Coffee – the most popular beverage in the world, surpassing even tea in production volumes: more than 9 million tons per year compared to 6 million for tea. It’s no wonder that coffee is attributed with many properties, some of which turn out to be myths upon closer examination. Let’s break down which facts can be believed, which cannot, and which are partially true.
Coffee Sobers You Up
One of the most common and dangerous myths is that caffeine helps sober up. Unfortunately, no caffeinated beverage can neutralize alcohol that has entered the body or reduce its effects. However, coffee can briefly invigorate, provide a short burst of energy, and increase concentration. And therein lies the danger: a person may feel sober enough, for example, to drive. However, the only way to deal with intoxication is to sleep or wait for at least 12 hours.
Coffee Dehydrates You
It is believed that caffeine acts as a diuretic and can therefore dehydrate the body. However, there is no scientific evidence to support this fact. It is only assumed that people not accustomed to caffeine may react with increased fluid excretion compared to usual. However, this does not lead to dehydration, and the body easily adapts to this effect within four to five days. Moreover, since coffee is still a liquid, it is quite capable of compensating for fluid loss. However, if you feel thirsty after a cup of espresso, don’t deny yourself a glass of water.
Coffee Causes Insomnia
Not necessarily. The body not only absorbs caffeine quickly but also eliminates it just as quickly. On average, the liver eliminates up to 50% of the ingested caffeine within five to seven hours, and up to 75% within eight to ten hours. So, if you drink your last cup of coffee at 4:00 PM, by the time you need to go to sleep, there will be almost no caffeine left in your system. However, individual reactions to caffeine should be taken into account: some people are more sensitive to it than others. This is influenced by a person’s age, weight, health, mental state, and so on. Additionally, tolerance to caffeine can develop (and for some, it is innate), and then its stimulating effects may hardly be felt at all. Just to be on the safe side, avoid drinking coffee before bedtime to avoid potential insomnia.
Coffee Helps You Lose Weight
Oh, if only. As usual, it can’t be done without additional efforts – proper nutrition and exercise. Only in this case can caffeine and polyphenols in coffee temporarily accelerate metabolism by two to three hours. Scientists recommend using this time wisely – for example, going to the gym or going for a run, which significantly enhances the fat-burning effect of caffeine. Of course, coffee should be consumed without additions like sugar, cream, and sweet pastries. Coffee also suppresses appetite quite well. So here you can count on its help in fighting excess weight: you’ll eat less and not overdo it with calories.
Coffee is Harmful for the Heart
In healthy individuals, caffeine may cause a temporary increase in heart rate and a slight increase in blood pressure. However, in most cases, this will go unnoticed. On the other hand, people with cardiovascular diseases should indeed limit the amount of coffee in their diet. On the flip side, some scientists believe that moderate coffee consumption (about two cups a day) may, on the contrary, protect against heart failure.
If you don’t want to deprive yourself of an espresso or an Americano but are concerned about your health, drink filtered coffee, i.e., brewed in a drip coffee maker or with a paper filter (drip coffee is also an excellent option). Scientists have concluded that this is the healthiest brewing method: the paper filter not only retains the sediment but also cafestol and kahweol – substances that cause an increase in “bad” cholesterol, which leads to vascular and heart diseases.
Coffee Causes Addiction
Not entirely. If someone says they can’t live without coffee, know that this person is exaggerating a bit. Unlike alcohol or tobacco, caffeine does not cause any specific addiction. Yes, there is a so-called withdrawal syndrome when a person may experience fatigue, headaches, scatterbrainedness, and irritability for several days after giving up coffee, but they quickly disappear. Essentially, this is the body’s adaptation to new conditions, and it has nothing to do with “caffeine withdrawal.” If you want to reduce your caffeine intake and avoid unpleasant sensations, simply cut back on the number of cups you drink per day. And in the case where you drink coffee to wake up quickly, we can advise you to go to bed earlier and get enough sleep, then espresso will be a pleasure rather than a rescue.
The WHO did include caffeine dependence (caffeineism) in the ICD-11 a year ago and even assigned it separate codes, equating it with mental disorders. However, most scientists equate caffeine dependence not with narcotic but with psychological dependence.
You Can’t Drink Coffee During Pregnancy
Doctors recommend limiting but not excluding coffee during pregnancy. Of course, it’s not about the beverage itself but about caffeine, which can narrow blood vessels in the uterus and placenta. However, one or two cups of coffee will not have a significant impact on the expectant mother’s body. So you just need to remember moderation and monitor the intake of caffeine from chocolate, cola, cocoa, to avoid overdoing it with its quantity. Healthy pregnant women with low blood pressure can definitely afford a cup of weak coffee. And if you dilute the drink with milk, it will become another source of calcium needed for the baby. But remember, milk does not reduce the caffeine content, let alone neutralize it!
There’s More Caffeine in Dark Roast Beans
The degree of roasting practically does not affect the caffeine content: in any cup of coffee (200 ml), there is about 100 mg of caffeine. Of course, coffee from dark roast beans is richer and stronger, but caffeine has nothing to do with it. The fact is that when coffee beans are roasted, they increase in volume but lose weight due to evaporation of water (up to 90%) and other chemical substances. So it’s logical that if you measure coffee by weight (which everyone does), then a drink from dark roast beans will contain slightly more caffeine.
