Is coffee healthy or unhealthy?There are many myths surrounding coffee. Sometimes the caffeinated beverage is said to be completely unhealthy, sometimes it is said that coffee is quite healthy. In the meantime, however, science is in agreement to the extent that coffee can actually be beneficial to one's health – in moderation, however.
However, in order to know when coffee can be good for your health and when it is better to do without it, you need to know a few things. The following clarifies individual ies surrounding the effect of coffee on health. You'll also get an idea of how much coffee is actually good for your body in the end.
How coffee actually works in the body?
Nearly three-quarters of adults in Germany drink coffee regularly. A cup of coffee is often part of the start to the day, or people are all too happy to resort to coffee during working hours. But how does coffee actually act in the body. What is the effect of the caffeine contained in it?
For a long time, coffee was thought to promote cancer, for example, or to damage the heart. Studies have since invalidated such amptions. The image of coffee is "improved" every year by several studies. Now we know: coffee can actually be part of a balanced diet. Acts in the body in very different ways. These include, for example, the following:
In the mouth: First of all, the effect of coffee is naturally noticed in the oral cavity. Here the flavors unfold. There are more than 800 of these in coffee.
In the stomach: Caffeine is subsequently absorbed in the stomach, and also by the small intestine. This happens about half an hour after consumption.
In the blood: Through the blood, caffeine from coffee is now distributed throughout the body.
In the brain: Finally, the caffeine arrives in the brain, crossing the blood-brain barrier almost without problems. In the brain itself, caffeine now acts similarly to adenosine, only in the opposite direction. While adenosine signals fatigue to the body, caffeine prevents this effect. This increases performance. In addition, caffeine can also have a pain-relieving effect.
When and for whom is coffee unhealthy or even dangerous??
According to current research, coffee is by no means unhealthy or harmful. Also, coffee does not raise blood prere very high. However, if you suffer from high blood prere, it is better to avoid coffee – because it can then actually have negative effects on the body and even become dangerous.
The same is true if you suffer from cardiac arrhythmias. Even then, the consumption of coffee should be considered with caution. Best case scenario, talk to your treating physician in advance about whether and how much coffee is okay for you to drink. If you are otherwise healthy, however, you need have no fears.
When is coffee healthy or helpful?
Coffee ultimately affects everyone differently. Some people are pleased after consumption that digestion is stimulated, for others it has rather a negative effect on it.
Some studies have found that coffee is beneficial for diabetes or helpful against prostate and uterine cancer. According to other studies, coffee increases performance before exercise.
In addition, it was already said that coffee could protect the liver or also be beneficial for heart health – in each case in moderation, not in masses.
Overall, however, it is difficult to say when coffee is healthy and when it can be helpful to your health. In some cases, therefore, coffee can be quite healthy and do something for one's own health; in other cases, the hoped-for effect simply fails to materialize.
Some experts therefore advise not to worry too much about the health aspects of coffee, and instead to regard it purely as a stimulant. And it is often the same as with other stimulants such as wine or chocolate: in moderation, there is usually nothing wrong with it.
Interesting studies on the topic: Is coffee healthy?
Coffee has occupied researchers and co. for many years. It is therefore not surprising that there are now a large number of studies on the popular hot beverage. These include:
– In Baltimore, it was researched that coffee can have a positive effect on long-term memory and is helpful for learning. – According to a study from Hanover, coffee can also help with weight loss. say that coffee drinkers generally live longer.
Conclusion: Coffee has long been unjustly considered unhealthy
The negative image of coffee was probably unjustified for a long time. Instead, coffee may well have a positive effect on health and produce benefits for it.