How to Consume Caffeine In a Healthy Way

 

Every day, approximately 85% of Americans consume at least one beverage containing caffeine. Out of that large swath of the population, 68 million Americans drink 3 cups of coffee over the course of a day. And this isn’t just an American phenomenon — in one year the global population used a whopping 163.53 million 60 kilogram bags of coffee. Clearly, caffeine is remarkably popular. But if you aren’t careful, there could be potential negative effects.

To help you reduce the potential risk, we’ve pulled together a guide on how to consume caffeine in a healthy way:

Try Not to Exceed 400 mg of Caffeine Per Day

A crucial part to enjoying caffeine is moderation. Though people digest things differently, the general cutoff is 400 milligrams of caffeine a day. If you drink coffee, that’s around 4 or 5 cups.

Here’s how 400 milligrams of caffeine translates to popular beverages:

 

• 4.2 servings of regular brewed coffee (95.2 mg caffeine/8 fl. oz.)

• 2.2 servings of coffee house coffee (180mg caffeine/8 fl. oz.)

• 8.5 servings of black tea (47 mg caffeine/8 fl. oz.)
  

As a stimulant, coffee can increase alertness and make you feel more awake. People drink it first thing in the morning so they can start their day with a burst of energy. However, when you pass your tolerance level, you may experience these harmful effects:

• Feeling jittery 

• Anxiety

• Headache 

• Feeling irritable

• Stomach issues

• Dehydration caused by an increase need to urinate

• Insom

 

Research and Learn About Brewing

By learning about different brewing techniques, you can control the amount of caffeine in your cup of coffee. You shouldn’t consume powdered caffeine. Instead, experiment with various brewing techniques and through trial and error, determine which suits your caffeine tolerance level.

• Stove-top espresso maker: Although it’s called an espresso maker, it’s fantastic for making a regular cup of coffee and can be conveniently —and quickly — used with any stove-top.

• French press: This kind of brewing technique is great for making multiple cups of coffee.
  

• AeroPress: With an Aeropress coffee maker, you can do hot and cold brewing.

Try to Avoid Consuming Caffeine On An Empty Stomach

Since it’s acidic, consuming coffee on an empty stomach can be an unpleasant experience that may lead to heartburn, feeling anxious or moody, and gastrointestinal discomfort. To avoid those negative effects you should do these things:

• Consume some carbs with your coffee. Bread or fruit are good options.

• Mix collagen into your coffee so it’s less intense on the stomach.
  
  

Avoid Caffeine Too Late In The Day

The reason why people drink coffee to stay awake is because it stops adenosine — the chemical that makes you tired. But if you aren’t careful, you can actually mess up your sleep schedule and could develop insomnia. You should try to avoid consuming caffeine 6 hours before you go to bed so you don’t lose one hour from your sleep. Here are some other rules you can follow:

• Set boundaries for yourself: try your best not to drink coffee anytime after 2 or 3 PM.

• In addition to regulating when you drink coffee, you should cut back on other beverages that also contain caffeine like tea, energy drinks, and soda. This is especially crucial if you already are sensitive to caffeine. 
  
  
  

Keep In Mind That Coffee Can Stain Your Teeth 

Though coffee has many benefits, it can have a negative effect on your dental hygiene because it has tannins, an ingredient which makes color compounds stick to your teeth and cause staining.

This is how you can stay on top of your dental health if you’re frequently drinking coffee:

• Make sure to brush frequently

• Have regular visits to the dentist 

• Invest in an electric toothbrush that can eliminate coffee stains 

 

A Healthier Choice of Caffeine.

While coffee is certainly popular, it’s not the healthiest choice for everyone. Instead of drinking 3 cups of coffee a day, you can replace it with alternative caffeinated beverages like Matcha, Green tea, Black tea and Turmeric Tea. . Regardless of what kind of caffeinated beverage you choose, always remember to stick to your limits and stay mindful of how it’s impacting your body.

 

Cheers!