Everything in moderation, including coffee

There’s nothing better than a morning cup of coffee to recharge your batteries; say fans of this drink whose main active ingredient is caffeine. For many, drinking coffee is part of your daily routine, and the habit, sometimes, is not limited to mornings, but extends to the whole day, but how much coffee is appropriate?

It is known to exceed Caffeine consumption can be addictive and causes headaches, heartburn and even insomnia, so, like everything else, its consumption must be controlled.

Two to three cups of coffee a day are within normal limits that a healthy adult can consume; adolescents should not exceed two cups, and patients should drink one to two cups, depending on their condition and sensitivity to caffeine, according to Marisabel Capriles, dietitian nutritionist.

Capriles said that he knows of cases where the patient is advised not to drink coffee after 2 o’clock in the afternoon, because his sensitivity to caffeine is high and because of this he does not sleep at night.

According to a study conducted by Kantar, an agency specializing in market research, coffee consumption habits in Panama reflect this 90% of Panamanians who like coffee add sugar or sweetener in their cup, while 40% prefer black and 60% add milk.

It is further noted that 79% of people prefer a cup of coffee in the morning, while 35% enjoy it in the afternoon and 30% in the evening. It is estimated that a Panamanian drinks between 2 and 3 cups of coffee a day.

The data reveal that drinking coffee is indeed a part of life for many people, but when a person wakes up, his body immediately needs a cup of coffee, even if he has no symptoms such as headaches, mood swings and possible fatigue, she could be considered a coffee addict, according to Capriles.

“The coffee is not bad and it has antioxidants that are very useful for health, but Panamanians do not follow the indications, because instead of one cup of coffee a day they drink three and each one with sugar, so then there is no benefit. ”

Capriles pointed it out you should have a healthy limit on coffee consumption and be careful what you add, be it brown or refined sugar, cream or even honey, because according to her, coffee is not the same as coffee with sugar.

Jamie Pronschinske, a dietitian at the Mayo Clinic Health System, He further added that excess caffeine (more than 400 milligrams per day) can temporarily raise blood pressure, and high consumption is associated with a slight increase in cholesterol levels, and can also cause rapid heartbeat, tremors, agitation and digestive discomfort. .

“Excessive consumption of caffeine associated with an increased risk of other forms of addiction such as smoking and excessive alcohol consumption. “People who regularly consume caffeine can develop physical and psychological dependence and may experience withdrawal symptoms if they suddenly stop,” added Pronschinske.

Actually, professionals who are most likely to become addicted to coffee, are journalists, police officers, teachers, plumbers, medical staff, company executives, telesales staff, computer technical support workers and drivers, according to research conducted by Universia, the world’s largest university network, which consulted more than 10,000 workers from various occupations in order to find out which professionals drink the most coffee.

On the other hand, according to information from the Mayo Clinic, the US Food and Drug Administration has not yet established a safe level for children, but the American Academy of Pediatrics advises against consuming caffeine and other stimulants in children and adolescents. Meanwhile, people who are pregnant or breastfeeding are advised to limit their caffeine intake to 200 milligrams or less per day.

As control the consumption of this drink, The Mayo Clinic believes that people should gradually reduce consumption to allow the body to get used to lower levels of caffeine and thus avoid or reduce withdrawal effects. One way to start treating this problem is to drink one less cup a day.

Following, pay attention to the amount of caffeine which is added when brewing coffee, and if possible replace the cup of coffee with herbal tea.

There are many articles on the internet about coffee and they all agree that you should stop drinking too much coffee you have to have willpower mostly, but there are those who cannot do it alone and need professional help, in this case a dietitian nutritionist who will help them in the process.