The benefits and harm of coffee

Long since coffee is considered one of the most demanded and noble drinks around the world. Today it is difficult to find a person who would refuse a cup of strong coffee in the morning, preferring one or another sort. However, few people thought that in addition to the benefits of coffee has negative sides. To know more about it, you should familiarize yourself with its chemical composition, effects on the body, its benefits and contraindications, as well as the rules of use.

Coffee beans are a useful natural raw material, which contains more than a hundred components. Each variety is characterized by an individual set of substances, which affects the flavor and flavor. An interesting fact is the nuance that the chemical composition of ground grains and soluble drink is also different. Today, for these reasons, scientists have failed to create an artificial analogue of coffee, which would not differ from the natural one.

In general, coffee components are proteins, fats, carbohydrates, caffeine, tannin, minerals, vitamins B, E, P, as well as organic acids. In addition to the different composition of different types of product, the chemical composition may vary in the process of roasting grains. Green grains are composed of fiber, water, oily liquid. About 13% is caffeine.

In addition, the composition contains chlorogenic acid, which forms a special viscous taste of coffee. Other substances include trigonelline, due to which, when roasting grains, a unique flavor is obtained. It is thanks to the sugar and fiber that make up the composition that foam appears on the surface of the brewed coffee. With regards to acids, it is worth noting that their release occurs during heat treatment. The impact is directed to the work of the digestive system.

The bitter taste of coffee is due to the presence of tannin in its composition. In addition, the coffee component is the so-called coffee ash, consisting of potassium, magnesium, calcium, sodium and manganese. With regards to caffeine, its percentage may vary. This may depend not only on different varieties, but also on the place of growth and the method of roasting the grains. And, as a rule, the longer the heat treatment lasts, the more significant the changes in the chemical composition.

To understand the difference in composition between raw and roasted grains, you should refer to the table. It clearly shows what happens with each active component.

Changes in the chemical composition when roasting coffee beans.

In the process of roasting coffee beans, the constituents break down into a mass of compounds. In addition, they begin to react among themselves, with the result that new volatile compounds appear. Due to the minimum strength of oily volatile compounds, their concentration decreases very quickly. That is why it is better to buy in stores already roasted product, not forgetting that it should be stored in a closed container.

From the tabular data it becomes clear how actively water evaporates, as a result of which the concentration of other components increases significantly. Brown grains become due to caramelization of sugar when roasting. During heat treatment, the existing fiber decomposes into acids, amino acids and alcohols. The amount of caffeine does not change so significantly, however, chlorogenic acid is released by this, because of the concentration of which the finished drink is bitter.

With regards to instant drinks, you need to know that from natural coffee they contain at most no more than 20%. This means that its effect on the body will be quite different.The remaining 80% is filled with flavoring, stabilizing substances, as well as dyes, preservatives and flavor enhancers of the product. Rarely such coffee is made from natural, as is usually indicated on the packaging.

In some cases, the basis for these drinks is crushed chicory. In others, they may contain a small percentage of damaged grains. No arabica, as often indicated by advertising or labeling, in this case, no. In addition, these drinks add the so-called Robusta with a high content of caffeine. This is a synthetic product that does not bear any benefit to the body.

Caffeine in its properties is an adenosine blocker, characterized by an inhibitory effect. It dulls the action of adenosine, so a person feels cheerful, when in fact he may be at a loss for sleep. Caffeine reduces the effectiveness of drugs with sedative and analgesic action. And since its action is dulled by the addition of milk, it is better to drink coffee without it.

In addition to suppressing the relaxed state of the body, caffeine helps increase attention and speed of reaction, as well as stimulates adrenaline secretion. That is why after drinking the heart rate increases and blood pressure rises. In addition, after that the blood flow to the muscles of the body improves, glucose enters the blood better. Caffeine also acts on the concentration of the neurohormone of the brain dopamine, increasing it.

It is worth noting that caffeine has a slight diuretic effect, but it is not a substance that eliminates alcohol intoxication. Sober up at the expense of him will not work, but it is possible to cause harm. This is proven by science and is an indisputable fact.

