From our morning dose to our afternoon jolt, most of us rely on some or the other form of ‘Caffeine’ which keeps us going throughout the day.

Coffee and tea are two of the most sought out a beverage that give us the energy dose during the hectic routine.

The main ingredient of both coffee and tea is “Caffeine” which is also found in soft drinks, energy drinks and chocolates. It is also present in some of the cold, allergy and pain killer medications.

Caffeine has become part of our “lifestyle” where we are so obsessed with different types of coffee and tea and of course energy drinks lately. Every meeting with our friends and loved ones happens over “a cup of coffee”.

Green tea, black tea, ginger tea, herbal tea, iced tea, cold coffee, mocha, latte, espresso, long black, cappuccino and what not??? And aahhhh how can I forget energy drink post workout and sports session.

Caffeine is widely available everywhere from small road side stalls to 7 star restaurants; wherever you go one thing you will definitely get is ‘Caffeine’ in some or the other form.

Caffeine does much more than keeping you awake, it’s a central nervous stimulant that has numerous effects on body. It combats tiredness and improves concentration.

Its stimulating property provides an array of health benefits. Studies have shown that consuming three cups of coffee a day reduces the risk of liver cancer by 50%. Other studies have suggested that it reduces the risk of mouth and throat cancer. It can also boost long term memory (due to it’s positive effects on brain), protects from Parkinson’s disease, Diabetes type II, Cardiovascular disease and Stroke.

Although it’s safe for adults but consuming it in a high doses can have a negative effect.

Heavy caffeine use can have an unpleasant side effect such as :

• Migraine
• Insomnia
• Irritability
• Stomach upset
• Muscle tremors
• Nervousness
• Fast heart beats

Even few of the studies have suggested that consuming high doses of caffeine may increase the risk of low weight babies in pregnant women.

Effects of caffeine vary from person to person, some are very sensitive to it while some does not have any effect which is why there are mixed reviews about it’s health effects.

Consuming up to 400 gms of coffee a day is considered to be safe for healthy adults i.e. approx4 cups of brewed coffee or a 2 energy shot drinks. Although actual amount of caffeine content may vary in beverages so, it’s always better to check the content or best is to consume it in low quantity.

Amongst all the positive effects we should not forget that it is a “psychoactive drug” and this can result in caffeine addiction.

People can become physically dependent on caffeine that they might need it at least 2-3 times a day. Absence or reduction of caffeine may result in withdrawal symptoms such as headache, vomiting, difficulty in concentration, fatigue, irritability, nausea and depression.

Consuming caffeine in small quantities can give you various health benefits but if you are hardcore caffeine lover it’s advisable to reduce the caffeine intake by keeping a tab on your daily caffeine intake and gradually reducing the amount of caffeine to avoid any untoward effects specially in children, pregnant women and if you are taking certain medications daily.

By keeping all this in mind, you can definitely enjoy ‘a cup of coffee’ daily without any ill effects.

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