The Jive About Java
Article contributed by Chandini Hemrajani
The Jive about Java
The student population at Virginia Tech has a lot to choose from as far as coffee goes. Our options range from the coffee chains to local coffee shops, conveniently with extra space for students to lounge and study so they can go back for more at anytime. These shops also open earlier than you do so that they can make that perfect “Grande skinny extra hot mocha latte” for you before you start your day. Don’t worry! Coffee is not completely bad for you, but if you are going to consume it here are some things to consider.
- In the mornings your body is going through a cleansing process. If you chose to consume coffee first thing in the morning you could be interfering with activities in the body that need to take place. If you usually make “the best part of waking up Folgers in your cup”, try drinking 1-2 glasses of water instead. (Selfgrowth.com)
- Coffee may suppress feelings that need to be recognized. People tend to drink coffee when they need energy or when they did not get enough sleep the night before. Although these are legitimate reasons, substituting this minor addiction with short bouts of exercise or a nutritious meal can often do the trick. (Selfgrowth.com and NaturalHealth.com)
- For those of you interested in weight loss coffee may not be as healthy as you think. Coffee used to help with digestion however; compared to how coffee was prepared a long time ago a lot of the nutritional value from coffee disappears after the filtration process. Coffee also has effects on sleep patterns. Inadequate amounts of sleep can often lead to weight gain. (WebMD.com)
- You ever notice how frequently you visit the bathroom after that first cup of coffee? Well, coffee along with any caffeinated beverages are diuretics (stimulates urination) and inhibit the proper absorption of some important nutrients such as iron and calcium. These nutrients are then excreted in the urine. (WebMD.com)
- Lastly, coffee and exercise is not a recommended energy drink. Indeed, coffee does stimulate your nervous system to release hormones to put you in a better mood and it may also seem like you have more energy, but this bout of energy is temporary. It is more so caffeine that provides the benefits to exercise. Caffeine does not show improvements in strength training as much as it does in endurance training.
Coffee is a guilty pleasure for many and a dependency for others. You must be cautious about what you put in your body and try to consume everything in moderation. It might be difficult to wean yourself off of coffee immediately, but the more substitutes you find the better off you will be. There is so much to choose from water, herbal teas, DECAFFEINATED energy drinks, and natural juices. Good luck to all you “java junkies” with making some changes.