What Is Caffeine, and Is It Good or Bad for Health?

Apart from natural sources like seeds, nuts or beans, caffeine is found in espresso, tea, energy drinks, chocolate (and chocolate milk), among other foods.

It is also a part of over-the-counter drugs for cold and pain and in weight loss supplements.

• Studies show that a moderate amount of caffeine intake improves alertness, mood, short-term recall and reaction time.
• Drinking 2 to 3 cups a day lowers the risk of suicide and depression. It also reduces the risk of brain ailments like Parkinson's and Alzheimer’s.
• Caffeine increases metabolism and allows us to burn a few more calories every day while increasing endurance.
• It helps turn fat into fuel, providing an increased tolerance to fatigue.
• Coffee beans and tea leaves contain other bioactive compounds that also provide several benefits.

Coffee intake lowers the risk of heart disease and stroke. It tends to increase blood pressure to a small degree in some people.

People who drink coffee in large quantities have a lower risk of type-2 diabetes.

Other benefits of coffee consumption are:

1. Protects against liver damage.
2. Reduces the risk of premature death.
3. Significantly reduces the risk of liver cancer.
4. Protects against skin cancer and multiple sclerosis (MS) to a certain degree.
5. Protects against gout disease.
6. Helps in our gut bacteria.

Coffee is addictive and excessive intake can lead to restlessness, anxiety, irregular sleep and heart issues. It can cause headaches, high blood pressure and migraine in some people. It is also advisable to avoid coffee with certain medications.

The recommended maximum dosage of caffeine(not coffee) is 200 to 400 mg per day. It is to be noted that drinking above 500 mg of caffeine in a day can be fatal. As one teaspoon of coffee contains approximately 50 to 60 mg of caffeine, the per day maximum intake should be 7 to 8 teaspoons of coffee powder.