An invigorating drink has conquered half the world. Its taste and aroma are preferred by the majority of Europeans and Asians, Americans and Australians. Each region and corner of the world has its own special recipes for making coffee and how to use it. But how to drink coffee correctly so that it is not only pleasant, but also useful?
General rules
Natural coffee beans contain hundreds of components in varying concentrations. These are tannins, vitamins, minerals, resins, essential oils, antioxidants and others. But the most valuable are the alkaloid caffeine and chlorogenic acid. The first is known for its tonic and stimulating properties, the second - stimulating. More about caffeine:
- excites the nervous system, activates mental activity, concentration, physical tone;
- after 15-20 minutes, a person experiences an attack of drowsiness and loss of strength. The body is collected and shaken, it becomes ready for work;
- used as a remedy for headaches, as it dilates blood vessels and relieves spasms. Useful for low blood pressure.
Chlorogenic acid is a special substance involved in many internal processes. The main thing that doctors paid attention to is its ability to speed up metabolism and stimulate the production of digestive enzymes. This information was adopted by nutritionists, who began to recommend drinking a drink to enhance the effect of diets.
Drinking coffee is taken to get pleasure and cheer up. True gourmets believe that a quality product does not require any flavoring additives. Properly roasted, ground and cooked, grains have a rich aroma and flavor that would be spoiled by a spoonful of sugar or milk. In addition, there are only 0-1 kcal in a pure drink, which is important for those who count calories and strive to lose weight quickly.
Latte is drunk through a straw, removing the foam with a spoon
Most often, people drink espresso, Turkish coffee and latte. If everything is clear with the former, then what about the latter. Latte is coffee with milk and milk foam. It is drunk through a straw, and the foam can be eaten separately with a spoon. After serving, sugar is poured into a glass, if desired, mixed with a straw and then enjoy the taste.
If coffee is prepared with alcohol, for example, cognac, two drinks are combined in one dish or drunk separately.
Both options are considered correct. Viennese coffee is served with water to wash down the sweet aftertaste of cream.
There are several rules, following which will not harm health, but bring only benefit and pleasure.
1. Coffee in the morning
Coffee is really useful to drink in the morning, but not immediately after waking up. Recent studies have shown that the best time to make coffee is the second hour after waking up. Everything is tied to the features of the functioning of the body. In order for the body to wake up, the hormone cortisol, or, in other words, the stress hormone, is produced. If you drink an additional cup of coffee, the effect of cortisol will increase, but after 1 hour the effect will come to naught and the body will require a new dose of recharge. That is why it is correct to drink a cup of the drink 1-2 hours after waking up.
2. Don't drink on an empty stomach
Many people wonder if coffee on an empty stomach is possible? It is harmful, especially for those who have stomach problems. Chlorogenic acid, getting into the stomach, stimulates the production of gastric juice and hydrochloric acid. Since the organ is empty, an aggressive environment forms in it, hydrochloric acid begins to irritate the walls of the stomach and can lead to the formation of an ulcer. That is why many people experience heartburn attacks and pain in the abdomen.
3. Before or after meals
It is best to drink a drink after a meal, after about 1-2 hours. This time is enough for the body to digest the food that has entered the stomach to a greater extent. If you wash down breakfast or lunch with a cup of coffee, its components will bind to food particles and make them harder to break down and digest. From this, a feeling of heaviness in the stomach will appear and the formation of ballast in the intestines will be stimulated. It is best to drink coffee at 11 o'clock in the afternoon and 14-15 o'clock in the afternoon. In the evening, the drink is contraindicated, as it contributes to the development of insomnia. This is a proven fact.
4. With or without milk
There are many different opinions about drinking a drink with milk. First, why is it added to coffee. First, it's delicious. Milk hides the pronounced bitterness of the drink, if any, makes the taste softer and richer. In addition, it is believed that coffee removes calcium from the body. And milk makes up for his losses. It is worth noting about the variety of recipes for making coffee with milk and how delicious these drinks are. Few people refuse cappuccino or latte.
There is an opinion that such a combination is harmful. Why can't milk be added to coffee? This makes the drink high in calories. Each serving of cream or full-fat milk in a cup increases the calorie content of the drink by 30-50 kcal. But that's not all. There is evidence that milk fats, when combined with the components of coffee beans, form conglomerates that are difficult for digestion; they settle on the walls of the intestine, turning into slags.
You can drink coffee with milk, but it is better to do it less frequently.
