On the one hand we hear COFFEE is a healthy drink, full of anti-oxidants; and on the other, we hear it is addictive and dangerous. Many of us love a good cup of coffee and would like to know which it is? In this video, I review a number of commonly held beliefs, and separate the Truth from the Myth!
1) “Coffee interferes with my Heart Rate, causing arrhythmias, tachycardia or palpitations.” This statement is partly true in that coffee contains caffeine, and caffeine is a stimulant that can temporarily raise your heart rate. This stimulant effect is used by students studying late, or people on nightshift, but it is not dangerous and will not give you a medical condition. Stop the coffee, your heart returns to its normal rate.
2) “Coffee is not suitable for children.” Well, should children be drinking Coca Cola? Coke was invented in the mid-20th century in direct competition with coffee, as a drink to deliver caffeine! The idea behind Coke was that it should become the warm-weather alternative (a cold caffeine drink instead of hot coffee). In time the respective marketing strategies diverged and Coke was marketed at teenagers, and coffee at adults. So if you’re OK with kids drinking Coke, you shouldn’t have any problem with coffee - in fact coffee would be better as it isn’t loaded with sugar!
3) “Coffee will dehydrate you.” While it is true that coffee is a mild diuretic, remember that each mug of coffee contains a mug of water. The diuretic effect of coffee will never make you pee more than you drink, so this is a popular MYTH.
4) “Coffee is addictive.” This one is a MYTH, there is nothing addictive about coffee. People who swear they can’t function in the morning before they’ve had coffee or can’t get through a day at work without regular coffee, are not addicted; they are exhausted, and using the stimulating effect of coffee to keep themselves awake and alert. If this is you, it’s your stress and sleep you need to look at.
5) “Coffee is high in antioxidants.” TRUE. Coffee contains polyphenols which combat aspects of ageing, cancer and diabetes. While polyphenols are found in most plant foods, a lot of the plants we eat are grown in depleted soils so they are lower in antioxidants than they would be naturally, making what we drink more important as a source of antioxidants.
6) “Coffee disrupts sleep patterns.” TRUE (for some people, depending on the time of day.) If drinking coffee in the evenings stimulates you and interferes with your sleep, then don’t do it. Some people have no problem.
7) “Studies have shown that drinking coffee adds years to your life.” This is a MYTH, created by irresponsible journalism. Studies into the health effects of coffee are often “cherry-picked” in the media for sensational, out of context details in the interest of selling more papers or generating more online views. There have been no credible meta-studies of this kind to back up this sweeping generalisation.
8) “It is better to drink tea due to the high caffeine content of coffee.” MYTH. The average cup of tea contains about the same amount of caffeine as a cup of coffee. Obviously this can vary from one coffee to the next, and there are herbal teas that may not contain caffeine, but standard coffee and standard tea are very similar in this respect.
So there you have it! Drinking coffee can have benefits, but can be disruptive to your routine and sleep unless you manage it.
#coffeelover #coffeeaddict #sleephealth #hearthealth
*LINKS*: For more about the importance of Sleep and how to manage your Sleep: • SLEEP to Lose Weight, ...
ANDREW TUNSTALL is a Lifestyle and Nutrition Coach, Biologist, Teacher and International Athlete who avoided Heart Surgery and a Hip Replacement by changing his lifestyle and eating habits and losing weight, before starting SHAPEFIXER to help others harness the power of knowledge to lose weight, improve health, fight disease and slow ageing.
DISCLAIMER: I am a Coach and an Educator; I am not a medical doctor. All videos are for informational and motivational purposes only and are not to be taken as personalised medical diagnoses or advice. Speak to your own, trusted medical professional about all decisions you take regarding any personal aspects of your health or medical conditions - Andrew Tunstall.
27 авг 2024
