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» The benefits and harms of coffee. The effect of coffee on the human body

The benefits and harms of coffee. The effect of coffee on the human body

A large number of people cannot imagine their morning without a fragrant cup of coffee; this tonic drink invigorates and energizes. There are many studies and opinions about coffee, the benefits and harms for the human body. Which of them are correct and is there a danger of harming your health by drinking the drink every day?

Composition of coffee beans

Coffee is made from roasted beans of the coffee tree. There are more than 90 varieties of such plants in nature. Of the industrial varieties, Arabica and Robusta are most often used.

Coffee beans contain more than one thousand different components, 800 of them are aromatic substances that give the drink a unique smell. Grains contain:

  • Carbohydrates provide the body with energy and contribute to the accumulation of nutrient reserves.
  • Tannins (tannins) have astringent properties, have antimicrobial, hemostatic properties, and remove toxins in case of poisoning.
  • Organic acids: malic, acetic, citric, oxalic, pyruvic acids take part in the metabolic processes of the body.
  • Alkaloids: caffeine, theophylline, theobromine affect the nervous system, increase body tone, performance, and concentration. Regulates the level of glucose in the blood.
  • Nicotinic acid is involved in the formation of digestive enzymes, lipid metabolism, and redox processes in the body.
  • Chlorogenic acid has a pronounced antioxidant effect, has antiviral, hepatoprotective (protects liver tissue), and antitumor properties.
  • Macro and microelements: calcium, iron, fluorine, sodium, magnesium, phosphorus, sulfur are involved in biochemical processes.

Is drinking coffee harmful? Spanish scientists have found that the peel of coffee beans contains a large amount of antioxidants (tannins), which are much stronger than vitamin C or green tea. These substances help remove toxins from the body. In addition, the shell contains plant fiber and phenols, which stimulate the gastrointestinal tract.

During roasting, the water content in beans decreases by 3 times. The calorie content of 1 cup of tonic drink is only 9 kcal, but if you add a little milk or dilute it with cream, the energy value of the product increases to 40–60 kcal.

Beneficial features

What are the benefits of coffee for the body?

  • It has diuretic properties, therefore preventing the formation of kidney stones.
  • The benefits of coffee are used to prevent constipation. The plant fiber contained in grains helps with this. Caffeine increases the acidity of gastric juice and stimulates increased liver function and bile production.
  • Caffeine stimulates the nervous system, increasing efficiency, tones the body and eliminates drowsiness and headaches. The effect lasts 3–4 hours.
  • The benefit of coffee for the respiratory system during bronchitis and pneumonia is the removal of phlegm, due to the content of tannins. In combination with lemon and honey, it strengthens the immune system, suppresses viruses, and enhances the antioxidant effect.
  • A sugar-free drink is beneficial for the female body when losing weight. It promotes fat burning during exercise due to the increased tone and performance caused by caffeine.
  • Coffee is known to be beneficial for hypotension, as it increases blood pressure.
  • Due to its antioxidant content, coffee is a cancer preventative in women and men. Antioxidants protect cell structure from the effects of free radicals.
  • The drink prevents Parkinson's and Alzheimer's diseases due to stimulation of the central nervous system. Drinking coffee prevents the destruction of brain cells.
  • What are the benefits of coffee? Caffeine enhances the effect of medications such as Aspirin and Paracetamol, increasing the load on the liver.
  • The drink helps with poisoning due to its antioxidant effect. Helps remove toxins from the body.
  • Caffeine, when consumed in moderation (up to 300 ml per day), restores damaged liver cells, preventing cirrhosis.

The benefits of coffee appear only with moderate use of the drink; large doses (more than 300 ml per day) contribute to addiction and intoxication of the body.

Types of instant drinks

According to the production method, instant coffee can be powdered, sublimated or granulated. Powder is prepared from roasted and crushed grains, soluble substances are extracted from the resulting mass, cooled, filtered, and dried with hot air.

The production of a granulated drink is identical, only at the end the powder is formed into granules using steam supplied under high pressure.

The freeze-dried product is prepared differently. First, a decoction of coffee beans is made and completely frozen; the resulting mass is dehydrated under low pressure. The product is then crushed into small, irregularly shaped pieces. The freeze-dried variety, unlike other types of instant drinks, preserves the properties and taste of natural grains as much as possible.

The beneficial and harmful properties of coffee in the form of powder or granules are manifested in lower caffeine content, so you can drink 4-5 cups every day. Harmful properties appear in case of overdose: the functioning of the heart, liver, and nervous system is disrupted. Cardiac activity, cerebral vessels, and the central nervous system are affected by increased blood circulation, and liver function is affected by increased acidity of gastric juice.

Freeze-dried coffee retains the same amount of caffeine as natural black coffee. It has the same effect on the body.

To add piquancy and variety to the popular drink, flavored varieties are produced with the taste of caramel, chocolate, vanilla, hazelnut, almond, honey, lemon, and alcoholic beverages. The flavored product in grains has become especially famous.