5. Taboo for pregnant and lactating mothers
During pregnancy, any stimulant drinks increase the risk of developing uterine tone, and this is not safe for carrying a baby. In addition, coffee is considered an allergenic drink. Pediatricians are sure that with the regular use of coffee by pregnant women in newborn babies, the risk of developing food allergies increases. This is especially serious when one of the parents also suffers from any kind of allergy.
Nursing mothers drink is also undesirable. If a woman consumes coffee, its components partially with breast milk also get to the baby. This is fraught with increased excitability, poor sleep, digestive problems in crumbs. Here, both ground and soluble products are prohibited.
As for children and from what age they can be given coffee, there is no general opinion. If it is acceptable to offer tea without fear from the age of 12, then coffee from about the same age. If the child has problems with the heart and stomach, then the drink is generally contraindicated. However, with frequent headaches and hypotension, children are given natural coffee. Here the question of how old the child is is more secondary, but the age limit is valid up to 10 years.
How to drink coffee for weight loss
Effective in weight loss is green coffee, rich in chlorogenic acid. It is brewed in the same way as black, but it is much inferior to the latter in taste. Weight loss recommendations say to drink the drink 20-30 minutes before eating. In this mode, the drink is able to prepare the body for the active digestion of food and at the same time reduce the feeling of hunger. It is understood that a person will eat a smaller portion of food, and it will be digested much faster.
For weight loss, green grains are more effective than black ones.
Such a regimen can indeed be followed, but not in the morning. Do not drink coffee on an empty stomach - it is harmful. To lose weight, it is recommended to drink up to 5-6 cups of coffee a day - this is also harmful. The safe norm is 2-3 cups a day. When you lose weight, it is better to drink green tea with lemon. It has a less aggressive effect on the body, and there are more benefits from it.
There are dangerous diets and fasting days for coffee. They promise good results in the plumb line, but harm the digestive, nervous and excretory systems. You need to seriously think before following such methods.
Coffee in different situations
Drinking coffee correctly does not mean only observing the daily routine and so on. There are different situations in life when a drink can bring significant harm or, conversely, improve mood and well-being.
So, for example, with varicose veins, the drink is contraindicated, as it reduces the tone and elasticity of blood vessels, and this worsens the course of the disease. You can replace the drink with chicory. But with arrhythmia of the heart, the drink reduces the likelihood of hospitalization due to the worsening of the course of the disease. Studies in this area were carried out in the USA and Denmark, where the same results were obtained, confirming the absence of an association between caffeine and the development of the disease. An invigorating drink in this case is useful to use.
No need to drink coffee before a blood test for hormones, biochemistry, HIV. Some indicators may have an incorrect value, especially if a strong drink is used. Before and after tooth extraction, it is allowed to drink warm and not very strong tea and coffee. At the same time, they try to ensure that the liquid does not get on the wound. Hot drinks are prohibited.
It is unacceptable to drink expired coffee that has a suspicious foreign aroma or unusual appearance.
Before tattooing, it is also not recommended to use stimulating and invigorating drinks. They increase blood flow, blood pressure and can cause bleeding of the skin and soft tissues. A similar ban applies to cancer patients. There are a lot of facts against coffee here. This applies to the load on the heart and blood vessels, stomach, excretory system.
Any deposits on grains or suspicious particles in the ground or instant product may indicate their danger to humans.
Coffee can and even should be consumed in many situations, the main thing is not to drink too much, so as not to cause poisoning and disgust for such a great drink. It is especially pleasant to drink coffee on Volkov Street in Rostov-on-Don in the Pitkofe coffee chain.
A lot has been said about coffee over the millennia of mankind's acquaintance with this drink, and at the same time almost nothing. The mechanism of its invigorating effect on the psyche, the degree of usefulness and the level of harmfulness are still unknown. We still don't know how and when to drink coffee, how much coffee to drink in order to get the maximum pleasure from it and not ruin your health with caffeine.
Can you drink coffee on an empty stomach?
The danger of morning coffee, as well as the threat of an excess of caffeine in the body from its excessive use, exist. Although not proven. After all, no one shouts that tea is harmful, and in fact it sometimes contains even more caffeine than some varieties of coffee!
This is where the first mistake of coffee lovers lies, which we do not take seriously. First, the caffeine in tea and coffee has a slightly different nature and is released in different ways. Secondly, tea caffeine has practically no effect on the body, which cannot be said about coffee caffeine. Therefore, there should be a measure in its consumption, if only because with an excess of coffee, instead of vivacity and energy, you get nervousness and irritability.