With regards to the diuretic effect, it is worth noting: it is there, but the body quickly gets used to caffeine, so it adapts within 4-5 days. With regular use, it quickly disappears. Among other effects on the body, fat burning ability can be distinguished: this substance can affect energy exchanges. Caffeine helps to eliminate free radicals from cells, which slows down signs of aging.

It is also effective in relation to oncological problems, stimulates the functioning of the body, the gastrointestinal tract, dilates the blood vessels of the brain. It removes harmful toxic substances, and can also significantly improve human performance. At the same time, the caffeinated drink is high-calorie, which rises with the addition of other ingredients. However, do not treat caffeine, as a miracle cure for various diseases, when it is more a kind of controversial stimulant than a cure.

He is not able to increase normal blood pressure, as it does in collaptoid situations. However, it is relevant in the presence of diseases associated with depression of the central nervous system. In addition, caffeine increases the pulse and stimulates the work of the spinal cord reflexes. This means to improve the tone of the person.

The most prominent symptoms of this phenomenon include:

• feeling of unreasonable chill;
• decrease in concentration of attention;
• causeless depression;
• constant drowsiness;
• headaches;
• irritation condition;
• constipation;
• aching pain in muscle tissue.

There are other signs that indicate an excess of caffeine in the body. These include:

• increased anxiety;
• cardiopalmus;
• frequent urination;
• spasmodic pains in the stomach and also in the intestines;
• a sharp rush of blood to the face;
• dryness and constant thirst;
• nausea.

This substance needs a strict dosage to provide the desired effect. It is important to take into account the fact that different people have an increased sensitivity to it, which can increase with age. In addition, women are more susceptible to him than men. Such factors as low weight and rare consumption of coffee drinks increase caffeine sensitivity.

Natural ground coffee is a useful drink that must be consumed correctly. It has a lot of valuable properties, and also improves the transportation of anticancer drugs. Obtained after roasting grains, nicotinic acid promotes the elimination of cholesterol from vessels and is the prevention of atherosclerosis. Coffee really invigorates, improves memory and concentration.

It prevents asthma and the risk of gallstone disease, as well as bowel cancer. This drink softens the flow of allergic reactions, prevents the formation of caries and activates the metabolism. Its consumption reduces the risk of developing diseases such as Parkinson's and Alzheimer's disease, diabetes of the second type. Coffee is considered a measure to prevent the formation of stones in the gallbladder.

It is recommended to drink it not only in case of asthma attacks, but also in case of cancer of the oral cavity and pharynx, heart rhythm disorders, stroke and cirrhosis of the liver. Strengthening the effectiveness of drugs, it reduces muscle pain, so it is recommended before sports training.

With regard to the effect on the nervous system, it can be noted: coffee makes the body resistant to stressful situations, which is especially important for the modern person. Its influence is noticeable on the increase in the so-called hormone of happiness or serotonin. By relieving the person from depression, it contributes to improving mood and speeds up blood circulation in the vessels. With moderate and infrequent use of coffee can relieve swelling of any origin by increasing diuresis. Other problems that he can cope with include shortness of breath of those who suffer from broncho-obstructive syndrome.

In addition to stimulating the brain's neurons and fighting migraines, a cup of coffee can be used to prevent suicidal tendencies in those who are not depressed. Coffee improves visual function, it prevents the formation of blood clots, is a means of intoxication, including drug and food. This drink has a beneficial effect on the absorption of food, reducing the likelihood of its fermentation in the intestine. Among other indications can be identified the elimination of signs of gout.

It should be borne in mind: coffee can be useful only in the case of metered quantities. And not on the cup, but in general. You cannot drink it as much as you want and believe that every cup you drink will have a beneficial effect on your overall health, saving the body from all possible ailments. The rate of the required amount in each case is individual. It is important to consider that coffee can not be drunk every time with a meal.

Coffee is also useful for men. With regular use of the drink reduces the risk of developing a dangerous form of prostate cancer by about half.

