Published 23:02 IST, October 9th 2019
Coffee myths: Here are the top 5 coffee myths you need to know
Are you a coffee lover? Here are the top five coffee myths you didn't know. C. Robusta and C. Arabica are the most common type of coffee plants grown nowadays.
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All you coffee lovers out there, brush up on your coffee facts. Caffeine is the chemical found in the coffee and tea that provides mental alertness and makes us feel less tired. Here are some top coffee myths busted.
Coffee myth 1: It is Addictive
Coffee is actually a stimulant to the body's central nervous system. The regular use of caffeine causes mild dependence, especially when you consume two or more cups of coffee each day. The fact is that the experts do not consider caffeine dependence as an addiction is because caffeine doesn't threaten our physical or social health like addictive drugs do. When a regular coffee drinker stops consuming caffeine suddenly, they may have some withdrawal symptoms persisting for a day or two. Yet the severity of coffee withdrawal is nothing compared to the effects of drugs or alcohol, which is why the term addiction is technically incorrect for coffee as several other factors also play role in 'addiction.'
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Coffee myth 2: Laxative effects
Many people have experienced this post having their morning coffee. So, it won't be completely wrong to say that coffee has some laxative effects. But the fact that it does not work on everyone is also something to be paid attention to. According to a US study, only 3 in 10 people felt the urge to go to the bathroom after drinking coffee.
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Coffee myth 3: If you have coffee you won't sleep
Now, this fact is subjective; basically your coffee sensitivity depends on your body's metabolism as well as the number of cups you consume daily. Biologically it takes about five to seven hours on an average to eliminate 50% coffee out of your system. So, if a person has one or two cups of coffee in the morning, it won't affect your sleep at night. But when you consume in the afternoon, it may hinder your sleep. But for most people, consuming caffeine six hours prior to their bedtime seems to work fine. Pay attention to how your body reacts to coffee and according to that consume a cup or two. People who are sensitive to coffee may experience insomnia, anxiety and stomach upset if they drink more than their usuals cup in a day or when they drink coffee close to your bedtime.
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Coffee myth 4: Coffee dehydrates your body
It does not. Dehydration is a phenomenon where your body doesn't get sufficient water and thus the basic bodily functions get hampered depending on the amount of fluid loss. Caffeine definitely increases the urge to urinate and thus can be termed as a mild diuretic, but studies show that moderate coffee drinking does not cause dehydration.
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Coffee myth 5: Helps sobering up
It does not. Even though people might feel sobered up after having coffee and even feel okay to drive in this condition but research says that caffeine does not help people to sober up as their reaction time and judgement are still impaired.
(Source: WebMD)
15:36 IST, October 9th 2019