Is it good or bad for children to drink coffee?

I remember when I was little my grandmother saying that children should not be given coffee, while my aunt said the opposite, it was a debate that lasted until they both died and the reasons at the time said that my grandmother was right.

However, time has shown that both were right because it all depends on the age of the child and the amount of intake of this drink.

Not all organisms are the same and this is something I emphasise to my patients in my consultations, something that is good for one person is not always good for another, which is why I consider health to be personalised.

I don't forbid my teenage son to drink coffee, in fact I have never done so, I remember a doctor friend of mine always claimed that it was good because it had a relaxing effect and helped him with his concentration.

He argued that it was all part of a demonisation of the drink imposed by power groups, because caffeine was also present in cola, chocolate and black tea among others.

I confess to being a coffee drinker and a chocolate eater, but not a soft drink drink drinker, and personally, a chocolate ice cream gives me an extraordinary feeling of relaxation.

Coffee is a rich source of antioxidants that help in cellular protection and there are studies that claim it is good against depression in children and adults, although other studies claim that it causes insomnia, anxiety and nervousness.

As I said before, the times I have been asked about coffee intake in children I have replied that it all depends on the effect it can have on the child and that not everything is so dark or so clear.

It is a debate that seems to have no end and is rooted in different cultures, with Western and American cultures being the most important.