To Coffee or Not to Coffee?

There has been a lot of conflicting reports lately on coffee. Come to think of it, there is a lot of conflicting news on everything that pertains to diet & health. Should we load up on protein or not? Should we consume a ton of fat like the keto diet says, or should we eliminate all animal products & go completely vegan? Aye aye aye...it's enough to give anyone a migraine...seriously.

Well when it comes to coffee, the information overload is no different. So here's the basic run down on your cup of Joe. I tried to simplify it as much as possible.

The coffee bean in itself is a natural product of the Earth. And like any other unprocessed plant, it has a number of qualities that are beneficial to the human body.

Coffee benefits =

reduced inflammation

improves how insulin is used in the body, helping protect against type II diabetes

Improves liver function

protects against liver cancer & liver disease

improves cognitive function

decreases risk of depression

has antioxidants (but so do blueberries)

Coffee negatives =

can increase cholesterol and heart disease

can create insomnia

can cause rapid heart rate

can affect estrogen levels

can increase cortisol levels (that's the stress hormone)

So the bottom line is that coffee has potential benefits as well as the potential to cause the body harm. Now here is what I love about Ayurveda (an ancient science of health & wellness). The entire premise of ayurvedic health is that

"What is medicine for one person can be poison for another."

Ultimately, every body is different. And if coffee works for you, then drink it. If coffee doesn't do you any good, then don't drink it. Everything is okay in moderation. And this is the key for coffee drinkers. A cup or two every day or so is probably not going to harm you. If you're drinking 5 to 6 cups a day, or more...than you are throwing your body and your digestive system out of balance. And that is not going to do you any good.

Now how do you know if coffee is good for you and your body type? Here a few ayurvedic cues for you. It requires that you learn to listen and pay attention to your body. If you suffer from insomnia, the caffeine in a cup of coffee is not going to help you sleep. Your best bet is to lay off the caffeine for awhile. If you have dry skin & hair, you most likely have an imbalance that will only be aggravated by your consumption of coffee. If you are easily angered or scatter brained and find it hard to focus, once again, coffee is only going to aggravate these symptoms.

Another thing to think of. When all of these studies come out suggesting that coffee actually has some health benefits, they are only talking about the actual coffee bean. This does not include your favorite creamy sugar loaded drink from the local coffee house. These studies are implying that you should be drinking your coffee black, no sugar included. This does not mean that the 800 calorie unicorn latte has all of the health benefits listed above.

Like most everything in life, balance & moderation is key. Learn to listen to your body. If you find that a cup of coffee in the morning helps you get going, stay clear of the additives, and you should be okay. If you find that a cup of coffee makes you jittery and gives you heart palpitations, then skip it for a cup of tea.

Sabrina is an ACE certified health coach and Fitness instructor. She has 20 years of personal trainer experience. And just recently became an ayurvedic health educator.

Resources:

The Mayo Clinic

USA Today

Kripalu, The center for yoga & health