How much and what kind of coffee can you drink?
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The optimal dosage is 100-110 mg of caffeine per day, but it is better to go by how you feel: it all depends on how you tolerate caffeine. If you translate the proportions into a drink, you will get 3-4 servings of espresso or 2-3 cups if you brew coffee at home. Drink coffee with freshly squeezed citrus juice, which counteracts the strong effects of caffeine. It is also recommended to drink a glass of water after coffee.
For many, a cup of coffee a day is enough to feel discomfort, dizziness, and rapid heartbeat - for such people, coffee should be an exception. For others, even 3-4 cups per day will be a normal dosage.
It is better to drink natural bean coffee: instant coffee goes through a large number of treatments, which is why there are no beneficial substances left in it. It is not recommended to add cow's milk or cream to coffee - dairy products acidify and “wash out” calcium from the body, and in terms of calories, coffee with milk replaces a meal.
Black tea, Coca-Cola and dark chocolate also contain large amounts of caffeine; many people mistakenly turn to these products when they give up coffee. Therefore, it is recommended to take enzyme tests and determine how much caffeine is indicated or contraindicated for you personally.
The glass of water rule: before, after or during
In order to avoid unpleasant sensations, it is enough to drink coffee with a glass of clean water. It is better to do this 20-25 minutes after the end of the coffee break. During this time, coffee will have time to be absorbed into the blood, and water, in turn, will help restore water-salt metabolism.
Drinking water and coffee at the same time is also a fairly common practice.
Alternating sips of coffee and water provides a more intense taste of the hot drink. Water cleanses the taste buds, making each new sip of coffee feel like the first. This method of use is also approved by dentists.
Coffee contains pigment, which often remains not only on the mug, but also on the teeth of connoisseurs of this drink. Water helps prevent darkening of the enamel by washing away the pigment before it is absorbed into the tooth surface.
Also, alternating water and coffee allows you to control a person’s blood pressure. Each sip of cool liquid weakens the effect of caffeine, thereby preventing an increase in blood pressure.
Increased attention to caffeine helps prevent unpleasant consequences, but not every type of coffee needs additional dilution with water. In addition, not every type of coffee can cause a surge of energy, even for a short period of time.
The main component of instant and granulated coffee is theobromine; it contains only 5-10% caffeine. Awakening from such a drink can only occur due to a high level of self-hypnosis. Hot temperature, rich smell, familiar color - all this can affect our perception and help us believe in awakening.
The problem is that if we want, we can always deceive ourselves, but our body will not succumb to deception. Specific processes cause specific reactions in us, as a result of which the effect we get as a result often does not correspond to our expectations. By drinking instant coffee with a high content of theobromine, we provoke a relaxed state and drowsiness, which occurs immediately after the activation of this alkaloid, that is, after 25–30 minutes.
How to recognize overdose symptoms
Early symptoms appear 15-20 minutes after drinking an extra cup:
- Redness of the face and excessive shine in the eyes are the earliest syndrome: caffeine stimulates the production of adrenaline, which causes internal organs and lacrimal glands to actively work;
- Heat and trembling in the body - the sensation begins in the solar plexus and spreads throughout the body;
- Cardiopalmus;
- Dizziness;
- Veil before the eyes.
Late symptoms appear after a few hours:
- Nausea - especially if you drank a lot of strong coffee on an empty stomach or there are signs of gastritis;
- Increased sweating;
- Frequent urination;
- Colic and spasms in the gastrointestinal tract.
Trucker effect
Inattention to the choice of coffee often plays a cruel joke on drivers and leads to tragedies on the roads. A quick method of preparation at home and in the field, a reasonable price, a bright aroma - all this has turned instant coffee into a favorite drink of truck drivers. By washing down their fatigue with hot sips, drivers try to restore focus and concentration, but instead receive a good dose of sleeping pills.
#IMPORTANT
Taking instant coffee on the road is dangerous, while drinking a cup at night is, on the contrary, a good idea.
Symptoms in the acute phase
If one of the symptoms occurs, be sure to take the person out into the fresh air, sit him near a window, give him plenty of water, and call emergency medical help.
- Blue discoloration of the skin - the area around the eyes, nasolabial area and other parts of the body. One of the most dangerous symptoms that shows problems in the heart area - in this case, you should immediately call an ambulance.
- Hallucinations - stimulation of the brain due to excess caffeine;
- Insomnia;
- Irritability;
Look at the root
The coffee bean consists of an inner and outer shell. During the ripening process, it accumulates two alkaloids (natural organic compounds): caffeine ─ in the outer one, theobromine ─ in the inner one.
