To be caffeinated or not to be caffeinated, that is the question?!
We often feel guilty for having too much coffee but the fact is it has some amazing benefits! Read on…
Lately I’ve been reading & talking a lot about reducing caffeine consumption due to its potential effects of fatiguing adrenal glands & causing fatigue. Typically I have a morning espresso, afternoon cappuccino, an english tea in the evening & sometimes a natural energy drink pre workout. Not crazy but more than I used to drink and I’ve been making myself a bit miserable trying to reduce that! Fact is I love coffee as part of my morning ritual, as a social get together with friends and just the way it makes me feel. So I decided to go in search of some evidence to support my coffee consumption and stop me worrying about cutting back. Fellow coffee lovers read on..
- Decreased mortality. Studies show regular coffee drinkers have a reduced risk of death from many causes (Ref Public Health Nutrition)
- Supports weight loss – through thermogenesis (which boosts metabolism) & by stimulating fat oxidation.
- Enhances sports performance particularly endurance making it an ergogenic supplement mostly due to its ability to break down fat for energy.
- Can reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
- A source of antioxidant which reduces our body’s toxicity.
- Some people are more sensitive to coffee, who cannot metabolise it as fast as others. This comes down to genetics & a genetic fitness test such as @dnafithq Or @fitnessgenes can tell you this.
- Consuming more than 500-600mg of caffeine (approx 60mg per cup coffee) a day can lead to negative consequences such as insomnia, nervousness, restlessness, & irritability (The Mayo Clinic)
- Depending on your choice of caffeinated beverage calories can be high. A simple espresso is around 20 kcal but add milk, cream and syrups and you can be looking at 500 kcal + for your caffeine fix!
- It doesn’t actually give you more energy. Fats, carbs & proteins do that. The caffeine simply makes you feel more spritely as it blocks the neurotransmitters released by the breakdown of food that makes you groggy.
