Is Coffee Dangerous? - Myths And Facts

The following are some dangers from drinking too much coffee.

Acidic content

Although coffee is basically coffee granules, some water and sometimes sugar or milk, it is a potent drink especially when combined with the body's natural acids. Unknown too many, caffeine, which is the main component of coffee, can actually combine with the stomach acids to form a toxin in the body called caffeine hydrochloride.

When this toxin reaches the liver, the body naturally produces bile that will help remove the toxin. This is the reason why some people think that coffee can aid in their digestion because of bowel regularity.

Harmful Chemicals

Coffee contains the chemical trichloroethylene in large concentration due to the use of pesticides in coffee plantations. The chemical is used mainly as a solvent and a cleaning agent in the clothing industry. It is also used in the metal industry as a degreasing chemical. Trichloroethylene has been linked to some types of liver cancer.

Another potential chemical in coffee that may harm the body is the chlorogenic acid, which has toxic side effects.

Overworking the adrenal

Coffee contains oil that can adversely affect the gastric mucosa. Because of this, the adrenal glands are frequently secreted, thus the feeling of always being full of energy. However, too much secretion of the hormone adrenaline can result to a rise in the blood pressure, tension in the body and low energy. The mood may also be affected as well as the appetite.

Counteracts medications

People who are taking drugs or any medication for pain, obesity, hypertension or depression are advised not to drink coffee as all their efforts in getting well will just be wasted. A patient with high fever can also be harmed by coffee and is better off drinking lemon juice or even tea.

Deficiency in Thiamine

People who drink coffee often can develop a deficiency in Thiamine or Vitamin B1. This can cause fatigue and nervousness. There is general malaise as well as aches and pains in the body. Headaches are not uncommon.

In addition, drinking coffee too much may also prevent the nutrients in the food that you eat from being absorbed by the intestines. That is why when you do enjoy coffee it should be with the best one cup coffee machine so you don't drink too much. Now you can buy discount Tassimo t-discs or try tea k-cups for something different.

Through the years of drinking coffee, there has grown a collection of false stories all about coffee and its harmful effects. Although most of these misleading stories are not that damaging or panic-inducing, still some are downright lies and half-truths at most.

Most coffee authorities before who had the credibility and power neglected to answer them in the past. They all assumed wrongly, of course, that all the bad talk about coffee would go away, or fade from memory like most lies do in due time.

Some of these ambiguous stories have been with us for years, and it is about time we correct the misrepresentation.

The best coffees in the world come from Italy

No coffee is coming from Italy because no coffee is grown in Italy. Italy's coffee fame rests mainly on it's coffee companies who roast and blend the famous Italian espresso.

What is ironic is that the average Italian may regard coffee as one of life's essentials, but there are few Italian coffee connoisseurs around. Most of the green coffee going in to Italy is of good average at best, rather than specialty grade. Most of the exported roasted coffee is designed to give a consistent good average espresso.

Coffee causes heart disease

Because it is a stimulant, coffee had long been thought to lead to various forms of heart disease. One researcher, Warren G. Thompson, clearly noted: The largest and better studies suggest that coffee is not a major risk factor for coronary disease.

Coffee causes ulcers

The previous thinking, until recently, was that excess stomach acid caused cancer and that coffee would contribute to these acids in the stomach. Recently, studies showed that most ulcers are caused by a particular bacterium, and can be cured by an antibiotic. Of course, it is true that while coffee and spicy foods don't cause ulcers, they can aggravate existing ulcers.

Caffeine is addictive

The term addiction had been and is freely overused by people when they say they are addicted to work, shopping, or to ice cream, or to caffeine perhaps. Addiction, as a medical condition, is characterized by a strong dependence on a drug that can cause severe withdrawal symptoms, loss of control, and the need to consume more and more of the addictive substance.

The World Health Organization came out with the statement that there is no evidence that caffeine use has a comparable physical and social consequence which is associated with serious drugs of abuse.

Coffee increases heart disease risks

Scientists today agree that regular intake of coffee (caffeine) has little or no effect on one's blood pressure, cholesterol levels, or other risks of heart disease.

First-time users of caffeine do experience a slight increase in blood pressure (comparable to one walking up a flight of stairs) but these are minimal. They disappear with regular use.

It has been found, too, that drinking boiled unfiltered coffee, such as practiced in Scandinavian countries, elevated cholesterol levels caused by unfiltered oils and not by the caffeine in the coffee.

Coffee causes cancer

There were two studies done in Norway and Hawaii where it was established that there is no relationship between regular coffee intake and cancer.

Two other projects conducted in Japan and Germany demonstrated that there is no link between caffeine consumption and tumors in test animals.

It also confirms the statement issued by the American Cancer Society that there is no indication that caffeine, a natural component of both coffee and tea, is a risk factor in human cancer.

Other caffeine scare stories

There are more stories linking caffeine intake to risks in osteoporosis, children's health and those of pregnant women. Some studies done in these areas have not been very conclusive, and whatever risks they present are caused mainly by overuse and higher than normal intake.

Other stories that are obscured by this avalanche of myths are those that are beneficial.

This includes the fact that coffee increases both alertness levels and attention span and that coffee is rich in antioxidants that can help fight free radicals in the body.

In any event, coffee myths shall remain what they are, myths. What is important is knowing that coffee is not as bad as some have pictured it to be. Aside from the fact, of course, that it perks up anyone's morning. You can get started by using your Keurig B40 to make Van Houtte k-cups. Or you can make Nabob t-discs using a Tassimo machine.