It has been reported that people consume 2.2 billions of coffee everyday all around the globe. Coffee comes in various forms and many people are completely addicted to it.
It has been long disputed whether coffee is healthy or not. Some say that it contains antioxidants and nutrients that are beneficial for our bodies and that have the capability of reducing the risk of many diseases.
Other experts associate the consumption of coffee with toxicity and regard it as being dangerous, especially for hypertension and certain forms of cancer.
However, a European review shows that it is safe to drink up to five cups of espresso a day in order not to stay healthy.
The EFSA (European Food Safety Authority) conducted the study at the request of the European Commission because some countries expressed their worry related to the effects caffeine has on people’s health. These concerns referred to the way caffeine could harm the central nervous system, the fetus in the womb or the heart.
The EFSA gave some good news to those coffee lovers, stating that a daily consumption of 400 mg of coffee every day does not pose any danger to people. Nevertheless, pregnant women should try to avoid such a big intake of caffeine and keep it to a maximum of 200 mg a day in order not to keep their child safe.
Thus, given the fact that an espresso contains about 80 milligrams of caffeine, it is safe to say that five espresso a day will not do any harm.
Even so, it would not be advisable to push these limits too hard, especially for those who also like to have an energy drink or two after they have had their coffee. It was reported that a can of Red Bull contains the exact equivalent of caffeine as an espresso. Coke and black tea are not excluded from the list either. A can of cola has 40 mg of caffeine, while a cup of black tea has 50 mg.
Thus, it is important that we keep in mind the other drinks we have every day in order not to exceed the recommended limit.
It is the first time the European Food Safety Authority analyzes the risk of caffeine. The results of the review have been released on Wednesday, the 27th of May.
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