According to the studies, Americans consumes around 400 million cups of coffee per day. Over the centuries, coffee has gained a huge amount of popularity, it is considered as the second largest most consumed caffeinated drink around the world.
Whether it’s Latte, Cappuccino, Espresso, Americano, Macchiato, or Mocha, for most of us, a jolt of a cup of coffee is the first thing in the morning we like to have to get going for the whole day.

Occasionally, coffee has turned out to be the “heaven’s drink” but, as they say, “Excess of anything is bad” so, today we are going to discuss some of the side effects of coffee and everything you need to know about it.
Here are some of the things you should know before considering to add coffee to your daily diet.
Table of Content
How Much Coffee Should You Drink In A Day?
What is Coffee?

Coffee is a drink prepared from roasted coffee beans which are the seeds of plant known as Coffea. These plants can grow upto 30 feet high and are capable of growing in a wide range of climate. Coffee is grown in almost 50 countries all over the world where Brazil is pronounced to be the largest producer of it.
Caffeine Content in Coffee
Coffee contains “caffeine” which stimulates the central nervous system, heart, and muscles. One regular cup of coffee contains about 180 mg of caffeine in it.
1 cup of coffee = 180 mg caffeine.
While caffeine has been overrated, doctors say that you can get the most out of it if you consume around 200-300mg of caffeine a day.
Calories in Coffee

One cup of brewed coffee contains less than 5 calories and no fat. But if you dress it up and increase the contents then you might add up some calories. According to Mayo Clinic, if you dress up your drink with some extra contents then you will end up increasing it’s calorie content.
Let’s see how much calories will be increased with each content-
‣ Sugar: 16 calories for 1 teaspoon (4 grams)
‣ Heavy whipping cream: 101 calories for 2 tablespoons (1 ounce, or about 30 millilitres)
‣ Half-and-half: 37 calories for 2 tablespoons (1 ounce, or about 30 millilitres)
‣ Fat-free milk: 10 calories for 2 tablespoons (1 ounce, or about 30 millilitres)
8 Side Effects of Coffee:

Yes that's right. That wonderfully relaxing cup of coffee has side effects. You may have even noticed how on some days, an hour after drinking coffee, you start to feel restless, have stomach problems and so much more. Let's take a look at the disadvantages of drinking coffee and how coffee might be bad for your health.
1. Cardiovascular problems
More than 4 cups of coffee are associated to increase the blood pressure and cholesterol in our body. The cholesterol level is mainly believed to increase by the excess use of unfiltered coffee because of the presence of the terpene oil in coffee which are not present in the filtered coffee. The effect might be temporary in the starting but if you keep on taking the high dose then you might end up making it permanent. Caffeine also increases the hemocyanin hormone and all these are linked to increasing the rate of heart diseases
2. Stress and anxiety
Again, the caffeine is here. Caffeine increases stress hormones and elevates one's perception of stress. Coffee is known to increase alertness, but the caffeine in it actually works otherwise on your body. Caffeine blocks the brain chemical known as “adenosine” which is responsible for making you feel tired. HIgher doses of caffeine may increase this effect which leads you to anxiety attacks.

3. Diabetes
Caffeine has been pronounced to increase and decrease sugar level in your body which is the main reason for diabetics. Caffeine is the main component of coffee, however, it contains many other important components like minerals, magnesium, and antioxidants which are helpful to lower the risk rate of type 2 diabetes. Diabetics might want to consider taking decaffeinated coffee and tea instead of caffeinated coffee to keep themselves safe.
4. Pregnancy issues
Pregnant ladies, be cautious of your intake of coffee. Drinking more than 2 cups (about 200-250mg of caffeine) of coffee during pregnancy may link to increase the rate of miscarriage, premature delivery, and low birth weight. For mommies, it’s good to take a safe side when you are holding an infant within you.

5. Gastrointestinal problems
Many people find a cup of coffee in the morning to be their energy potion for the whole day. But, the caffeine in coffee increases the contractions of stomach muscles - possibly causing abdominal pain, diarrhoea, and increased bowel movements and it also irritates your stomach and the lining of your small intestine. Whenever there is a shortage of hydraulic acid for digestion, you often face problems for breaking down and utilizing proteins in particular. This is one of the reason for bad gas in a form of undigested and un-purifying protein and all those smelly farts.
6. Insomnia and fatigue
Coffee and other caffeinated drinks are known to be the energy boosters. Caffeine can temporarily increase alertness by pumping up adrenaline production and interfering with sleep-inducing chemicals. However, once the caffeine leaves your system, it causes fatigue and dizziness. And if regularly taken at the bedtime then it can even cause insomnia.

7. Male and female health problems
Some studies have shown that too much coffee can reduce the fertility rate of both men and women. A study in the University of Nevada has shown that overdose of coffee decreases the rate of becoming pregnant by 27%. High doses of coffee also affect PMS, osteoporosis, and menopausal problems. The side effect of drinking Black Coffee:
8. Disruptions in mineral absorption
Black coffee might be the most energetic drink with almost no calories, but too much intake of black coffee might make it hard to absorb the minerals in the diet. It also inhibits the absorption of some nutrients and causes the urinary excretion of calcium, magnesium, potassium, iron, and trace minerals.
[Also read: Benefits And Side Effects Of Coffee That You Need To Know]
How Much Coffee Should You Drink In A Day?

The active ingredient in coffee is caffeine, the most commonly consumed psychoactive substance in the world. An average cup of coffee is sufficient to give you the boost you need.
But if you feel drained and need an energy booster then you can replace the intake of coffee with other beverages like- Water (Yes! Water is also an energy booster), tea, green tea, unflavored soda and sometimes chocolate can be a good option too.
Bottom line
Coffee has been cursed and praised since the day it was discovered. It has served as a medicine at some point while nothing less than a poison at others. Many people might want to hate coffee after reading all these disadvantages of coffee but nothing is too bad if taken in the right amount and at the right time. You can get the most out of coffee if you make the right decisions for the amount you include in your diet.
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