Why do people drink coffee. Why do people drink coffee The smell of coffee affects the brain

Caffeine is the most popular psychoactive drug in the world. And this, it is worth noting, is well deserved. Especially if we talk about it in the context of a cup of coffee, without which the morning would definitely be incomplete (and also not so cheerful and pleasant). But even desperate coffee lovers sometimes worry about whether they drink too much coffee. And all because we constantly hear about in order to obtain certain health bonuses.

Fortunately, this coin also has a downside. All the same scientists regularly conduct studies involving coffee, aimed at evaluating its usefulness. No, they do not deny that exceeding the norm of consumption (up to 400 mg of caffeine per day) can provoke sleep problems, cause unreasonable and cause heart palpitations. But they still recommend drinking coffee in moderation - and here's why.

Liver condition

A review combining the results of nine studies and published in the journal Alimentary Pharmacology and Therapeutics found that drinking more coffee is associated with a lower risk of cirrhosis. Scientists have found that just one cup of coffee a day reduces the risk of liver disease by 22%, two cups - by 43%, three cups - by 57%, and four cups at once by 65%.

Diseases of the heart and blood vessels

According to the BMJ, a review of more than 200 studies on the topic found that people who drink 3-4 cups a day are 19% less likely to die from cardiovascular disease. Especially, scientists note, it works in people at risk of heart failure.

type 2 diabetes

Oncological diseases

A review published by the European Journal of Cancer Prevention reported that coffee drinkers who drink at least three cups of strong black coffee a day have an 18% lower overall risk of cancer than those who do not. In another scientific review reported by Business Insider, at least one cup of coffee a day was found to reduce the risk of liver cancer by 15%. Some case study evidence also suggests that coffee drinkers may be less likely to develop cancer of the mouth, pharynx, or prostate.

Alzheimer's disease and dementia

A meta-analysis of studies on coffee consumption and brain health found that coffee drinkers in all its forms are 16% less likely to develop Alzheimer's disease, or cognitive decline in general (according to the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease). There are also smaller studies that suggest that coffee consumption leads to a progressive reduction in the risk of Alzheimer's disease.

Depression

A large study of more than 50,000 women and published in JAMA Internal Medicine found that at least one cup of sugar-free coffee per week reduced the risk of developing by about 15%, and 2-3 cups per day - by 20%. Another study of over 100,000 men and women found that regular coffee drinkers of both sexes were 45% less likely to attempt suicide.

Total mortality

One large study (participants - more than 500,000 Europeans) says that men who drink three or more cups of coffee a day have a 12% lower risk of dying. At the same time, according to BI, in women, the risk is reduced by only 7%. Scientists add that coffee drinkers are less likely to die from circulatory problems and digestive system diseases. So how about a cup of strong and fragrant?

Interesting facts about coffee and caffeine that you might not know:

Coffee is good for the liver.

People who drink four cups of coffee a day are 80 percent less likely to develop cirrhosis, a condition that develops due to several diseases that affect the liver. However, we do not recommend including this much caffeine in your daily diet.

Coffee is actually not that dehydrating.


Caffeine was once thought to be a powerful diuretic, but this is actually not true. Unless it is consumed in large amounts (500 to 600 milligrams a day, or two cups of coffee), you won't have any negative effects. In fact, studies have shown that urine output does not change significantly when a person drinks a caffeinated beverage rather than something decaffeinated, such as water. Therefore, if you enjoy a cup of coffee in moderation, you should have no reason to worry.

As with most great discoveries, the magical properties of coffee were first discovered through the majesty of crazy goats.


According to legend, Ethiopian shepherds were the first to realize the profound effects of coffee when they noticed that their goats began to "dance" after eating coffee berries.

Caffeine starts to act very quickly.


It only takes ten minutes to start feeling the effects of caffeine after a sip of coffee, so drink quickly.

Coffee contains important nutrients needed for survival.


One cup of coffee contains 11 percent of the recommended daily amount of riboflavin (vitamin B2), 6 percent pantothenic acid (vitamin B5), 3 percent manganese and potassium, and 2 percent niacin and magnesium.