In addition to the health benefits that can be exerted by the body through drinking coffee, this drink can be harmful. Excessive use of it can lead to various negative consequences. For example, in addition to a violation of the sleep mode, this can be expressed by the appearance of auditory hallucinations, a decrease in the absorption of certain minerals and vitamins (for example, magnesium, zinc, iron). In some cases, there is dehydration.

If you drink several cups of coffee every day, it will help remove calcium, iron, vitamins C and B from the body. If you use coffee often, the color of the tooth enamel will change and you will feel heartburn. We must not forget the fact that when roasting coffee beans, carcinogenic substances are formed in them, which is harmful to the health of any person. Another disadvantage is the treatment of growing coffee with pesticides.

We must not forget that dependence on the drink is comparable to alcohol and nicotine. With all the desire, it will not be possible to stop drinking it right away; failure will be too much stress for the body. Symptoms will resemble some signs of withdrawal. For example, in such cases, nervous exhaustion is noted, in which a person will be annoyed by everything around. In addition, it will be significantly reduced and its performance.

It is important to note that coffee does not harm the digestive system if it is not sick. In such diseases as gastric ulcer, gastritis, pancreatitis, it is not recommended to use it. The same applies when a person has anemia. Especially unacceptable is the use of coffee during exacerbation of gastric or duodenal ulcers. There are contraindications for heart problems, despite the mass of beneficial properties of coffee - you can not drink a drink for those who have tachycardia.

In addition, it can be a catalyst for hypertensive crisis in hypertensive patients, provoke heart failure, cause an attack of the heart or even a heart attack. Those who have diseases of the cardiovascular system, it is necessary to limit coffee consumption, and in some cases refuse it altogether.

It is important to learn how to drink coffee properly. For example, few people know that in order for it to reduce the activity of microorganisms that provoke the appearance and spread of caries, you need to drink it without sugar. Not to mention the possibility of coffee in the fight against obesity. Even a cup of hot drink can dull the appetite, and it is she who replaces not only sweets, but also fatty foods.

In addition, black coffee relieves the body from constipation and bloating. It is effective against fatty layers, increases the number of calories that burn fat. However, it is stupid to rely only on coffee without adequate physical exertion: coffee is not a tablet, you need to make physical efforts to get rid of extra pounds. To drink was effective in losing weight, it should not contain any additives.

Drink coffee for a charge of cheerfulness is necessary in the morning after a meal. If you use it at night, you can break the sleep pattern and thus cause serious harm to your health. We must not forget about the biological clock of man: you need to be awake during the day, and sleep at night. Otherwise, the body will not be able to rest and will be overwhelmed. Neither coffee, nor any other catalyst of “happiness and positive” will help here.

With regards to instant coffee, it is worth noting that it is not as harmless as it may seem. Despite its availability, it can not be used often, and even on an empty stomach. This is due to the fact that when drinking a drink on an empty stomach, the production of hydrochloric acid fails. As a result, the body becomes more difficult to process solid food. The same applies to the classic ground coffee: you need to drink it only after a meal.

It should be noted, and age restrictions. After 50 years, as a rule, the human body is weak and prone to many diseases. Someone noted cholecystitis, glaucoma, renal failure. In such cases, coffee can not be drunk. With age, you need to be more careful about your health. For example, you can not drink hypertonic drink without measuring pressure. If it is higher or lower than normal, coffee can provoke an increase in blood pressure, and not always available drugs in this case, it will be removed effectively.

Whatever you add to coffee, it is important to consider the body's response to caffeine and its additives. Recipes, of course, can be different (for example, a drink with mint, ginger, with turmeric, salt), but each supplement must be weighed for contraindications.

A good component of fat burning composition is black pepper. Due to its properties, it will not only contribute to the burning of fat, but also ease the cold and cough. But if the body does not accept this component, it is better not to provoke an allergic reaction. Turmeric is not suitable for adding to coffee, if a person has pancreatitis, hepatitis or gastritis with high acidity.

