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Is Coffee Truly Bad for You? |
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Written by Braxton Ponder
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6 6 Conclusions
There has been enough conflicting information and supposition published that individuals may be tempted to pick and choose data that supports the answer they were hoping for. Overall, it does seem that light to moderate coffee consumption (less than four 6 oz. cups a day) is not particularly bad for you. However, consumption should be limited for those particularly sensitive to caffeine (suggesting a reduced ability to metabolize it) and those concerned about urinary tract and/or prostrate health. As with so many things, moderation is definitely appropriate.
Also, there is little doubt that coffee/caffeine is addictive, and that’s never a good sign. Researchers at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore found that as little as one cup of coffee a day can produce caffeine addiction. When you then try to do without it, you may suffer a range of withdrawal symptoms, including headache, fatigue and difficulty concentrating. Some may even feel as though they have the flu, with nausea and muscle pain. Simple caffeine withdrawal may explain much of the malaise associated with “cleansing diets.” To help reduce your coffee and/or caffeine intake it can be helpful to begin substituting decaffeinated versions (use products decaffeinated by the “Swiss” water method, which does not add chemicals to beans). Tea also seems to be less aggravating to the body’s systems, and has some benefits of its own; it may be worth switching over, and just saying goodbye to coffee.
The views expressed here are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the views of the Pagosa Review.
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