Thursday, March 14, 2019

Figuring out coffee - antioxidants vs caffeine


Figuring out coffee

We Finns love our coffee. So much so that it is almost impossible to wean us out of this habit. I too recognize myself as a lover of coffee even though I must admit that overly consumption has certainly a number of demerit.

But what does the science say. Figuring this out turned out to be a task. As with every consumable, the dose makes the most poignant effect: too much is never enough. First of all, I had to determine what the pros and cons were, what other habits associated with drinking coffee, what were beneficial and what would later turn to be detrimental to person’s wellbeing.

It is known that coffee influences stomach acid production which combined with certain medical conditions weakening the gastric mucosal lining (notably Helicobacter pylori) aggravates stomach ulcers. So far it is left to personal discretion whether to avoid drinking coffee due to ulcers.

In certain medical circles, people are recommended not to consume too much acidic foods the reason being that these food items rob the human cells necessary electrons. Whereas alkaline foods serve as electron donors, relinquishing necessary voltage to operate the human circuitry. Dr. Jerry Tennant is one proponent of this view and his work with body electricity is phenomenal. Other pioneering visionary in my opinion is Max Gerson, who advocated the use of coffee enemas in stimulating the liver to produce key antioxidants like glutathione s-transferase to create up to whopping 700% increase.

Beyond this there always the question of caffeine and the stimulatory effect of coffee. It is estimated that too much caffeine is no good but also that various other ingredients in coffee work in favor of person’s wellbeing. Therefore, according to Joseph Mercola, it must be true for Finns as well as Americans that coffee is single biggest antioxidant providers in their diets. Most obvious benefits come in fighting adult diabetes.

I must say that I took a well-deserved pause from drinking caffeinated drinks. After a few days I felt better and had better time getting asleep. As with any other diet, I am compelled to believe that a change of rhythm is needed to get the most of out of the next cycle. This break gave me an opportunity appreciate the effects of coffee and realize how big a stimulant it really is. Unfortunately these days, many people suffer from insomnia, or have some issues falling asleep regularly. Recently, on a Nordic talking show, I heard a doctor suggest that drinking coffee past noon would hinder one’s ability to fall asleep. Once I tried to reduce the caffeine intake, I really felt tired in a way I hadn’t felt for a long time. A pleasant surprise.

So coffee itself is ok, but how about milk, sugar or creamers. I think most of use drinking black coffee have hard time with bitterness. Some are okay with it, but cutting the taste with toxic additives is indeed bad choice. A teaspoonful of ghee or MCT-oil will aid a lot and boost your morning fast.

There’s a well-documented reason to enjoy coffee and benefit from the social boost it provides. It gives us a nice opportunity to take a brief pause of daily toiling and rejuvenates the body. We can appreciate the boosting support it serves us but amidst all the pleasance we must stay vigilant otherwise the stimulant is used to mask our symptoms and hurl us towards the breaking point.

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