Can you drink coffee on an empty stomach? It is possible, but harmful. A dose that is more than 1-2 cups on an empty stomach, by the way, is as harmful as it is after a hearty meal. But usually it is not coffee that is harmful, but its soluble counterpart, which is made from low-quality varieties, is not properly roasted and contains a shock dose of caffeine. With an empty stomach, this surrogate is powerfully thrown into the blood and hits the nervous system, heart, blood vessels, kidneys and stomach. Sooner or later you will feel arrhythmia, overexcitability and insomnia. Therefore, advice: drink only natural and unfiltered coffee - fragrant, tasty, reliable and healthy!
In our store you will find only natural coffee!
How does coffee work?
With the right, timely and moderate use of coffee, each cup is guaranteed to give you a slight tonic effect lasting at least half an hour. But do not overdo it: two or three cups of strong coffee in one gulp will give the opposite effect of nervous excitability, which can then be replaced by the same nervous inhibition, and the duration of the coffee in this case increases to several hours.
If you drink coffee “not in quantity, but in quality”, then you will reduce the possibility of acquiring a number of dangerous diseases in your body. People who drink coffee correctly are much less likely to suffer from kidney and liver cancer, gallstone disease, overweight, age-related Parkinson's disease and atherosclerosis of the vessels. Stress and depression, by the way, are also treated with moderate coffee consumption.
When is it time to drink coffee?
Opinions about what time to drink coffee is useful, useless and harmful also causes a lot of conflicting interpretations. Recent studies have shown that exposure to coffee reduces the production of the sleep hormone melatonin, and frequent coffee consumption reduces the total duration of a healthy person's sleep by one and a half hours a day. For those who need time to work - this is a good way out, but for normal rest it is harmful.
The myth that coffee helps wake up after sleep is another mistake, according to scientists. After waking up around 7-9 am, the level of the hormone melatonin in the body is quite high, caffeine simply will not work on you and the expected result will not come.
At the same time, you may develop a nervous system resistance to caffeine. You will begin to increase the number of cups you drink in the morning, but instead of vigor, you will get only a stomach ulcer.
The optimal time to drink coffee in the morning is 10-11 am. At this time, the level of melatonin in the body will decrease, and caffeine will successfully react with cortisol (the “internal clock” hormone), which will invigorate you and allow you to focus on work.
By the way, a person’s “cortisol peaks” last all day, and if you catch them with a cup of coffee (this time is approximately from 12 to 13.30 and from 17.30 to 18.30), then you will get the maximum, which you are trying to catch, “bombarding” yourself with caffeine.
At the same time, do not forget that the answer to the question of when it is better to drink coffee is individual: we are all different and the peak of cortisol expression can manifest itself in our individual time!
There is nothing surprising in the fact that sixty-four percent of adults drink at least a cup of coffee a day, and eleven percent drink more than four cups! If coffee is so popular, perhaps everyone should know how this drink affects the body. It is likely that you will be surprised at some of the consequences.
Coffee has a positive effect on potency
Men who consume between 85 and 170 milligrams of caffeine per day, which is the equivalent of two to three cups of an invigorating drink, reduce the likelihood of erectile dysfunction by 42 percent. The researchers found that this was due to the relaxing effect of caffeine on the arteries, which improves blood flow to the penis. 
Coffee makes life clearer
Caffeine affects the production of adrenaline. As a result, twenty minutes after drinking the drink, your pupils naturally dilate. You will be able to enjoy clearer vision for a while! 
Longer lifespan with coffee
Recent studies suggest that drinking coffee makes you live longer. The researchers controlled data on more than 250,000 people, tracking their diet and coffee intake. After analyzing the incidence of disease and age at death, they found that among those who did not smoke, people who regularly consumed the invigorating drink died 15 percent less often from various diseases than those who did not use it. 
Coffee can aggravate heartburn
With a cup of your favorite invigorating drink, you increase the level of acidity in the body. The acid in the stomach can be helpful as it is needed for digestion. However, if you drink too much and on an empty stomach, you may experience mucosal irritation and heartburn. 
Excess consumption will lead to fat accumulation
According to scientists, caffeine can increase cortisol levels. Chronically elevated levels lead to excess fat accumulation, which can cause obesity. It also increases bad cholesterol levels. However, only if you do not use filters when brewing - people with high cholesterol should avoid the French press. 
Coffee can reduce anxiety
Caffeine is often associated with anxiety, so the idea that it can help you relax may seem counterintuitive. However, this drink does stimulate the production of dopamine, which is the hormone of pleasure. 
A small amount of coffee will help slow down the heart rate.
If you drink some flavored drink, your blood pressure will rise slightly. The heart will respond to this by lowering the pressure slightly. If you continue to drink, your heart rate will increase. 
