CAFFEINE – The Addictive Mood Booster!
Caffeine is a substance, which occurs naturally in the leaves, seeds, and/or fruits of many plants. Caffeine is the world’s most popular psychoactive substance that is a mild stimulant to the central nervous system. It gives the much-needed kick for instant alertness and alleviates fatigue.
Perks of Caffeine:
Caffeine should be consumed in small portions to enjoy its perks.
- Psychological feel-good factor
- Increases alertness, improves concentration
- Increases instant exercise performance
- Reduces tiredness
- Can reduce the risk of certain cancers and type 2 diabetes
Negatives of Caffeine:
- Gets addictive, the body gets used to a particular amount of caffeine on daily intake, thereby gradually increasing the need for caffeine.
- Increases anxiety in caffeine-sensitive people.
- It acts as a diuretic and hence too much may cause dehydration.
- Disturbs sleep.
- May increase heart rate and blood pressure.
- Reduces the absorption of certain minerals from food.
- Increased intake can cause a risk of miscarriage/low birth weight babies, in pregnant women (limit caffeine to 200mg/day)
But, the crucial question still remains, how much is too much?… About 400 mg of caffeine per day is safe for healthy adults, which is approximately 3-4 cups of brewed coffee. It’s not an evil bean and you can start your day with an espresso, skinny latte, or Americano. Caffeine is usually ingested in disguised forms through tea, colas, energy drinks, or chocolates and hence the addiction to caffeine.
Increased sensitivity to caffeine can cause hyperactivity and insomnia. Decaffeinated coffee or tea (which contains less caffeine) should be the preferred choice to avoid the adverse effects of caffeine.
So just don’t keep fuelling up your system with caffeine for that much-needed kick, be mindful and enjoy it in moderation to see it do wonders for your happiness quotient.
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