Health & Wellbeing the daily grind

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Health & Wellbeing
THE DAILY GRIND 
There’s no denying that coffee has become a staple 
in our routines (some claim they can’t function 
without one in the morning) and, you’ll probably 
find yourself in the minority if you’re one of those 
people who don’t make a beeline for the kettle first 
thing. In fact, recent research* has shown that coffee 
ties with tea as our favourite hot beverage, with 95 
million cups being consumed every day in British 
households. So, why the uptick? Alex Manos, one 
of the few Institute for Functional Medicine-certified 
practitioners in the UK and chief wellness officer for 
Exhale Coffee (exhalecoffee.com), thinks its power 
to bring people together plays a big part. “I think 
the smell and aroma of coffee is sometimes more 
appealing than the taste, and it can also evoke 
romantic images of socialising and old associations,” 
he says. “For example, my dad is a coffee lover and I 
have memories of walking into the kitchen and being 
greeted with the smell of coffee.”
Let’s not forget the array of immediate 
impacts that makes you want to pop the kettle on 
too. “The caffeine content of coffee is a known 
stimulant of your central nervous system, [which is 
why] after drinking coffee, you typically feel more 
alert and less tired,” explains Dr Nirusa Kumaran, 
medical director and founder of Elemental Health 
Clinic (elementalhealthclinic.com). Get the jitters 
immediately after a cup? You might be sensitive 
to the impacts of caffeine – and your genes could 
be partly to blame, she continues. “Genetics 
can render people more sensitive to coffee. 
There are epigenetic SNPs, or single nucleotide 
polymorphisms, that have been shown to either 
slow your metabolism of coffee or stop you from 
eliminating it from your body.” This could explain 
why some people can drink three flat whites no 
problem, but others feel jittery after a few sips. As 
a general rule, Dr Kumaran says you should avoid 
excess caffeine if you’re pregnant or breast feeding, 
as high amounts of caffeine have been linked to 
potential problems with the baby’s growth and 
development.
T
he caffeine-obsessed among 
us will agree that if 
there’s one thing 
worth waking up 
for, it’s a cup of coffee in 
the morning. And, whatever 
your motivations are for a 
daily trip to Costa on your 
way to work, we’ll bet it’s not 
to leverage your health, right? 
Well, coffee might be more 
nutritionally sound than you 
think. Despite its bad rep, coffee 
actually has some credible health 
benefits, with some studies 
suggesting that it can improve 
memory, reduce cancer risk and 
even help you live longer, but 
before you guzzle down another 
latte, the road to coffee-induced 
bliss is a little bumpy. Buzzing 
for the intel? Our panel of experts 
chime in on this heated debate 
and answer all your coffee FAQs 
like ‘am I addicted, how much 
is too much and are there any 
alternatives?’ Cue the caffeine... 
It’s official: we can confirm that your 
morning habit does have some good-for-
you credit. Here’s everything you need to 
know to supercharge your cup in an instant
Coffee 
101
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9
Health & Wellbeing
S TA R T W E L L
*The Statista Global Consumer Survey
SPILL THE BEANS
You may be inclined to think 
that just because you love 
your coffee, it can’t be doing 
you much good, but coffee 
can be one of the best health 
drinks out there – it comes 
with some steaming-hot 
mental and physical benefits, 
which have been extensively 
researched. Alex says that 
regular coffee drinkers have 
been shown to have a 30 
percent reduction in mortality 
from stroke, a 29 percent 
lower risk of non-alcoholic fatty 
liver disease, an improvement 
in blood pressure and a 25 
percent reduced risk of Type 
2 diabetes. Coffee is full of 
antioxidant nutrients too 
which, Dr Kumaran says, are 
important to mop up free 
radicals and reverse the effects 
of oxidative stress, which can 
be damaging to our DNA and 
cells. Its ability to improve 
cognitive performance also 
gets a shoutout, as it could play 
a role in neurodegenerative 
diseases, such as Alzheimer's 
and Parkinsons. Pretty 
impressive resumé, right? 
