by Drinking coffee first thing in the morning can be bad for your health, experts say, claiming that the drink can do more harm than good if used incorrectly.
Although coffee is said to have beneficial effects in combating common health problems, it can also lead to hormonal imbalances, poor sleep and even dementia.
Speaking to FEMAIL, Brisbane-based Dr Sheena Burnell and anthropologist Siim Land revealed simple routine tweaks you can make to ensure your caffeine consumption is helping – not harming – your health.
1. Avoid drinking coffee first thing in the morning
Coffee lovers should wait at least an hour before enjoying their first brew, as caffeine can increase cortisol levels.
Mr Land said the ideal time window for coffee consumption is generally from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.
“If you can wait an hour after waking up, that’s optimal because your cortisol levels are still rising,” Mr. Land explained.
“The idea is to allow natural cortisol levels to rise to increase your alertness before consuming caffeine, which also slightly increases cortisol levels – thus avoiding a big spike.”
However, Dr. Burnell enjoys a cup of coffee as soon as he wakes up and believes it’s a great way to start the day – especially because it can protect people from colon cancer. Both experts agree that limiting coffee consumption in the late afternoon and evening is a good rule of thumb to ensure that coffee doesn’t interfere with sleep.
Dr Sheena Burnell (pictured) of Ultimate Health in Brisbane is a longevity specialist who loves her daily cup of coffee – and knows how to enjoy it to get the maximum health benefits
Siim Land (pictured), an author and anthropologist from an Estonian island in Europe, recommends waiting one to two hours in the morning before enjoying your first cup of coffee
2. Do not drink more than three coffees a day
Both experts recommend drinking 2-3 cups per day to get the full benefit of coffee.
Dr Burnell explained that while limited coffee consumption has life-extending benefits, more than three cups pose a risk of cognitive decline later in life.
3. Choose plant-based milk
Dr. Burnell recommends avoiding cow’s milk because it has a high lactose content and becomes more difficult to digest as we get older, especially for women.
But she also advises not to resort to industrially produced plant milk – she encourages people to make their own milk.
“It’s fresher and doesn’t contain harmful additives and refined oils that are typically found in commercial nut milks,” she said.
Although coffee is considered beneficial and combats common health problems, it can also be linked to hormonal imbalances, poor sleep, and even dementia.
The medical expert also advises patients to avoid adding sugar or sweeteners, except for a little honey.
“Just enjoy the taste of the coffee,” she said.
4. Find out what effect coffee has on you
Mr Land said it is important to know whether you have a naturally fast or slow metabolism, as genes play a big role in how the body reacts to coffee.
People with a slow coffee metabolism usually feel more nervous and jittery or have a higher heart rate after drinking coffee.
These signs of discomfort mean that your body is more vulnerable to the negative reactions to excessive coffee consumption, such as mood swings or a drop in energy.
On the other hand, people who digest coffee quickly tend to feel more stable after drinking it and can usually drink more of it than others without experiencing side effects.
Dr. Burnell agrees that people react very differently to coffee – and she regularly performs DNA tests on her patients to determine caffeine metabolism.
5. Enjoy the coffee and relax
Dr Burnell believes it is important to take inspiration from Europeans, slow down and make coffee drinking more of a ritual or social experience rather than “just a drink”.
“Awareness and appreciation make a huge difference in everything we consume,” she said.
The medical expert often prepares her coffee dishes the evening before and has a special spoon and an elegant cup with her, which elevate the simple drink to something more like a sacred ritual.