A refined taste is imparted by spraying flavored substances (essential oils) onto the grains, the inside of the package, and into the ground powder. What are the benefits of a flavored drink? The beneficial properties of coffee are the same as those of natural varieties. You just need to remember that a natural flavored product made from quality grains cannot be cheap.

Coffee addiction

Is coffee harmful to health? When taken correctly, the natural drink does not cause harm, and in some cases is even beneficial. Its systematic consumption of 3 cups every day can cause addiction (theism). A dosage of more than 4 cups can lead to intoxication of the body due to the effects of caffeine on the heart and central nervous system, anxiety, tremors of the limbs, confusion, and a severe headache.

Important! The safe daily dose of caffeine for humans is 300 mg. More than 90 mg of caffeine (1 cup) per 1 kg of body weight, drunk in a short period of time (2-3 hours), can lead to death. The load on the heart increases, blood circulation is impaired and death can occur!

Caffeine tones the nervous system, improves mood, and increases performance. Therefore, it causes psycho-emotional addiction. A dependent person without drinking coffee feels irritation, headache, decreased performance, and drowsiness.

Methods for preparing the drink

Freeze-dried coffee with milk: harm or benefit? When preparing the drink, it is not recommended to add sugar to it; it is better to drink it with honey. The benefit of coffee with milk or cream is that caffeine flushes calcium from the body, and milk replenishes this microelement. The drink retains all the harmful and beneficial properties of natural coffee.

When milk is added to a drink, calcium mineral salts accumulate in the kidneys and stones form.

Natural coffee, the benefits and harms of its use for women and men are manifested in an increase in the overall tone of the body. The negative effects of the drink cause disruption of the heart, liver, and nervous system. Blood circulation increases, which increases the load on the organs of the cardiovascular system. Increased stomach acidity after drinking coffee increases the load on the liver.

Flavored coffee beans are ground and brewed in a Turkish coffee pot. There is no need to dilute the drink with cream or milk so as not to spoil the taste of the additives. The freeze-dried or granulated soluble product is brewed with boiling water. You can add 2 tablespoons of milk to reduce bitterness, and honey instead of sugar.

You can add a slice of lemon to any type of coffee, this will give the drink a special taste and aroma. Citrus zest, cloves, and cinnamon are also used. Drinking lemon will help replenish vitamin C, potassium, phosphorus and magnesium, which caffeine removes. Lemon has a beneficial effect on the condition of blood vessels, while neutralizing the effect of caffeine.

Coffee with lemon and honey is also useful in the treatment of colds, since caffeine removes phlegm, and citrus strengthens the immune system, fights viruses, and relieves inflammation. Honey is a powerful antioxidant and reduces the harm from drinking coffee.

To add to a tonic drink, it is best to use linden and buckwheat honeys; they help reduce the bitterness of natural coffee. You need to prepare a drink with honey correctly; the bee product is added to a warm drink (50˚), otherwise all the beneficial properties of honey are lost.

Harmful effects

What harm does coffee cause to the body?

  • Due to its diuretic properties, coffee flushes calcium from the body and, at the level of brain activity, dulls the feeling of thirst. This occurs due to impaired blood circulation in the blood vessels of the brain when drinking coffee. This condition threatens dehydration.
  • It is harmful to drink an instant drink (powdered, sublimated or granulated) in the morning on an empty stomach; it irritates the mucous membranes of the gastrointestinal tract, causing an exacerbation of diseases.
  • Caffeine on an empty stomach creates an acidic environment in the stomach due to its chlorogenic acid content. This leads to the formation of heartburn.
  • Drinking caffeine (more than 300 mg per day) is harmful. Diluting the drink with cream or milk does not reduce the caffeine level, so the harmful effects of the drink remain the same.
  • The harm of coffee is to increase appetite due to accelerated digestion of food. Therefore, when losing weight or excess weight, you need to control the amount of drink consumption.
  • Coffee can cause great harm if you drink it immediately after a meal and disrupt the digestion process. The drink, when mixed with food, negatively affects the primary processing of food by stomach enzymes.
  • Coffee causes staining of tooth enamel. Carbohydrates cause the formation of persistent pigmentation on the surface of teeth.
  • Dehydration and calcium loss negatively affect the functioning of the heart and brain.
  • Coffee grounds contain tannins, which increase the acidity of the stomach and cause exacerbation of diseases of the digestive tract.
  • Drinking flavored coffee beans in the morning on an empty stomach, after which nothing was eaten, causes gastric juice and hydrochloric acid to digest the walls of the empty stomach. With systematic use, the development of peptic ulcers is possible.
  • A sharp increase in pressure by 10 mm Hg, an increase in the load on the heart and blood vessels can lead to disturbances in the functioning of the heart and brain. This threatens heart attacks and strokes. To prevent the drink from increasing blood pressure, you need to add lemon to it; the fruit contains potassium and magnesium, which are necessary for the normal functioning of the vascular system.
  • Coffee increases the content of cholesterol plaques in the blood due to the content of caffestol, which is involved in the transport of bile from the liver.

