4 popular coffee myths and their exposure

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

Coffee takes a very special place in our life. This drink is so popular that a fair amount of myths have arisen around it. In this article we will tell you why coffee does not dehydrate the body, whether it helps with drunkenness and whether it can be drunk by children.

Myth 1. Coffee dehydrates the body

Many publications categorically claim that drinking coffee contributes to dehydration. After all, caffeine, one of the main ingredients in the drink, is a powerful diuretic. The logic is simple: the more you drink coffee, the more often you will later go to the toilet, removing fluid from the body every time. But one important fact is being ignored: coffee is also mainly composed of water.

A special published in the journal Human Nutrition and Dietetics found that coffee consumption does not lead to additional loss of fluid over and above that which came with the drink. The only exceptions are shock doses: 2-3 cups of strong coffee in a row. True, the effect is mainly manifested in those people who have not previously consumed this drink.

Myth 2. Coffee is sobering

If you or someone you know drank a little more intoxicating drinks than you should, then the worst idea is to try to fix the situation with the help of coffee. Yes, coffee drives away sleep and gives a feeling of vigor, but intoxication does not eliminate. Thus, a person can be deceived in their feelings and try to get behind the wheel or do other stupid things because it seems to him that he is already normal.

This topic was devoted to, published in the journal American Psychological Association. It was based on the test results of two groups of people. The former were under the influence of alcohol, and the latter were added to alcoholic coffee. Despite the fact that the representatives of the second group assessed their state as more sober, they coped with tasks for attentiveness, reaction speed, and coordination of movements almost the same as their colleagues from the first group.

Myth 3. Children shouldn't drink coffee

While adults can afford to enjoy a cup of coffee, for children, such a pastime is still considered something reprehensible. This is despite the fact that numerous studies have proven that moderate (I want to emphasize this word!) Consumption of the drink does not cause any harm to health.

Coffee historians say the myth is rooted in an advertising campaign by Postum, which back in 1895 invented a "healthy coffee alternative" in the form of a roasted wheat and bran drink with added molasses and maltodextrin. To promote its products, the company decided to hang the label of a product harmful to health on normal coffee.

A special place in the advertising campaign was given to the health of children, who, according to Postum marketers, became nervous, irritable and stopped growing due to the use of coffee.

Myth 4. There is more caffeine in a cup of espresso than in a cup of regular coffee

When comparing the caffeine content of classic espresso and regular black coffee, one cannot ignore the generally accepted serving size for each of these drinks. Classic espresso usually has a volume of 25–35 ml, while other types of coffee are consumed in much larger quantities. So while espresso does contain more caffeine, smaller portions consume less caffeine than when drinking a full cup of coffee. Again, this is all true if the classic recipe is followed in the preparation and dosage of drinks.