Many of us start our day with a cup of coffee for that energy jolt, and we’ve probably heard about the many health effects that coffee brings. But are they true and how much do you really know about the daily cup of joe you’re drinking?
Well, we’re here to spill the beans and debunk three of the most common coffee myths! Keep scrolling and the last one just might surprise you!
3 common coffee myths: Debunked
Myth 1: Coffee will cause insomnia
Often find yourself unable to fall asleep at night after drinking coffee? It’s probably time to take a look at your coffee intake timings.
It’s not true that coffee causes insomnia. However, the caffeine in it can keep us awake for around 4 to 6 hours. When consumed close to bedtime, coffee does make it harder to head to dreamland.
The key to avoiding sleepless nights is to find out how sensitive you are to caffeine. Caffeine effects can vary person to person. Some may be more sensitive to caffeine and find that even drinking a small cup of coffee will affect their ability to fall asleep at night.
If you often experience the jitters, headaches or diarrhoea after drinking a cup of coffee, you could be pretty sensitive to caffeine. It’s best to set a cutoff time for caffeine intake to prevent it from disrupting your sleep.
Myth 2: Coffee will dehydrate you
Fun fact: coffee is made up of 98% water! Caffeine has a mild diuretic effect, which means that it will cause an increase in urine production. However, studies have shown that it is highly unlikely for coffee to cause dehydration unless you’re drinking huge amounts in a short span of time.
The water or milk content in coffee can offset the diuretic effect and provide hydration to the body. That being said, coffee shouldn’t replace water! Too much caffeine intake can cause various side effects such as headache, anxiety and chest pain. Drinking coffee moderately coupled with sufficient water will keep your body well hydrated!
Myth 3: Coffee is addictive
You may have friends who profess themselves as “coffee addicts”. But the truth is that coffee causes dependency rather than having addictive properties.
If you’re a regular coffee drinker, headache, fatigue and irritability are common caffeine withdrawal symptoms that you might notice on days you go without caffeine. However, these symptoms tend to fade within a few days and does not cause any harmful effects on your health. Most people can easily quit or reduce coffee consumption without experiencing severe withdrawal effects.
Have you heard of any other coffee myths? Share it with us in the comments below and we’ll tell if they are true or false!