Introduction: How can you maximize the health benefits of coffee? How many cups can you drink per day? The Nikkei introduces the health knowledge about coffee that you must know!
Drinking coffee can prevent migraines
The caffeine in coffee is often used as a medicine in clinical practice, such as in cold remedies to help with pain relief. However, when it comes to self-care, the caffeine in coffee can help you prevent migraines. Professor Toshihiko Shimizu of the Department of Neurosurgery at Tokyo Women's Medical University points out: "Migraines are caused by the dilation of cerebral blood vessels. When certain signs appear, drinking a cup of coffee can effectively prevent migraines due to the vasoconstrictive effect of caffeine." However, for people with migraines, excessive coffee consumption can worsen symptoms when the caffeine wears off, as the subsequent blood vessel dilation may exacerbate the condition. "People with migraines should limit their coffee intake to 1-2 cups a day," Professor Shimizu says.
The most delicious way to brew coffee is with 50ml of water for 10g of coffee powder
The polyphenols in coffee are most abundant in green beans and decrease somewhat during the roasting process. However, while roasting reduces chlorogenic acid, it also synthesizes some compounds, and its polyphenol content and antioxidant capacity remain unchanged. How can you maximize the utilization of coffee's active ingredients during brewing? Simply use 50ml of water to brew 10g of coffee powder. This allows for the utilization of about 99% of the active ingredients, and the resulting coffee is perfectly balanced and especially delicious.
When is the best time to drink coffee?
When a person feels fatigued from exercise or mental work, adenosine, a byproduct of energy metabolism, gradually accumulates in the brain, causing a feeling of tiredness. If you drink coffee at this time, caffeine will bind to adenosine receptors in the brain instead, preventing you from feeling tired and thus drowsiness. Drinking coffee before a nap can help you feel refreshed in 20-30 minutes. The body secretes melatonin at night to counteract active oxygen, an aging factor, and during the day, the polyphenols in coffee can help achieve an anti-aging effect. However, it should be noted that caffeine can stimulate excessive secretion of stomach acid, so people with excess stomach acid should drink less coffee and should avoid drinking it on an empty stomach.
Adding milk makes caffeine absorption smoother
People who love coffee often enjoy its bitterness and acidity, but black coffee can be a bit harsh. In this case, you can add milk and sugar to improve the taste without affecting its health benefits.
Professionals point out that adding sugar or milk to coffee does not affect the absorption of polyphenols. One teaspoon of sugar with a cup of coffee will hardly affect blood sugar levels or hinder coffee's fat-burning effect. However, too much sugar can easily lead to excessive energy intake, which must be noted. Additionally, adding a small amount of milk to coffee slows down the absorption of caffeine in the body. Rapid absorption of caffeine can easily stimulate excessive stomach acid secretion, causing symptoms like heartburn. Therefore, children or people with excess stomach acid should add a little milk to their coffee.Don't drink too much coffee, and pregnant women can actually drink it
Because caffeine has a medicinal effect, a sharp increase in its concentration in the blood can stimulate the central nervous system, causing mental symptoms such as dizziness, rapid heartbeat, excitement, and anxiety. If the concentration of caffeine in the blood exceeds 40 micrograms/ml, anyone may experience symptoms such as arrhythmia and convulsions. Drinking more than 10 cups consecutively can lead to other side effects. Since caffeine remains in the body for about 5 hours, it is important not to drink coffee continuously.
Can pregnant women drink coffee? This is a question many people are concerned about. The UK's Food Standards Agency (FSA) stated in 2008 that excessive caffeine intake during pregnancy can easily lead to lower fetal weight and increased future health risks. Therefore, pregnant women should not consume more than 200mg of caffeine per day. For pregnant women, it is okay to drink coffee, but the amount should be limited to 1-2 cups a day.
Drinking coffee does not cause a cold constitution
In a survey in Japan on coffee polyphenol intake and skin condition, the relationship between coffee consumption and a cold constitution was also investigated. The results showed no correlation between drinking coffee and having a cold constitution. On the contrary, caffeine has a thermogenic effect, and 3-4 cups of coffee can generate about 10% of body heat. For people with low blood pressure and low body temperature, drinking a cup of coffee in the morning is a wise move to turn on the body's "warm switch." However, it is best to drink hot coffee.