Is coffee good or bad for you?

Although I prefer a glass of red wine, a cup of coffee is just so nice. Especially on a rainy day or after a good meal. And of course it's not ideal to drink wine every day, but did you know that it isn't good to drink too much coffee either?

1-5 cups of coffee a day is said to be okay. It might even have some real health benefits! Coffee can help you stay focused, but it can also lead to insomnia or restlessness. If you are pregnant or have high cholesterol you should keep your coffee intake to just one cup a day or less.

I use to drink one cup a day. If I drink more my stomach protests, so I guess it's not that good for me.

About a year ago my mom experienced some bad headaches and went to the doctor. The first thing the doctor asked her was if she drinks coffee. First she answered that she drinks about 2 cups of coffee a day, but then she remembered that she recently had started drinking ice coffee, LOTS of ice coffee! Because it was just that - ice coffee - she didn't think about it as coffee, but now it became clear why she was having this headache all the time. The doctor told her to cut down on the ice coffee and my mom drank maybe about one cup a day after that. As a result she felt better after just a few days.

Anyway. Coffee isn't bad for you if you don't drink as much as my mom did there for a while. Here's a list of the benefits you can achieve from drinking the right amount of coffee.

Coffee:

• Protects your body and brain (antioxidants)
• Lowers risk of death
• Reduces risk of cancers and strokes
• Helps you burn fat and lose weight
• Helps you stay focused
• Brightens your mood
• Boosts your physical performance

Happy Steeming everyone and remember to drink a lot of water and not just coffee and wine!