Coffee can help prevent Alzheimer's and dementia.


Several studies have shown that coffee drinkers are 65 percent less likely to develop Alzheimer's, one of the leading causes of dementia.

The world's first webcam was made for coffee.


In 1991, a group of scientists at the University of Cambridge installed a camera on a coffee pot in their office, sending the resulting video online so they could see if the pot was empty or not, and so they wouldn't go on a frustrating coffee trip if it wasn't. The photo above was taken with this first camera.

Coffee houses were banned in England because all the tough guys drank there.

Well, or something like that. In 1675, King Charles II banned coffee houses because he thought there were people there who were plotting against him.

Caffeine improves performance when you exercise.


Caffeine increases your adrenaline levels and releases fatty acids from adipose tissue, resulting in better physical performance for those who consume caffeine before exercise.

Drinking coffee can help you burn fat.


Studies have shown that drinking caffeine can increase your metabolism by 3 to 11 percent. It's one of the few chemicals that can actually help with fat loss, so don't waste any time drinking!

All coffee grown on the planet comes from an area called the Coffee Belt.


The coffee belt covers all regions that have the climatic conditions necessary for growing coffee - lots of sun and heat.

Cold coffee is more expensive because more resources are used to make it.


From plastic cups to napkins to double brewing (the coffee is brewed a second time to make it stronger), the resources needed to make cold coffee are more plentiful (and more expensive!) than regular hot coffee. Because of this, establishments charge more for their cold drinks than for the same hot drinks.

You don't need to drink coffee when you first wake up.


Your body naturally produces a hormone called cortisol, which helps you feel alert and alert. It is released according to your circadian rhythm, dictated by the time of day. So if you have a habit of drinking coffee when you first wake up, then you can wait a little longer so that the caffeine doesn't go to waste when your cortisol is at its peak.

Caffeine is, in fact, crystals.


The energized feeling you get after drinking coffee actually comes from swallowing tiny 0.04064mm caffeine crystals.

Coffee can help you live a longer and healthier life.


Coffee is high in antioxidants (the largest source of antioxidants in the average Western diet!), which help the body fight off substances known as "free radicals". As a result, coffee drinkers have a lower risk of developing diseases such as Parkinson's disease, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease. But here's the thing: coffee drinkers are also more likely to have bad habits like smoking cigarettes, drinking a lot of alcohol, and eating red meat, so the study was adjusted to show what might happen if these other factors weren't present.

Coffee is a red berry before it becomes a coffee bean.


See these berries? These are coffee berries. They grow on trees.

Black Ivory coffee is the most expensive coffee in the world and is made from elephant dung.


The most expensive coffee in the world is made from elephant dung and is called Black Ivory. A cup of this coffee costs $50. Kopi Luwak coffee is made by feeding coffee berries to musangs and then using their excrement. It costs $160 for 450 grams.

According to statistics, 54 percent of people over the age of 18 drink an average of 3.1 cups of coffee a day. And while the opponents of this aromatic drink argue that it is unhealthy, its fans are sure that it is not. This review contains facts that will help you understand what happens to the body of a person who drinks coffee every day, in fact.

1. Coffee improves mood

In addition to disease prevention, the caffeine content of coffee is directly correlated with the effects on the human brain. These effects are especially noticeable at low intake levels (about 75 mg). According to Witherspoon, "caffeine is associated by the brain with positive effects, including improved mental alertness and focus, as well as aiding concentration and improved mood."

By improving mood and ultimately reducing depression, coffee reduces the risk of suicide, according to research. A 2013 Harvard School of Public Health study found that those who drank two to three cups of coffee a day had a 45% lower risk of suicide.

2. Coffee reduces the chances of developing cancer

Since the discovery of coffee by humans (which is said to have happened in Ethiopia when a shepherd noticed that his goats became more energetic when they accidentally swallowed unknown berries), science has made great strides regarding this drink. Today, the average person gets most of their antioxidants from coffee. Given this fact, if you drink black coffee every day, then a person actually reduces his chances of developing certain diseases.

According to consultant dietitian Beth Witherspoon, "Moderate coffee consumption (3-5 cups a day) has been shown to reduce mortality from a variety of causes, reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes, Parkinson's disease, dementia, cirrhosis, and dementia." Experts have even called coffee a "miracle drug" due to its miraculous ability to prevent such diseases. However, experts point out that the benefits of coffee are best achieved when using black coffee without sugar.

3. Coffee improves athletic performance

Athletes who love coffee are clearly in luck. According to Witherspoon, “The all-natural caffeine in coffee has been shown to improve physical performance, especially in the case of aerobic or endurance exercise. The amount of caffeine recommended for performance improvement is 2-6 milligrams per kilogram of body weight.

Ultimately, caffeine can increase performance during both long and short-term workouts. Caffeine also reacts with receptors in the brain, turning off the part that recognizes adenosine, the fatigue-causing chemical. In this sense, it reduces the feeling of fatigue and also reduces pain. The ability of caffeine to increase concentration and attention also helps in successful workouts.

4. Coffee improves memory processes

While the positive effects of caffeine on alertness, attention, concentration, and mood are nothing new, its ability to improve memory has recently been discovered. According to a study published in the journal Nature Neuroscience, “caffeine enhances the consolidation of long-term memories in humans.” It is important to note that increasing the amount of caffeine will not necessarily lead to better results and will not always have a positive effect on performance.

5. Too Much Leads to Death

Now let's move on to the disadvantages. First, if too much coffee is consumed, some people may experience negative side effects such as anxiety, panic, restless sleep, insomnia, and caffeine addiction. According to the American Heart Association, "Some people who receive caffeine may experience a 'caffeine withdrawal' 12 to 24 hours after their last dose of caffeine."

The most noticeable symptom is headache. And in case of an overdose, even deaths are possible. Studies also show that the lethal dose of caffeine consumed in one day is 100 cups of 250 ml. This amount can vary from person to person.

6. Raises Cholesterol Levels

If a person is worried about cholesterol levels, then he should double check how his coffee is brewed. If someone uses a French press, percolator, or prefers to drink espresso, then their coffee has a significantly higher amount of cafestol compared to those who use a paper filter or instant coffee, which causes low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels to rise. . The reason for this is the filter's ability to separate coffee from cholesterol-raising oils.

7. Increases blood pressure

Finally, coffee can cause an increase in blood pressure. As a rule, this increase is short-term and will not lead to negative consequences in the long term. Regular consumption of coffee does not have a harmful effect on blood vessels.

And even the most notorious coffee lovers will not be out of place to learn about.

Almost every modern person has tried coffee at least once, many cannot even imagine their life without this invigorating and tart drink. The question of the effect of coffee on our body is of interest to many, as well as why people are so attached to it, and do not agree to live without it even one day. Although the answers are obvious, there are many opinions on this subject, and it is worth exploring these issues in more detail.

There are many ridiculous legends about the distant past of coffee, including even torture with the use of a drink. Allegedly caught opponents were given strong coffee by force so that they would later become more talkative and give out important data. Of course, these are all fairy tales invented by people for entertainment.

Who Invented Coffee?

At the moment, it is quite difficult to get to the bottom of the correct information, even several centuries into the past. History is constantly being changed, facts are distorted or removed from books altogether, some artifacts important for history have been deliberately destroyed. Yes, and research methods have their own errors, which is why it is impossible to find out what actions and processes led to the current popularity of coffee around the world. The only thing that's for sure is that people invented drinking coffee, because we are the only intelligent creatures on the planet.

Alternatively, the demand for coffee stretches back to ancient times, when people were so delighted with the effect that the drink has that the popularity has remained to this day. The earliest data on coffee are found in the period of the ninth century BC, when such familiar objects as coffee grinders, coffee machines, coffee houses could not even be dreamed of. Now we are already so involved that everything seems to be taken for granted, and the majority of the population does not even think about the customs and life of people in the old days.

In any case, it is very fortunate that the custom of drinking coffee has reached the present, and let scientists continue to make new and exciting discoveries about our planet and life in ancient times.

