Coffee in the diet. Yay or nay?

metamorphosis

So,

There are many conflicting reports about coffee and its place in a persons diet.

http://hubpages.com/hub/coffee-pros-cons

What's your opinion. Good/Bad?? Me, i never drank it untill 2 months ago. I have a cup or 2 some days. I find it can keep me going during the day rush between training-college-training and so on. But i now can see that it can easily be addictive or maybe just habit forming.

Anyway-i like it.

EileenG

No caffeine, no point!

I'm a big fan of coffee. A cup or so at breakfast, and another one an hour or so before a workout.

There's a huge amount of research on coffee and caffeine and apart from a few unlucky people who are sensitive to it (and you'd know if you were one) most people have better health as a result. Coffee helps brain function, prevents gallstones, reduces type 2 diabetes, and a lot of other stuff. And it tastes great.

El_Dangeroso

Gave up coffee for a month, first week was sheer and utter hell, headaches, crankiness and insomnia to boot. Only had one cup a day prior to that.

Went back on it and really enjoy that one cup, but I often wonder if something gives you withdrawal symptoms that bad, then surely it can't be doing good things?

celestial

Coffee is wondrous stuff. Just drink it!

lamba

hello,
I'm told coffee can help if your on a diet as i have two sisters who have lost and are still losing wait as a result of a tip they gotabout black coffee. Both drink black coffee, 1 about six to eight cups a day and the other about 3-4, and both believe it helps to convince the body its full!!
I like coffee but i get very bad headaches and blurred vision if i even drink 1 cup but still sometimes i will take the chance but not for reasons of vanity, i just like it!! (with milk and 1 sugar maybe thats why it never worked for me!!):rolleyes:

Khannie

Wouldn't remove coffee from my diet if you paid me. NYOM!

3 mugs a day for me. Sometimes 4.

cozmik

hate the stuff.

EileenG

lamba wrote: »

hello,
I'm told coffee can help if your on a diet as i have two sisters who have lost and are still losing wait as a result of a tip they gotabout black coffee. Both drink black coffee, 1 about six to eight cups a day and the other about 3-4, and both believe it helps to convince the body its full!!
I like coffee but i get very bad headaches and blurred vision if i even drink 1 cup but still sometimes i will take the chance but not for reasons of vanity, i just like it!! (with milk and 1 sugar maybe thats why it never worked for me!!):rolleyes:

Coffee is a thermogenic so it will cause your body to burn extra calories. Ever feel hot and sweaty after an expresso? That's the thermo effect. However, the effect is small, and milk and sugar wipes it out.

It's possible you are one of the small percentage of people who are sensitive to caffeine, so drinking it can make you feel bad, and may raise your blood pressure. It it doesn't suit you, don't drink it to lose weight.

Have you tried green tea? Also excellent for fat loss, and many people find it easier to take.

slicus ricus

I would be sceptical regarding the aforementioned health benefits of coffee. I personally really enjoy coffee - i love the taste of it and at this stage it has become a part of my daily routine. The only things I don't like about it are: the peaks and troughs it gives you; and the element of depedance you have on it.

I find regarding the peaks and troughs that it's more a case of avoiding the troughs than anything else. For example, when I hit the gym to train in the evenings (generally after 8pm), I would make sure I've had a coffee with my meal (1hr - 1 1/2hrs before training). I don't do this to attain a peak of energy, it's more a case of making sure i don't hit a trough while training.

Also, I find that if i'm somewhere at the weekend where i can't get a cup of coffee in or around the usual times I drink coffee from Mon-Fri, I start noticing that i'm feeling tired and sometimes in bad form. The only cure for this is of course a nice coffee!

Other than that, coffee is great!:D

Orby

I really think that controlled amounts of good quality coffee is most beneficial and healthful!

Macha

Pulled from Precison Nutrition:

What you should know

The good

Caffeine can increase performance, especially with endurance events. Athletes can typically last longer and work harder. But even brief bouts of activity can be improved with caffeine use. This may be due to increased alertness and awareness. Indeed, caffeine can be addictive for many athletes because of these performance benefits.

The bad

Caffeine consumption can decrease the effectiveness of serotonin and trigger the release of dopamine (two major neurotransmitters), which can make it even more addictive.

When someone nixes the caffeine from their daily routine, the adenosine accumulation is substantial, and without the blockade from caffeine, adenosine is free to exert its effects. The over-abundance can cause vasodilation (headaches), shakiness and stomach upset, which are all classic symptoms of caffeine withdrawal.

If caffeine is used regularly and at the end of the day, people may have trouble getting to sleep and sleeping well. Because sleep quality and duration affect the hormones that control appetite, hunger and satiety along with anabolism/catabolism, caffeine can ultimately detract from optimal body composition and performance despite its temporary enhancement.

Caffeine has effects on the gastrointestinal tract. It increases the production of stomach acid, with large amounts inducing stomach upset or acid reflux.

The ugly

While caffeine can improve athletic performance, it can also send you rushing to the restroom. It was long believed that caffeine acted as a potent diuretic. However, recent studies have disproved this hypothesis. Caffeine can, however, irritate the bladder and increase urinary urgency. Because of caffeine’s effect on the GI tract, it can also stimulate diarrhea.

It’s possible to build up a tolerance to caffeine. More caffeine may be needed over time to get the same stimulation.

While many studies indicate that caffeine can enhance performance, many studies also suggest it has no effects. It seems that a large individual variation exists.

Summary and recommendations

* 3-5 mg of caffeine per kilogram of bodyweight can provide a performance effect without health risks. At 3 mg/kg, an 80 kg person would need 240 mg of caffeine.
* If using caffeine to increase performance, try consuming it 30 to 60 minutes before the event/exercise. Blood levels of caffeine are maximized about 60 minutes after consumption, but effects are noticed by 30 minutes.
* Try to use caffeine when you actually “need it.” Repeated caffeine consumption can create a tolerance and lessen the benefit.
* Take caution if you plan on mixing caffeine with other supplements. Using multiple stimulants (e.g., synephrine, ephedra, forskolin, yohimbe, etc.) can put one at risk for sudden arrhythmic death.