Harm to women's health

How is coffee harmful for pregnant women? The drink dilates blood vessels and can increase blood pressure. This is dangerous for the health of the expectant mother, as involuntary abortion, bleeding or premature birth may occur. A dangerous dosage is more than 2 cups every day. If there are disturbances in the functioning of the heart and vascular system in the expectant mother, children may be born with underweight and anemia.

The harm of coffee for young women is to reduce the possibility of conceiving a child by 40%. This happens because caffeine changes hormonal levels and negatively affects ovulation and contractility of the fallopian tubes.

For pregnant and lactating women, the harm of coffee lies in the negative impact of caffeine on the baby’s nervous system. Due to the diuretic properties, calcium is washed out, the child’s baby teeth will quickly deteriorate, and the mother will lose her permanent ones.

Important! With frequent coffee consumption, women need to replenish fluid loss in the body. You should drink at least 2 liters per day of pure still water every day.

Systematic use of a soluble freeze-dried product without constant physical activity leads to the formation of cellulite in women on the thighs and abdomen. The drink disrupts blood flow and contributes to impaired water metabolism, and these are the main reasons for the formation of “orange peel”.

Harm to men's health

What is the harm of coffee for men? When drinking a flavored drink, the level of testosterone in the blood of representatives of the stronger sex decreases. Microelements necessary for the functioning of the prostate gland (magnesium, zinc, vitamins A, E) are excreted in the urine, and sexual desire decreases.

Caffeine stimulates the production of the stress hormone and the release of adrenaline into the blood. The male body perceives this as a decrease in the need for testosterone.

The harm of coffee to the male body lies in the risk of developing enuresis (urinary incontinence). American scientists have found that drinking 3 cups of natural drink per day increases the likelihood of developing urinary incontinence by 70%.

When not to drink coffee

Main contraindications:

  • Hypertension. Caffeine increases blood pressure and can lead to a hypertensive crisis. In people who constantly drink coffee, blood pressure does not increase due to addiction.
  • For insomnia. The drink further tones and invigorates the human body.
  • The harm of coffee manifests itself in gastritis, peptic ulcers of the stomach and duodenum. Chlorogenic acid causes irritation of the mucous membranes, heartburn and exacerbation of diseases of the digestive tract. It is especially harmful to drink a flavored drink in the morning on an empty stomach.
  • In polycystic ovary syndrome, caffeine helps accelerate the growth of cysts. This is a hormonal disease, and coffee can disrupt the normal balance of hormones in a woman’s body.
  • Pregnancy and breastfeeding are the main contraindications due to the risk of premature birth and harm to the health of the fetus.
  • Atherosclerosis is one of the contraindications, since caffeine increases blood cholesterol levels. This substance is affected by coffeestol, contained in grains. It affects the receptors of intestinal cells that transport bile acids from the liver.
  • Coffee is contraindicated for osteoporosis (decreased bone density, increased bone fragility) in older people, especially women, since the drink leaches calcium, phosphorus and magnesium, which are necessary for strengthening bones.
  • For diseases of the nervous system, since caffeine increases the excitability of the brain.
  • Heart pathologies: tachycardia, arrhythmia. The drink dilates blood vessels and disrupts heart rhythm.
  • Children and teenagers should not drink this tonic drink, as coffee removes calcium, which the child’s body needs for normal growth.

In case of overdose, the harm of coffee manifests itself in the occurrence of insomnia, nausea, vomiting, and dizziness. The central nervous system is excited, and tremors of the limbs, confusion, and migraine may appear. The heartbeat increases, the rhythm of its work is disrupted, and blood pressure rises.

Is coffee good for human health? When used correctly and without contraindications, a flavored, black or freeze-dried drink will give you vigor, improve performance and mood. And adding lemon and honey will help reduce the negative effects of caffeine.

Some symptoms of appearance:

  • increased sweating;
  • weakened immunity, frequent colds;
  • weakness, fatigue;
  • nervous state, depression;
  • headaches and migraines;
  • alternating diarrhea and constipation;
  • I want sweet and sour;
  • bad breath;
  • frequent feeling of hunger;
  • problems with losing weight;
  • decreased appetite;
  • night grinding of teeth, drooling;
  • pain in the abdomen, joints, muscles;
  • cough does not go away;
  • acne on the skin.

If you have any of the symptoms or are in doubt about the causes of your ailments, you need to cleanse your body as quickly as possible. Read how to do this here.

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Coffee is a drink that has been known to mankind for more than 2 centuries. True, in the old days there was no such thing as “drinking a cup of coffee” - the fruits of the coffee tree were fried in animal fat and consumed in such a strange form. But even in those days, healers established for sure that coffee stimulates the appetite, serves as a diuretic and is able to activate strength even with severe fatigue. What do modern scientists say about the dangers and benefits of coffee?

