Let's face it, sometimes caffeine gets a bad wrap. The negative publicity may have even caused you to question if your daily cup is bad for you! So what’s the truth? Are the anti-caffeine haters just being a little bit dramatic? Or are their opinions justified?…
In order to give you a bit more piece of mind when drinking your morning coffee, let our in-house Nutritionist Brianna-lee clear up some common myths about caffeine! 😉☕
CAFFEINE IS BAD FOR YOU
Most likely, you have heard this before (insert eye roll).
The belief that caffeine is bad for you has been mostly led by old wives tales and people opposed to natural stimulants of any kind. In reality, there have been numerous, science based studies backing caffeine (in moderation) and its ability to support heart & brain health, as well as boosting physical performance. So with over 80% of individuals drinking caffeine on a daily basis, is it really that "bad"? We will let you be the judge of that…
CAFFEINE IS ADDICTIVE
The idea that coffee is addictive is one of the most common misconceptions about caffeine. Despite people casually using the word “addicted” when describing their coffee habit, the caffeine in coffee just isn’t that kind of stimulant. We all know that one person who can't go a day without coffee (us included), and gets a case of the grumps on a coffee-less Monday, but it doesn’t mean your morning caffeine routine is addictive! Coffee just tastes delicious and provides us with a feeling of energy, so who wouldn’t want to drink it?
COFFEE CAUSES INSOMNIA
Your daily coffee does not directly cause insomnia; other factors such as your total caffeine consumption, and of course the time of day you drink your cuppa, play a role as well. Caffeine enters the body quickly and reaches its peak level in the bloodstream within 30 to 60 minutes, depending on the individual's ability to absorb it. Its half-life, or the length of time it takes for the body to remove caffeine, is 3-5 hours, meaning that caffeine is completely gone after 6-10 hours. Your timing may affect your sleep, but one cup in the morning is not likely to be the reason you aren’t sleeping well. If you are craving a coffee before bed but don't want to have caffeine in your system you can always have an Adrenal "sleepy" coffee.
CAFFEINE DEHYDRATES YOU
Here's the good news: this is a big old myth. Every coffee drinker understands that a good cup of coffee will increase your desire to urinate. However, something that causes you to urinate more does not always dehydrate you. Caffeine is a moderate diuretic (it increases blood flow to the kidneys, resulting in increased fluid loss), but your daily cup (or three) of coffee is unlikely to cause dehydration. Just make sure you drink another glass of water for every cup of coffee you drink!
Caffeine should always be used alongside a balanced diet and adequate rest, it’s not a bandaid for your lack of sleep! Remember to always caffeinate responsibly ☕
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Written by: BYS Nutritionist Brianna-lee Schiefelbein