Pros and Cons of Drinking Coffee

Coffee was invented in the 15th century and it has gained immense popularity world over for its revitalizing as well as energizing properties.  Most people depend on coffee to kick start their day due to the amazing capability of coffee in fighting fatigue to increase alertness. Most of us love coffee for its aroma and taste. But have you ever wondered whether regular consumption of coffee is doing any harm to our body or not? Many researchers are involved in trying to find out the good and bad effects of coffee drinking. Some of the pros related to coffee are listed below:
• Antioxidants: Coffee consists of antioxidants in high proportion. These antioxidants are melanoidins and chlorogenic which helps in preventing oxidation. Most of you might not be aware of the oxidation. This is a process which causes damage to cells and causes aging.
• Diabetes: If you drink coffee, then there are fewer chances of you suffering from diabetes. A study held in the US Nurses Health Study identified that consumption of both caffeinated and decaffeinated coffee may lessen the risk of diabetes in both young middle aged women.
• Parkinson’s disease: Regular consumption of coffee lessens the risk of Parkinson’s disease. A number of studies have proved that people who drink coffee on a daily basis will have less chances of contracting this disease. It is also considered best for digestion.
• Gallstones and Liver cirrhosis:  Drinking coffee is helpful in avoiding liver cirrhosis, especially alcoholic cirrhosis. Gallstone in both men and women can be prevented by the daily consumption of coffee.
• Lowers stone formation: Consumption of coffee lowers the chances of stone formation in the kidney. Coffee increases the volume of urine which in turn helps in preventing kidney stones.
• Improves mental behavior: Caffeine present in coffee is known to be a great stimulant. This stimulant does wonders in promoting alertness, wakefulness and attention. A cup of coffee is also beneficial for increasing information processing.
• Alzheimer’s disease: Regular drinking of coffee helps one to protect against Alzheimer’s disease. A recent study has proved that the amount of caffeine which is equal to 5 cups of coffee will work in preventing plaques in the brain.
• Improves Asthma: Coffee is beneficial for patients suffering from asthma and can do wonder by opening the airways.
Although coffee have a lot of advantages it is a fact that excessive consumption leads to several health problems. Now as we have seen so many advantages of drinking coffee, now let us move our focus to disadvantages related to consumption of coffees. The cons of drinking coffee are mentioned below:
• Cardiovascular Disease: This point is a bit controversial. There are studies that have shown that coffee consumption increases the risk of heart diseases. On one hand, it is also found that kahweol, cafestol present in unfiltered coffee is risky for heart diseases. Also, coffee consumption increases the level of plasma homocysteine, which is a major factor in causing heart disease. On the contrary, a lower risk of heart disease among coffee drinkers is due to the antioxidants present in the coffee.
• Increases cholesterol level: Heavy consumption of coffee results in increasing the cholesterol level. You will find two compounds named as cafestol and kahweol present in unfiltered coffee which raises cholesterol level.
• Affects blood vessel: High consumption of coffee has a negative effect on blood vessels. They lead to malfunctioning of blood vessel tone.
• Disturbances in Heart: Coffee can lead to irregular heartbeats.
• Blood Pressure: Although coffee drinking is not an important factor for causing hypertension, it has bad effects on blood pressure and people who suffer from hypertension are more susceptible to it. A recent study in Italy has shown that drinking coffee can increase the risk of developing hypertension in people who have high blood pressure. Regular consumption of coffee increases the level of metabolism.
• Osteoporosis: Heavy intake of coffee encourages an extra urinary excretion. Consumption of 600ml or more coffee can lead to Osteoporosis especially among women who suffer from lack of calcium.
• Heartburn: If a person drinks coffee at a high rate, then he can suffer from severe heartburn.
• Disturbs Sleep: Most of us are aware of the fact that coffee helps in keeping one awake. This is done with the help of caffeine present in it. High amount of coffee taken just before going to bed can disturb your sleep. Heavy intake of coffee will lead to several problems like a tendency to awake by even mildest of noises, and even insomnia in extreme cases. However, there are also some people who find it easier to fall asleep after consuming coffee.
• Dehydration: The caffeine present in a coffee is mild and increases excretion of urine. This particular effect can be balanced by drinking loads of water.
• Dependence: Although caffeine is identified as safe by the FDA, it is a drug that stimulates our nervous system and can also produce dependence. Withdrawal of caffeine is considered as a real syndrome. When a person suddenly decides to say no to coffee, then there are chances that they may suffer from headache and some sort of irritation. However, it is relatively easy to quit drinking coffee especially for those people who are not addicted to caffeine.
Now that you know all the pros and cons relating to coffee drinking you can surely appreciate the need for savoring and enjoying this particular beverage in moderation so you do not become dependant.