Coffee question? Help! Studies?

Lyra89

Okay, so I only started to drink coffee last year. When I started, I'd have maybe one or two cups a week. Then it became one each morning. Now sometimes I have three or four a day, decaf at night...I just love the taste of it and find it extremely comforting!

I drink fresh ground coffee at home and make it in my coffee machine (black OR with organic whole milk and stevia) or I'll get skinny cappuccinos when in starbucks & add stevia or brown sugar (used to drink it with soy milk but I'm avoiding soy as I found out it was contributing majorly to my skin problems)

ANY way, my question isn't so much to do with weight as I've lost pretty much all the weight I wanted to lose and I've kept it off for two years, however, how much coffee is healthy & what are the effects?

If this has been talked about before, let me know & I can browse the forum when I get a chance! Or if you'd be so kind, please link me some studies.

I just adore coffee now and I cannot bear to part with it!

wonderbolt

This might be useful:

http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2012/11/20/caffeine/

Acg67

Coffee, diabetes, and weight control

http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/84/4/682.full

shoniej

My husband has a Vitamin D deficency and was actually doing some research yesterday. Any more than 300 mg/per day can greatly effect your body.

SanteMulberry

Okay, so I only started to drink coffee last year. When I started, I'd have maybe one or two cups a week. Then it became one each morning. Now sometimes I have three or four a day, decaf at night...I just love the taste of it and find it extremely comforting!

I drink fresh ground coffee at home and make it in my coffee machine (black OR with organic whole milk and stevia) or I'll get skinny cappuccinos when in starbucks & add stevia or brown sugar (used to drink it with soy milk but I'm avoiding soy as I found out it was contributing majorly to my skin problems)

ANY way, my question isn't so much to do with weight as I've lost pretty much all the weight I wanted to lose and I've kept it off for two years, however, how much coffee is healthy & what are the effects?

If this has been talked about before, let me know & I can browse the forum when I get a chance! Or if you'd be so kind, please link me some studies.

I just adore coffee now and I cannot bear to part with it!

The good news is that there are substances in coffee that are very good for you (beneficial polyphenols). The caffeine is a bit of bad news as it can lower blood sugar levels precipitously and give you the jitters. And caffeine "washes" a lot of minerals and other important nutrients out of your body. Switching to drinking half-decaffeinated, will give you the benefits without so much caffeine. Drinking it black maximizes absorption of the polyphenols but even with milk or cream in it, you absorb a lot.

akaMrsmojo

I cannot help you with any definitive answer, I think there is conflicting research.

But I LOVE my coffee. I started drinking it in college and I was hooked. In fact, I should just buy stock in Starbucks.

I think the big issue is the additives, sugar, flavored creamers and those things that impact health.

lauraniwa

Some good info posted here. I just wanted to add how much love coffee. Everything about it is great. Mmmmm...

However:
- excess caffiene (>2 cups/daily) has been linked to early bone loss, especially in small caucasian women (if you're the women in the photo? I'm guessing...)
- it does have an effect on your blood pressue, even if you're a long term coffee user, it will still cause BP to increase with caffiene intake.

Sllrrrpp...mmmm...java...

Lyra89

My husband has a Vitamin D deficency and was actually doing some research yesterday. Any more than 300 mg/per day can greatly effect your body.

In a good way or a bad way?

Lyra89

Thanks for the links guys, off to have a read!

Beccaliebchen

I actually heard something on NPR about this very thing a few months ago. I can't find the exact program write up but attached is a Live Strong article that basically says what was stated in the NPR program:

http://www.livestrong.com/article/266063-does-coffee-prevent-weight-loss/

Basically, coffee in little doses can be beneficial. The boost you get from the caffiene can rev up your metabolism while eating breakfast, and if you drink it before a work out it can boost the performance of your muscles. Still, in huge amounts coffee can be detrimental to weight loss and your health in general. Too much coffee can block insulin receptors, and even decaf coffee can lead to less REM sleep, which affects your BMR. Also, coffee is a diaretic, which means you need to drink even more water to replenish your system after you've had your cup o' joe. My advice - stick to 1, maybe 2 cups a day and make sure those cups are ingested before 2pm.