Drinking coffee can aggravate stomach ulcers
An ulcer can be extremely painful. Drinking coffee can adversely affect the lining of the gastrointestinal tract, causing ulcers and other forms of disorders. If you already have an ulcer, you should give up the invigorating drink until your body has fully recovered. 
Coffee can cause hallucinations
Studies have shown that people who consumed about 315 milligrams of caffeine, which is equal to three cups of the drink, were three times more likely to have hallucinations than those who drank less. Participants noted voices, visual hallucinations, and ghosts among their experiences. 
Coffee quickly stimulates you
Within twenty minutes after drinking the drink, you will notice a stimulating effect. As a result, you will feel that your attention has increased, it will be easier for you to concentrate on work tasks. 
Coffee is good for the heart
The researchers found that drinking an invigorating drink reduced the risk of dying from heart disease by ten percent. The main thing is not to add cream. They contain trans fats, which seriously harm your body and increase cholesterol levels. 
Coffee stimulates digestion
According to studies, the drink acts on the intestines, stimulating bowel movements through increased motor activity. 
Coffee can smooth the skin
Use ground coffee as a scrub to reduce the appearance of cellulite. Exfoliating action combined with massage will help boost blood circulation and tighten the skin. 
It's like an energy drink.
Coffee helps boost your energy levels, but after three hours you feel low if you don't drink more. This behavior can be problematic because your favorite drink in the afternoon can interfere with the production of melatonin, the sleep hormone. 
Coffee can help relieve pain
Caffeine speeds up pain relief. Combine coffee with painkillers to make them 40% more effective. It's no wonder that caffeine is used so frequently in headache medications. 
Coffee is dangerous for embryos
Studies published in 2008 showed that women who drink a lot of coffee more than double their risk of miscarriage. 
You will feel more positive
Researchers have found that people who drink at least a cup of flavored drink a day have a lower risk of suicide. This is not the first time scientists have noticed such an effect. However, it is currently unknown why the drink causes such an effect. There is a theory that caffeine is the cause - it reduces the loss of dopamine, stabilizing mood. 
It's good for your brain
Great news! People who drink coffee are less likely to suffer from neurological diseases like Parkinson's disease or senile dementia. The reasons for this are not obvious at the moment, but there is a theory that the caffeine is the cause. 
Coffee helps you burn calories faster
Coffee is a great drink for weight loss because it boosts your metabolism. The average metabolic rate of people who drink caffeinated coffee is sixteen percent higher than the rest. An invigorating drink is a great pre-workout choice. Researchers have found that it helps to train longer. But remember: do not abuse. Excessive amounts of such a drink will negatively affect your metabolism. 
You may come into contact with bacteria
Microbiologists have tested coffee machines and found that dozens of different bacteria can be found there, including staph and E. coli. Even if you don't use the coffee machine, the risk remains: mugs can also harbor harmful bacteria. 
The smell of coffee affects the brain
According to scientific data, even the smell of a drink can affect brain function. Scientists conducted experiments on rats and found that the fragrance acted as a sedative and antioxidant. 
You may become addicted
Regular use of caffeine is addictive. If you suddenly stop using it, you may experience extremely unpleasant symptoms. 
A cup of coffee can prevent headaches
There are types of headaches that can be prevented with caffeine - for example, if we are talking about an elderly person who has a headache before bedtime. 
Coffee can smooth your feet
A blend of antioxidant-rich coffee and moisture-protecting coconut oil is the perfect recipe for rough feet. 
Coffee helps protect the liver
Recent studies suggest that regular drinking of this drink helps reduce the risk of liver cancer in people who often abuse alcohol.
Daily cup of coffee has become a ritual in everyday life for many. In addition to the pleasant taste, thanks to the content of caffeine, this drink fills us with cheerfulness and energy. Studies have shown that this drink improves memory, is important for emotional well-being, helps prevent depression, and also reduces the risk of cancer and other diseases. Of course, excessive consumption of coffee leads to negative results. The main thing in everything, it is to know the measure and find a reasonable compromise in its use.
I propose to get acquainted with five tips on how and when to drink coffee in order to get the maximum benefit.
1) 200mg caffeine to improve memory performance
200 mg is enough for your body to extract the most useful for good memory function. This dose is equivalent to two cups of home-brewed coffee (less than a large serving at Starbucks).
Research conducted by scientists in 2014 showed that people who consumed 200 mg of caffeine, who were shown various pictures for memory as a memory experiment, remembered them much better the next day than those who consumed only 100 mg or more than 200 mg. , having received the opposite result, in connection with the search for caffeine.
