#DMTBeautySpot #beauty

Experts Reveal the Benefits of Cutting Out Coffee

While there are numerous science-backed studies that suggest drinking coffee may actually be good for you, the amount most of us guzzle from 9 to 5 (and sometimes beyond) may be doing our bodies more harm than good.

RELATED: What Coffee Is Right for You?

You don’t have to tell us: cutting out coffee entirely seems like one of the worst ideas out there. How on earth would you get through the morning without a steaming cup of the good stuff? However, the benefits of cutting down on caffeine may actually be worth it – at least for a little while. We spoke to a handful of nutritionists and dieticians to see exactly how cutting out caffeine can affect us … and, well, we may just be switching to green tea, at least until Monday rolls around.

1. You’ll Be More Hydrated

Caffeine is a diuretic, which means you’re naturally dehydrating yourself with every cup of joe. “Decreasing coffee gradually can help you get more water in and keep you hydrated, which is especially hard in the winter,” explains Jessi Holden, MS, RDN, CSOWM. This means that if you replace even one or two cups of coffee with a cup of water, you’re doing your body a whole lot of good.

2. You’ll (probably) Lose Weight

“Coffee may have added cream and sugar, and decreasing or cutting it out would eliminate added sugar from your eating style,” says Holden.

Lisa Richards, author of "The Candida Diet," agrees, adding, “The burst of energy associated with coffee is likely the primary reason most men drink this beverage daily. Unfortunately, when coffee is not consumed black it can quickly add on extra calories, sugar and fat through additives. These optional coffee ingredients can lead to poor gut health, inflammation, and even brain fog and fatigue.”

3. You’ll Find Healthier Sources of Energy

“It’s common that people drink coffee for energy when they really could benefit from a fruit or veggie paired with another food group,” says Holden. “Our body wants energy and reaching for something quick is only putting a bandaid on the problem.” If you’ve decided to cut coffee and find yourself in need of a nap before the end of the day, you might be uncovering a poor diet or other health issues that constant caffeine helped cover up.

4. You’ll Have Lower Blood Pressure

Less coffee means your baseline blood pressure will be lower, resulting in less stress for your heart to keep up. “As you may know, heart conditions are not only dangerous but potentially fatal, especially when you get older. Medication and treatment for cardiovascular diseases are also very expensive, so you have a lot to gain from cutting down on your caffeine intake,” says Dr. Nikola Djordjevic MD, co-founder of LoudCloudHealth.com.

RELATED: How to Sleep After Coffee

5. You’ll Sleep Way Better

“Caffeine is a stimulant and has a half life of at least 5 hours depending on how the body metabolizes it,” explains Jason Piper, certified sleep coach and the founder of Build Better Sleep. “This means 10 hours from when you have that cup of coffee, 25 percent of the caffeine is still in your system.”

In other words, a man that is consuming large amounts of caffeine during the day will still have a considerable amount in his system when he tries to go to bed at night. This will impair him from being able to fall asleep and/or keeping him from getting the restorative deep REM sleep the body needs, instead only getting light sleep.

6. You’ll Save Money!

Aside from the health benefits of cutting out that midday latte, your wallet will thank you, too. The average American spends between $1,000 and $2,000 dollars on coffee per year. “Sure you can cut down on costs if you brew your coffee at home, but even then you are looking at a minimum $500 per year strictly on coffee. Just to put it in perspective: if you order coffee at Starbucks every day and spend say $4 per day, that comes out to over $1,500 per year!” says Dr. Djordjevic.

So… What Are the Alternatives?

“When cutting out caffeine, it is smart to wean down the amounts. Going from 400mg a day to none is going to cause big withdrawal effects and probably make it harder to give up,” says Piper. “I instruct my clients to have decaf and regular and keep reducing the ratio of regular to decaf. So that would look like 75:25, then 50:50, then 25:75, and finally just decaf.”

Just because you’ve decided to cut back on coffee doesn’t mean you have to forego the simple pleasure of sipping a warm beverage at your desk. According to Richards, matcha is growing in popularity among non-coffee drinkers for the energy boost they receive. One positive thing about matcha is the added benefits you get from this antioxidant and polyphenol-rich drink.

Lemon water can also provide the mental clarity and energy that coffee drinkers seek. Consumers of this drink claim it enhances focus and mental alertness – without the caffeine crash common with coffee.

Finally, Richards suggests golden milk, which is new on the energy-boosting and health scene. It is a mix of turmeric, dairy-free milk, maple syrup, cinnamon and just a pinch of pepper. “This coffee alternative is extremely effective as an anti-inflammatory, which is very beneficial to health. Replacing your coffee with these healthier alternatives could be beneficial for your health. You are getting the energy you desire while also taking in nutrients you may not have through your coffee.”

You Might Also Dig:

23 Best Gifts for Coffee Lovers Best Coffee Subscriptions Best Coffeemakers

DMTBeautySpot

via https://www.DMTBeautySpot.com

Kaitlyn McInnis, Khareem Sudlow