Is coffee bad for you?

[sunnylady303]

So I've never really been into coffee. I drink black tea every morning. But lately, coffee has been sounding good. I've had it at relatives over T-giving and post dinner at friends houses. And for some reason, it's been great. So I took the plunge today and bought some at the store. But before I get out the coffee maker, is this a habit I should encourage? I feel like if I get into it then I'm really going to get into it, you know? I'll become one of those people who need a cup to get going in the morning. So what do you think? Good or bad? Yea or nay?

[Magelet]

I don't mean for this to be offensive.

Personally, I think cultivating an addiction is not a good thing. Caffeine is highly addictive ( why people CAN'T go without their morning coffee, not just choose to.) I think caffeine is unhealthy, but don't know why atm. hopefully one of these mama's can help.

[aris99]

I've been drinking it for 25 yrs (yup I'm old) and I don't think it's had a negative affect on me. I only drink a couple of cups for breakfast and occasionally a cup if i'm out. You do tend to get headaches if you've been drinking it for some time and you skip a day. I stopped drinking it when I was pregnant as it made me nauseous. I've also cut down to one cup recently because I've started juicing veggies and the veggie juice seems to have taken my desire away for that second cup in the morning. So bottom line? If you choose to drink it do so as w/everything...in moderation!

[sanguine_speed]

I think coffee can be an enjoyable consumable, and should be used carefully. Just like wine is alcohol and alcohol is a drug, and addictive--it doesn't necessarily mean you should never enjoy it. Coffee can be enjoyed. There are lots of great coffees and coffee drinks to enjoy. Caffeine as a drug also has useful purposes sometimes. For instance, while overconsumption of caffeine has been known to cause headaches, for someone who gets a headache, caffeine can cause blood vessel change that can alleviate a headache. Caffeine can also be used for an energy boost on occasion. I have used it to help my performance during exams, for instance.
Coffee also has antioxidants.

So no, I don't think coffee should be avoided at all costs, any more than I think alcohol should be. But, it should be used carefully. By carefully, I guess I'd mean I personally wouldn't recommend drinking it every day, to avoid dependence and associated problems.

[Drummer's Wife]

everything in moderation.

No, I don't 1-2 cups daily is going to be detrimental to the average adults health -- but as much as I love my I don't know that I would start drinking it now, necessarily, if I wasn't already a coffee drinker.

[Otto]

There is some evidence that coffee can protect against hepatocellular damage (e.g., doi:10.1111/j.1365-2036.2007.03319.x). As for addictiveness, this is a perhaps idiosyncratic anecdote, but I drink at least four cups a day during the week and usually none on the weekend, with nary a sign of headache or any other withdrawal symptom.

[Rosehip]

Generally speaking, no.

[Storm Bride]

Totally anecdotal, but I drink two cups every morning, and have for....oh - about 20 years, I guess? If I happen to skip a day for some reason, I have no headaches or other withdrawal symptoms. For a couple years in my early 20s, I was drinking closer to a pot a day, and I did have withdrawal symptoms back then.

[Golden]

I drink a cup a day. If I don't, I don't have any symptoms either.

[StrawberryFields]

I love coffee! I drink it black, every day and have for quite some time. When I am pregnant or nursing a newborn, I switch from regular to decaf, or I cut way back on how much I allow myself to drink. Like others in the thread, I have never had a headache or any other withdrawal symptom from doing that.

The main negative that I think/feel about being a coffee drinker is that it is bad for your teeth. I remember a recent cleaning where my dentist said, "So, you are either a smoker, or you drink coffee." I don't believe that I am a heavy coffee drinker, about 1.5-2 mugs a day. But apparently that is enough to leave my teeth a little stained...

[GuavaGirl]

Yeah, coffee is not generally a good thing. Even though it has antioxidants, it's a not a health food. It messes with absorption of vitamins and minerals (like calcium & iron, I believe), can cause stomach/digestion problems, is dehydrating, it doesn't give real energy but just stresses your body to overwork, and then there's the caffeine crash afterwards. It is a stimulant.

Do I drink and enjoy coffee sometimes? Yes! Just like I sometimes have desserts, eat fast food, and drink alcohol.

That's my take on it.

