Are you fed up with justifying your coffee-drinking habit? Are you always irritated when people ask why you drink too much coffee daily?
Table Of Contents
−- Coffee is more of a friend than an enemy
- Why do our brains crave caffeine?
- The habit of drinking coffee
- Your addicted
- Caffeine reduces cravings
- Caffeine strengthens DNA
- Reduces suicide risk and depression
- Caffeine burns calories
- Stimulates the Central Nervous System
- Caffeine could be a lifesaver
- Caffeine improves your focus
- Caffeine reduces the risk of some diseases
- Caffeine brightens your mood and vigilance
- Coping with stress
- Caffeine improves your Short-Term memory
- Coffee is healthy
- Low iron levels
- Coffee has lots of antioxidants
- Coffee has always fostered great thinking and creativity
- You’re tired
- Conclusion
We understand how irritating it is each time you justify coffee being your friend. But, the good news is, as much as coffee is criticized, its benefits far outweigh its downsides.
Coffee is more of a friend than an enemy
Research conducted by health professionals and scientist have continued to show caffeine in coffee is more of a friend than an enemy. So, if you have been forced to believe taking coffee is bad, here is the good news.
You are doing the right thing by enjoying your java. But it is good you also monitor your consumption to avoid adverse effects associated with taking too much coffee.
Why do our brains crave caffeine?
Your brain’s craving for caffeine is a good thing and something that you should cherish unless requested to monitor your consumption by your doctor.
Otherwise, grab your cup of coffee any time your brain craves more. But why does our brain crave more and more caffeine? Below are twelve reasons to help you understand why your brain craves caffeine.
The habit of drinking coffee
You’re likely craving coffee out of habit. It could be a central part of your morning routine or a basis for social interactions. Over time, you might have become mentally reliant on the practice of coffee drinking. So when you try to eliminate a binding psychological factor like coffee, it can feel uncomfortable.
Animal experiments have shown that once used to a basic cue-routine-reward habit; their brains start anticipating the reward before they get it. And once expected, denying them the real reward leaves them disappointed and mopey.
This is craving’s neurological origin. Craving works for healthy habits. Be it the endorphin rush in their brain, the feeling of achievement, or the care they eventually allow themselves. Whether wanting to enjoy a cup of coffee to start the day or a cup after a meal, this craving solidifies the habit; only signals and rewards are not enough.
Your addicted
Coffee contains amino acids, the building blocks of neurotransmitters that make our brains feel good, such as serotonin. When our brains are exhausted by these feel-good chemicals, we can make drugs feel better.
Cigarettes, alcohol, sugar, and coffee are all psychoactive drugs (drugs that change our brain chemistry). The body absorbs amino acids from the protein we eat; however, if we have impaired intestinal health by drinking too much coffee, we cannot break down the amino acids in our food similarly.
Coffee increases your level of serotonin and dopamine for as long as you take it. Once you stop drinking coffee, you’re going to retire. Your brain, which is used to high levels of neurotransmitters, will act as if there is a deficiency.
Caffeine reduces cravings
Looking for a way to suppress your appetite? Or thinking of curbing your craving? Combined with other energy boosters, caffeine will kill your craving and give you the energy you need to continue your routine activities.
Griffith University in Australia is researching this area where one group is given water, one is caffeinated coffee, and the other is given decaffeinated coffee. The focus of the research is to prove the effect of caffeine on controlling cravings or suppressing cravings.
Ever felt tired and after a few minutes of gulping a cup of coffee, you feel rejuvenated? This is because caffeine does boost your energy levels. Caffeine boosts your energy level by affecting the adenosine receptors in your brain.
These receptors bind within our neural membranes, slowing down our neural activity and, in turn, making us tired. For example, when you take coffee, the caffeine binds with our neural membranes, leaving less room for the adenosine receptors to contact, stopping us from feeling tired.
It is good to note that caffeine also triggers your pituitary glands to kick in. This, in turn, affects our adrenal glands, which, when stimulated, produce adrenalin (flight hormone) which gives you energy.
Caffeine strengthens DNA
A European Journal of Nutrition study revealed that caffeine strengthens DNA strands and helps prevent dangerous breakages. The study focused on males with similar weights and diets going for a run. After the run, the control group was given 750ml water, and the test group was given 750ml dark roast coffee.
The results showed that DNA strand breakages increased slightly in the control group and decreased significantly in the test group. The difference between the two groups was significant. That is a 27% difference.
Reduces suicide risk and depression
High caffeine intake is said to reduce depression and suicide risk. This is according to findings by medical researchers at Harvard University over twenty-four years. The finding revealed that caffeine ingestion reduces the risk of depression in women.
