Hello health nuts! Today’s topic might be a bit disheartening if you love your morning cuppa joe, but I’d like to lay out what exactly happens within our bodies when we consume caffeine. Now, full disclaimer, I thoroughly enjoy coffee. I love the taste, the rich texture, and how it warms the house with an aroma associated with morning. However, too much of any good thing can start to harm us. So, my goal with this post is to lay out the effects and you, the reader, can decide if it influences your habits going forward.

Now, even though I started this post pointing the finger at coffee, there are plenty of commonplace foods that contain caffeine. Some of said foods include: dark chocolate, green tea, black tea, soda, matcha, oreos, and some granola bars (e.g. Cliff and Kashi). So why is this important, and what exactly is caffeine? Caffeine is a “stimulant that acts on our central nervous system to increase alertness, energy, and blood pressure.” [1]. If ingested in moderation, caffeine can be a delicious way to start out day and give us an extra boost to take on the day. If, on the other hand, we start falling victim to our caffeine cravings we can quickly build up a tolerance and negative side effects can appear. Maybe you know someone who habitually drinks four to eight cups of coffee a day, claiming that they are always tired, or that it’s part of their morning routine. This person may be suffering with a dependency on caffeine and his/her body has built up a tolerance to the initial stimulant effects meaning that he/she needs to continue to increase the dose to feel an effect. This kind of dependency can be harmful to the system and may lead to some scary side effects including: “headaches, anxiety, irritability, drowsiness, acid reflux, indigestion, bone thinning (as caffeine interferes with the body’s ability to absorb calcium), tremors, hormone imbalances, etc..” [1].

This information is not meant to scare you, nor do I want you to give up a habit that brings you joy. It is simply to serve as a reminder to be mindful of your choices and to consume in moderation. One of the reasons I wanted to write this blog post is because two weeks ago I stopped drinking coffee to see if I would feel better. At the time I was only indulging in one cup a day and I really enjoyed that part of my morning. However, I love playing guinea pig and two weeks later I’m happy to report that my skin has cleared up, my irritability has improved, and my energy levels are much more consistent throughout the day. While this has been my personal experience, much of what I went through seems to be mirrored in the research of those who also forgo the delicious daily ritual. If you’re interested in some of the benefits of quitting caffeine, you can read more here.

With caffeine, as with medicine, it’s the dose that matters. So my one cup a day may not be harmful, and you may be able to drink two or three cups a day and feel just fine. “According to the Mayo Clinic, the daily recommended intake for caffeine is 400mg. That’s about three cups of coffee.” [1]. If you really enjoy your morning cup, or your dark chocolate after dinner, then please, consume away! If, however, you’re open to establishing deliberately healthy habits then I encourage you to experiment with two caffeine-free weeks (note: this can also be done with alcohol and sugar). Sometimes you can’t make healthy choices until you know what choices are healthy for you, and experiments can be a tool to help you figure that out. 

So for all my coffee lovers out there, I raise my mug and say to thee “let’s continue to indulge in the java in moderation and while also searching for good health through balanced diet, restful sleep, and daily movement.”

Thank you for reading and if you have any suggestions for future posts please let me know down below.

Xoxo,

Alexandra

References:

1. Light, Zuzka. “How Does Caffeine Affect Our Body.” Zuzka Light, 6 Dec. 2018, zuzkalight.com/uncategorized/how-does-caffeine-affect-our-body/