How much coffee is enough for daily consumption?
A fragrant, good cup of java is just what morning birds need to start their morning routine. The caffeine in coffee both keeps you energized and helps you avoid drowsiness or fatigue, thereby focusing more on work. Not only that, but coffee also has the ability to reduce the risk of some heart-related diseases and diabetes. However, it doesn’t mean the more coffee you consume, the better you will get. There are some recommendations that overdose of coffee a day can cause risks to your health. So, how many cups of joe are perfect for daily drinking? Read on to figure out now!
Benefits of drinking coffee daily
Coffee is rich in various vitamins, such as antioxidants, potassium, magnesium, niacin, vitamin E, and other ingredients, which are used in appropriate amounts to maintain heart health. Chlorogenic acid in coffee has antibacterial and anti-aging effects, promoting the secretion of gastric juice and enhancing gastrointestinal motility.
Most notably, the queen of the show, caffeine, is a strong antioxidant, which increases calorie consumption while improving metabolism. The substance also works by stimulating the brain and central nervous system, making you more alert and instantly getting more energy.
Still, caffeine is only safe to consume in moderation. If in excess, it can cause different troubles, according to the Times of India.
How harmful is an overdose of caffeine?
The average elimination time of caffeine ranges from 1.5 to 9.5 hours, which means it takes the body that longs for the caffeine level in the blood to drop to half of its original amount. If you constantly take in before your body can automatically adjust, you will easily run into some of the following dangers:
- increased heart rate
- insomnia
- body malaise
- headaches
- stomach upset
Moreover, drinking too much coffee over a long period of time can accelerate calcium loss. For pregnant and lactating women, it can increase the risk of miscarriage, premature delivery, low birth weight, or affect the baby through breast milk.
The recommended amount of coffee for a day
The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) suggest a daily intake of 400 mg of caffeine as safe. For pregnant and lactating women, the daily dose should not exceed 200 mg. This number corresponds to 3-4 cups of coffee per day.
However, the caffeine content in a cup of coffee varies widely, ranging from 50 to 400 mg per cup. For example, a small cup of home-brewed coffee may contain 50 mg, while a large 473-milliliter bottle at Starbucks may contain more than 300 mg. Another caveat is that the safe amount of caffeine varies for everyone based on age, weight, and overall health.
How much is too much coffee?
A single dose of 500 mg of caffeine is considered too dangerous for the human body. Similarly, drinking more than 4 cups of coffee a day is generally not a good idea.
The most effective way to drink coffee
1. Choose pure black coffee
Black coffee is lower in calories than instant coffee, a 100-gram cup of black coffee contains about 1 kcal. Additionally, the actual coffee composition of an instant bag is only about 1/4 to 1/3 that of the original ground coffee. After reducing caffeine concentration, the mental alertness effect is also greatly reduced.
2. No sugar or cream
Sugar, cream, and non-dairy creamer are high in calories, making it easy for drinkers to gain weight. If you cannot accept the bitterness of coffee, you can adjust the ratio of coffee powder and water.
3. Don’t drink coffee too late
Caffeine usually takes about 8 hours to metabolize and be excreted, if drinking coffee too late, you might suffer insomnia.
4. Listen to your body
Depending on your dominant gene, you can tolerate more or less caffeine. Individual tolerability is important, people who drink coffee every day can tolerate more than those who rarely do this habit.
Those who have chronic cardiovascular disease, neurasthenia, body weakness, insomnia should follow the advice of the doctor. The simplest: after consuming coffee, you feel good, then go ahead. On the contrary, it’s best to stop!