[hippiemommaof4]

if you like it drink it sometimes, will you develop a serious addiction umm probably not lol esp if you practice self control as in not drinking a huge pot every day but a couple cups are fine...besides its better than some things you could be consuming . Some people get headaches some dont...some treat headaches with caffeine too though I'm one of them where I treat mine with caffeine successfully.

[Storm Bride]

Originally Posted by hippiemommaof4

Some people get headaches some dont...some treat headaches with caffeine too though I'm one of them where I treat mine with caffeine successfully.

I find it depends on the headache. If I have a tension headache, coffee doesn't help. If I have a sinus-related headache, coffee sometimes does and sometimes doesn't. If I have a migraine, which I thankfully don't get severely or often, coffee always helps...if I can get it down.

[covertlycrunchy]

I love coffee! I've been drinking it for about 10 yrs w/o withdrawal symptoms if I skip a day (or 2, or whatever). I just really like the flavor and it makes me happy! Just a nice morning ritual. I used to drink tea for awhile but got back on coffee when I got a French Press. I find that I go through phases with foods. Sometimes I drink a lot of coffee/tea and other times not....just whatever I'm in the mood for I guess. Coffee isn't as bad as say having a diet coke habit first thing in the am!

[BaBaBa]

No

Good quality coffee drank in moderation is not bad for you. In fact, it has many proven health benefits. Time Magazine did a big story on coffee a few years ago.
Some medical conditions may be aggravated by it but for a normal healthy individual it's perfectly fine.
People have been drinking it for thousands of years after all

I drink maybe 3 - 4 cups a week just because my desire for it has waned.

[EnviroBecca]

Here's an excellent article on the recent research about caffeine. It appears to be good for preventing or treating several health conditions.

I drink coffee mainly because it's so helpful for my work--I am a data manager and have to pay close attention to a lot of small details. I try to keep consumption moderate to avoid withdrawal symptoms on days when I have less coffee. When I get sick, I typically quit all caffeine for a day or more so I can get extra sleep, and I don't get headaches (unless it's an illness that causes head pain, like a sinus infection) so I think I'm doing okay.

It's also the best medicine for migraines, for me. Other people find caffeine CAUSES migraines! It's a very individualized disorder.

Caffeine also helps to keep my blood pressure up; it tends to be low. Coffee or tea works well for this, but caffeinated soda doesn't because artificial sweeteners make me sick and large doses of simple sugar make me "crash" quickly.

I always put a lot of milk in my coffee, so that gets some more calcium into me.

[Proxi]

There have been studies done that show that coffee can be a healthy addition to a diet. However, if you have ANY sleep problems, I would suggest against it. I do have sleep problems, and the first thing any doctor has ever asked me was if I have coffee at any time during the day, including the morning to wake up. Also, if you have anxiety problems you should avoid it.


To be honest, I have never known a very healthy person who does drink coffee daily. That is purely anecdotal versus scientific evidence though, so I wouldn't rely on it.

[be11ydancer]

I like coffee a few times a week but lately, I get a bad tummy ache whenever I have it. Bummer because I love the way it tastes. I've only been drinking it for the last two years though. Also tend to have no tolerance for more than about 1/2 cup of wine. If coffee doesn't give you un upset tummy, it won't hurt to have a small mug once a day, in my opinion.

[SophieAnn]

Recent research shows that 2 cups a day of coffee or tea can reduce your risk of developing Type 2 diabetes.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/8411605.stm

In the above article it says that decaf coffee had the greatest effect.

Much of the time, it's the additions to coffee that aren't so good for you (cream, sugar, artifical sweetener).

I think it might also help with digestion. I know it makes you feel less full, so you can eat dessert (hece the tradition of having coffee after a big meal).

If you're already drinking tea you probably already have a caffeine habit... so I wouldn't worry so much about that.

[Owen'nZoe]

I also have had great luck treating migranes with it - as long as I drink it before the nausea starts, it almost always works. Once the nausea starts, I just can't stomach it.

I've been drinking coffee on and off for 20 years, and really haven't had problems with withdrawl. At this point, I drink a couple cups the 3 days a week I'm in the office, and go without the other 4 days. I'm fine either way, but I have a detail-oriented job and do find that the coffee helps me focus a bit better (as long as I don't have more than a couple cups). My poor teeth do suffer, but black tea is also staining, so I can't see that you'd be worse off there.