Caffeine is a stimulant and a naturally-occurring substance which is extracted from coffee beans. Caffeine is one of the most commonly used drug in the world, found in coffee, tea, soda, energy drinks, weight loss supplements etc. It is one of the most researched food items.
Benefits:
- Caffeine has been studied as an effective performance-enhancing aid in endurance athletics, making it a good go-to for highly active people. Hence it is widely used in pre-workout supplements.
- Coffee contains an antioxidant which can prevent your skin from aging and oxidizing.
- Coffee contains magnesium and potassium, which helps your body use insulin. In this way, Coffee can regulate your blood sugar levels to reduce your craving for eating, helping you lose weight.
- Caffeine stimulates the central nervous system and brightens your mood.
- Studies show that moderate caffeine intake may decrease the risk of developing certain types of cancers by 20 – 25 %. Also, drinking moderate coffee every day can reduce colon cancer risk by 25%.
- Researchers found that those who drink 3-5 cups of coffee a day have less risk of heart disease.
Dosage:
We all know that excess of anything is bad for our health, so keep your caffeine intake in moderation. Consuming large amounts of caffeine can lead to negative effects. According to U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) consumption of up to 400 mg daily is not associated with adverse health effects in the general healthy population of adults.
Although caffeine overdose is rare, it can happen. Caffeine toxicity can occur at 1 gram, and 5-10 grams can cause death.
Final word:
All in all, if consumed in moderation, caffeine has innumerable benefits, which makes its one of the most useful drug available to mankind.
And in the words of coffee lovers “You can’t buy happiness, but you can buy coffee and that’s pretty close”.