Nutritional value and composition of a drink made from coffee beans

Nutritional value 100 g:

  • Calorie content: 118.7 kcal
  • Proteins: 15 g
  • Fat: 3.6 g
  • Carbohydrates: 7 g

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  • Water: 7 g
  • Ash: 1 g

Macronutrients:

  • Calcium: 100 mg
  • Sodium: 3 mg
  • Phosphorus: 250 mg

Vitamins:

  • Vitamin PP: 24 mg
  • Vitamin B2 (riboflavin): 1 mg
  • Vitamin PP (Niacin equivalent): 26.49 mg

Microelements:

  • Iron: 6.1 mg

Coffee is not a dietary product and cannot “work” as a fat burner (although such a theory has been put forward by some lovers of extravagant weight loss).

Raw coffee beans contain tannin - its content is about 7.7%, but when roasting, the amount of tannin decreases noticeably (to 0.56%), which absolutely does not affect the quality of the final result.

Coffee beans also contain:

  • chlorogenic acids;
  • quinic acid esters;
  • theophylline;
  • glucoside;
  • thebromine

But the most important component of the product in question, for which it is so loved, is caffeine. It is impossible to accurately indicate the amount of caffeine in coffee - it will vary in different varieties. For example, Robusta contains more caffeine, but the well-known Arabica contains less caffeine.

Coffee: the benefits of beans

When they talk about the benefits of coffee, they first begin to consider the positive effect of caffeine, the main component of the product, on the body. Scientists confirm the following data:

  1. Caffeine can significantly improve memory and increase concentration, but only in the short term. Moreover, caffeine acts very quickly - once it enters the gastrointestinal tract, it is absorbed almost instantly and reaches the brain cells within 5 minutes.
  2. This component of coffee can also make breathing easier - under its influence, the smallest bronchioles of the lungs open. There is a version that smokers unknowingly use this quality of caffeine to make their breathing easier - it’s not for nothing that they love to smoke a cigarette with a cup of aromatic coffee.
  3. Caffeine improves reaction speed, although also only in the short term.

But besides caffeine, the product in question contains more than 30 components - their properties determine the benefits of the drink:

  1. Coffee helps prevent the development of type 2 diabetes. The study was conducted by American scientists over 11 years, the results: people who drank 6 cups of coffee (small) daily were 22% less likely to acquire type 2 diabetes.
  2. The product in question prevents the development of sclerosis. This conclusion was made recently; scientists in the course of research found that coffee changes the energy potential of brain cells, while blocking adenosine, a substance responsible for memory loss.
  3. Coffee helps reduce the risk of gallstones.
  4. Recently, American scientists made a striking conclusion - if you drink 4 cups of coffee every day, you can reduce the risk of developing colon cancer by 24%.
  5. The drink stabilizes and normalizes the functioning of the digestive system - for example, it has been precisely proven that coffee can relieve diarrhea.

There are also those who believe in the very strange beneficial properties of coffee.:

  • alleviates the condition of asthmatics, reduces the number of attacks per day, helps fight cough in diseases of the respiratory tract of an inflammatory/infectious nature;
  • prevents the removal of potassium from the body;
  • reduces the manifestations of allergic reactions;
  • protects against the effects of radiation.

note: these abilities of coffee have not been proven by scientists, which means they remain only speculation.

Coffee: harm to the drink

Despite its many positive qualities, coffee can also cause harm to the body. Doctors and scientists conducted many experiments, studying the effect of coffee on an absolutely healthy body and on people with already diagnosed diseases. The following conclusions were drawn:

  • It is worth limiting coffee consumption for people with diagnosed cardiovascular diseases;
  • For those with a history of hypertension, coffee is practically contraindicated;
  • coffee flushes calcium from the body - based on this knowledge, many assume that drinking coffee in large quantities can trigger the development of osteoporosis;
  • the drink in question can cause physical dependence - if you completely stop drinking it, a person will experience headaches, weakness, fatigue and drowsiness. But this in no way equates coffee to drugs!

There is also a lot of controversy about the drinking of coffee by pregnant women - it was previously believed that this drink could even cause a miscarriage. But recent studies have proven that coffee does not have any effect on the development of the fetus, you just need to take into account the woman’s condition - with high blood pressure, diagnosed kidney disease, problems in the gastrointestinal tract, it is better to give up coffee.

The harms and benefits of coffee are controversial issues; you need to decide on the advisability of drinking this tasty drink either independently or in tandem with doctors.

The question of the benefits and harms of natural coffee beans has long been of concern to many coffee lovers. To drink or not to drink - that is the question? Not so long ago, all doctors unequivocally stated that coffee is a very harmful drink, and categorically forbade people with a wide variety of diseases and pathologies from drinking it.

