The Truth About Caffeine

A lot of coffee shops have popped up in the last decade.  People have taken coffee drinking to an entirely new level. Heck, I don't even know what half of the fancy coffee terms mean. I'm not too concerned with that fact, either. As long as I have a cup of whatever's brewing with some non-dariy creamer, I'm good to go. In fact, I may drink way too much of the stuff. It's one of few things I can't go a day without. When is it too much? Is coffee or caffeine consumption hazardous to our health?

Does caffeine mess with our digestive system? Can drinking coffee, or any other caffeinated beverage, before bed keep us awake at night? Should pregnant women avoid caffeine? Last, but not least, is caffeine addictive? Web MD separates fact from fiction about caffeine by giving us a better look at its benefits and drawbacks. One of the drawbacks is "a slight, temporary rise in heart rate and blood pressure...in those who are sensitive to caffeine".  Did you know that "caffeine itself is a mild painkiller and increases the effectiveness of other pain relievers"?

A deep concern about caffeine for some is that it may contribute to heart disease. The American Heart Association has conducted several studies, but the results have been inconclusive. The AHA does go on to state that "moderate coffee drinking (1–2 cups per day) doesn't seem to be harmful".

As I sip from my mug, I'm pondering...the great thing about living in a free country is that we can choose to stop at coffee and tea shops, buy whatever coffee, teas, or sodas we desire at the local grocer, and most of us have coffee pots or soda machines available to us inside the workplace. Like anything else, we have to educate ourselves and make the best decisions we know how to make.