did you know
Coffee
Time to Cut Back, or
Go with the Joe?
Ahhhh, coffee. A familiar
phrase, right? At least it is for
the average American who,
according to the 2015 Zagat
report, drinks 2.1 cups a day. For
many of us, it’s our go-to source
of energy, our early morning or
midday pick-up, the centerpiece
or objective in a casual social
rendezvous. But just what
does it do for our health,
and should we continue to
sip as we do?
by Rachel Mayan &
Garrett Powell
According to The Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (ODPHP),
drinking coffee is A-okay, within
reason. Coffee consumption
in the moderate range
of 3 to 5 cups a day, or
400mg of caffeine total,
has been shown to
reduce the incidence
of type 2 diabetes
and liver disease in
coffee drinkers versus
non-drinkers. Additionally, the ODPHP found
that coffee drinkers versus
non-drinkers have a 13%
lower risk of cancer, and drinking
300mg a day is associated with a 24%
lower risk of Parkinson’s Disease. Coffee can
also increase cognition, improve short term
memory, and, let’s not forget, increase energy
levels shortly after consumption.
The drawbacks to coffee are not as
plentiful. Coffee as a substance stimulates stress hormones, which can
increase blood pressure, usually
temporarily. Those with high
blood pressure as well as
children, teens, the elderly,
and pregnant women may
be more susceptible to
negative health effects of
coffee. It is not proven to
be a significant risk factor
in heart disease, and though
it has a mild diuretic effect,
it does not appear to be a risk
factor in increasing dehydration.
Some of the biggest downsides
that accompany coffee are actually not, in
fact, a byproduct of the drink itself, but of our
consumption habits. Let’s take a look at
some of our worst coffee habits and the
potential consequences.
Bad Coffee Habits
Drinking Too Much
Coffee
While the benefits of coffee do seem to outweigh
the downsides, drinking
more than the acceptable
daily amount may result
in more adverse health
effects. Consider cutting
back if you drink more
than 3-5 cups or 400mg
of caffeine a day.
Buying Out Daily
The average cost of a
cup of coffee according
to Zagat is $3.28. If you’re
like the average American who drinks 2.1 cups
a day, that’s upwards of
$2,511.20 a year in coffee
expenses! Consider
brewing at home or in the
office for one or more of
your coffee treats to save
your hard-earned cash.
Using Artifical Sweetener
While 57% of male coffee
drinkers prefer not to add
sweetener, 9% of female
drinkers add Splenda to
their Joe. According to
the ODPHP, aspartame
found in sweeteners has
been linked to some cancers as well as headaches
and preterm delivery in
pregnant women.
Using Coffee Creamer
The FDA cites that nondairy coffee creamers may
contan partially hydrogenated oils that are sources
of the trans fats linked to
heart disease. Consider
switching to milk or cream
and sugar instead, and
keep an eye out for “clean
label” creamers, like Nestle’s Coffee-mate’s
Natural Bliss.
Adding Too Much
Adding cream, milk, sugar
and the like to your coffee
racks up extra calories
and fat (1 tbsp. of sugar is
48 calories, 1 tbsp. of half
and half is 20 calories, and
most coffee creamers are
35 calories/tbsp). Be mindful of just how much you’re
adding to your coffee
and consider cutting back
when you can.
enhance magazine | JULY 2016
33