Naturally, there should not be too much coffee, like any other product in the diet. Caffeine in large quantities can raise blood pressure, increase the risk of tachycardia, reduce calcium levels in the body and increase stomach acidity. But all this concerns excessive coffee consumption, when a person cannot stop drinking 3-4 cups a day and continues to drink this drink from morning until night.

Recently, research on coffee shows that it not only does not harm, but is also very beneficial for our body. Even during pregnancy, when drinking coffee was strictly forbidden, you can now indulge in a morning cup and not worry about the consequences.

What are the benefits of natural coffee?

So, natural coffee is known to have a stimulating effect. Caffeine makes you feel alert, which is why many people prefer to drink coffee for breakfast. It helps you wake up faster, put your brain to work, and make better and faster decisions. In addition, short-term memory improves, stress and irritation levels decrease.

Another very important point is that coffee contains natural antioxidants, which are now so fashionable to be taken as dietary supplements. Oxides are oxygen free radicals that act on our cells like oxygen does on iron, that is, they oxidize them. By consuming antioxidants, cells are effectively protected from free radicals, keeping them healthy.

Also, recent studies have shown that coffee reduces the risk of cancer and cirrhosis of the liver, Alzheimer's disease, and type 2 diabetes. It should also be noted that coffee helps boost immunity, improves the functioning of the digestive system and promotes the secretion of gastric juice.
The benefits of natural coffee have been scientifically proven, so you can trust research in this area 100%. So, in Italy, studies were conducted for several years that confirmed the fact that people who drink about 2-3 cups of coffee a day are about 25% less likely to suffer from asthma.

The effectiveness of research is expressed in the long-term duration of its implementation. For example, Harvard scientists conducted research for 10 years. At the same time, about 68 thousand women participated in the experiment over the entire period. And as such a global experiment has shown, the risk of committing suicide is reduced by 65% ​​if a woman drinks more than 2 cups of coffee every day.

In addition, a reduced incidence of hypertension and diabetes was observed, even if there was a genetic predisposition to these diseases. Harvard also conducted research on the risk of colon cancer. It turned out that the antioxidants contained in coffee help reduce the risk of disease by 25%.

Interestingly enough, studies of the effects of coffee on the body show completely different results for men and women. For example, for 45 thousand men who participated in the experiment, the risk of developing gallbladder diseases and stone formation decreased by 40%. But a prerequisite for this was the need to drink more than 3 cups of coffee a day.

Many older people are afraid to drink coffee, as it can trigger the development of hypertension. But with proper and moderate consumption of this drink, they can bring great benefits to their health. The likelihood of developing Parkinson's disease is reduced by as much as 500% if you drink about 2-3 cups of coffee a day. That is why quite serious developments and research are currently underway in this direction.

Now all the myths regarding the harm of natural coffee and its negative impact on the body have been almost completely dispelled by modern scientists. All previous studies going back many years showed the risk of caffeine exposure. However, such important factors as the presence of antioxidants, vitamins, and beneficial minerals in coffee beans were not taken into account.

Every coffee lover can easily refute all the arguments of “healthy lifestyle” advocates that coffee is harmful. After all, they are so angry because they were completely unable to understand and experience the full potential of this invigorating magical drink.

The mechanism of action of coffee on our body

Only a true coffee lover can understand how easy it is to wake up in the morning when natural coffee is brewing on the stove in a Turk. Its aroma cannot be confused with ordinary instant powder and even with freeze-dried instant coffee, which, by the way, sometimes costs more than natural coffee.

To understand the effect of coffee on our body, it is necessary to understand how its main component, caffeine, works, and whether we should be afraid of it. Yes, caffeine is an alkaloid and it can affect the cardiovascular and nervous systems. Its work is carried out according to the following principle: when caffeine enters the body, it promotes enhanced functioning of the pituitary gland.

Thanks to this, the pituitary gland produces a special hormone that increases adrenaline. As a result of this action, the heart beats much faster, and the liver releases glucose into the circulatory system. Accordingly, we can use more energy. In addition, muscles contract, blood vessels constrict, and the airways, on the contrary, relax. Thanks to this, a person feels cheerful and active.

Who benefits from natural coffee?

The benefits of natural coffee for the female body are primarily expressed in relieving stress. Women can also count on a reduced risk of many diseases associated with the nervous and cardiovascular systems. Probably, many of us have noticed on the Internet or on the TV screen how a rather elderly old woman sits in a cafe and drinks a cup of strong espresso.

For those who are afraid of the negative consequences of drinking coffee, we can advise using milk or cream as an additional ingredient. These products include calcium in their composition, which minimizes the risk of it being washed out of the body. At the same time, the effect of caffeine is not reduced at all.

Don’t forget to drink weak coffee before training - it will reduce muscle soreness, and if you are far from sports and even have such a bad habit as smoking, then coffee can neutralize the harm from it. But this does not mean that you need to continue to indulge your weaknesses.

