What you dont know about Caffeine
Caffeine is mildly addictive, making it one of the world's most widely used drugs. It can cause a number of health problems.
· It can interfere with iron absorption. So it should be avoided around mealtimes for people at risk of iron deficiency.
· Caffeine stimulates the central nervous system, increasing your heart rate and blood pressure.
· It can irritate your stomach, cause headaches and insomnia.
· Excess caffeine in pregnancy has been linked with low birth weight babies. The current advice for expectant mothers is to drink or eat no more than 200mg a day.
Did you know?
Filter coffee has the highest caffeine content because the coffee grounds remain in contact with the water for a longer time.
A cup of espresso coffee has more caffeine per milliliter than a regular brew.
A source of antioxidants?
There has been much press about the health benefits of tea and coffee. Both drinks contain antioxidants called flavonoids.
It's thought flavonoids may protect against illnesses, such as heart disease and cancer, but not all studies have shown the same protective effect.
Fruit, vegetables and non-caffeinated teas, such as green tea, are also a source of these antioxidants.
Do I drink too much?
You should think about reducing your intake if you drink more than four caffeine-based drinks a day.
If you have difficulty sleeping at night, don't drink caffeine after 1pm (it takes about 10 hours for caffeine to leave your system).
Decaffeinated drinks are a good alternative, especially for pregnant and breastfeeding mothers and people suffering from raised blood pressure and urinary problems, such as stress incontinence and anxiety.
How to cut out caffeine...
· Try reducing your intake by half-a-cup a day over a seven-day period.
· Make sure you have a substitute drink available – such as fruit tea and drink plenty of water. If you replace caffeine with herbal tea, you'll get the added benefit of extra antioxidants.
· Keep going until you are at a level where you have less than five caffeine drinks a week.
· Once you have reached this level of consumption it will be easier to take the decision to remove caffeine from your diet altogether.
· If you cut out caffeine from your diet entirely, you may suffer from withdrawal headaches. They usually develop after 18 hours and may last for a couple of days. If you take this route, drink plenty of water to keep hydrated
Source: netdoctor. co. uk
