How healthy is coffee?

• Coffee is healthy – myth or truth?
• Decaffeinated coffee, green coffee and instant coffee
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The average German drinks just under four cups of coffee a day. Consumption goes beyond pleasure and satiety. Coffee is a functional grocery, which means that it can increase well-being and contribute towards maintaining health.

Four to six cups of coffee a day are harmless to your health. Nevertheless, tolerance is individual. Coffee does not dehydrate the body and is also not addictive.

Caffeine is the most pharmacologically active ingredient. It has a stimulating effect on the body and mind. The effect occurs after approx. 15 to 45 minutes. Depending on the person, caffeine has a half-life of two to eight hours. After this period, the caffeine is half broken down and the effect wears off.

Caffeine ensures that tiredness disappears, learning ability and concentration increase and performance and stamina rise. The load limit is also increased for approximately one to six hours.

Coffee also contains many antioxidants and just one cup of coffee covers around 10 % of the daily vitamin B3 (niacin) requirement.

Overall, coffee has a positive effect on some bodily functions – it stimulates digestion, for example – and has a positive influence on some illnesses. Regular consumption of coffee is beneficial for cardiovascular diseases and is also thought to have a protective effect on liver cirrhosis. Studies have also shown an opposing effect of coffee consumption and type 2 diabetes, as well as a lower risk of gallstones.

However, coffee consumption can also have unpleasant side effects. Caffeine can increase the tendency to heartburn and cause or intensify sleep disorders. This is why people with sleep sensitivity are advised not to drink coffee in the afternoon. A good alternative here is decaffeinated coffee. More on this later.

People with an increased risk of osteoporosis should ensure that they consume enough calcium if they drink coffee regularly, as this can otherwise favour a decrease in bone density.

During pregnancy and breastfeeding, coffee consumption should be greatly reduced or stopped, as caffeine passes through the bloodstream or breast milk to the foetus or baby.

Excessive consumption can often lead to nausea, nervousness and an irritated stomach.

The addition of milk or plant-based drinks does not impair the effect of the coffee.

If you want to enjoy the flavour of coffee but cannot tolerate the caffeine, you can opt for decaffeinated coffee. This eliminates the health benefits but also the disadvantages of caffeine. Decaffeinated coffee is a particularly good alternative for people who suffer from sleeping difficulties or who are pregnant or breastfeeding.

Green coffee is made from the raw, unroasted coffee bean. The effect of the caffeine is weakened. A major advantage is the significantly higher content of chlorogenic acid. Chlorogenic acid prevents the absorption of glucose and thus lowers the blood sugar level. As a result, green coffee can have a positive effect on diabetes.

Instant coffee consists of dried coffee extract. According to the purity law, it must not contain any other additives or be treated with chemicals. However, some antioxidants are lost during the production process. Instant coffee also containsless caffeine. Studies have shown that instant coffee contains around twice as much acrylamide as conventional coffee. Acrylamide is suspected of being carcinogenic. However, there are currently no limit values as to when exactly the substance is classified as harmful.