COFFEE WITHOUT THE CRASH 
What about those who can’t have caffeine? “Decaffeinated 
coffee still contains a very small amount of caffeine 
(around three percent compared to regular coffee, so 
approximately 3mg vs 95mg per cup),” says naturopathic 
clinical nutritionist, Lara Hughes (wholistic-health.co.uk). 
“The process of decaffeination involves various options, 
but most commonly, the beans are soaked in a chemical 
solvent (usually methylene chloride or ethyl acetate) to 
remove the caffeine; while this might be music to the 
ears of those sensitive to the side effects of caffeine, the 
same process removes a majority of the natural, bioactive 
compounds such as antioxidants in coffee which would 
usually confer health benefits.”
Coffee companies that have a more natural process
of decaffeination are few and far between, Lara tells 
us. She recommends the Organic Everyday Decaf Tea 
from Clipper Tea that uses carbon dioxide and water in 
the decaffeination process. Need a boost without the 
shakes? Green tea is a great option. “Green tea contains 
caffeine and also the nervous system-calming amino acid 
L-Theanine, which promotes focus and attention but in a 
calming manner minus the jitters. Apoptogenic mushrooms 
are also a great substitute,” says Lara. Think your cup needs 
an extra kick? Nespresso has launched a new functional 
coffee range that contains 20 percent more caffeine than its 
regular blends, designed to help coffee lovers be ready to 
face their day. Visit nespresso.com for more information. 
DARK ROASTING 
Three to five cups of coffee were the general consensus 
among our experts as the sweet spot to reap those 
delicious benefits, but if you fall into one of the caffeine-
sensitive camps, that might be too much for you. So, time 
for the moment of truth. How much is too much? The best 
way to assess this is to monitor a few signals from your 
body, advises Dr Kumaran. “When you start seeing signs 
of irritability, agitation, a racing heart rate, high blood 
pressure, anxiety, headaches on caffeine withdrawal (or 
are struggling with stress or insomnia) then it’s best to 
limit caffeine. The maximum recommended daily dose of 
caffeine is 400mg, which is typically four or five cups of 
coffee depending on the strength of the coffee itself.”
If you’re knocking back more than the amount 
recommended by the experts, you may be addicted 
to the caffeine, rather than the coffee itself. This can be 
characterised by: “A persistent desire or unsuccessful efforts 
to cut down or control caffeine use, continued caffeine 
use despite knowledge of having a persistent or recurrent 
physical or psychological problem that’s likely to have been 
caused or exacerbated by caffeine, withdrawal symptoms 
of caffeine such as headaches, and irritability and craving 
or a strong desire or urge to use caffeine,” explains Alex. 
Caffeine withdrawal is also recognised medical condition, 
so if you’re experiencing symptoms, such as headaches, 
irritability, fatigue, difficulty concentration or depressed 
mood after quitting caffeine, seek help from a professional. 
ORDER UP
Love the ritual of heading to your favourite coffee
shop on the weekends? You’re not alone. A survey 
of 4,000 consumers by Allegra revealed that going to 
coffee shops came second after seeing friends and
family as the most-missed social activity since
coronavirus lockdown began. Now that we’ve seen
the back of café closures – and if you’re looking to hack 
your morning mug – Dr Kumaran recommends aiming for 
organic coffee where possible. “Organic coffee is likely to 
have much more antioxidant nutrients compared to non-
organic. It’s best to avoid a dark roast as this may reduce 
antioxidant nutrient levels, and aim to avoid sweetened 
lattes that may have a high fat or sugar content.”
If you prefer having your coffee at home, Alex agrees 
that a light or medium roast is better, but to go one step 
further, look for the speciality grades. “This means the 
beans have been better looked after right from the start 
of their lives. So, they’ll have been grown on a healthier 
plant, with less risk of contamination during handling and 
roasted with more care, so less likely to be dark roasted 
(keeping more nutrients in), leading to an altogether 
healthier cup of coffee.”
The bottom line? Coffee is to be enjoyed – and
we’re advocates for doing more of the things that
bring you joy – but it’s also good to know that you’re 
in control of your preference of this glorious morning 
beverage and how it can have an effect on your health 
and happiness.
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