The debate about whether drinking coffee every day is beneficial or harmful has been going on for several decades:

  • Some scientists, probably paid by coffee companies, claim that coffee is at least harmless, and in some places even benefits the body (reduces the risk of stroke, diabetes, cirrhosis of the liver, depression, kidney stones, etc.).
  • Others, who are paid by competitors (tea or juice producers, for example), talk about the terrible destructiveness of this drink for our health.

There is no end in sight to this dispute, since coffee, unlike energy drinks, is a natural product, therefore, it can be both beneficial and harmful. An analogy can be made with a tomato. This fruit is tasty and healthy, but in patients with gout it can cause an exacerbation of the disease, and if you eat several kilograms of tomatoes at a time, you can get poisoned. We will talk about coffee, the benefits and harm to human health in the presence of any diseases in the article.

Let's start with the definition of concepts

Coffee is a drink prepared by brewing roasted and then ground coffee beans in a cezve or coffee maker. This is the kind of coffee we will discuss further. Instant coffee is a separate topic for discussion, but we will also mention it.

Natural coffee is not a food product, since this drink contains very little protein, fat and carbohydrates. However, in addition to the well-known caffeine, coffee contains up to 30 biologically active substances. Among them: potassium, magnesium, calcium, phosphorus, vitamin PP, vitamin B2, organic acids, theophylline, etc.

About the effect on the nervous system

Benefit

Harm

  • Increases the attention and reaction speed of drivers, allowing you to avoid falling asleep while driving.
  • Increases resistance to stress and performance.
  • Increases the content of serotonin in the brain (“happiness hormone”), which, when used regularly, improves mood and can relieve depression (see antidepressants)
  • Relieves headaches - a scientifically proven fact. The only exception is headaches caused by high blood pressure. In other cases, a cup of coffee is the safest remedy for this scourge.
  • Causes addiction similar to alcohol or nicotine.
  • Caffeine abuse leads to nervous exhaustion, followed by irritability, nervousness, lethargy, and a sharp decrease in performance.
  • Large doses of caffeine, especially at night, can cause insomnia (see how to fall asleep quickly).

Theophylline

This substance contained in coffee accelerates blood circulation in organs and has bronchodilator properties (relieves bronchospasm).

About the effect on the digestive system

Coffee stimulates the secretion of digestive juices. For healthy people this is not dangerous, but for patients with stomach ulcers, gastritis or pancreatitis it can lead to trouble.

There is evidence that regular coffee consumption reduces the risk of liver cirrhosis in alcohol abusers.

Coffee contains tannins in large quantities, substances that give this drink a bitter taste. Tannins have a positive effect on the metabolism of some vitamins, such as PP and C, but may interfere with the absorption of some microelements, such as iron, which should be taken into account in patients with anemia. In addition, these substances have tanning properties. This effect has been used in past medicine to treat stomach ulcers.

Tannins in coffee are neutralized by adding milk to it.

As you can see, the influence of the described drink on “ulcer sufferers” is very contradictory. On the one hand, a cup of coffee in such patients can cause heartburn or abdominal pain, and on the other hand, it can promote the healing of ulcers. However, the view of modern gastroenterology on coffee is rather negative - in case of exacerbation of gastric ulcer or duodenal ulcer, coffee is contraindicated.

About the effect on the cardiovascular system

The impact of the drink we are discussing on health is very clearly reflected in the condition of the heart and blood vessels. Moreover, this effect is due not only to caffeine, but to the rest of the complex of substances included in it.

Caffeine increases the heart rate, causing tachycardia (a higher than normal number of heart beats per minute). For a young, healthy body, this is not scary, but for athletes it is even good, as it leads to an increase in blood flow to the tissues, which somewhat improves athletic performance.

But in sick people, tachycardia can cause life-threatening complications:

  • In case of hypertension - provoke a hypertensive crisis.
  • In case of heart failure, there is a significant deterioration in the condition due to an increase in the need of the heart muscle for oxygen.
  • In case of coronary artery disease, it can cause a heart attack or even a heart attack.
  • An overdose of caffeine can lead to cardiac arrhythmia, which increases the risk of sudden death by 2 to 3 times. (WHO definition. Sudden cardiac death is an unexpected, unforeseen death of cardiac etiology, occurring in the presence of witnesses within a short period of time, no more than 1-6 hours from the onset of the first signs of the disease, in a person without the presence of conditions that could currently be fatal ).

A few more facts about the benefits of coffee

What can motivate us to drink one or more cups of coffee?

  • Regular consumption of even one cup of coffee per day can reduce the risk of cardiovascular death (stroke, heart attack, fatal blockage of an important vessel) by 24%. Proven by a joint study by scientists from Madrid and Harvard.
  • There is scientific evidence that regularly drinking coffee can reduce the risk of Alzheimer's or Parkinson's disease, with coffee reducing the risk of Parkinson's disease by 500%.
  • Coffee reduces the activity of microorganisms that cause caries. True, to reduce the risk of caries you need to drink this drink without sugar.
  • Coffee may help reduce some allergies because it reduces the formation of histamine in the body (see allergy pills)

Fun fact: Research has shown that the best release of antioxidants and caffeine comes from brewing coffee at room temperature (see Don't brew coffee with boiling water).

