Is there any need to drink less coffee?

Coffee is a favorite beverage and a favorite everyday habit - and doctors claim that its sparing consumption has many side benefits for human health. There are, however, circumstances in which our favorite drink needs to be reduced or cut. Fortunately, these are minimal and, usually, transient!

Although it has been demonized in the past about its effects on human health, today we know that coffee, other than enjoyable, is also the main source of antioxidants for our diet. Despite our love for coffee, it is certain that there are times - fortunately, there are few - that we must stay away from, or at least, reduce it.

When should we avoid coffee?

When we want to sleep early: Although it does not affect all people in the same way, it is known that caffeine has a slightly stimulating effect. Each body's reaction to caffeine may be quite different, but if we want to sleep early, it is good not to consume coffee for 3 hours before we sleep. Unlike some popular myths, the effect of caffeine is limited to a few hours, so caffeine is not implicated in long-term insomnia.

When we are sick: It is not uncommon to resort to the stimulating action of coffee in order to cope with the pressures of one day when we suffer from flu or cold. Although coffee contains antioxidants that can help improve health, its abuse can cause mild dehydration, especially when our body is under the pressure of some illness. Still, some medications that we may take may not interact well with caffeine - in which case the advice of the doctor who takes care f us is necessary. In the majority of cases, we may need to moderate slightly the amount of coffee we enjoy and very rarely will be required to completely abstain from coffee.

When we have a hangover: Although after a sleepless night (which usually includes consuming a lot of alcohol) what we most like is a hot coffee, scientists recommend that it may be better to stay away from our favorite drink for some hours. The slight increase in pressure and heartbeats that a coffee generates, although in normal conditions, goes unnoticed, may make the hangover headache slightly worse, while not helping the body's proper moisture to recover from the discomfort. Scientists recommend 2-3 hours with plenty of water before returning to our beloved coffee habit.

During Pregnancy: Scientists agree that during pregnancy (and lactation), mothers should watch daily caffeine intake, both through coffee and other beverages. Far from the fear and hysteria of the past, scientists argue that safe caffeinated consumption should not exceed 200mg per day. Of course, as every pregnancy and every pregnant woman are unique, we always have to ask the opinion of the gynecologist who is curing us.

When we are under a certain age: In many children, the habit of coffee may seem tempting, and coffee-tasting candies and sweets can make the child's desire for coffee even more intense. However, it is good for children to stay away from coffee, both because the effect of caffeine on the central nervous system is multiplied in younger ages and because the child's body can not effectively metabolize coffee. Despite the absence of official guidelines for coffee consumption from younger age, experts emphasize on the one hand that limited coffee use is unlikely to have long-term effects on children's body but on the other hand that it is good to avoid it until the age of 17 .

Due to medical reasons: Although coffee is a real treasure for human health, as it is rich in antioxidants and beneficial to many organs and functions of our bodies, specific health conditions may require a reduction in its consumption. Patients with a sensitive digestive system, with cardiac arrhythmias or with severe anxiety attacks may be better off the coffee, at least as advised by their treating doctor, who is the only person responsible for such an opinion.

Coffee is delicious, enjoyable, easy to prepare and at the same time beneficial to our health. Fortunately, the reasons that can keep us away are few - no one can imagine a world without coffee.