I am regularly asked about the impact of caffeine on health and although there is no absolute ‘wrong’ or ‘right’ in nutrition, understanding the facts can empower you to make your own decisions on whether foods might work for you.

Caffeine is a naturally occurring plant compound and is the most commonly used stimulant known to affect concentration, focus and feeling awake. Once consumed, caffeine is rapidly absorbed into our bloodstream and people can often feel the effects within 10-20 minutes.

The speed at which we metabolise caffeine varies from person to person but the stimulatory effects can last between 2-8+ hours. Although caffeine is commonly associated with coffee, it is also present in other foods including cocoa, coca cola, diet coke, green tea, black tea, cold and flu medication.

Benefits of caffeine:

It has been shown to enhance and maintain alertness, focus and concentration.
It is a rich source of polyphenols (these are antioxidants found in various plant sources, usually brightly coloured fruits and vegetables, cocoa, red wine and dark chocolate).
The social aspect of catching up with friends over a hot bev and a walk, facilitating connection and exercise which are both hugely important for our mental and physical health.
It has been shown to increase athletic performance

However, in some instances, consuming excessive amounts of caffeine may have negative effects on our health. These include:

Physical symptoms such as heart palpitations, stomach upsets, irritability, headaches.
Caffeine can exacerbate anxiety for those who are prone.
Caffeine can impact our ability to fall asleep and the quality of sleep. If this is something you’re struggling with, it could be helpful to limit your caffeine intake after 2pm.
Pregnant women are recommended to have no more than 200mg caffeine per day (approximately 2 cups instant coffee).
Caffeine can increase the production of cortisol, a stress hormone which can impair weight loss if secreted to excess.

Reducing caffeine dramatically can cause headaches in many people. Cutting down slowly, e.g. by 1 cup/day every 4-5 days can help reduce any potential side effects.

Please do get in touch if you have any more questions or are interested in caffeine alternatives.

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