Coffee Myths And Facts: 9 Myths About Coffee Debunked

For many, coffee is certainly the best thing to wake up to. Most adults swear that coffee helps them to power through the busy hours at work, and it is not a big surprise that the average consumption of coffee per day for many coffee lovers is about two to three cups (or more).

While there are coffee addicts who are well aware of the benefits of this beverage, a lot of newbies are turning to caffeine shots for reasons that are quite far from the truth. When it comes to myths about coffee, these 9 expectations sure make it to the top:

1. Coffee helps to lose weight

No, it certainly doesn’t. It is true that coffee does suppress hunger to an extent, but the change is quite subtle and definitely not long-lasting. Coffee does not have the power to increase metabolism in the body to such an extent that it will help to burn off the extra fat. So in terms of dietary changes, coffee has very little influence.

2. Coffee and insomnia

It takes the body about six to seven hours to flush out about 75% of the caffeine that has been loaded into the system from coffee. So if you do take a cuppa after your lunch time, your body will still have plenty of hours to get you ready for bed on time. Enjoy a cup of coffee with friends after your afternoon siesta. Coffee does not easily cause insomnia, as long as your body gets enough time to flush the caffeine out of your system.

3. Coffee combats the effect of alcohol

This is a very dangerous practice. While it is true that coffee helps people to feel more mentally alert, it does not reverse the negative side effects of alcohol. It will not help intoxicated people retain their power of cognitive thinking. Coffee is just going to prevent them from passing out. Therefore, it will increase the risk of intoxicated people engaging in dangerous activities like drunk driving. This is why people should never mix caffeine with alcohol.

4. Coffee diuretic myth

For years, experts have been stating that caffeine is actually diuretic, meaning that it will increase the loss of fluids through urine. While the studies have still not come to a firm conclusion, several experiments have been conducted so far which prove that the effect of caffeine is not that high on the urinary output.

For example, in one of the studies, 12 subjects were told to abstain from coffee for five days. Then they were given about 642 mg of caffeine in the form of coffee. This increased their urine flow. Another study was conducted which studied the effect of caffeine in eight men. Each was given a dose of 45 mg, 90 mg, 180 mg or 360 mg of caffeine respectively. It was found that the subject consuming 360 mg of caffeine reported higher amount of urine flow.

Studies prove that a high dosage of caffeine can cause fluid loss, though this condition could also be caused if someone has urinary incontinence. But having a controlled amount of caffeine in coffee everyday does very little harm.

5. Coffee and addiction

Sometimes, some people try to avoid coffee thinking that it may make them addicted to caffeine. This is hardly true. Coffee addiction could be the same as shopping addiction, and does not have serious effects.

If regular coffee drinkers stop having coffee, they report a sense of drowsiness and may develop a short temper and sport a minor headache. The effects are very little and not persistent at all. These effects usually last for a day or two, and then the body can learn to adjust without caffeine.

Caffeine does not have any permanent effect on the body. Its effects are immediate and peter out quickly. However, coffee drinkers can also lessen their average daily coffee consumption in order to become less dependant on caffeine.

6. Coffee causes cancer

This is indeed a big myth that causes concern amongst coffee consumers. About 13 scientific studies conducted on more than 20,000 subjects and two main studies on people in Norway and Hawaii have provided a lot of data that shows no connection between cancer and caffeine. Coffee does not also prevent cancer. Basically put, coffee does not influence or cause cancer in any way.

7. Pregnant women should not have coffee

A lot of people suggest pregnant women to stop drinking coffee. Studies prove that consuming a moderate amount of coffee does not harm the pregnant women and her child. Sometimes people also believe that women who are trying to get pregnant fail to do so because they are consuming caffeine.

Two major studies in the U.S found no connection between caffeine intake and pregnancy. However, doctors advise that pregnant women should have less than 300 mg of coffee every day, which would amount to three or four cups of instant coffee.

8. Coffee has no good effects

It is actually wrong when people state that coffee acts more like a ‘filler’ in the diet. Some consume coffee when they are feeling hunger pangs because they want to wait till dinner to have their meal. But coffee should be consumed for its various positive benefits.

Apart from keeping people mentally alert and awake, coffee also has antioxidants which keep the body well balanced, healthy and young. It is really good to drink coffee before long drives and to maintain a high level of performance while at work. Studies also show that coffee helps in improving memory. Coffee should be a part of the regular nutrition plan.

9. Over drinking coffee will make you sick

A lot of times we get warned that drinking too much coffee will make us sick. This is actually not true. Having only coffee with little food will definitely cause problems. It is necessary to maintain a good balance between solid food and level of caffeine that we consume.

However, moderating coffee consumption is good for other benefits. For example, it is recommended that people have their last cup about five hours before going to bed. This will help them to sleep better.

And if you want, here are also some coffee facts from youtube: