Table of contents:
- Why shouldn't you drink coffee in the morning?
- What is the maximum caffeine limit in one day?
- How does caffeine affect the body?
- An alternative to coffee in the morning
- Green tea
- Infused water
- Apple
- Ginger
Are you one of those people who can't start their activities without drinking coffee? If so, you may already be addicted to coffee. Coffee is said to help a person really "wake up" in the morning because of the caffeine it contains. Caffeine is a stimulant that works to affect the work of the brain and nervous system. In small amounts, caffeine can cause a person to feel more refreshed, alert, and focused. In large amounts, caffeine can cause excessive nervousness to sleep disturbances.
Why shouldn't you drink coffee in the morning?
In the morning, it turns out that it is actually not the right time to consume coffee, this is related to the production of the hormone cortisol which tends to be high in the morning. The hormone cortisol plays a role in response to stress and low blood sugar levels. If you consume caffeine when the hormone cortisol is high, then caffeine can affect the production of this hormone. So, your body will produce less cortisol and cause the body to tend to rely on caffeine. This is also the reason why someone is addicted to caffeine, because caffeine seems to replace the work of the more natural hormone cortisol when you 'wake up' you in the morning.
What is the maximum caffeine limit in one day?
How your body reacts to caffeine and how much you limit your daily caffeine intake, varies from person to person, depending on your weight, metabolism, body health, to how often your body regularly gets caffeine intake. But usually, the limit of caffeine consumption per day which is still classified as normal is 400 mg. In comparison, one serving of espresso or latte can contain up to 200 mg of caffeine, while instant coffee has up to 100 mg of caffeine per serving.
How does caffeine affect the body?
Caffeine works more or less the same as the adrenal hormone. When we feel fear or stress, the adrenal glands, which are located near the kidneys, release the adrenal hormone directly into the blood vessels. The result of this release of the adrenal hormone is a sudden but temporary increase in breathing and heart rate and energy spikes.
As with any component of the stimulant, you can experience an increase in your tolerance limit for caffeine. This means that over time, you will need increasing amounts of caffeine to get the same effect. Over time, your body becomes dependent on caffeine in order to function optimally. One of the things that makes it difficult to get away from caffeine addiction is due to habit, for example, you are used to consuming coffee every morning before doing activities so that you will feel incomplete and unable to function optimally before consuming coffee.
An alternative to coffee in the morning
To prevent you from experiencing an increase in caffeine tolerance limits and coffee addiction, there are several alternatives you can consume to replace your coffee in the morning:
Green tea
Apart from coffee, tea is also a source of caffeine. Depending on the type of tea and how it is brewed, the amount of caffeine in tea varies from 30 to 100 mg per serving. Green tea is one type of tea that contains caffeine, of course not as much caffeine in coffee, but enough to make you feel refreshed in the morning without having side effects like coffee. Not only caffeine, green tea is also known for its various health benefits. One of them is the catechin content in green tea which works as an antioxidant and functions to prevent various diseases.
Infused water
If you have never tried infused water, then this is your chance to include this rising drink in your breakfast menu. You can mix lemon, mint leaves, and cucumber in a bottle of water and drink it when you wake up. Its fresh, slightly sour taste can wake you up just as well as coffee. If you want a warm type of drink, you can mix lemon juice with a glass of warm water.
Apple
You may have heard that an apple can replace your coffee in the morning. This is not related to caffeine levels, because apples themselves do not contain caffeine. But the sugar content in apples has led to the theory that apples can replace coffee. One of the reasons coffee can help you function optimally in the morning is its sugar content. Not only does caffeine stimulate the nervous system, the sugar you usually add to coffee plays a role in increasing blood sugar levels, leaving you feeling refreshed and focused. As you already know, low blood sugar levels can cause a person to feel faint and have difficulty concentrating.
If you are accustomed to using one spoonful of granulated sugar for your cup of coffee, then one small apple has the same sugar content. The difference is how fast the sugar can be used by the body. Sugar that comes from granulated sugar is absorbed by the body more quickly so that it gives you a quick energy injection but quickly runs out too. While the sugar in apples works slowly.
Ginger
A cup of warm ginger in the morning can have the same effect as a cup of coffee, plus its benefits for digestive health, you need to consider replacing your coffee with ginger. Relieving stomach aches, reducing bloating, preventing colds, and improving your mood are some of the benefits of ginger. Its distinctive aroma and tends to be strong can also wake you up as well as coffee. If you are not used to consuming ginger, you can try ginger tea which is now widely sold in the market.
