Can Coffee be a Health Drink?

A few years ago, there were studies saying that coffee can be associated with cancer.  This prompted people to avoid drinking the caffeinated drink.  A few years after that study, researches have recounted the research quoting that the research is flawed.  Current research have showed that coffee can give the body a lot of benefits.

Harvard researchers are saying that coffee, when drank regularly, can be a cure for diabetes, Parkinson’s disease, and colon cancer.  It could even improve your mood and treat daily headache problems.  It could even be drank to lower risk of cavities. 

Research shows that regular coffee drinkers are 80 percent less likely to have Parkinson’s disease.  While 2-cups-a-day drinkers can reduce the risk of colon cancer by 25 percent and 80 percent in liver cirrhosis risk.  It can even slash the risk of gallstones by half.  There are even studies showing that people who smoke and drink heavily, have less heart and liver damage because of their coffee intake. 

So, what causes these benefits?  It is the anti-oxidants, and surprisingly from the caffeine also.  Currently, drugs for curing Parkinson’s disease are being developed.  These drugs have a derivative of caffeine as their component.  Coffee also has chlorogenic acid and  tocophenols which are antioxidants.  These mineral components can improve insulin sensitivity.  When we talk about insulin sensitivity, it is the body’s response to insulin. 

There were studies conducted in Europe citing that the trigonelline, the compound which is why coffee smells good and has bitter taste,  also has benefits.  It can be both antibacterial and anti-adhesive.  These prevent the formation of dental cavities.

But can everybody drink coffee?

Unfortunately, not everybody can drink coffee. People with bladder and kidney problems, existing diabetes, gallstones, heart problems, high cholesterol levels, hypoglycemia and generalized panic and /or anxiety attacks should avoid drinking coffee altogether.  Avoiding drinking coffee is also advised to pregnant women and those with high risk of osteoporosis. 

For pregnant women, if coffee cannot be avoided, then it is recommended just to drink one to two cups a day.  Infertility, miscarriages and low birth weight among babies are the primary reason why pregnant women are recommended against drinking coffee. 

Excessive caffeine intake can also lead to nervousness, anxiety and rapid heartbeat.  The caffeine overstimulates the nervous system, making the adrenal glands work overboard.  Osteoporosis patients are also advised against coffee.  Coffee reduces the capability of bones to absorb the necessary minerals, making the bones weak and in risk of osteoporosis.  But the effects can be reduced if milk is mixed with coffee. 

For some people, coffee can also be addictive.  People who have stopped drinking coffee experience withdrawal symptoms.  They would get headaches, less energy and alertness, difficulty in being focused, get irritated easily and sometimes even get depressed. 

Over caffeine consumption can also have an impact on your skin, since it increases the risk of developing stretch marks.  Caffeine may also play a role in weight gain.  Although, it is mentioned that coffee drinkers may lose weight in the short-term, but in a longer period of time, coffee can lead to weight gain. 

Coffee both has good and bad effects.  Similar to other beverages and food, once it is taken in big amounts, then it is likely that they may have undesirable effects to your body.  Whether coffee can be considered as a health drink, it is up to you to make the choice. 

Black Tea is also a Health Drink

Tea is a good health drink. While some prefer Green Tea, did you know that you can get the same benefits by drinking Black Tea?

This is because Green tea and Black tea come from the same plant. In fact, there are two other teas that can also be made namely oolong and white tea. What makes these teas different from one another is simply how it is processed.

If you drink Black tea regularly, you will have healthy arteries and increase your blood flow because it has antioxidants known as falconoid that also give the tea this rich flavor. Your cholesterol levels will also drop, you can protect yourself from certain cancers, develop stronger bones, have fresher breath and fewer cavities.

Just like coffee, Black Tea contains caffeine. The difference between the two is the fact that a cup of Black Tea or any other only contains 30 to 40 mg. of caffeine while coffee contains about 135 mg.

Another benefit of Black Tea is the fact that it is calorie free. However, this will only stay that way as long as you don’t ass any sweeter or milk which can’t be helped since tea tastes bland without these additives.

Heating is important to get the most of a sachet of Black tea.  This is because the heat helps the tea leaves impart their taste to the water. To do that, you have to set the sachet in the kettle for 2 to 3 minutes before pouring it into the cup.

For those who decide to put the sachet straight into the cup, take out the bag first before drinking to prevent it from sinking to the bottom. Nothing bad will happen if you don’t except that when you are almost finished with the cup, the tea bag will probably land on your face.

If you don’t like the taste of Black Tea and want to sweeten it a bit, try putting in some sugar, honey or a slice of lemon. You may even add ilk similar to those who drink coffee.

You can have a snack whenever you feel like drinking Black Tea. This is great to have with biscuits, cake or cookies. This will even be better if you decide to have this before you go to work, as you are relaxing in the house or when you are entertaining visitors.

Black Tea does not always have to be served with hot water. You can enjoy a cold glass by adding some ice and honey. One alcoholic concoction is punch and for that, you will need some orange juice, apple juice, mint, gingerale and some rum.

It is also great to serve with egg nog by mixing some eggs, ground nutmeg, milk, vanilla extract, salt and whip cream.

Aside from these three drinks, there are other mixtures you can make with Black Tea. All you have to do is read up on it and try out a few experiments on your own. That way, you have something healthier to offer yourself and guests whenever you have someone over.

Black Tea is very popular which is why a lot of people drink it. While some prefer this over coffee, little do they know that doctors and other health professionals consider it as health drink.