How does coffee affect the human body?

Many undertake to prove the usefulness of drinking coffee, but you need to know that it causes an increase in blood pressure, the heart beats more often, blood vessels dilate, some cannot fall asleep quickly after a cup of drink. For these reasons, you should be careful not to get carried away too much, and if you have trouble sleeping, it is better to drink a drink in the morning.

What happens after you drink coffee? The caffeine contained in the drink, the existence of which everyone already knows, enters the digestive tract, and subsequently into the bloodstream. Caffeine, in fact, is a psychostimulant, but a natural type. It has an effect both on blood pressure and on how a person perceives the reality around him. Small dosages will not allow you to notice a difference in the state, but large doses have a strong effect on the nervous system.

Why do people drink coffee?

Despite the negative effects of large doses of coffee, a large proportion of people still drink it. And connoisseurs are not getting smaller, rather, on the contrary, an elite drink conquers more and more new people.

The reasons are quite simple, and once they taste the drink, people fall in love with its taste. There are many cooking options, with the addition of sugar and other ingredients, so everyone can choose the option that will suit their taste. Some people prefer morning coffee to wake up faster and be more alert and focused at work or at school. Often during the day, fatigue accumulates, and in the evening it may be necessary to do a lot of things, but there is no strength, and then it's time to drink more coffee, this helps to collect my thoughts and return to normal.

Naturally pleasant taste and incredibly attractive aroma, which you will hear from afar, and learn among the abundance of other smells, contribute to the popularity of coffee. It is interesting that different varieties differ in smell, Arabica smells the most pleasant, but it is far from the first in terms of strength. A number of manufacturers mix several varieties to achieve both strength and aroma at the same time. In a detailed study of coffee, scientists were able to detect approximately 800 aromatic compounds.

Coffee can have a special sourness or not, some drink lovers like this light bitterness the most. If desired, cream, sugar, milk will help soften the drink. Tea also contains caffeine, but coffee gives a more tangible and faster effect, which is probably why it is so in demand. Now you can buy coffee on every corner, which people enjoy with pleasure, a glass of hot drink is especially relevant in cold weather. According to statistics, coffee is one of the five most purchased products worldwide, in Japan there is even a day dedicated to the drink, October 1st.

Coffee without sugar and other additives has no calories, speeds up metabolism, makes the mood more peaceful, provokes the production of dopamine, which is responsible for pleasure in the body, and one more cup contains about 300 antioxidants.

There is nothing surprising in the fact that sixty-four percent of adults drink at least a cup of coffee a day, and eleven percent drink more than four cups! If coffee is so popular, perhaps everyone should know how this drink affects the body. It is likely that you will be surprised at some of the consequences.

Coffee has a positive effect on potency

Men who consume between 85 and 170 milligrams of caffeine per day, which is the equivalent of two to three cups of a refreshing drink, reduce the chance of erectile dysfunction by 42 percent. The researchers found that this was due to the relaxing effect of caffeine on the arteries, which improves blood flow to the penis.

Coffee makes life clearer

Caffeine affects the production of adrenaline. As a result, twenty minutes after drinking the drink, your pupils naturally dilate. You will be able to enjoy clearer vision for a while!

Longer lifespan with coffee

Recent studies suggest that drinking coffee makes you live longer. The researchers controlled data on more than 250,000 people, tracking their diet and coffee intake. After analyzing the incidence of disease and age at death, they found that among those who did not smoke, people who regularly consumed the invigorating drink died 15 percent less often from various diseases than those who did not use it.

Coffee can aggravate heartburn

With a cup of your favorite invigorating drink, you increase the level of acidity in the body. The acid in the stomach can be helpful as it is needed for digestion. However, if you drink too much and on an empty stomach, you may experience mucosal irritation and heartburn.

Excess consumption will lead to fat accumulation

According to scientists, caffeine can increase cortisol levels. Chronically elevated levels lead to excess fat accumulation, which can cause obesity. It also increases bad cholesterol levels. However, only if you do not use filters when brewing - people with high cholesterol should avoid the French press.

