Just the word 'coffee' makes a million people sit up and take notice. This beverage of choice has been the love language and daily companion for hordes of people who just swear by the comfort it gives and the much-needed kick to keep you going through the day. Coffee however has several myths surrounding it, which create doubts about its efficacy. Let's bust some of these myths and reveal the better side of this delicious drink.
Your Sleep Gets Affected If You Drink Coffee During The Day
Coffee helps you do your daily activities with an extra burst of energy. However, coffee-induced insomnia at night is a myth unless you have had a cup just before sleeping. Even your cup of coffee in the late afternoon is flushed out of your system when you are in bed around 9 pm or 10 pm. It is always a good idea to not consume coffee at night unless you are planning to pull an all-nighter. On the other hand, since you drank coffee during the day, we assume you worked extremely hard and were compelled to get exhausted in order to obtain a good night's sleep.
Coffee Will Make You Dehydrated
This myth may have stemmed from a fact. It so happens that coffee contains caffeine which is a diuretic, i.e. increase the times you need to see the toilet to relieve yourself. However coffee as a drink will not leave you dehydrated. That is because the fluids or liquids in your coffee, i.e. water and/or milk balance out the tiny amount of diuretic the caffeine in your cup may have. In fact, your cup of coffee has better chances of keeping you hydrated throughout the day given the amount of liquid it contains.
Also read: Coffee For Weight Loss: Benefits Of Black & Green Coffee; 5 Coffee Recipes For Weight Loss
Cut Down On Coffee If You Want To Lose Weight
There are two sides to this myth. While some argue that you need to eliminate coffee from your diet if you are looking at losing extra kgs, others argue that coffee helps you lose weight. In reality, both these beliefs are myths which need to be immediately busted. High fat milk and sugar used along with coffee are the culprits. These can be easily replaced by low fat milk and sugar alternatives like stevia. You may also enjoy coffee without sugar. Coffee alone does not pack extra calories. 2-4 cups of regular coffee with nutritious options can be enjoyed daily without any impact on weight or health. In fact, when heading out to a workout, a small cup of black coffee will make you more alert and help you have a better workout with the energy it brings you.
Also read: What Is Decaf Coffee? Is It A Good Idea To Replace Regular Coffee With It?
Drinking Coffee Is An Addiction
We may all have used the word 'addictive' or 'addiction' while referring to our undying love for the beverage. However many studies have confirmed the fact that withdrawing from coffee has no life- threatening symptoms. But once you have tasted and fallen in love with coffee, it is next to impossible to stay away from it and that is where the 'term' addiction must have come from. Mild headaches and a bad mood are common side effects of not having your favourite cuppa joe.
Enjoy your coffee, in any kind and variant you like in moderation, since excess of anything, not just coffee spoils the magic of indulging in it!
About the Author: P.R. Ravi Kumar is an in-house coffee specialist at Continental Coffee.