The first (caffeine) is responsible for vigor, tones the body, and stimulates the nervous system. Under its influence, blood vessels throughout the body, with the exception of the kidney vessels, narrow. As a result, the pressure rises and we feel a surge of strength. The dilation of blood vessels in the kidneys is explained by the fact that caffeine has different effects on different veins and arteries.
The actions of the second (theobromine) are strictly opposite. Theobromine, unlike caffeine, dilates all blood vessels, except for the vessels of the kidneys - in the kidneys the vessels narrow (this happens for the same reason as in the case of caffeine), due to which our pressure decreases and drowsiness appears.
What to do if you overdose on caffeine
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Control your drinking balance - drink more pure non-carbonated water at the rate of 2-3 glasses of water per cup of coffee: this way you will not bring your body to dehydration. Add some table salt to a glass of water if there are signs of diarrhea.
You can eat a banana, which contains a lot of potassium and has a positive effect on the cardiovascular system. Be sure to go out into the fresh air and take a walk if you are in a stuffy room or surrounded by a large number of people.
The best coffee for sleep
AmazonFresh Whole Bean Decaf Coffee Colombia - If you love drinking coffee but hate the effect it has on your sleep, we recommend switching to decaf (at least for your afternoon coffee habit).
Amazon uses 100% Arabica coffee beans grown in Colombia, selected for freshness, and then packaged and sealed in the USA. This is the best decaffeinated drink if you want to sleep better.
Buy: AmazonFresh Decaf Whole Bean Coffee Colombia, $8.54 from Amazon
When is it better not to drink coffee?
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Avoid coffee if you are tired or sick: caffeine interferes with the absorption of calcium, an important alkaline element in the body. Poor health will be “finished off” by caffeine, which strongly acidifies the body, which leads to a weakening of the immune system. For this reason, frequent consumption of caffeine negatively affects the immune system.
Coffee is a tonic drink that is best drunk in the morning. It is also considered a strong diuretic, and you force the body to be in a hyperactive state if you drink coffee at night: the kidneys and gastrointestinal tract work hard and do not rest, even though you are sleeping.
There are exceptions: some people work night shifts or go to bed late. Then night coffee depends on the individual characteristics of the body and nervous system: someone sleeps poorly, even if they drink coffee 5 hours before bedtime. Focus on your own feelings.
Everything has its time
Caffeine that enters the human body makes itself known quickly. After a few sips of coffee, a person begins to experience a noticeable surge of strength, vigor, energy and other pleasant sensations from the list that coffee manufacturers print with great pleasure on the labels of their products. Unfortunately for consumers and to the delight of marketers, there is not enough space on the packaging to place a complete list of coffee characteristics. Therefore, the information that the speed of achieving the desired result is always overshadowed by the short-term nature of its action often goes unnoticed.
A person who expects to replenish energy, concentration and alertness must remember that after 25-30 minutes the effect of caffeine disappears, while theobromine is just beginning to become active.
Theobromine nullifies the effect of caffeine, relaxes the body, and constricts the blood vessels of the kidneys. As a result, the kidneys begin to work with strain, and renal blood flow deteriorates, which can provoke slight tugging sensations in the kidneys.
Mechanism of action
Coffee has a diuretic effect only if a person drinks no more than two servings of the drink per day. In this case, frequent urination is actually observed.
With excessive coffee consumption, the diuretic properties disappear
The body gets used to the effects of caffeine, and completely different changes are noted:
- increased blood pressure;
- restlessness, anxiety;
- excessive excitability;
- accumulation of fluid in the body.
Requirements for water quality and properties
Serve cool, clean, chlorine-free liquid. Water that has undergone a distillation process will not work. Temperature is about 10-15 °C, optimal is 8–10 °C and above. In hot weather it should not exceed 20°C.
Water should be served in a thick-walled transparent glass to maintain the temperature of the liquid longer. It would be great if it was spring water or well water. Or still drinking water from the store.
Do not add ice, sugar or sweeteners to the water. It is also not advisable to add lemon or fruit juices or herbal infusions to water.
Only if you want to enhance or emphasize the taste sensations, then you can mix juice or decoction into drinks of the original recipe.
Why does coffee make you sleepy?
There are several reasons why coffee invigorates or, conversely, puts you to sleep. Direct action has already been described. As for the opposite, this condition can be caused by fatigue of the body, which can no longer respond to caffeine, or by the quality of the product.
