They say coffee is one of the most addictive substances in the world, partly because of its boosting qualities that bring you energy in seconds, and party because of its magnetic taste. Whether you enjoy the taste or the effects, we can’t deny that coffee is the drink of choice for millions of people around the world. There are certain things you may want to know before drinking it.
Related: 12 High-Calorie Coffee Drinks You Should Avoid
1. Stay away from High-Calorie Coffee Drinks
This generation is into coffee, and we often don’t realize how much our delicious daily habit is costing us in calories. Obviously, if you’re a three frappe-coffee-drinker-a-day person, you know the dangers of coffee when it feels more like you are eating a dessert. But you might be surprised by some of the calorie-heavy concoctions on some recipes. A lot of coffee drinks nowadays are more about having a liquid dessert than actual coffee.
Though it’s true that traditionally, iced or chilled coffee tends to be even lower in calories than hot coffee, there’s so much sugar, whipped cream, flavor, and cream injected into common coffee drinks, you may as well just eat ice cream! Most specialty drinks, cold and hot, are well over 500 calories for a standard size. And it’s not just at Starbucks where you will find these high-calorie coffees!
2. You should Sip Water along with Your Coffee
Don’t feel like having coffee just once a day? The next best thing to take care of your smile is to have a glass of water right next to your cup of tea or coffee. Every time you take a sip of your coffee, alternate with a sip of water. This way you’ll be instantly washing away the tannins of the caffeine, significantly reducing the damage they can do on your pearly teeth.
Related: Mistakes You Should Avoid when Drinking Coffee
3. The Best Time to Drink Coffee
In case you didn’t know, there is actually a right time to drink coffee. Experts say that the ideal time to drink coffee is 1 to 2 hours after a meal. This is because drinking coffee immediately after a meal might cause reflux, heartburn, and discomfort. It’s also not recommended to drink coffee while you eat because it can affect your absorption of iron and result in developing anemia.
4. Brush Your Teeth Right after Drinking Coffee or Tea
Experts suggest you pick a time of your day to get your caffeine fix, properly brush your teeth and move on with your life. Long exposures to tannins make for darker spots that are harder to remove later on.
But be careful not to brush too soon: right after you finish your cup of coffee, swish your mouth with plain water to remove residues, and an hour later you can thoroughly brush your teeth. Brushing right after drinking tea or coffee can scrape out the enamel of teeth, which is left softer after drinking or eating.
5. Never Have Coffee Right after Alcohol
Some people wrongfully say that coffee can soothe the effects of alcohol when, in fact, combining these two can result in very bad consequences. When your body is under the influence of alcohol, you can consider yourself to be in a poor state of health. Drinking coffee right after alcohol could worsen your hangover because caffeine accelerates blood flow and has a diuretic effect, worsening your dehydration.
Related: How to Prevent Getting Tea and Coffee Stains on Your Teeth
6. The Worst Time to Drink Coffee
It is one of the most common habits for people to drink coffee first thing in the morning, right after waking up. However, this is very harmful to your body because it can cause gastric acid secretions, ulcers, and even mess with your natural cortisol secretions. For the rest of your day, you might want to avoid drinking coffee at times when your stomach is empty (before having a meal), or even in the middle of your meal. Coffee dissolves your gastric fluids and can end up causing you big stomach problems.
7. Drink the “Right” Amount of Coffee
While people have varying sensitivities towards caffeine, e.g. some can take a sip of coffee and spend all night awake, others can have several cups and sleep until late morning, there is a general healthy amount recommended per day. Health experts recommend consuming between 300 and 400 mg of coffee per day for a healthy and average adult (this does not apply to adolescents, pregnant women, or people with kidney problems).
So, for example, a large cup of iced coffee contains more than 200 mg of caffeine, so no more than 2 cups of iced coffee is recommended. Excessive caffeine intake could cause anxiety, irritability, excitement, and strong heart palpitations.
8. Drink Coffee Through a Straw
When you take a sip of your morning coffee, it’s washing down from your frontal teeth all the way to your molars, causing damage all the way. A good way to prevent this from happening, as it’s now done by many people, is to drink your coffee with a straw. Sure, it might look weird, especially if you’re drinking hot coffee. But having the coffee enter as deep in your mouth as possible without touching your teeth can prevent tannins from staining them.
Drinking coffee can be refreshing and exhilarating, but as you can see, there are many things to consider in order to avoid coffee becoming a health issue. We hope this article will make you a better coffee drinker!
Related: 10 Signs You Are Addicted to Coffee
