With the first coffee shops dating back to 1650, coffee has been part and parcel of our daily routine for many years.
In fact, morning coffee has become so ingrained in our lives that the British Coffee Association estimate that, as a country, we drink nearly 100 million cups a day.
Whether it is making yourself a cup in your kitchen at home, or going into one of the many coffee shops on your local high street or near your place of work, drinking coffee is a natural part of our daily lives.
But how much do you know about the effects, both positive and negative, that coffee can have on your health and wellbeing?
Discover some of the pros and cons of what you are drinking as you start your day.
4 potential benefits of your regular morning coffee
1. It can boost your energy levels
Probably the best-known benefit of a morning cup of coffee is that it acts as a stimulant that can help kickstart a busy day.
Coffee contains caffeine which boosts your nervous system and can increase your energy levels and fight fatigue.
As well as helping you on a day-to-day basis, there is evidence to suggest it can enhance your sporting activity, especially in “power” events. A study of cyclists carried out by Human Kinetics found that coffee improved their performance by an average of 1.7%.
That may not seem like much, but in a competitive environment, every split second can make a real difference.
2. It could help reduce your chances of suffering from type 2 diabetes
According to reports published by the National Library of Medicine, regularly drinking coffee could decrease your long-term chances of developing type 2 diabetes.
In fact, an analysis of combined studies on this found that each extra cup of coffee people consumed on a daily basis could potentially result in a 6% lower risk of developing diabetes.
This is primarily due to the ability of coffee to maintain the production of insulin in your pancreas, to help regulate the level of sugar in your blood.
3. It can help you lose weight
According to BBC Good Food, research suggests that a regular intake of caffeine can boost weight loss due to the effect it has of speeding up your metabolism.
This means you digest food more quickly and as a result, can access the energy this gives you sooner after eating than normal.
In this way, you can see how coffee can boost your energy levels, which can then translate into more physical activity and consequent weight loss.
Furthermore, research reported by the National Library of Medicine suggests that coffee could alter the way your body stores fat, and could also help you manage your weight.
4. It could help you live longer
According to observational research published by the European Journal of Preventative Cardiology and reported by CNN, drinking two to three cups of coffee a day could help protect you from cardiovascular disease and a premature death.
The report also references previous studies that showed moderate coffee consumption can help lower your risk of heart and liver disease, and prostate cancer, all of which can reduce your longevity.
4 downsides of regular coffee drinking
1. It can make you tired and irritable
It may seem counter-intuitive considering the reputation coffee has as a stimulant, but your morning brew can actually lead to a feeling of lethargy and tiredness if you get the timing of your consumption wrong.
Drinking too much coffee too quickly can result in a caffeine “spike”, an energy boost which can wear off quickly leaving you with little get-up-and-go energy.
Excessive amounts of coffee can also leave you feeling irritable and tetchy, affecting your concentration and attention levels during your working day.
2. It can affect your sleep patterns
Drinking too much coffee, especially late in the day, can interrupt your sleep routines. Caffeine can still be present in your body six hours after ingesting it.
This is why many experts recommend that you do not drink coffee after the early afternoon. Indeed, this is why the traditional coffee after an evening meal in a restaurant can be a particularly bad idea if you are looking forward to an uninterrupted night of sleep when you get home.
That is why it can often be sensible to drink an alternative, such as decaffeinated coffee or a flavoured tea.
Sleep deprivation, or disrupted sleep patterns, can result in you having slower reaction times, while reduced concentration can affect you at work.
3. It can affect your health in other ways
As with many other things that can potentially be injurious to your health, experts suggest the caffeine in coffee can have no lasting effects on your health if you consume it in moderation.
They recommend that your daily amount of caffeine is 300mg, the amount you will drink in three cups of brewed coffee.
Excessive consumption could lead to health problems such as increased blood pressure, rapid heart rate, and stomach problems. The latter can be accentuated if you drink black coffee, which can be particularly acidic, especially on an empty stomach first thing in the morning before you have eaten anything.
4. It can also have adverse psychological effects
An often-overlooked negative effect of drinking coffee at the wrong time is the potential psychological effects it can have on you.
For example, a report from the British Psychological Society recommends that you avoid drinking strong coffee before going shopping as it can result in an increased likelihood of you buying something on impulse.
The report revealed that people who drank just one espresso before going into a shop spent a remarkable 50% more money inside than others who had merely drunk water or fruit juice.
While reacting impulsively can sometimes be a positive thing, a sudden urge to spend a lot of money very quickly may not be good for your finances!
Get in touch
If you would like to talk about your financial planning, then please do get in touch with us at DBL Asset Management.
Email enquiries@dbl-am.com or call 01625 529 499 to speak to us today.
Please note
This blog is for general information only and does not constitute advice. The information is aimed at retail clients only.
