Personally, I believe everyone is much better off without coffee consumption. Although I've seen some people less affected by it than others, my experience with it has led me to conclude it does more harm than good. From dehydration to increased acidity in the body leading to joint pain and caffeine addiction, coffee has some pretty hefty side affects but recent research has shed some light on its benefits. Let's dive into the pros and cons.

 

CONS:

 

Can Cause Weight Gain

 

The blood sugar fluctuations that a caffeine high produces can cause enormous cravings. Coffee is also socially connected to food usually during the dessert (high calorie) portion of the meal making it harder to avoid those foods. Lastly, when we get that caffeine crash that's when we reach for all sorts of fatty snacks to keep us going.

 

Conventional Coffee is Full of Pesticides

 

Coffee is one of the most sprayed crops. It's coated with chemicals, pesticides, and herbicides, nothing you want to be ingesting. If you do drink coffee, it's best to make sure it's an organic variety. Additionally, decaffeinated coffee contains more chemicals than regular because of the caffeine removal process.

 

Increases Risk of Osteoporosis

 

Coffee causes us to excrete calcium in our urine. According to the Diet Channel, about 5 mg of calcium is lost per every 6 ounces of coffee consumed.

 

Causes Wrinkles

 

Because of dehydration, coffee consumption can cause wrinkles and premature aging. Be sure to pair your morning cup with lots of water afterwards and throughout the day.

 

Dehydration

 

Coffee has diuretic properties and boosts elimination of water through urine. This can lead to severe dehydration and symptoms of thirst, headaches, dizziness, constipation, and dry skin.

 

Addiction

 

Indulging in coffee can make you addicted to caffeine. As a result, you can experience physical cravings and symptoms like irritability, nervousness, tiredness, and headaches.

 

Others

 

Coffee promotes gastroesophageal reflux, disrupts sleep patterns, increases cholesterol, and raises blood pressure. Coffee also causes the nervous system to get into a fight or flight mode, hence the alertness after a cup but this can lead to adrenal fatigue long term from constantly stimulating the adrenal glands.

 

PROS:

 

Fights Free Radicals

 

The bean contains more than 1,000 phytochemicals, which may help prevent disease. Many of these phytochemicals are antoxidants which aid in free radical protection.

 

Improves Memory and Cognition

 

Research has shown that those who consumed a morning cup of java performed better on tests with learning new information. It can also increase cognitive function by stimulating a focused feeling for a short duration of time.

 

Caffeine Prevents Motor Deficits

 

Caffeine has been shown to normalize brain function and prevent brain degeneration. The consumption of moderate caffeine was also associated with a decrease in Alzheimer's disease.

 

Others

 

May keep Parkinson's disease at bay, lowers risk of kidney stones, may decrease risk of type 2 diabetes, and can increase athletic performance.

 

So is coffee good or bad? While there is evidence on both sides, I will say the majority of the evidence on the "PROS" side is mostly due to caffeine's effect on the body. With that said, we would probably be better off getting caffeine from black tea, green tea, or other energy supplements to at least get rid of the negative effects of coffee and maintains the positives.

 

Bottom line...Coffee may have some pros but most of them can be attained from other caffeine sources. If you feel that coffee increases your performance and are free of the negative side effects above, then by all means continue your consumption. But if you are exhibiting some of the cons above, you may consider kicking the habit or at least tapering down your consumption.

 

Sources:

 

http://www.care2.com/greenliving/7-coffee-pros-cons.html?page=4

http://www.livestrong.com/article/408521-what-are-the-harmful-side-effects-of-coffee/#ixzz2HzOt3OAo

http://www.healthassist.net/blog/general/pros-and-cons-of-coffee/