Although further research is required, the initial findings showed the benefits of caffeine intake in reducing the risk of depression and suicide.
Caffeine burns calories
Trying to burn more calories? The caffeine in your coffee is your friend, according to a study by The American Society for Clinical Nutrition which aimed to prove that caffeine stimulates thermogenesis in humans. The findings revealed those who consumed caffeine burned more calories. So, if you struggle to burn more calories, try caffeinated coffee.
Stimulates the Central Nervous System
For a long time, caffeine has been thought to hurt the central nervous system. But in recent research, caffeine has been found to stimulate the central nervous system. A good study was done by the National Institute of Health, which revealed that caffeine stimulates the central nervous system.
Caffeine activates non-adrenal neurons and stimulates the brain’s production of dopamine and serotonin through the methylxanthine present in the caffeine. These hormones, in turn, make you happy, improve your coordination, and boost your brain’s capacity for learning and memory.
Caffeine could be a lifesaver
We have already seen caffeine reduces suicide risk and depression and helps shed weight. By helping you monitor your weight, caffeine also eliminates your chances of becoming obese. Not to mention that caffeine reduces your cardiovascular and liver disease risk.
A 2005 study published in the AHA Journal revealed a direct correlation between drinking coffee and living longer.
Caffeine improves your focus
Some parts control how our brains work on planning, concentration, and attention for a specific period. A study done by researchers at the Medical University of Innsbruck in Austria revealed that caffeine increased brain activity in these parts or areas. Even though the study did not reveal how long the effect lasts, the period it lasts, whether short or long, will boost your focus.
Caffeine is the main reason why coffee can have such a positive effect on your brain. When you consume a cup of coffee, caffeine latches on to a neurotransmitter called adenosine in the brain. This helps to wake up the brain and tell it to focus and be attentive. Caffeine also increases serotonin and acetylcholine, which may stimulate the brain. Higher overall caffeine consumption (from coffee and tea) improved simple and choice reaction times, incidental verbal memory, and visuospatial reasoning.
Coffee can also help to improve brain function by providing a quick boost of energy. The combination of caffeine and glucose together can also help to increase mental alertness, allowing you to stay focused for longer and recall information more easily.
Caffeine reduces the risk of some diseases
We have already seen some of the health benefits of caffeine. Below is a list of diseases caffeine is known to reduce risk.
- Parkinson’s Disease
- Heart Disease
- Alzheimer’s Disease/Dementia
- Type 2 Diabetes
- Gout
Caffeine brightens your mood and vigilance
As mentioned earlier, caffeine increases your brain’s production of dopamine and serotonin. These hormones raise your mood and give you the energy you need. Consequently, this brightens your mood.
Caffeine can wake the brain up. It causes an increase in the activity of dopamine, a neurotransmitter that has an enormous role in our mental and physical health. In addition, it controls the processes in the brain that affect emotional response and our ability to experience pleasure, explaining the pleasurable high experienced during the first sip.
Coffee’s effect on mood is considerable. In addition, a Harvard study in 1996 discovered an inverse relationship between coffee drinking and suicide among 87,000 female nurses, adding to the belief that coffee has potential antidepressant properties.
After the caffeine wears off, however, it may have a depressive effect on a person’s mood, but that’s when people reach for another hit and run to the downstairs coffee shop. Many offices have replaced the water cooler or smokers hub as the activity during which ideas are shared, and decisions are made.
Coping with stress
Stress affects the entire body, causing anxiety and exhaustion. Many adults use chemical boosters for depression, including nicotine, alcohol, and caffeine. Wanting to return to the safety of familiar routines, particularly those that offer you a pick-me-up, is natural.
As mentioned earlier, caffeine is the active ingredient in coffee that is responsible for its energizing effects. When consumed, caffeine latches onto a neurotransmitter called adenosine, which helps regulate our alertness and sleep-wake cycles. By blocking this receptor, caffeine helps our brains stay alert and focused and can even boost dopamine levels, leading to a feeling of euphoria and improved mood.
So if you’re feeling stressed out or overwhelmed, try having a cup of coffee or another caffeinated beverage. Not only will it help boost your dopamine levels, but it could also be the perfect stress reliever.
Ultimately, drinking coffee is one way to increase your feel-good hormones, but there are many other activities that can help you achieve the same goal. Eating nutritious meals, listening to calming music, and getting enough rest are all great ways to keep your mood elevated and your body healthy.
Caffeine improves your Short-Term memory
Are you the kind of student who likes cramming for an exam? If yes, caffeine will not disappoint you as it is significant in short-term memory. A study at John Hopkins University found a positive correlation between caffeine consumption and short-term memory. If studying or cramming, you will capture more after drinking caffeinated coffee.
