The ‘health effects of ‘the black gold’
In the Netherlands we drink an average of more than three cups of coffee a day. You regularly read about possible positive and negative effects of coffee. Are those stories true?
Let’s start with the conclusion: coffee is just a nice drink. At least that’s what many Dutch think, and the consumption figures also testify to this. The most recent figures show that a Dutch person drinks an average of 3.2 cups of coffee per day.
Google the word ‘coffee’ and you will see the most diverse claims. For example, coffee would help against Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease. It would also be good for athletes and the blood pressure to lower. The negative stories on the internet are also doing well. Coffee is a culprit, because it could lead to stress, burnout and more depression. It would also make you fatter.
no calories
If you look at the state of science, you will see that it is not too bad with all the health benefits of coffee, but especially the disadvantages turn out to be not so bad. So you can continue to drink your coffee in peace. A big advantage of coffee, if you drink it without sugar and milk, is that it contains no calories. It can therefore contribute to maintaining a healthy weight. And coffee supplies fluids, which are important for your body’s fluid balance. As an adult you should drink an average of about one and a half liters a day, and coffee makes a good contribution to that amount.
Diabetes
It’s hard to say exactly how many other health benefits are mentioned. It depends on what faith you place in which scientific study. The body that weights the scientific studies in the Netherlands, the Nutrition Center, only mentions the lower risk that coffee drinkers have on health benefits. type 2 diabetes. Whether, and if so how coffee protects against, for example, cancer and cardiovascular disease is unknown.
Caffeine
When it comes to the disadvantages of coffee, it usually refers to caffeine, the substance that coffee is so rich in (just as tea and cola contain caffeine). Caffeine is absorbed into the blood very quickly: half of the caffeine is already in your blood about four minutes after drinking a cup of coffee. Caffeine is known for its stimulating effect: the substance has a stimulating effect on the brain, kidneys, stomach and intestines. It dispels the feeling of fatigue. Caffeine also improves memory a bit. As you can see, caffeine certainly has benefits, but some people also get complaints, such as:
• restlessness
• tremble
• dizziness
• ringing ears
• palpitations
People who have this sensitivity to caffeine – and certainly not everyone – should limit themselves to 5 cups of coffee a day or less.
