Is coffee good for you?

Coffee is easily one of the most sought after and highly consumed products on the planet, and is a staple of almost every modern culture, but should we be relying on it every morning?

I personally love it, but I drink it in moderation – mostly when I am feeling tired or need a boost before a workout, as caffeine increases adrenaline in our bodies and is our ‘fight or flight’ hormone, so can help prepare you for physical activity and exertion.

One of the main reasons I only drink coffee occasionally is because it is a trigger for IBS; it can also be responsible for triggering anxiety and stress. This is especially so if it is consumed on an empty stomach. It also stops you absorbing important nutrients like vitamin D, and interferes with your sleep (it is best not to drink caffeine after midday to avoid sleep disturbance).

It is commonly thought that you should drink your coffee first thing in the morning, which tends to be when you feel you need it most, but you should actually wait at least an hour after waking before having your morning coffee fix. This is because you need to give your body time to naturally release the hormones responsible for waking you up, and drinking coffee can inhibit this.

Prioritising having your breakfast first so as not to have coffee on an empty stomach is also important. Why not jump in the shower first thing instead and give your body time to wake up naturally before reaching for the coffee jar?

The quality of your coffee is also an important factor, as anything we put into our bodies will have an effect on them; bad quality coffee can contain a lot of impurities and can even cause sickness and headaches. Coffee and tea are also the world’s most heavily pesticide-sprayed crop so it’s important to opt for good quality products when purchasing these.

My favourite pick-me-up is the Sainsbury’s Fairtrade Ground Organic Coffee. Having high quality coffee once a week as a treat is absolutely fine (I do!), and in the meantime you could opt for a decaffeinated alternative instead, such as Chicory Coffee or Clipper’s Swiss Water Filtered Decaf Coffee. Herbal teas are another brilliant go-to if you still fancy a warming drink but want to avoid highly caffeinated products.

Coffee does indeed have certain health benefits due to its polyphenol content but for some, it should be used with caution.

If you want help in getting to the root cause of any wellbeing worries please book in for a free 15 minute discovery call today.