Coffee is among the essential drinks of the day among many people in the country.
According to a 2020 study by the National Coffee Association, coffee consumption in the US has increased by 5% since 2015, with 62% of people taking it every day.
Coffee has many health benefits, but like anything else, it depends on how much you take.
Inflammation isn’t something that can be talked about in a positive way.
Therefore, before taking coffee, it’s important to establish its relationship with inflammation.
What is Inflammation?
Inflammation is a mechanism of the immune system to protect the body from dangers.
For instance, you may notice some swelling and redness around the place an insect bit you.
Inflammation occurs when the immune system triggers the body to send specialized blood cells to control a threat.
When inflammation occurs in response to a threat, it’s a good thing.
However, when the cause is unhealthy lifestyle habits like alcoholism, excessive smoking, and overconsumption of highly processed food, it could be dangerous.
Chronic inflammation can lead to heart diseases, cancer, diabetes, and more.
Types of Inflammation
There are two types of inflammation, namely acute and chronic inflammation.
Acute inflammation
Acute inflammation heals within 2 to 6 weeks.
This condition starts rapidly before becoming severe within a few days.
It mainly occurs when the tissues are damaged by harmful compounds, microbial invasion, or trauma.
Chronic inflammation
It’s more severe and dangerous than acute inflammation.
Although it starts slowly, it may remain in the body for months or even years and kill the patient in the process.
Therefore, treatment and diet are crucial in the management of this condition.
Important Symptoms of Inflammation
Acute inflammation is easy to notice as it is characterized by swelling, redness, or pain.
However, chronic inflammation can be hard to tell and, therefore, easy to overlook.
Here are important symptoms of chronic inflammation, which may range from mild to severe and last for prolonged periods.
- Mouth sores
- Lower back pain
- Chest pain
- Insulin resistance
- Constant fatigue
- Fever
How to Fight Inflammation
One of the simplest ways of managing inflammation is by seeing what you eat and drink.
Certain foods such as leafy green vegetables like spinach, some types of meat such as fatty fish, and beverages like coffee control the condition.
Benefits of Taking Coffee
When consumed moderately and regularly, coffee has been found to have many health benefits for those without underlying health conditions.
For example, drinking coffee has often been found to reduce cancers and liver and neurological diseases.
However, all these conditions are linked to long-term inflammation.
Caffeinated coffee has been found to prolong life.
Some of the leading causes of death worldwide include kidney diseases, diabetes, stroke, and heart diseases.
Taking coffee reduces the chances of these conditions occurring.
Coffee drinking reduces the chances of developing heart failure.
The condition occurs when a weakened heart is unable to perform its functions effectively.
Taking coffee can speed your heart and enable it to pump enough blood in the body.
Coffee is also good for the liver. Drinking coffee frequently has been found to have a protective impact on the liver.
In addition, coffee drinkers are more likely to have their liver enzyme levels at the optimum levels than those who don’t drink it.
Therefore, you can improve your liver health by taking one or two cups a day.
How Coffee Can Control Inflammation
Coffee contains the same antioxidant compounds that enable fruits and vegetables to be efficient in managing inflammation.
In addition, the antioxidants found in coffee and other foods shield the cells from damage.
Free radicals are unstable molecules found in the body.
During oxidation, they damage the cells causing certain conditions such as Alzheimer’s, diabetes, and heart diseases.
When you take coffee, you provide your body with antioxidants that help in stopping this process.
Consequently, you can avoid these diseases.
Caffeine has also been found to be beneficial to older people.
According to a case study published in a journal called Nature Medicine, caffeine protects those over 85 years old against long-term inflammation.
How Coffee Can Cause Inflammation
Although caffeinated coffee is associated with many health benefits, it may cause undesired effects sometimes.
For example, when taken late in the afternoon or evening, it may cause insomnia.
Lack of enough sleep may then cause inflammation.
Too much coffee is also associated with other health issues like anxiety, irregular heartbeat, and more.
To enjoy all the benefits linked to coffee, you shouldn’t take more than 4 cups (400 milligrams) per day.
Caffeinated coffee is linked with adverse effects such as the increased risk of high blood pressure and artery stiffness.
Taking too much coffee may also affect insulin, homocysteine, and cholesterol levels. Surprisingly, all these conditions affect inflammation in one way or the other.
People with Parkinson’s or tremors should also avoid coffee.
In addition, those struggling with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and heartburn shouldn’t take this beverage as it may aggravate their condition.
Why Coffee is Good for Your Heart
Many people are concerned about what coffee may do to their hearts.
Taking coffee regularly and in the right quantity can speed up your heart.
Therefore, it’s good for your heart.
Two to three cups of coffee per day are good for your cardiovascular health as they can boost your blood pressure.
Inflammation is an important contributor to heart disease.
It hardens the arteries, thereby blocking the blood vessels, leading to strokes or heart attacks.
To Drink or Not to Drink?
Your final decision to drink or not to drink coffee should be based on how your body reacts.
If you can take a few cups of coffee every day without any side effects, there’s no reason to stop drinking it.
For many people, taking moderate amounts of coffee comes with more benefits than harm.
However, you should minimize your coffee intake if you experience an increased heartbeat or start feeling anxious.
You can talk with your doctor if you’re unsure if taking caffeinated coffee is affecting your health.