Sustainable Living

The Pros and Cons of Drinking Coffee

Do you find it hard to function first thing in the morning without a cup of coffee?

Do you find yourself constantly drinking cups throughout the day, especially at lunchtime and on your breaks?

You may not think that you are doing any harm, but research has shown that in certain cases there may be more downsides to coffee than people realize.

a cafe latte prepared

In this article, we will take a quick look at the pros and cons of drinking coffee. Whether you only drink a cup a day, or have around 5 cups before lunchtime, by reading this article you will gain a greater understanding of what coffee may be doing to your health and general moods.

It’s not all bad though. Coffee can also add many benefits to your lifestyle, some that you may have never thought about. We will take a look at those later in the article, but first let’s start with the cons of drinking coffee.

Staining of teeth

Have you ever looked in the inside of a cup after it has had coffee in it? If you have, then you would have seen how the cup very easily stains and takes a bit of scrubbing to wash off.

Brushing teeth

Image via Wikipedia

The same thing happens to your teeth if you drink a lot of coffee. This is especially true if you do not brush your teeth on a regular basis and practice good oral hygiene.Getting rid of these stains can be tough, especially if they are the result of many years of excessive coffee drinking.

An expensive trip to the dentist can do the trick, or maybe one of the special whitening agents that can be found in chemists or online.

Bad breath

Nobody wants to have bad breath, and if you look after your mouth by brushing twice a day and flossing regularly, as well as avoiding lots of junk food, then you are well on your way to having a nice fresh breath that you can be proud of.

However, even if you do all of those things mentioned above, if you drink a lot of coffee then it is unavoidable that it will cause a few nasty smells in your mouth. A lot of coffee brands are also high in acidity, which is a major cause of heartburn and acid reflux.

Stress Levels

Drinking too much coffee results in the stimulation of adrenal glands, which has been proven to send your stress levels through the roof. This is very true if you work in a high stress environment, and is particularly dangerous if you do not realize that you are becoming more and more stressed.

English: Effects of stress on the body.

It is advisable to reduce the amount of coffee that you drink if you feel some stress coming on. Drink plenty of water to keep yourself hydrated, and practice relaxation techniques on a regular basis to maintain your inner calm.

Now let’s have a quick look at the pros of drinking coffee:

Alertness

It is well known fact that a cup of coffee in the morning acts as a good stimulant, and gets you ready for the day ahead.

This can be a good thing, especially if you are not a morning person. It can help you get ready mentally for the day ahead, and get started with a bit of energy on your first task.

Antioxidants

A little known fact about coffee is that it’s loaded with some impressive antioxidants. This can help get rid of all the harmful toxins that fill our bodies, and help to make our skin look healthier and more dynamic.

Asthma

If you suffer from asthma, then you will be pleased to hear that caffeine can help to improve asthma symptoms. This is because it is very similar to an old medication that used to be taken by asthma sufferers.

Conclusion

Delicious Coffee!

Thanks for reading this article on the pros and cons of drinking coffee. Just remember to keep your coffee consumption in moderation and you should be fine.

But also be vigilant for any of the warning signs that you might be drinking too much.

7 thoughts on “The Pros and Cons of Drinking Coffee

  1. WIth regard to moderatiion, another consideration is drinking decaf. If you start with high quality decaffifinaed beans, grind them yourself matching the fineness of the grind to your brewing method of choice, use the proper amount of water, etc., the result is a perfectly wonderful cup of coffee, without the worries of excess stress!

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    • Tea is still a popular drink Becca, and who knows which one will be ahead in the years to come. And wasn’t coffee more popular in the UK than tea was a couple of hundred years ago? There was also something I read recently about tea being a more viable crop over the long term.
      Thanks for stopping by.

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  2. Maybe if you overdo it sure anything can be bad for you. Weigh up all the pros of drinking coffee in moderation against cons and clear that this black gold is here to stay.
    Been off your site for a month, love al the new posts.

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  3. Pingback: Will Drinking Coffee Make you Healthy?

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