I definitely prefer a cup of tea to drink, unfortunately I do not like the taste of coffee. I have tried it on numerous occasions but i find the taste too harsh for my palate.
Both of the drinks contain caffeine which can provide a quick ' pick me up. ' However no one should consume too much caffeine, over 300 milligrams per day can have adverse effects.
There are many myths and wives tales about caffeine and it can be found in many different products including cola, nuts, cocoa beans, diet pills, pain and cold medications. In fact, caffeine is a mild painkiller and it increases the effectiveness of other pain relievers.
MYTH ONE
Caffeine is addictive
There is some truth to this, caffeine is a stimulant to the central nervous system, and regular use of caffeine can cause mild physical dependence. Caffeine is not comparable to addictive drugs.
If you decided to stop taking caffeine abruptly you may suffer from slight side effects for a few days -
- Headache
- Fatigue
- Anxiety
- Irritability
- Depressed mood
- Difficulty concentrating
MYTH TWO
Caffeine is likely to cause insomnia
Caffeine has a relatively short half life, which means it take 4-5 hours (averagely) for you to eliminate half of it from your body. Therefore most peoples sleep will not be affected as long as caffeine was not consumed within 6 hours of going to bed. I should mention that everyone is different and some people can be more sensitive to caffeine.
MYTH THREE
Caffeine can increase the risk of Osteoporosis, Heart Disease and Cancer
Most healthy adults will not come any harm from drinking 300 milligrams or less of caffeine a day (3 cups of coffee). The people who are more at risk are those with high blood pressure or are older. As caffeine dose increase your blood pressure slightly for a short amount of time. It has not been linked to bone loss or cholesterol.
MYTH FOUR
It is harmful to women trying to get pregnant
Experts usually recommend that pregnant ladies should consume less than 200 milligrams of caffeine per day, this is due to studies showing that high consumptions of caffeine caused a higher risk of miscarriage and low birth weight.
MYTH FIVE
Caffeine causes dehydration
Caffeine does not cause dehydration, it makes you need a wee. The fluid that you loose from urinating is replaced with the caffeinated drink.
MYTH SIX
Caffeine sobers you up
Caffeine does provide you with the quick 'pick me up' so drinking strong coffee may make you think are able to drive. Trust is that judgement and reaction time are still impaired.
MYTH SEVEN
Caffeine has no health benefits
Caffeine has few proven health benefits, however its potential benefits are quite interesting-
- Alertness
- Concentration
- Energy
- Clear-headedness
- Feelings of Sociability
- Improved immune function from Caffeine's anti-inflammatory effects
- Reduce concentrations of histamines, which means it helps with allergic reactions
- Some peoples Asthma also benefits
- Limited evidence also suggests caffeine reduces the risk of Parkinson's disease, Liver disease, Colorectal Cancer and Type 2 diabetes.
