The Good and Bad Sides of Drinking Coffee

When following a healthy eating plan, is a morning coffee an acceptable option? Is coffee actually really bad for your health?


These questions about coffee come up all the time and as many people enjoy drinking coffee, it's a good idea to have a look at both the good and the bad sides to the popular drink.


The Bad Points of Drinking Coffee


The majority of tea and coffee products are packed with caffeine. This being the primary reason people decide to drink coffee in the morning. Caffeine, as we know, is a drug and therefore comes with a decent list of side effects. Ever tried not having your morning dose of coffee? Talk about headache, right? The headache that comes when you try to stop drinking coffee can be hard to deal with and, as such, creating a dependancy like this can be harmful to your body.


Did you know that coffee is very acidic? When our bodies are slightly more alkaline (opposite of acidic), they perform better. To eat foods like vegetables and fruits, that are alkaline, will lower our bodies acidic pH levels and will be of great benefit in the long term. To have an acidic pH means risking all kinds of illnesses later on in life. And, to have an alkaline body pH means having a healthy immune system ready to attack any illnesses that do come along.


Did you realise that coffee and tea abuse your adrenal glands?. These are the glands that release your "booster" hormones to give you that extra bit of energy when needed. Sadly, coffee drinkers, especially those who drink it all day long are effectively beating these glands. This would be equal to the whipping of an exhausted horse. After some time, the horse will not move at all.


The Happier Side of Caffeine


Firstly, coffee tastes amazing and makes you feel alive in the mornings. Is that not a good enough reason to continue drinking coffee??


Numerous studies have shown coffee helping in the prevention and treatment of diseases and illnesses such as liver disease, Parkinsons's disease, diabetes and more. Although it may be hard to believe that coffee could be the cure to any of these diseases, some older cultures relied on the coffee bean to cure a long list of ailments. Not to mention, performance and mental focus can be increased with small doses of caffeine.


A great drink with a long list of benefits is green tea. It comes packed with antioxidants which are an important part of cancer prevention. Green tea is even said to be an aid in burning fat and increasing metabolism. Before you go all green tea crazy, the effects are quite minimal compared to a sound exercise and nutrition plan. In saying this, please don't think you can just wash down a heap of junk food with green tea!


So, what should you do?


1. Reduce your intake to only 2 cups of coffee and tea per day. That's two cups total, not two of each. Drinking more than 2 cups is considered an addict.


2. If you are already drinking more than 2 cups a day, try replacing a couple of them with green tea. Not only does green tea have less caffeine than coffee but it can also help lessen the ugly detox symtoms.


3. Don't add extra sugar, milk, syrup or cream to your coffee.


4. Keep your food choices healthy. This will certainly lighten the acid load on the body by avoiding processed foods, sugars and artificial sweeteners.


5. Choose organic coffee to drink. Ordinary coffee should be avoided at all costs when they are filled with chemicals and pesticides.



Afterall, you will not need to stop drinking your morning coffee but try to drink organic coffees without all the unhealthy additives and always drink in moderation. Drinking coffee in moderation and following a healthy eating plan, such as The Diet Solution Isabel De Los Rios program, are key to a healthier body and life.