate tea, and – in small amounts – in cocoa. Consumers appreciate its stimulating effect. It is the most commonly consumed psychoactive substance in the world.
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Coffee does not dry out the body. It counts as a hydrator Drinking The source of well-being. May be added to the daily requirement of about two liters. The glass of water with the espresso or cappuccino should not replace the lost liquid, but – as with a wine tasting – neutralize the sense of taste. So you drink it beforehand so you can better enjoy the aroma of the coffee.
But coffee is no good as a thirst quencher. Water or unsweetened herbal tea are much better for this purpose. Coffee drinks from the refrigerated section also often contain a lot of sugar. The Swiss Society for Nutrition therefore recommends paying attention to the nutritional value declaration and the list of ingredients.
Does coffee extract water from the body?
The nation's stimulant dehydrates the body, according to popular wisdom. That is why you should drink a glass of water with every cup of coffee. Stimmts?
Source: Observer Moving Image
What contains how much caffeine
Adults can consume up to 400 milligrams of caffeine throughout the day, which is almost four cups of coffee. However, the caffeine content varies depending on the type of bean and the way it is prepared.
Too much caffeine triggers symptoms such as anxiety, facial flushing, agitation, restlessness, rapid heartbeat or nausea. The symptoms disappear again as soon as the substance is eliminated.
For a long time, coffee was considered unhealthy. But there are now indications that the beneficial effects of moderate consumption outweigh the risks. So coffee should be good for diabetes patients Diabetes Have "the sugar" under control? , because it improves insulin action.
Studies also show that coffee drinkers are less likely to develop colon cancer or that consumption prevents arteriosclerosis. According to other studies, coffee may improve memory in the elderly and lower the risk of developing Alzheimer's dementia Living with forgetfulness.
However, the results should be taken with a grain of salt. They are based on experiments on animals or on cell cultures. Or they are observational studies that are considered less conclusive. Children react with hyperactivity. Sleep disturbances due to caffeine. Three milligrams per kilogram of body weight per day is considered safe. For pregnant women, the Swiss Society for Nutrition recommends a maximum of 200 milligrams per day. According to the German Nutrition Society, a cup of filter coffee (200 ml) contains about 90 milligrams of caffeine, an espresso (60 milliliters) about 80 milligrams of caffeine. Black or green tea should also only be drunk in bulk, one cup of black tea contains 45 milligrams of caffeine, green tea 30 milligrams. 250 milliliters of cola drink contains 25 milligrams of caffeine, while an energy drink (250 ml) contains about 80 milligrams.
In animal experiments, caffeine caused growth retardation, memory disorders and epileptic seizures in the fetus and in newborns Epilepsy Lightning in the head, clouds around the mind . "For premature babies, however, it can improve lung function," says Christa E. Muller, Professor of Pharmaceutical Chemistry at the University of Bonn and caffeine expert.
Feeling chipper after the first sip? All imagination. The maximum effect of the caffeine only becomes apparent after 30 to 45 minutes, when the caffeine has been absorbed by the gastrointestinal tract and distributed throughout the body. Afterwards, it takes several hours for the body to break down the caffeine again. The half-life is given as approximately three to five hours.
Why the effect occurs more quickly in some people and more slowly in others is as yet unknown. On the other hand, it is well researched how caffeine affects the different organs and body functions (see graph below).
People react differently to caffeine. It is best to find out for yourself how much you can tolerate. Some people sleep restlessly after an evening cup because the REM phases Sleep Disorder The Dream of restful sleep are disturbed, which provide relaxation. "But there are also people for whom coffee has a sleep-inducing effect," says Peter E. Ballmer, former chief physician of the Department of Internal Medicine at the Winterthur Cantonal Hospital and nutrition specialist.