Coffee is healthy
Coffee is one of the healthiest drinks you will ever have besides having caffeine which we have already seen its benefits. Coffee also has natural antioxidants, which protect your body from free radicals. It also contains cafestol and kahweol, both diterpenes, which can positively affect your cholesterol. In other words, coffee contains other substances your body needs to maintain good shape.
Low iron levels
If you have iron deficiency anemia (low iron levels), you could have symptoms like severe fatigue and weakness. If you’re chronically sleepy, switching to “wake up” caffeine makes sense.
Sadly, coffee contains natural compounds called tannins that can keep the body from absorbing iron. Coffee can help you manage short-term exhaustion but can intensify anemia symptoms in the long term.
Coffee has lots of antioxidants
Why give up on coffee? It contains a huge range of antioxidants; it’s truly a superfood or super drink. These antioxidants help to protect your body from free radicals, which many medical experts believe can cause cancer and other diseases. If you have a good amount of superfood lying around your home, wouldn’t you crave and drink it every day?
Coffee has always fostered great thinking and creativity
Known as the “milk of chess players and thinkers,” coffee has always played an important role in Turkish lifestyle and culture. It was so important that a woman was permitted to divorce her husband if he could not keep her in an adequate supply of coffee! It was a part of the daily culture, a ritual, both loved and revered.
The tradition found the glitterati meeting at coffee houses to play backgammon and discuss politics, so its role as a thinking mans liquid and social lubricant was already clearly defined.
When the Turkish Army invaded Vienna in the seventeenth century, coffee was inadvertently introduced to Europe. Many coffee bags were left behind as the soldiers fled the city, and shortly after, the first coffee houses in Europe were established as people realized their amber-like qualities.
Their trend spread across Europe, becoming an instant hit everywhere, assuming the same social roles it had played in Turkey. First, it hit the UK, Italy, Paris, and Germany, embraced wholeheartedly, and then taken to America with the colonies.
In Europe, the coffee house became the preserve of upper-class socialites and businessmen who would meet, gather and discuss business.
A coffee shop run by Edward Lloyd in the UK in the 1660s eventually became the Lloyds Insurance House, a testament to the types of business clubs that coffee houses fostered and their role in entrepreneurial circles. As you can see, they have always fostered a “creative spirit.”
You’re tired
Do you find yourself reaching for a cup of coffee in the morning to get your day started? You’re not alone. Coffee is one of the most popular beverages consumed around the world, and for a good reason! Coffee is an excellent way to get an energy boost and keep your brain functioning optimally throughout the day.
Caffeine, the active ingredient found in coffee, is a stimulant that binds to adenosine receptors in the brain. Adenosine is a neurotransmitter that is responsible for making us feel tired and sluggish. When caffeine binds to these receptors, it blocks the effects of adenosine and helps us feel more alert and energized.
In addition to providing increased energy levels, caffeine also raises levels of dopamine and serotonin, two neurotransmitters that are associated with happiness and pleasure. This helps to create a positive emotional state and further boosts energy levels.
It’s no wonder why our brains crave coffee. Coffee not only increases energy levels but also helps to improve mood, focus, and alertness. For those looking to up their daily energy levels, coffee is an excellent choice!
Conclusion
Coffee is more than just a delicious morning ritual – your brain craves it for several reasons. Caffeine, the primary ingredient in coffee, stimulates the brain and enhances mental alertness, making it a popular pick-me-up. But caffeine also has other effects on the brain – from blocking the effects of adenosine to providing amino acids for neurotransmitters.
When consumed in low to moderate doses, caffeine binds to receptors in the brain, blocking the effects of adenosine and allowing dopamine to flow more freely. This can bring on feelings of well-being and energy. Caffeine also causes the body to send signals to the kidneys, telling them to produce more urine and causing dehydration. As caffeine is hydrophobic, it passes through the blood-brain barrier quickly, allowing for rapid absorption and uptake.
Coffee also provides the brain with important amino acids, which are essential for neurotransmitters. Neurotransmitters, such as serotonin and dopamine, are responsible for regulating mood and sending signals between neurons. Coffee can improve mental alertness and focus, making it an ideal way to start your day. Caffeine can also help reduce oxidative stress, and inflammation and improve antioxidant capacity, ultimately helping keep your brain healthy.
So next time you reach for that cup of coffee, don’t feel guilty – your brain is simply craving the stimulating benefits of caffeine!
Editorial Staff
The editorial staff at Crazy Coffee Crave is a team of coffee enthusiasts & Baristas who enjoy the one thing we all think about as soon as we get up in the morning. Trusted by thousands of readers worldwide.