2) Take a break with your morning cup of coffee
If your daily routine is so tight that you don’t have time for a measured breakfast in the morning, and you immediately grab coffee, know that you will get little benefit as such from an early morning drink.
Some people are so used to a morning cup of coffee that without it they simply cannot wake up and cheer up, considering themselves coffee addicts.
Scientific studies have shown that there are some periods during the day when drinking coffee is not advisable! First of all, this applies to the morning hours, when the level of cortisol in the body reaches its highest point. Caffeine directly affects the production of cortisol, and by drinking a cup of coffee in the early morning, our body, instead of producing cortisol, begins to rely on caffeine.
Thus, getting used to drinking coffee in the morning at the peak of cortisol release (8-9 am), the body gradually ceases to produce it on its own. Caffeine replaces the invigorating effect of cortisol.
Most the right time for coffee is from 10 am to 12 pm and from 2 pm to 5 pm when you get the most benefit from caffeine. People who feel overwhelmed and tired in the morning without coffee have a disturbed natural biological cycle of cheerfulness. So maybe you should reconsider the traditional morning rituals of coffee?
3) It is better to drink coffee in small doses than immediately in a large portion
One cup of freshly brewed coffee lasts for several hours.
4) It is better to refuse a late cup of coffee,coffee "at night" - the cause of insomnia
Good sound sleep is the key to good health. The resulting caffeine with a cup of coffee for the last dose in the evening will act in the body for another 6 hours. Therefore, if you have problems sleeping after drinking coffee at night, then it is better to control the last coffee intake or completely abandon nightly consumption. Caffeine speeds up the heartbeat and increases arousal.
5) Caffeine directly affects our body, however, the aromatic smell of coffee itself gives its result.
Studies have shown that the smell of coffee affects the human brain, helping to get out of their sleepy state. Hearing the smell of coffee, we tune ourselves in the right way. Often just the aroma of coffee is enough to give you a boost of energy and lift your spirits.
You can drink coffee, and even need it, but only at certain times. In the morning, it is not recommended to drink an invigorating drink, since at this time cortisol peaks in the human body. When the hormone is at its highest stage of activity, caffeine is unable to play its part.
"stress hormone"
Cortisol - the "stress hormone" - is able to rid the body of fatigue in the morning from 8 to 9, at lunchtime and from 6 to 7 in the evening. Drinking a cup of coffee at this time dulls the action of the hormone, and the body loses the chance to naturally gain vigor. The hours of action of the hormone just coincide with the beginning of the working day, lunch break and the end of the working day, just when you want to drink a cup of hot coffee.
A typical daily schedule for a coffee lover looks something like this:
- In the morning, be sure to take a sip of coffee before you have time to “open” your eyes.
- In the office at the beginning of the working day, discuss the latest news with colleagues, and again, over a cup of an invigorating drink, tune in to the working day.
- At lunchtime, quickly eat a sandwich on the run with a glass of coffee, and after a working day, sit in a coffee shop with friends, calming down after work adventures.
When to drink coffee
During periods of cortisol action, coffee is not recommended. It is better to sacrifice your desire to do everything, stop torturing yourself with sleepless nights after an evening cup of coffee and rid yourself of the habit. By using caffeine during these hours, a person gets used to it, and feels lethargic and tired by the time of a work break or at the end of the day. Plus, it's an extra cost. Better let it be plain water with lemon, especially in the morning, freshly squeezed juice or herbal tea.
- this is a fact, but do not abuse this drink.
It is recommended to drink coffee from 9:30 to 12, and also from 13:30 to 5 pm. During these intervals, the stress hormone is not in its active phase, and caffeine only helps to gain vigor. During these periods of time, caffeine brings the greatest benefit to the body. In addition to giving vivacity, a delicious smell will attract the attention of colleagues, and it will be possible to discuss all issues with pleasure over a cup of coffee without harm to health.
Of course, managers, directors, and others in leadership positions are unlikely to appreciate this alignment. Unfortunately, the rhythms of hormones in the body often coincide with the only free time for busy people. And also, managers will obviously not like the fact that subordinates take coffee breaks at the wrong time. However, it is worth treating this with understanding, since tired employees with a disturbed rhythm in the body will not bring great productivity in the workplace.
Conclusion
Do not neglect the characteristics of the body and harm it by drinking coffee at the wrong hours. A glass of cold water with lemon will help you cheer up early in the morning, and herbal tea will help you relax after a hard day's work. Coffee is certainly useful, but keep in mind that it can only bring benefits at certain times. Then, in addition to the pleasure of taste, you can benefit for your body.