Diseases
Normally, coffee stimulates the activity of internal systems, but some conditions can provoke the opposite reaction. Caffeine and theobromine enter the bloodstream during digestion, and only then to the nervous system.
Impaired breakdown and absorption of these substances can cause an overdose or rejection, so the drink should be consumed with extreme caution in the following conditions:
- for diseases of the digestive system - liver, pancreas and gastrointestinal tract;
- for nervous diseases, under stress, sleep disorders, as well as hormonal imbalances;
- in case of coronary heart disease, arrhythmia and angina pectoris, with high blood pressure;
- with renal failure.
For example, liver disease prevents the blood from filtering normally and breaking down active compounds. This means that people with fibrosis, cirrhosis and liver failure need to be content with much smaller doses of caffeine so as not to overload the body, otherwise large doses of the energizing substance will be delivered to the nervous system. Excess theobromine can cause drowsiness.
Another reason is the exhaustion of the adrenal glands, which normally produce adrenaline. If the glands have nothing to release into the blood in response to stimulation by caffeine, the body will only more clearly sense the lack of strength and protest.
In these cases, the stimulant acts on a tired body that does not have the resources for activation. A natural reaction in such a state is the desire to restore strength, that is, to sleep or eat something. Sometimes coffee not only makes you sleepy, but also wakes up a strong appetite.
After illnesses, lack of sleep and stress, it is better to replace coffee with herbal or fruit tea. You should not choose soothing drugs, like chamomile or mint, but neutral and tonic ones, for example, thyme, lemon or currants. A vitamin cocktail will truly give you strength and help you recover.
Stimulant overdose
One of the reasons why caffeine stops activating the body may be an overdose of the substance. On the one hand, there is a threshold for the action of the stimulant: as already mentioned, it is enough to drink 1-2 cups for the drink to act for 4-6 hours. Exceeding this dose will overload the nervous system and liver.
The human body is programmed to maintain balance. When a stimulant is taken in excessive quantities, the body becomes accustomed to its effects and creates compensatory mechanisms. Because of this, you have to increase the portion in order to tone the nervous system, and over time, coffee no longer invigorates.
In such cases, it is necessary to give up the drink for a while. In 2-4 weeks, all receptors will be restored and the “power” of your favorite coffee will again become high.
On the other hand, there is general overwork of the body, when the nervous system does not have enough strength to react to a dose of caffeine with activity. Then the opposite effect occurs - lethargy and lethargy. And an overdose in the form of an extra cup can completely “turn off” the system, just as traffic jams are knocked out when there is an overvoltage in the electrical network.
Then there is no point in drinking one serving after another. It's better to keep sweet coffee and some nuts near your work area and sip a little at a time while supporting your brain with nutritious snacks.
Coffee quality
Finally, the effect of the drink largely depends on its class. Elite grain blends, as a rule, give a pleasant sensation and do not cause discomfort. A low-grade product most often provokes heartburn and has an unpredictable effect on the nerves.
Instant coffee often makes you sleepy because it lacks the caffeine component , but more often than not, such a drink is simply ineffective. Coffee is one of those products that you shouldn’t skimp on to maintain your health, and it’s better to avoid cheap raw materials in favor of herbal tea.
How often can you drink?
Many who want to get rid of excess body weight, lose a couple of kilograms, believe that it is necessary to remove excess fluid from the body.
For this purpose, they choose coffee with its diuretic effect, but in addition to the base, it contains many active substances and natural minerals. Their concentration at normal levels is beneficial, but in significant quantities they can cause fluid stagnation; drinking large portions of coffee retains water in the body. The first symptoms are swollen limbs, swelling of the face in the eye area.
It is believed that its use on an ongoing basis as a diuretic is not advisable. In a single case, it is quite acceptable to use removing properties to get rid of excess liquid. This particular drink can be prescribed by doctors before a laboratory test to cleanse the bladder, but it is strictly forbidden to pamper yourself with 5-7 cups every day.
Important! It is worth knowing that coffee removes water from the body only in those who do not abuse it daily. For amateurs and gourmets, the effect of the diuretic property is much weaker due to addiction to the active substances of the drink.
This is an excellent diuretic, thanks to which you can prevent urolithiasis by drinking a cup a day.
It is worth noting that in addition to the main component, the entire chemical composition has diuretic properties, namely the full mineral spectrum of elements, bioflavonoids and biological stimulants.
Such knowledge about the properties of grains is very important for those who like to pamper themselves with invigorating aromas in the morning.
