+What is caffeine?
Caffeine is a bitter substance of ordinary origin found in more than 60 plants, including :
+Coffee beans
+tea leaves
+Kola nuts, used to flavor cola drinks.
+Cocoa pods, used for the manufacture of +chocolate products.
The part of the caffeine consumed by humans comes from beverages. The caffeine content of different beverages can vary widely, but generally includes :
A cup of espresso: 95-200 mg.
A 12-ounce can of cola: 35-45 mg.
One 20 cl energy drink: 70-100 mg.
2 liters of tea: 14-60 mg
According to the Heart Foundation, caffeine makes us more alert and some studies relate caffeine consumption to better mental performance. Caffeine can also increase blood pressure or cause insomnia.
What effects does it have on our body?
We can examine the effects of caffeine on different systems of our body:
Central nervous system: caffeine acts as a stimulant on the central nervous system, mainly helping us to be awake, more alert and less tired.
Digestive and excretory system: caffeine can cause heartburn or stomach upset. It is not used to quench thirst because it has a diuretic effect.
Circulatory and respiratory system: two hours after consuming caffeine, the caffeine content in the blood is maximal, which causes an increase in body pressure.
How much caffeine should I consume?
Specialists recommend a moderate consumption of about 300 mg of caffeine per day, equivalent to two cups of espresso. It is important to control the amount of caffeine we consume per day, since an excess can cause irritability, insomnia, nervousness, nausea, etc.
What happens when we consume too much caffeine?
Central nervous system: An excess of caffeine can cause headaches and worsen the situation of people with sleep disorders or anxiety.
Digestive and excretory system: High doses are not recommended during exercise because, as mentioned above, it is a diuretic and can cause excessive water loss. It may also cause diarrhea and excessive thirst.
Circulatory and respiratory systems: an excess of caffeine can cause cardiac arrhythmias and even respiratory problems, so it is not recommended for people with cardiac problems or hypertension.
Skeletal and nervous systems: in large quantities, caffeine can interfere with the absorption and metabolism of calcium and cause osteoporosis. At the solid level, it can cause cramps.
Does coffee offer health benefits?
Although earlier studies suggested that coffee may have a dark side, more recent research suggests that it may actually be beneficial to health.
Why the change? It is difficult to analyze a single aspect of diet and relate it to a health problem, since it must be associated with many other factors that can influence. For example, early research on coffee did not always take into account that heavy bistro consumers also tend to use tobacco and not exercise.
More recent studies that have taken these factors into account have found a possible link between coffee and lower mortality. Coffee may offer some protection:
+Parkinson’s disease
+Type 2 diabetes
+Liver disease, including liver cancer
+Heart attack and stroke
Coffee still carries potential risks, mainly due to its high caffeine content. For example, it can temporarily increase blood pressure. Women who are pregnant, trying to become pregnant or breastfeeding should be careful with caffeine. High consumption of unfiltered boiled caffeine has been associated with a slight increase in cholesterol levels.