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Coffee is the most consumed beverage in the world and with honors. Many big cities have coffee shops on every block. This drink brings us comfort and still works as a good wake-up call in the morning. But we are constantly receiving different information about coffee.... so what to believe?
Many studies have already been conducted with coffee, whether caffeinated, decaffeinated, filtered, with or without sugar. From time to time, we receive information to "stop drinking coffee" or "increase your coffee consumption".
But this article is to help clear your mind and for yourself to analyze if coffee is a drink for you and in what proportion. Let's go!
A little summary.
In Brazil, the most consumed type of coffee is powder, which has already been ground, but we also have the option of buying coffee in the form of beans. From the beans, we have coffees available in the most varied styles: Italian, mocha, cappuccino, latte, iced coffee, American, etc.
Hot coffee: it is the most consumed coffee format in Brazil and also in the world. It can be with caffeine or without, with sweetener or without. Its form of preparation also varies, between passed in a filter, by machine, or pressed.
Iced coffee: made from coffee prepared first hot. After cooling, the coffee is served over ice and may change its flavor slightly.
Cold-pressed: unlike iced coffee (which is brewed hot), cold-pressed coffee is made with water at room temperature. It may have a stronger flavor, but not as bitter. Contains more caffeine compared to iced coffee.
Espresso: it is the same coffee bean, but made under high pressure by a suitable machine. It is a shorter coffee, but much more full-bodied and its flavor also becomes more intense.
Caffeine
Although the name indicates that it comes from coffee, caffeine can be found in other foods and teas, such as cocoa beans and derivatives (chocolate), green tea, matcha, and yerba mate. Caffeine is highly stimulating, temporarily reducing fatigue and making our minds more alert.
There is little variation in the caffeine level depending on how roasted the coffee bean has been. This information can be seen on the coffee packages.
Recommended amount
The daily recommendation for caffeine consumption is:
Men and women over 19 years old: up to 400mg per day;
Pregnant and lactating women: up to 300mg per day.
We need to take into account physical signs of when caffeine is already too much in our body, such as intestinal or stomach discomfort, reflux, anxiety, and insomnia. There is the possibility of decaffeinated coffee, whose flavor, aroma, and sense of comfort given by the coffee remain, with the added bonus of not stimulating such anxiety symptoms.
The amount of caffeine is given in milligrams, as different foods and different types of coffee have higher or lower levels of caffeine.
A 250 ml cup:
Brewed coffee:100-150 mg
Instant coffee: 75-105 mg
Iced coffee: 60-80 mg
Decaf coffee: 3-15 mg (still contains caffeine)
Capuccino / Latte macchiato: 45-75 mg
Espresso (30 ml): 65-90 mg
Black tea: 45-80 mg
Green and white tea: 25-45 mg
Energy drink: 80-100 mg
Dark chocolate (40 gr): 27 g
Effect of caffeine with vitamins and minerals
Probably, you have already heard about not drinking coffee or mate right after a meal or with supplements, because caffeine reduces the absorption of nutrients. Coffee has tannins, which can inhibit iron and zinc absorption if the beverage is consumed within 1 hour (approximately) of a meal.
Tip: we usually consume breakfast in the morning with other foods. It is best to drink coffee from 30 minutes to 1 hour after breakfast and at the same time after taking supplements.
Health effects
In several studies, coffee has shown positive effects on our liver, our mind, and our brain.
Drinking coffee is associated with a longer life, but not when ingested in excess. A study called the NIH-AARP found that younger people, in particular, should avoid heavy coffee consumption (less than 4 cups of coffee a day).
Moderate caffeine consumption by healthy adults (and women who are not pregnant or lactating) is not only safe, it increases energy, alertness, and physical and cognitive performance. Taking the recommended daily amount and trying not to exceed this limit can provide days with more energy and a longer life expectancy.
For whom coffee is not suitable
Coffee is not suitable for everyone. People with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) tend to experience acid reflux when drinking coffee, which is not the same as tea. In one research they conducted, decaffeinated coffee appeared to cause less reflux, which led researchers to advise people with DRE to switch to decaffeinated coffee or, even better, to consume tea instead of coffee.
A coffee compound called cafestol has been shown in studies to be responsible for raising cholesterol. This compound is present in coffee bean oils. To minimize the compost in the preparation of coffee, just use a paper filter to strain the drink (the cafestol tends to stay in the filter).
Thus, brewed coffee does not seem to increase cholesterol as much as that made in a French press, boiled without a filter, and Turkish coffee. Neither the roasting degree nor the decaffeinated option seemed to influence the presence of the cafestol compound.
Therefore, if cholesterol levels are not optimal, it is worth switching the way of preparing coffee to a filtered coffee or instant coffee, which also does not have such compounds.
Coffee is often given as a beverage that dehydrates the body. However, this statement is not quite correct. Drinking coffee does not remove water that we already have in the body, as it would in dehydration. However, it also does not hydrate the body like other beverages.
How to reduce coffee consumption
If reading this article you realized that it might be better to reduce your coffee consumption a little, but you think you need the effects that the drink provides, here are some tips on how to gradually reduce the need for caffeine:
Do it gradually. Caffeine, even when little consumed during the day, can cause our system to become somewhat addicted. Therefore, make the decrease gradually to avoid any physical discomfort, such as a headache.
Give priority: As mentioned above, many foods other than coffee contain caffeine. Give priority to starting the reduction in one of the formats you have been consuming and do it one at a time.
Fifty-fifty: as we said, we have the option of decaffeinated coffee. Start with a ratio of 80 caffeinated and 20 decaffeinated coffee. After a few weeks, go to 50 - 50, and then move on to 80 decaffeinated coffee and 20 caffeinated coffee.
Use plant milk. Mixing the coffee with plant milk, be it soy, oats, almonds, etc., can be a good option. Making a proportion in the cup with coffee and milk, in addition to having a very good taste, can still be a calcium option, since today plant milk is enriched.
Drink water. I know this may sound like a crazy idea, but we often think we are tired when in reality we are dehydrated. Thus, a good alternative in times of tiredness or fatigue is to replenish the body's hydration with the best liquid for this: water.
I hope that with all this information, coffee consumption is now clearer for you and I also hope that you can consume the drink with more awareness, weighing what makes the most sense for you!