A few more facts about the health risks of coffee

When and for what reasons should you avoid drinking coffee?

  • Pregnant women should drink coffee very carefully. Drinking four or more cups per day increases the risk of miscarriage by 33%. However, 1 – 3 cups per day reduces the likelihood of intrauterine fetal death by 3%.
  • In menopausal women, 4 or more cups per day increases the risk of osteoporosis.
  • Excessive coffee consumption increases the levels of total and LDL cholesterol (“bad cholesterol”) in the blood, which contributes to the progression of atherosclerosis.

About false accusations and unjustified hopes

Both critics and coffee fans go too far in their enthusiasm and sometimes attribute certain harmful/beneficial properties to this drink, which are not such.

  • Antioxidant - Coffee contains some amount of antioxidants that protect our body from stress. True, to get any significant antioxidant effect, you need to drink at least 5 cups a day, so it shouldn’t be considered an antioxidant.
  • Carcinogens during roasting - when roasting coffee beans, benzopyrene resins appear in it, which have carcinogenic properties. The deeper the roast, the more resins. But we do not consume the grain itself, both whole and ground, and their concentration in the resulting drink is negligible. All benzopyrene remains in the cup or coffee maker, so this harm is very ephemeral, unless, of course, you drink coffee along with coffee grounds (see which products contain a lot of dangerous carcinogen - acrylamide).

About instant coffee

Natural coffee cannot be instant, no matter what I tell you about this. The technology for making instant coffee was discovered at the end of the century. However, the first can of this product first rolled off the Nestlé production line in July 1938.

Why is instant coffee not healthy?

  • Firstly, instant coffee is made not from expensive Arabica, but from cheap Robusta. Coffee dust, over-roasted and substandard beans, as well as other waste from coffee production are also used as raw materials. All this is ground and processed with boiling water under high pressure. The resulting extract is filtered, dried and then sprayed in special chambers. When sprayed, drops of the extract solidify into powder. This is instant coffee.
  • Secondly, most useful substances are destroyed during the manufacturing process. Therefore, in order to ensure the necessary taste and aroma of the drink, chicory, acorns, as well as various dyes, flavors, stabilizers, etc. are added to instant coffee, and the cheaper the product, the more of them. The usual coffee content in instant coffee powder is 15%, so what about the rest?
  • Thirdly, caffeine, unlike other active substances, tolerates all technological stages well, so there is more of it in instant drinks (80 g per cup) than in natural drinks (60 mg per cup).

Why isn't decaffeinated instant coffee good for you?

At the beginning of the 2000s, doctors actively began to criticize caffeine. Consequently, people have become interested in decaffeinated drinks. Demand gave rise to supply, and more and more decaffeinated coffee began to appear on the market. Only green coffee beans can be decaffeinated. They are treated with a special solvent, whose name is ethyl acetate. This substance is also used in the manufacture of insect stains and artificial leather. Manufacturers say that they carefully wash their product of ethyl acetate, but where are the guarantees?

conclusions

As can be seen from the above, the harm of coffee is caused mainly by excessive consumption of this drink. One or two cups of coffee a day will improve your mood and invigorate your body. But 4 or more cups a day can have a detrimental effect on your health, especially with long-term abuse. Coffee is contraindicated for people suffering from high blood pressure, heart failure, heart rhythm disturbances, as well as in case of exacerbation of gastric ulcer.

Chocolate-covered coffee beans can be found in confectionery shops and departments that sell elite coffee and high-quality tea. Many people are wary of compact boxes containing unusual delicacies, simply having no idea what this product is or how to use it. But those who have already discovered this delicacy often become its regular consumers. This pill successfully replaces many other products, useful and not so useful. A pack of glazed coffee beans eliminates the need to periodically drink instant coffee and freshen your breath with chewing gum. In addition, this bitter sweetness greatly improves your mood and relieves fatigue.

Invigorating effect

The tonic effect of coffee is no secret. Even a small cup of this drink in the morning will drive away the remnants of sleep and help you get involved in the work process. But some peoples, who learned to collect it in time immemorial, do not brew any drinks from it at all, but simply chew the roasted grains.

If you are feeling tired, stressed, or experiencing seasonal depression, chocolate covered coffee beans can be very helpful for you. How to use this product? Just put one thing in your mouth, and then chew or suck - whichever you prefer. When you first get acquainted with this product, you will probably be surprised by one small piece of candy. It will be enough to cheer you up, and for those who are used to eating sweets, coffee in chocolate can be an excellent choice because its rich taste drowns out the feeling of hunger. These pills have an amazing effect. You are unlikely to want to eat more than three or four pieces in a day.