Coffee can reduce anxiety

Caffeine is often associated with anxiety, so the idea that it can help you relax may seem counterintuitive. However, this drink does stimulate the production of dopamine, which is the hormone of pleasure.

A small amount of coffee will help slow down the heart rate.

If you drink some flavored drink, your blood pressure will rise slightly. The heart will respond to this by lowering the pressure slightly. If you continue to drink, your heart rate will increase.

Drinking coffee can aggravate stomach ulcers

An ulcer can be extremely painful. Drinking coffee can adversely affect the lining of the gastrointestinal tract, causing ulcers and other forms of disorders. If you already have an ulcer, you should give up the invigorating drink until your body has fully recovered.

Coffee can cause hallucinations

Studies have shown that people who consumed about 315 milligrams of caffeine, which is equal to three cups of the drink, were three times more likely to have hallucinations than those who drank less. Participants noted voices, visual hallucinations, and ghosts among their experiences.

Coffee quickly stimulates you

Within twenty minutes after drinking the drink, you will notice a stimulating effect. As a result, you will feel that your attention has increased, it will be easier for you to concentrate on work tasks.

Coffee is good for the heart

The researchers found that drinking an invigorating drink reduced the risk of dying from heart disease by ten percent. The main thing is not to add cream. They contain trans fats, which seriously harm your body and increase cholesterol levels.

Coffee stimulates digestion

According to studies, the drink acts on the intestines, stimulating bowel movements through increased motor activity.

Coffee can smooth the skin

Use ground coffee as a scrub to reduce the appearance of cellulite. Exfoliating action combined with massage will help boost blood circulation and tighten the skin.

It's like an energy drink.

Coffee helps boost your energy levels, but after three hours you feel low if you don't drink more. This behavior can be problematic because your favorite drink in the afternoon can interfere with the production of melatonin, the sleep hormone.

Coffee can help relieve pain

Caffeine speeds up pain relief. Combine coffee with painkillers to make them 40% more effective. It's no wonder that caffeine is used so frequently in headache medications.

Coffee is dangerous for embryos

Studies published in 2008 showed that women who drink a lot of coffee more than double their risk of miscarriage.

You will feel more positive

Researchers have found that people who drink at least a cup of flavored drink a day have a lower risk of suicide. This is not the first time scientists have noticed such an effect. However, it is currently unknown why the drink causes such an effect. There is a theory that caffeine is the cause - it reduces the loss of dopamine, stabilizing mood.

It's good for your brain

Great news! People who drink coffee are less likely to suffer from neurological diseases like Parkinson's disease or senile dementia. The reasons for this are not obvious at the moment, but there is a theory that the caffeine is the cause.

Coffee helps you burn calories faster

Coffee is a great drink for weight loss because it boosts your metabolism. The average metabolic rate of people who drink caffeinated coffee is sixteen percent higher than the rest. An invigorating drink is a great pre-workout choice. Researchers have found that it helps to train longer. But remember: do not abuse. Excessive amounts of such a drink will negatively affect your metabolism.

You may come into contact with bacteria

Microbiologists have tested coffee machines and found that dozens of different bacteria can be found there, including staph and E. coli. Even if you don't use the coffee machine, the risk remains: mugs can also harbor harmful bacteria.

The smell of coffee affects the brain

According to scientific data, even the smell of a drink can affect brain function. Scientists conducted experiments on rats and found that the fragrance acted as a sedative and antioxidant.

You may become addicted

Regular use of caffeine is addictive. If you suddenly stop using it, you may experience extremely unpleasant symptoms.

A cup of coffee can prevent headaches

There are types of headaches that can be prevented with caffeine - for example, if we are talking about an elderly person who has a headache before bedtime.

Coffee can smooth your feet

A blend of antioxidant-rich coffee and moisture-protecting coconut oil is the perfect recipe for rough feet.

Coffee helps protect the liver

Recent studies suggest that regular drinking of this drink helps reduce the risk of liver cancer in people who often abuse alcohol.