Should you give up coffee?

If you’re a health-conscious sort, should you give up coffee?

Whether you take yours short, dark and super-intense like the Italians, you enjoy the creaminess of a cocoa-topped cappuccino or can’t function without a flat white in the morning, for many of us, coffee forms a big part of our daily routine. In fact, according the British Coffee Association, the caffeinated beverage is the most popular drink worldwide with around two billion cups consumed every day. Here in the UK, we take our caffeine fix very seriously and while there are plenty of benefits to be had from a regular arabica habit, there are some important factors to take into consideration too. Here we examine the pros, cons and how to get the most out of the dark stuff.

The pros

Need a cup of coffee to kickstart your morning, but worried about the effects of your overall caffeine intake? Don’t put your doppio down just yet, as a 2015 study by Harvard researchers discovered that drinking one or more cups of coffee a day can add years to your life – as the bioactive compounds in coffee are thought to increase resistance to diseases like diabetes type two and even some forms of cancer. That’s not all. Coffee could help you hone a better body, as getting your Americano fix can help you burn fat thanks to the metabolism-boosting properties found in caffeine. And if you’re looking to supercharge results in gym, it might be worth making coffee your go-to pre-workout aid, since caffeine may improve physical performance by bolstering you with the energy needed to push yourself to your limits. Research shows that caffeine stimulates the nervous system, sending signals to fat cells to break down body fat, releasing them into the bloodstream as free fatty acids, which can be used as fuel. In fact, if you drink a cup of black coffee before a workout you could go on for 30 per cent longer than usual.

The cons

With all that said, it is worth keeping your habit in check in order to minimise any negative side effects. Shun cheaply-manufactured instant granules for good quality fresh filter coffee, or better still buy the beans and grind them yourself!

Consuming too much can contribute to cardiovascular problems like high blood pressure, headaches, digestive problems like acid reflux and of course sleep problems – especially if you drink coffee after lunchtime. If you’re pregnant, it’s also worth cutting it out completely as coffee has been linked to low birth weight babies. As a general rule, stick to no more than two cups a day (this equates to two cups of coffee) and you’ll reap the benefits while minimising any negative side effects.

And if you are looking for an alternative to coffee, sip on green tea as it offers metabolism-boosting properties and has a significantly lower caffeine content than coffee while still offering a good energy hit. When all else fails, chug a glass of water when a coffee craving strikes. Low energy and fatigue can often be a sign of dehydration, so keep hydration levels up with H2O. It’s that simple!