There are several basic rules for drinking coffee. Gourmets believe that to capture the taste and aroma, it does not need additives, sugar and milk. If it is a latte (version with milk and milk froth), the foam is eaten with a spoon, and the liquid is drunk through a cocktail tube. This recipe allows for the addition of sugar, which is more often stirred with a straw.

Those who drink coffee with cognac, do it in two ways, each of which is considered correct. Drinks can be drunk separately, as well as after connecting in one cup. By the sweet Viennese version serves water, which is washed down with coffee and cream.

Every day for our awakening, the body produces a so-called stress hormone or cortisol. If you immediately drink even a small cup of hot coffee, the stress state will increase, and instead of cheerfulness, irritability, increased anxiety and aggressiveness will appear.

An hour later, the effect of cortisol will disappear, and therefore a cup of coffee will become a catalyst for vigor. It is not necessary to give an increased load and an empty stomach, because otherwise the pain in the abdomen will be frequent and spasmodic, not to mention an ulcer, which may be the result of cups of coffee drunk on an empty stomach. Ideally, it is better to drink coffee about an hour after eating. During this time, all that came before him, will have time to digest to a greater extent.

When a person drinks coffee immediately after eating, it leads to mixing of liquid and food particles in the stomach. So they will be much longer split and digested, which will be accompanied by a feeling of heaviness, and sometimes abdominal distension. The best hours to use are 11, 14 and 15. With regards to quantity, it is worth considering: one cup of coffee contains on average from 100 to 130 mg of caffeine. The daily dose for an adult should not exceed 320 mg.

Harm to the body can be caused if you drink a day from 5 cups. However, this does not mean that every day you can drink coffee several times. If you do so, the body will begin to require caffeine, and gradually increasing its dose. For women, this is a dangerous risk of developing a benign breast tumor.

It is impossible to drink coffee for small children, even if it does not seem so to adults.It is necessary to remember: the children's category up to 10 years is taboo, because instead of the desired benefit and vigor, the child’s health will be caused considerable harm. After the child turns 10, the amount of drink consumed should be minimal. We must not forget that coffee affects the work of many human organs.

This is especially true of the heart and nervous system, which already works in a tense manner due to the enormous mental loads of schoolchildren. Do not provoke irritability and mental disorder. What children need at the stage of growing up is tea or juice from freshly squeezed fruit.

No matter how much you want to drink coffee while carrying a baby, it is not only undesirable, but also harmful to do it illegibly. It is necessary to think not only about your desires: it is important to take into account the load on the developing organs of the fetus. You need to know that 3-4 cups a day of any drink can lead to abortion. There is an opinion that coffee is useful and can be included in the diet of a pregnant woman, however, such a judgment is not entirely true.

First, the body of each woman is individual. Secondly, today there are many cases when a cup of coffee consumed harmed the state of both the expectant mother and her baby. There are several reasons confirming this fact. For example, coffee interferes with the absorption of calcium, and also flushes it out of the body.

Not only does a pregnant woman share it with a baby anyway, the insufficient amount of building material needed to form bones will be lost. The bones will not be developed properly, and with mom, the lack of calcium will affect her teeth, which can crumble after the baby is born. The condition of the nails will also be worse: they may be underdeveloped in the baby, in the mother - brittle and thin. Problems with lack of calcium in the fetus can cause illness after birth.

The effect of cheerfulness matters, only you need to understand: during pregnancy, coffee will add an imbalance to the hormonal background of the future mother. This will also affect the developing central nervous system of the fetus, affecting the infant's psyche. It is unlikely that the baby will be born calm when he, being in the womb, will receive a dose of a kind of adrenaline. And if we consider that this will also impede the supply of oxygen through the tube, which is characterized by coffee, the load on its tiny organs will be enormous.

The metabolism of the woman in the position is already slowed down, and after drinking coffee, the situation will get worse. This can affect not only indigestion, but also cause kidney pain.

More information about the effects on the body of coffee, see the following video.