Product Features

Chocolate covered coffee beans are prepared using the same principle. If you are afraid that you simply will not be able to chew the candy, then your fears are in vain. The grains undergo preliminary heat treatment. The temperature is not as high as when frying. This makes the grains brittle. You can easily bite through the jelly beans. By the way, the candies have a wonderful crunch.

Sweets manufacturers offer different versions of such sweets. You can choose any type of chocolate covered coffee bean. The most common is regular dark, but there are dragees with white, milk and black (with maximum cocoa content).

Health effects

If you eat a lot of chocolate, you can ruin your teeth and gain a couple of unplanned kilos. If you drink a lot of coffee, problems with the heart, blood vessels and even the central nervous system are inevitable. Therefore, the main question that concerns all lovers of eating coffee beans in chocolate is the benefits and harms of this product. Is the treat dangerous for health?

Here it is worth remembering that everything is good in moderation. And it’s simply impossible to eat too many of these pills. They have a long aftertaste, and the invigorating effect is felt immediately. Of course, if you decide to gobble up the whole pack at once, it will not bring anything good. But you are unlikely to succeed.

Unusual gift

Chocolate-covered coffee beans are usually produced in small, beautiful packages. They can be a wonderful gift for someone you always want to see joyful and full of energy. If you are looking for an unusual, non-binding gift, be sure to pay attention to this delicacy.

Coffee- a drink made from coffee beans, which is currently very popular. About 2-2.5 billion cups of coffee are consumed every day in the world.
Contrary to popular misconception, coffee beans were brought to Europe not together with tomatoes, tobacco and potatoes by Christopher Columbus. Coffee has traveled quite a long way from Ethiopia, where it grew wild, through the Arabian Peninsula.

Coffee- a product with a history of almost 1.5 thousand years, but, nevertheless, scientific discussions around it do not fade away. However, most scientists agree on one thing: small doses of coffee have a tonic effect, while large doses depress the nervous system.

Many vegetarians, adhering healthy lifestyle In all cases, those who do not accept alcohol and tobacco products also limit or completely eliminate the consumption of coffee. Is this fair?

10 facts about the health benefits and harms of coffee

As we see, a cup of fragrant, freshly brewed coffee is unlikely to harm your health, and if you are a big fan of this drink, there is no need to stop drinking it. Remember the rule of the golden mean, be moderate and do not drink coffee in excessive quantities. And to prevent insomnia, do not drink coffee in the afternoon.

Calories, kcal:

Proteins, g:

Carbohydrates, g:

Coffee is a drink made from roasted beans of the coffee tree.

Roasting is a process that is carried out at a temperature of +220°C - +250°C and lasts from 4.5 to 25 minutes. Roasting requires very even heating of the beans and strict temperature control.

Traditionally, people roasted coffee using a simple device, which was a drum rotating over a fire, into which beans were poured. The most common modern machines for roasting coffee, roasters (English roast - “roast”), use the same principle, but with minor improvements: electronic temperature control systems have been added, programming the roasting process and blowing the beans in the drum with hot air.

Roasting is often figuratively compared to alchemy, as it seriously transforms the coffee bean (calorizator). After roasting, up to 30% of the weight of the bean consists of new substances and compounds that were not present in green coffee!

Changes occurring in grains:

  • the color changes to brown - from light to dark, depending on the intensity of roasting;
  • moisture evaporates - weight loss 15-22%;
  • gases inflate the grain from the inside - an increase in volume by 25-50%
  • complex compounds are decomposed into simpler and more mobile ones - the characteristic aroma of coffee appears.

Taste characteristics change:

  • the acid content decreases on average from 7% to 4.5% (the higher the degree of roasting, the less acid remains);
  • as a rule, unpleasant tastes disappear or disappear: rotten, astringent;
  • positive tastes develop: fruity, nutty, chocolate, bread.

Types of roasting:

Immediately after roasting, the coffee beans have almost no smell; they need to rest and “come to life” for 12-24 hours.

Calorie content of roasted dry coffee beans

The calorie content of roasted dry coffee beans is 223 kcal per 100 grams of product.

Composition of roasted dry coffee beans

Roasted dry coffee beans contain vitamins, especially P, and tannins (calorifier). Coffee beans contain two main elements: caffeine and trigoneline.

Interacting with high temperature, the grains form nicotinic acid. They also contain sucrose.

Beneficial properties and harm of roasted dry coffee beans

Roasted dry coffee beans, when consumed in moderation, can have a beneficial effect on skin condition, improve memory, performance, reduce the risk of cancer, burn fat, relieve depression and increase the effectiveness of antibiotics.

Harm from roasted dry coffee beans

If you overuse roasted schema coffee beans, you can harm your heart and acquire certain diseases and increase your blood pressure. This also applies to pregnant women; if consumed in excess, coffee can cause miscarriage, so its consumption should be minimized or completely eliminated from the diet.