Many people like to drink coffee, some because of its taste, and some because they find it refreshing and invigorating. So today, let's explore together what exactly coffee hides?
Coffee originated in Ethiopia,
The local indigenous people initially used to chew coffee fruits to refresh themselves, but did not form "brewed drinks". Ethiopia is still an important coffee producing country today.
Around the 15th century in Yemen, Sufi monks used coffee to promote nighttime prayer and wakefulness, and for the first time roasted, ground, and brewed coffee beans, forming the embryonic form of modern coffee. At that time, the port of Mocha/Al Makha became an important export destination – the origin of the name Mocha coffee.
From the internet
Fresh coffee beans contain chlorogenic acid, sucrose, caffeine, protein/amino acids, lipids, cellulose/hemicellulose, water, volatile aromatic compounds, and trace amounts of toxins. After roasting, apart from caffeine, chlorogenic acid, and newly generated melanin, there are very few other trace elements left, indicating that coffee has no nutritional value.
From the internet
1 Potential benefits of coffee for the human body (when consumed in moderation)
1. Refreshing and refreshing: Caffeine blocks adenosine, short-term improves attention, reaction speed, and alertness
2. Antioxidant effect: Rich in polyphenols such as chlorogenic acid, it helps to combat oxidative stress and chronic inflammation
Coffee is one of the largest sources of dietary antioxidants in Western cuisine
3. There is a certain association with reduced risk of Parkinson's disease, liver cancer, and cirrhosis
The liver is one of the organs with the most consistent benefits of coffee, not equivalent to "treatment", only associated with risk
Risk reduction of type 4.2 diabetes
Attributed to: Chlorogenic acid improves insulin sensitivity+antioxidant+anti-inflammatory
5. Mild improvement in basal metabolism and fat oxidation (approximately 3% to 5%)
Can assist in reducing fat during exercise performance, but cannot replace dietary control
6. Moderate consumption may result in a mild or neutral risk of stroke (ischemia); Heart failure risk does not increase, some studies show a slight decrease
Blood pressure is temporarily elevated → Hypertensive patients need to control their intake and avoid unfiltered large amounts of deep baking
Prerequisite: Healthy adults, moderate consumption (usually 3-5 cups of filtered black coffee per day, caffeine ≤ 400 mg), no contraindications;
The benefits are based on black coffee/filter paper coffee;
Adding too much sugar and vegetable fat powder → offsetting or even reversing the benefits;
Pregnant women, individuals with severe hypertension, arrhythmia, gastroesophageal reflux disease, and anxiety disorders need individualized restrictions
☕ The potential harm and risks of coffee (caffeine) to the human body
Prerequisite statement: Most of the disadvantages are more pronounced in cases of overdose, fasting, individual sensitivity, and special populations; Moderate black coffee is tolerable for most healthy people in the short term.
1. Causes insomnia, anxiety, and dependence
The half-life of caffeine is 3-5 hours (some can reach up to 9 hours); Drinking in the afternoon/evening → difficulty falling asleep, light sleep, early awakening
After daily regular intake of ≥ 100 mg for several weeks, suddenly stopping drinking → headache, fatigue, irritability, and decreased attention (most obvious 1-3 days)
2. Gastric irritation
Gastroesophageal reflux/heartburn (especially on an empty stomach with strong coffee)
Caffeine relaxes the lower esophageal sphincter and promotes gastric acid secretion
Individual cases of stomach pain and nausea (easily triggered by drinking concentrated food on an empty stomach)
3. Cardiovascular effects
Increased heart rate/premature beats (sensitive individuals, history of arrhythmia)
Transient increase in blood pressure (SBP ↑ 3-5 mmHg, 30-90 points) → Attention for uncontrolled hypertension patients
Unfiltered coffee (French pressed/boiled) contains caffeic acid → long-term consumption in large quantities can increase LDL-C and total cholesterol
4. Bones&Minerals
Mild impact on calcium absorption (≈ 2-3 mg of polyuria calcium excretion per cup)
Long term high intake+insufficient calcium intake → Mild risk of fractures in elderly/menopausal women ↑
Extra daily milk/calcium supplements can offset it
From the internet
Most of the drawbacks are related to excessive intake (>400 mg caffeine/day), fasting heavy drinks, unfiltered large amounts of deep roasting, and individual sensitivity;
The real way to turn coffee into an "unhealthy drink" is often by adding a lot of sugar and vegetable fat powder, rather than the coffee itself.
So, how to drink coffee better?
Overall, for most healthy adults:
Quantity: ≤ 3-4 cups per day (caffeine ≤ 400 mg)
Method: Prioritize filtering black coffee, followed by a small amount of pure milk coffee
Time: Drink 60-90 minutes after waking up, do not drink for 6 hours before bedtime
Habit: Do not administer concentrated food on an empty stomach, without adding sugar or vegetable fat powder
Bean selection: light to medium baked, fresh, sealed and moisture-proof
Special population: Pregnant women ≤ 200 mg/day; Reduce or follow medical advice for patients with hypertension, anxiety, and stomach diseases
From the internet
Allocation method:
Black coffee → purest
Pure milk/oat milk → acceptable and stomach friendly
Sugar/Syrup → Start offsetting benefits
Plant fat powder+cream top → Say goodbye to basic health benefits
From the internet
Coffee won't make you healthier or cause you significant harm. The key is how and how much you drink.
Coffee is becoming increasingly popular in every household, and more and more people enjoy it. Drinking it in moderation to enhance its flavor is also a good choice.
So what flavor of coffee do you like to drink?