Known Harmful Effects of Coffee on the Body

Benefits of not Drinking Coffee Introduction

For millions of consumers, drinking coffee is now part of daily activities. People use this product to fully wake up in the morning or get a burst of energy in the afternoon.

Drinking coffee is now so entrenched in our culture that most restaurants offer this beverage before and after a meal, regardless of the time of the day. Despite the booming coffee sales, the bad effects of drinking coffee cannot be ignored or swept under the rug anymore.

The adverse effects of coffee create many potential health risks for devoted and occasional drinkers of the popular beverage.

Caffeine can be classified as a drug and you can get a good dose of it from just drinking a cup of coffee. Americans are in love with their daily coffee habits and all you have to do is visit any Starbucks location to see it play out.

I know many friends that use a cup of coffee to cure the effects of binge drinking, or to stay awake during the day.

While some people enjoy their daily cup of coffee and have no health issues with drinking the beverage. On the other hand, there are negative effects of coffee on the human body that just cannot be ignored anymore. For the devoted drinkers, the harmful side effects of coffee are now well established, even if most consumers choose to ignore them.

Millions of Americans are addicted to this substance, thanks to the very effective promotional campaign by the beverage industry touting the benefits of caffeinated products without mentioning the negatives side effects.

We all know that a good cup of coffee can make you more alert and keep you up longer than your body is used to. Likewise, the drinking of coffee has been linked to heart diseases, osteoporosis and increased risk of high cholesterol. Other excessive coffee consumption effects include increased stress levels and digestive system instability.

Amount of Caffeine in a Cup of Coffee

The amount of caffeine in a cup of coffee will depend on the brand and how you make it. But on the average, you’ll get about 95 milligrams of caffeine from an 8-ounce cup of freshly brewed coffee.

Any shot of regular espresso contains about 65 milligrams of caffeine. For lower caffeine levels, you should try Decaf coffee. You’ll only be getting about 10 milligrams of caffeine from a regular cup of Decaf coffee.

According to the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) reports, drinking over 600 milligrams of caffeine in one day can be fatal.

What are the Negative Effects of Drinking Coffee?

If you’re still in doubt about some of the harmful effects of coffee on the body, the following established health problems can be derived from excessive coffee consumption. The most notable coffee negative effects are:

1 – Coffee and Hydrochloric Acid Production

Drinking a cup of coffee when you first wake-up in the morning might be detrimental to your health. When this beverage is consumed on an empty stomach, it stimulates the production of hydrochloric acid.

This becomes a problem because hydrochloric acid is only produced when your body needs to digest meals. When your body is conditioned to produce this acid after drinking coffee, it might not create enough to deal with the consumption of regular meals.

If your body doesn’t produce enough of this acid, the digestion of protein is adversely affected. The undigested protein will inundate your small intestine because it is not properly broken down.

Some of the known health problems from undigested protein include irritable bowel syndrome, gas, bloating, Diverticulitis, and some form of colon cancer.

Most scientist now agrees that the gut is the place where most diseases are created, so one must take care not to impede its function, by drinking too much coffee on a regular basis.

2 – Heartburn Problems

Other harmful effects of coffee on the body include increased heartburn problems. The ingredients in the coffee can relax the lower esophageal sphincter which is not good for your health.

This essential small muscle functions best when tightly closed, this helps to stop the contents of your stomach from emptying into the esophagus. The delicate lining in the esophagus can be burned from the hydrochloric acid.

Even the so called Decaf coffee can also create this problem for regular drinkers of the beverage.

3 – Blood Pressure

If you enjoy caffeinated coffee, know that your indulgence might come at a cost. Yes, you do get boosted energy from that cup of coffee, so does your blood pressure levels.

After consuming caffeinated coffee, your blood pressure is substantially elevated. For those suffering from high blood pressure symptoms, drinking coffee will just worsen your condition.

You should also refrain from coffee consumption before vigorous exercise or intense physical labor.

4 – Coffee as a Laxative

Consumption of coffee on a regular basis can stimulate Peristalsis. This process starts in the digestive tracts and it’s responsible for stimulating the need for bathroom breaks.

If you’re using coffee as a laxative, you might be doing more harm than good to your overall health.

If you overwork your digestive system by constantly stimulating Peristalsis, the nutrients from the foods you eat will not be fully absorbed.

Even drinking decaffeinated coffee can also create the same problem for your digestive system.

5 – Dehydration Problem

The caffeine in your coffee is a diuretic, which helps to increase the production of urine in your body. Dehydration is one of the most notable effects of coffee on the body.

If you engage in rigorous physical activities while also consuming coffee, your body will lose required fluids at a rapid rate.

To forestall this negative effect of drinking coffee, try to consume large amounts of water to keep dehydration at bay.

Here are Some Healthy Alternatives to Coffee

All across America, in homes and workplaces, people are now starting to create a healthy alternative to coffee. The many benefits of not drinking coffee are now becoming more apparent to bosses and parents.

Here are some healthy alternatives you can use to substitute the need to drink coffee.

Sparkling Water

While not exciting, this substance is one of the healthiest alternative to drinking coffee.

Coconut Water

Coconut water has made a huge comeback, and can be found at your local grocery store or supermarket. Try to buy only the natural brand without any added sugar. This is a safer alternative to drinking coffee.

Matcha Green Tea

Green tea is now the rage among health enthusiasts for good reason. The brand with the most health benefits for those seeking alternatives to coffee is Matcha Green Tea. If you select other brands, read the label to make sure it has no caffeine in it.

Lemon Water

You cannot ignore the many benefits of lemon water. A cup of lemon water can do your body good. This is my favorite beverage and I urge you to give it a try.

Better to use fresh lemons and create your own juice, rather than the high sugar brands sold in your local stores or online.

Apple Cider

Drinking apple cider has many health benefits that your morning or afternoon cup of coffee cannot offer. You can drink it warm or cold and still get all the nutrients that’ll do your body good. Stick to the all-natural brands with no artificial additives.

Conclusion

I have many friends that are protective of their coffee drinking ritual and won’t even listen to some of the established benefits of not drinking coffee. I know the power of coffee, as I used to be an addict myself.

For those with the fortitude to seek healthier alternative to coffee, you’ll be doing your body much good in the long run.

Caffeine is a drug and it has created many harmful effects of coffee that just cannot be ignored anymore.

The negative effects of coffee on the body have been proven and the sooner you seek healthier alternatives, the less health problems you’ll experience now or in the future.