If you’ve ever put down your cup of coffee and felt a pang of regret, you’re not alone. We’ve all had our “one cup” moments, that one cup of coffee that just slipped past the boundary of self-control.
It’s a powerful feeling, and even for people who don’t actually have a real addiction, the desire for that first cup of java late in the day can be overpowering, especially when the coffee is free.
Coffee is a caffeine-containing beverage, and caffeine is a psychoactive drug. It has been linked to insomnia, anxiety, and also potential addiction.
If you are aware of the potential negative effects of coffee, you may be one of the countless people struggling with this addiction.
There are many ways to break a coffee addiction, so let’s start with some basics. If you’ve ever been addicted to coffee, you know how hard it can be to give it up.
Coffee addiction is a serious problem, and it can ruin your life, your health, and your relationships. If you’re ready to finally break it, here are some proven methods to help you.
Ways to reduce caffeine intake
Caffeine is probably the most well-known drug in the world, but many people don’t realize that there are other legal and illegal drugs that have the same effects.
Even though caffeine is an addictive drug, it is not a hard drug to give up. It is very easy to cut down on your intake.
When it comes to caffeine, there are several means to reduce it without doing so much harm to yourself.
1. Reduce your coffee intake
Most of us enjoy a cup of coffee in the morning, which is great, because coffee is a very healthy beverage.
But a cup of coffee also contains a little extra caffeine, which can be a problem for people who wish to keep their caffeine intake as low as possible.
If you’re not sure how much caffeine you’re consuming, check the label on the container. If you see caffeine, you’ll know how much caffeine is in your coffee.
2. Drink tea instead
A common myth is that the best way to reduce caffeine is to eliminate caffeinated drinks from your life, but is it really that easy? Well, maybe it’s not as easy as it seems.
Some experts say that if you want to reduce your caffeine intake, it’s best to keep it to a minimum and replace it with something that has a similar effect. And that something is tea.
3. Drink espresso instead
The regular caffeine in coffee will cause anxiety for many people. Additionally, regular coffee drinkers tend to gain weight, which is inevitable after a certain age.
You can reduce the chances of getting overweight by drinking espresso instead. The high amount of caffeine in espresso is softened by the milk and cream.
The sweetness from the sugar and cream will more than make up to the loss of caffeine due to the caffeine in espresso.
4. Drink decaffeinated coffee
The amount of caffeine in your coffee is a factor that some like to consider when they are trying to reduce their caffeine intake.
A common practice is to only drink decaffeinated coffee instead of drinking caffeinated coffee at all, since the amount of caffeine in a cup of decaf is roughly half that of a cup of caffeinated coffee
While decaf does contain some caffeine, it is generally lower in caffeine content than regular coffee.
5. Use a French Press
If you drink more coffee than you should, then you need to reduce your intake of caffeine. However, many people are too afraid to give up coffee forever and suffer the consequences.
With a French Press, you can stop drinking caffeine while still enjoying that delicious cup of coffee. A well-made French Press coffee brewer is easy to use, and its advantages are many.
It not only gives you a rich, fragrant brew, but it also preserves the integrity of your coffee bean. All that is left is a smooth, concentrated coffee concentrate that can be brewed again and again.
Negative effects of too much coffee
Coffee is consumed by millions of people worldwide each day, and many people consume up to five cups a day. The benefits of coffee are many and diverse.
It can be used to cure insomnia, increase alertness and concentration, boost metabolism, reduce stress, and improve cardiovascular health.
It is well known that coffee can decrease your blood pressure and helps preserve a healthy heart, but this comes at a cost.
But too much of a good thing can be bad! Drinking too much coffee is bad for your health, and this is not just a myth. Here’s some of the effects of too much coffee intake;
Short term effects:
- Heart palpitations
- Nervousness
- Shaking
- Headaches
- Insomnia
- Heartburn
- Increased Anxiety and tremors.
- Stomach pain
- Increase in urination
- Dehydration
Long term effects:
1. Fertility – if you drink too much coffee you may not be able to have children.
A recent study found that there is a link between women drinking three or more cups of coffee a day and an increased risk of menstrual cycle issues such as abnormal bleeding and infertility.
Women who consumed at least five cups of coffee daily had a 35 percent decrease in the likelihood of getting pregnant compared to women who drank less than a cup daily.
2. Skin – it can age you faster.
Coffee can be a great thing for your skin, but drinking too much coffee can age you faster. Caffeine is a stimulant and is absorbed through skin.
If you drink too much coffee, you will have a negative impact on your skin.
3. Kidney and Liver – it can cause damage to these organs.
Most people don’t realize coffee can be dehydrated and become black tea and can be dangerous if consumed to much. Coffee is a more-than-commonly used morning beverage.
But all that coffee can wreak havoc on your body. For example, your liver is often under attack after you drink a lot of coffee, and your kidneys are a common casualty of the addiction.
While these two organs can recover from mild damage, they can also suffer from chronic overloading.
4. Heart – it can increase the likelihood of heart disease.
Caffeine can raise the heart rate, which can in turn lead to a number of health problems, including heart attacks, stroke, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol.
While drinking a cup of coffee may seem harmless, going overboard can lead to serious consequences. It’s also a stimulant that can lead to heart arrhythmias.
5. Caffeine overdose
According to the Mayo Clinic, now it’s recommended that women stop drinking more than three cups of coffee a day, and men should stop drinking more than four.
That’s because caffeine can interfere with blood vessels by altering the way the body regulates blood pressure.
Consuming too much of it can have serious—and potentially fatal—consequences, especially if you’re not used to it.