Saturday, November 14, 2009

The Truth About Coffee

Did you know that the U.S. imports over $4 billion in coffee each year and Americans drink 400 million cups per day.

Coffee places an enormous metabolic burden on the body and offers no nutritional value; no vitamins, no minerals, no enzymes.

Coffee can:
  • increase your risk for stomach cancer and leukemia
  • interfere with your body's ability to use water, and promote fluid loss
  • raise your cholesterol
  • send your insulin levels out of control
  • contribute to rheumatoid arthritis and stroke
  • damage your blood vessels
  • increase your risk of heart disease
  • interfere with your body's ability to use folate and vit. B12 and B6
  • stimulate your adrenals, which may eventually lead to adrenal gland burn out
  • raise the acidity level of your blood
  • lead to insomnia
  • raise your blood pressure and stress hormone levels
  • deplete iron and calcium levels in women
  • cause anxiety and a sensation of jitteriness and nervousness

Studies indicate over 300mg of caffeine/day, which is the equivalent of two or three eight ounce cups of coffee, may also increase your risk of:

  • Miscarriage/spontaneous abortion
  • Delivering a low birth weight baby
  • Having a child with certain birth defects like clef palate

Four or more cups of coffee a day may increase your baby's risk of SIDS.

It's important to realize that any caffeine you ingest passes easily through the placenta to your unborn child. It is also transferred through breast milk, and stays in your body and the body of your unborn child or infant longer than average. Your unborn baby has no ability to detoxify the caffeine he or she is exposed to.

A better alternative is simply, pure water. Green tea is another option. source

Another article of interest: "Sodas-How Good Are They?" exposes caffeine