Two things make the world spin: money and coffee. Many of us can’t imagine skipping a day without a mug of the jitter juice, but too much of a good thing can lead some to experience adverse effects, like trembles, headaches and anxiety.
This begs the question: how much is too much? The straight answer comes down to a person’s tolerance level. That’s the word from registered nutritionist – Lianne Phillipson.
Caffeine can block the effects of the hormone ‘adenosine’ which is responsible for deep sleep. ergo: coffee later in the day can interrupt a good night’s sleep. Phillipson says this is because your body can hold onto caffeine for more a large portion of the day.
But what about the coffee lovers that want an extra cup after lunch? Phillipson says decaf, or coffee that’s had 97% of its caffeine content removed, is a good answer. The decaffeination process usually utilizes usually methylene chloride. Which, by many sources, is safe for consumption in trace amounts. But according to the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, was assesed as toxic to humans by the Government of Canada in 1993. This could turn a lot of frequent decaf drinkers off – but Phillipson says there’s a still a safe way to consume it.
But whether it be decaf or straight up – coffee itself has shown to have multiple health benefits, like decreasing the chance of cognitive decline and a plethora of antioxidants and nutrients.
As for caffeine itself – It helps us get out of bed! It is even added to analgesics (pain relievers) to provide faster and more effective relief from pain and headaches.
(Written by: Noah Lorusso)