For busy students and professionals in almost every industry, having a coffee at hand is a regular part of day-to-day life. With the beverage’s popularity in North America and around the world, many researchers have spent a lot of time investigating the health impact of regular coffee consumption.
Although findings have varied over the years, there are a few facts that experts have come to agree on. Want to know more about the health effects of your own coffee habit or how coffee consumption could affect your future clients? Keep reading to learn more.
Graduates of Nutrition Training Programs Know Caffeine Boosts the Metabolism
One beneficial effect of consuming coffee is that it can have a positive impact on your metabolism. As a mild stimulant, the caffeine in coffee provides a metabolic kick. In fact, it can boost metabolic rate by a range of 3-11 per cent. An increased metabolic rate is great news for individuals who want to burn fat or lose weight, as it helps them process energy faster. Additionally, an improved metabolism can also improve the conditions of people living with Type 2 diabetes, and reduce the risk of developing it in the first place. This might help explain why some studies have found that coffee drinkers tend to have lower rates of Type 2 diabetes. If, during your career in health and nutrition, you have clients looking to lose weight, you can assure them that regular coffee intake could be beneficial, so long as they don’t add sugar or cream to their cup.
Drinking coffee can boost the metabolism
Coffee Can Improve Mental Health for Nutrition Clients
The benefits of drinking coffee are not just physical. In addition to giving many individuals the energy increase they need to get going in the morning, coffee can also provide mental health benefits to many individuals with depression. In fact, a 2011 study of female coffee drinkers conducted at Harvard showed that drinking four or more cups of coffee per day reduced their risk of depression by 20 per cent.
Coffee Can Disrupt Sleep, Causing Other Health and Nutrition Problems
Unfortunately, the news about coffee is not all good. Caffeine can also be disruptive for some individuals, especially those who are particularly sensitive to it or who already have trouble sleeping. Even in small amounts, coffee can cause some individuals to feel restless, “jittery,” or anxious, which is especially problematic during sleeping hours. Insufficient sleep is linked to many health problems including heart disease, diabetes, and stroke, so this side effect of coffee consumption is important to monitor. If you have clients who report feeling sensitive to coffee, it might be best to recommend they cut back on the caffeine. You can recommend other ways they can boost energy, such as drinking plenty of water and eating lots of fruits and veggies.
Too much coffee can disrupt sleep and cause further health problems
After Your Nutrition Training Program, Remember: Everything in Moderation
As with most nutrient sources, moderation is crucial when it comes to taking full advantage of the health benefits of coffee. Even in individuals who are not particularly caffeine sensitive, drinking too much coffee can cause unpleasant effects including an upset stomach, headaches, irritability, and muscle tremors.
However, these effects are much less likely to occur in individuals who drink no more than 4 cups of coffee per day. So, if after your nutrition training program you or your clients drink a cup of coffee in the morning to start your days, or like to take a small caffeine boost with lunch, you will likely be in a good position to gain the many benefits of coffee consumption without incurring a high cost.
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