Can I still enjoy Coffee and Red Wine on my health journey?

I get asked so many questions about coffee and red wine. Should I be drinking them? Are they healthy? Are they unhealthy? How much can I consume of both? In this blog, I break things down for you to get a better idea and clear answers around coffee and red wine and how to find the correct balance for yourself and the information behind it.

Let's start with coffee.

Coffee is one of those things - you either love it or hate it.

Not to mention the crazy headlines that say coffee is great, and the next day you should avoid it!

There is actual science behind why different people react differently to it. It's a matter of your genetics and how much coffee you're used to drinking.

NOTE: Coffee does not equal caffeine. Coffee contains between 50-400 mg of caffeine/cup, averaging around 100 mg/cup. Coffee is one of the most popular ways to consume this stimulant. But… a cup of coffee contains a lot of things over and above the caffeine. Not just water, but antioxidants, and hundreds of other compounds. These are the reasons drinking a cup of coffee is not the same as taking a caffeine pill. And decaffeinated coffee has a lot less caffeine; but, it still contains some.

Caffeine metabolism

Not all people metabolize caffeine at the same speed. How fast you metabolize caffeine will impact how you’re affected by the caffeine. Caffeine metabolism can be up to 40x faster in some people than others.

About half of us are “slow” metabolizers of caffeine. We can get jitters, heart palpitations, and feel "wired" for up to 9 hours after having a coffee. The other half is "fast" metabolizers of caffeine. They get energy and increased alertness and are back to normal a few hours later.

This is part of the reason those headlines contradict each other so much - because we’re all different!

The effects of coffee (and caffeine) on the mind and body also differ between people; this is partly from the metabolism I mentioned. But it also has to do with your body’s amazing ability to adapt to long-term caffeine use. Many people who start drinking coffee feel the effects a lot more than people who have coffee every day.

Here’s a list of these effects (that usually decrease with long-term use):

• Stimulates the brain

• Boosts metabolism

• Boosts energy and exercise performance

• Increases your stress hormone cortisol

• Dehydrates

So, while some of these effects are good and some aren’t, you need to see how they affect you and decide if it’s worth it or not.

Coffee and health risks

There are a ton of studies on the health effects of coffee, and whether coffee drinkers are more or less likely to get certain conditions.

Here’s a quick summary of what coffee can lead to:

• Caffeine addiction and withdrawal symptoms (e.g. a headache, fatigue, irritability)

• Increased sleep disruption

• Lower risk of Alzheimer's and Parkinson's

• Lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes

• Lower risk of certain liver diseases

• Lower risk of death (“all-cause mortality")

• Mixed reviews on whether it lowers risks of cancer and heart disease

Many of the health benefits exist even for decaf coffee (except the caffeine addiction and sleep issues).

What’s super-important to understand is that coffee intake is just one of many, many factors that can affect your risks for these diseases. Please never think regular coffee intake is the one things that can help you overcome these risks. It’s not just about the coffee.

Should you drink coffee or not?

There are a few things to consider when deciding whether you should drink coffee. No one food or drink will make or break your long-term health.

Caffeinated coffee is not recommended for:

• People with arrhythmias (e.g. irregular heartbeat)

• People who often feel anxious

• People who have trouble sleeping

• People who are pregnant

• Children and

• teens

If none of these apply, then monitor how your body reacts when you have coffee.

Does it:

• Give you the jitters?

• Increase anxious feelings?

• Affect your sleep?

• Give you heart palpitations?

• Affect your digestion (e.g. heartburn, etc.)?

• Give you a reason to drink a lot of sugar and cream?

Depending on how your body reacts, decide whether these reactions are worth it to you. If you’re not sure, I recommend eliminating it for a while and see the difference.

Red Wine - Is it really good for you, or just health hype?

If you’ve heard that red wine is one of the healthiest of all alcoholic beverages, it’s for good reason.

Thanks to the antioxidants found in the skins of grapes from which it’s made, red wine has been widely publicized as being “healthful”. The kind of antioxidants found in red wine, like RESVERATROL, have powerful anti-inflammatory properties.

Inflammation and oxidation are considered the root causes of most disease, so consuming antioxidant-rich foods is a key component in disease prevention.

Moderate consumption of red wine has been linked to improved heart health, along with other health benefits, like decreasing the risk of:

• Alzheimer’s disease

• diabetes

• certain cancers

• depression

Some of the buzz around red wine’s health benefits comes from its prominent role in the well-studied Mediterranean diet.

The Mediterranean diet includes lots of fruit, vegetables, fish, olive oil, and red wine and is believed to contribute to a long lifespan and low incidences of heart disease and cancer among Mediterranean populations.

The health benefits of red wine are also thought to contribute to low rates of heart disease among the French, despite this population traditionally eating a diet high in saturated fat (think cheese, cream, and buttery croissants!).

How exactly does red wine improve heart health?

Studies have linked regular consumption of red wine with the following positive outcomes:

• increased HDL cholesterol (the good, protective kind)

• lowered LDL cholesterol (the bad, inflammatory kind)

• lowered triglycerides (fat or lipids found in the blood)

• improved blood pressure

• more stable blood sugar levels

High blood pressure, elevated blood sugar, and undesirable cholesterol and triglyceride levels are all contributing factors in the development of more serious heart disease, like heart attacks and stroke.

Is red wine an essential part of a healthy diet?

The short answer is no.

If you aren’t a fan of wine or choose not to consume alcoholic beverages, there’s no reason to start drinking red wine for the sake of your health!

Plenty of other diet and lifestyle factors, like eating lots of fruits and vegetables, getting regular physical activity, not smoking, and managing stress can provide the same health benefits.

If you enjoy drinking wine, you should choose red varieties over white for the added antioxidants and health benefits. While white wine does contain some antioxidants from grapes, red wine contains much higher amounts.

Like any other alcoholic beverage, it’s also important to remember to limit wine consumption. The health benefits of red wine only apply when it is enjoyed in moderation. Surprise!

When consumed in excess, any alcoholic beverage can negatively impact your health, contributing to alcohol dependence, organ damage, and increased risk of several cancers.

A good rule of thumb for alcohol intake is to limit consumption to one (1) drink per day for women and one to two (1-2) drinks per day for men. The serving size for one standard glass of red wine is 4 oz.

Since the size of wine glasses can vary, use a liquid measuring cup to familiarize yourself with what a 4 oz pour of wine looks like. Then, stick to that serving size!

In the end, the choice is up to you. Do you believe you are still able to enjoy these drinks and stay healthy? Comment below and let me know.

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References:

Healthline - https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/red-wine-good-or-bad
Healthline - https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/red-vs-white-wine
Time.com - http://time.com/4070762/red-wine-resveratrol-diabetes/
https://authoritynutrition.com/coffee-good-or-bad/
http://www.precisionnutrition.com/all-about-coffee
http://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/a-wake-up-call-on-coffee