You don’t have to spend much time with me to know that I am a big fan of coffee, although I am very fussy about what, when and where I drink it. It’s a very popular drink enjoyed on a regular basis by a huge percentage of the population. Most people recognise the caffeine in coffee as a stimulant, with its positive mood and energy boosting effects. It has been shown to increase concentration and sports performance, and is the most commonly taken ergogenic aid.
One of the real bonuses with coffee is its high antioxidant content, which can help to protect the body against free-radical damage. I read somewhere that the average American gets the majority of their daily antioxidant intake via coffee, although this perhaps says more about their lack of consumption of fresh fruit and vegetables than the positives of drinking coffee!
Coffee has been shown to have protective effects against heart disease, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, cancer, diabetes and a host of other health issues. Before you go out and start consuming huge amounts of coffee, you should be aware that for some people the caffeine content may actually cause palpitations, undesirable rises in blood pressure, and sleep disturbances. Equally, coffee should be avoided immediately post workout or late in the day, and as with most things over-consumption could negate any benefits.
There are three important things to remember when it comes to drinking coffee:-
1. Stay away from the nasty instant coffee granules. This is not real coffee but some freeze dried, heavily processed, chemically altered substitute. Having travelled a fair bit I am pretty convinced that Brits are the only people who think this stuff is acceptable to drink. Studies have shown that instant coffee is high in acrylamide, a chemical which has been linked to cancer in some animals. I also feel the same about decaf coffee which although it does have some of the health-giving benefits, has also been subject to far more chemical processing – the risks of drinking it may well outweigh the benefits.
2. Go for freshly brewed organic coffee where possible. Coffee is one of the most sprayed crops in the world, so unless you want to be ingesting pesticides, herbicides and insecticides, go organic. I am not an advocate for buying all things organic, although it is best if you can, but this is one area where the extra expense definitely worth it.
3. Be careful what you add to your coffee. Coffee on its own is fine, but only the most hardened seem to like straight black coffee. If you must sweeten it, avoid sugar for its calorific and insulin spiking qualities. Similarly don’t use artificial sweetener as this is just processed chemicals which we shouldn’t have in our bodies.
I have recently tried stevia, which is at least a naturally derived sweetener. I am still a little nervous as it is undoubtedly a chemically enhanced and processed product, but so far I haven’t read anything about negative health effects. There are several brands to choose from in the sweetener section including Truvia or Canderel Green Stevia both of which come either in tablet or granule form.
In terms of milk or other dairy substitutes, again I could make a long list of those to avoid. Personally I eat very little dairy, and definitely stay away from soy based products which due to some crafty anti-dairy marketing have become very popular (more on why you shouldn’t eat soy another time). If I add anything then it is likely to be coconut or almond milk. Anything other than cow’s milk or soy used to be hard to get in this country, but more and more products are appearing in the chilled and long-life aisles.
Lastly, stay away from most of the speciality coffee drinks and flavoured coffees popular in shops. They sound delicious but can pack a serious caloric punch with many of them running into several hundred ‘empty’ calories. Peppermint White Chocolate Mocha apparently packs a waistline expanding 440 calories, whilst even a plain mocha with whipped cream is 326.
So, enjoy your coffee, unless you are one of the unfortunate folks who are very caffeine sensitive or have other medical reasons to avoid it. Go for freshly brewed organic coffee, and be careful what you add if you want to maximise the benefits.
Having spent the last hour or so writing this, I am off for a cup now!
Your Merlin Fitness Friend,
Beth
