Hello everybody! Welcome back to my blog! 

A couple of weeks ago, I shared on Instagram a picture with some information about the goodness of a coffee. Today, I would like to go deeper and tell you the advantages of having coffee, how much is a good amount and what is the best time to have this deliciousness. 

This post comes along with my very first video on my YouTube channel!

Click here to watch it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5dMtrqbcSxs

• It increases energy levels. 

Thanks to the caffeine, the inhibitory neurotransmitter adenosine is blocked, leading on an increment of other stimulating neurotransmitters, like dopamine. 

Dopamine is involved in motor function, mood and decision making and takes part in the brain’s reward system. Increased levels of this hormone leave you with a feeling of wellbeing. 

• It increases alertness. 

Because the adenosine is blocked, and the dopamine is doing its work in our brain, our mood improves and that makes us feel more productive. Caffeine is a stimulant for the nervous system, making you feel alert and therefore energetic.

• It increases ability to concentrate. 

As I mentioned before, caffeine, as a stimulant, activates the production of dopamine. This dopamine controls concentration and focusing. 

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• Fat burner. 

Thanks to the increasement of body temperature and the action of the hormone epinephrine, the coffee has been recognised as a fat burner.

Caffeine accelerates your metabolism by around 10%. Having a faster metabolism means that when we are in rest state, we burn more calories, so to maintain your weight, you need to eat more than someone with a slower metabolism. 

• Better sport performance. 

A good dose of caffeine will stimulate the nervous system enough to reduce fatigue and the feeling of drowsiness. It has been shown that coffee plays a role in the improvement of endurance and muscular strength, essential abilities for sport performance. The increased levels of the hormone epinephrine result in an increasement of performance. 

• Illness protection. In this image, you can see the top reasons why people die every year. 

The University of Harvard, among other study labs, has shown that coffee may help preventing diabetes by increasing the metabolism rate, it also may have components that lower blood sugar. 

It is thought that it also may help prevent Alzheimer and other dementias thanks to the antioxidants, which can not only slow down inflammation and damage to brain cells, but also boost cognitive function.

See the full study here: https://www.health.harvard.edu/press_releases/coffee_health_benefits

• Contains essential nutrients and antioxidants. 

Coffee contains vitamin B2, B3 and B5 as well as manganese and potassium.

All B vitamins help convert food into energy. B2 is in charge of breaking down the macronutrients (fats, proteins and carbohydrates) so it plays an important role in supplying energy to our body, including the production of ATP. Vitamin B3 is involved in cellular metabolism. It’s an essential vitamin for the formation and reparation of DNA. It’s involved in cell signalling. It’s also an antioxidant. B5 helps synthesize coenzyme A, essential for fatty acid metabolism. It also metabolizes the rest of the macronutrients. 

Manganese is a vital mineral. It helps with the metabolism of amino acids, glucose and cholesterol, the products of the metabolism of the macronutrients. It’s also involved in blood clotting, bone formation and inflammation reduction. 

Potassium is an electrolyte. Electrolytes are in charge of conducting the electrical impulse throughout our body. 

• It’s a diuretic. 

Caffeine is a diuretic compound. When something is diuretic, it means that it increases the frequency you go to the toilet. Don’t worry about dehydration: you need to have around 5 cups at the same time to have a significant problem.

• Tastes delicious. 

Thanks to the variety of ways to have a coffee, there’s an option for everyone: espresso for those that like a strong bitter shot of coffee, latte for those that prefer something lighter but still tastes like coffee, long black for those that need an extra dose of caffeine. Coffee tastes good, smells good and goes well with sweet and savoury!

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• How much coffee?

The quantity is important. The most notable effects of caffeine occur after consumption of low to moderate amounts, this is 50-300mg approximately. The recommended daily limit is 400mg. One espresso contains 47-75mg of caffeine. The strongest coffee is brewed, containing 95-200mg of caffeine. This means that you shouldn’t have more than 2 brewed coffee or 5 espressos if you don’t want to have issues like anxiety, insomnia, irregular heartbeat, dehydration and kidney stones. 

• When?

Caffeine reaches its peak 30-60 minutes after the intake, and its effects last for 3-5 hours. This means that if you have a coffee at 3 in the afternoon, you might still feel the effects of the caffeine at 8 or 9 pm, meaning that it might be difficult for you to fall asleep. Experts recommend to avoid caffeine after lunch if you want to have a good night sleep.