How unhealthy is coffee? This is how you should drink it, according to research

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The doctor says: don’t drink too much coffee; otherwise, it’s not good for your health! That’s easier said than done: After all, 86.4 per cent of adults in Austria drink coffee. And that’s an average of three cups a day. For many, the drink is considered a stimulant and a stimulant that should only be drunk in moderation. Its supposedly bad, long-term consequences are too disreputable. But what exactly is the truth? And how should you drink coffee so that it has a positive effect on the body?

Coffee can actually have a similar effect to that of fasting. This was discovered by researchers from Graz, who attribute this effect to the process of autophagy. Cell components are renewed in this process by identifying defective cells and then destroying them. A similar process occurs during fasting when the body supplies less energy. As a result, the organism has fewer resources to maintain ‘old’ cells, which are ‘sorted out’.

However, there is a catch: in the study, the scientists did prove that the autophagy processes of all the organs examined were fuelled – but only if the coffee was drunk in a certain way. The process has nothing to do with the active ingredient caffeine; coffee has the same effect both with and without caffeine. However, according to the study results, animal proteins inhibit the effect. That’s why consuming coffee black or with plant-based milk is best.

What happens to the body when we drink too much coffee?
Basically, the active ingredient in coffee is caffeine; most people drink the hot drink because of it and its wake-up effect (not to mention connoisseurs). Caffeine is responsible for releasing the stress hormone cortisol in the body and blocking the messenger substance adenosine in the brain, which is responsible for the feeling of tiredness. Caffeine also stimulates the nervous system, increases the heart rate and constricts the blood vessels. It is well known that this effect does not last long, and the high is over for most people after a maximum of 30 minutes.

And in the long term? Coffee is considered a villain in the world of hot drinks, as it is known to cause cardiovascular problems in the long term. The effect is generally believed to manifest in cardiac arrhythmia or palpitations. For many, the most quickly noticeable effects are sleep disturbances and restlessness, but sweating and headaches can also have negative consequences.

The researchers analysed 500,000 participants between 40 and 69 with no previous heart disease. Like other studies, the researchers concluded that those who consumed between two and four cups of coffee daily did not appear to have a higher risk of cardiovascular disease. However, other research findings suggest that drinking five or more cups a day may lead to heart disease. According to experts, anyone with pre-existing conditions should refrain from drinking coffee.

How much coffee should you drink now? And at what time of day?
So, can we dispel the myth that coffee has a bad effect on us? At least, experts think so: the European Food Safety Authority considers 400 milligrams of caffeine daily safe. In other words, three to four cups of coffee daily are ideal if one cup contains around 60 milligrams of caffeine. Incidentally, the group that consumed three to four cups daily also achieved the best results in the long-term study.

The time of day is also crucial: coffee is most beneficial at 9.30 a.m. or later. Cortisol levels are highest in the morning anyway, so coffee before 9 a.m. has almost no effect.