Having a coffee first thing in the morning could be destroying your health, according to experts, who claim the drink can do more damage than good if used incorrectly.
While coffee is said to be beneficial and fight against common health problems, it can also be associated with hormone disruption, poor sleep and even dementia.
Speaking to FEMAIL, Dr Sheena Burnell, from Brisbane, and anthropologist Siim Land revealed the simple routine tweaks to ensure your caffeine fix is helping your health – not harming it.
1. Avoid drinking coffee first thing in the morning
Coffee enthusiasts should wait at least an hour before enjoying their first brew as caffeine can spike cortisol levels.
Mr Land said the ideal window to consume coffee is generally from 8am to 2pm.
‘If you can wait one hour after waking up then that’s optimal because your cortisol levels are still rising,’ Mr Land explained.
‘The idea is to let the natural cortisol rise to increase your wakefulness before introducing caffeine, which will also raise cortisol slightly – avoiding a big spike.’
However, Dr Burnell enjoys a cup as soon as she wakes up and believes it’s a great start to the day – particularly as it can protect people from bowel cancer. Both professionals agree that limiting coffee consumption in the late afternoon and evenings is a sound rule of thumb for ensuring it doesn’t disrupt your sleep.
Dr Sheena Burnell (pictured) from Ultimate Health in Brisbane is a longevity specialist who loves her daily cup of coffee – and knows how to enjoy it for maximum health benefits
Siim Land (pictured), an author and anthropologist from an Estonian island in Europe, recommends waiting one to two hours in the morning before enjoying your first cup of coffee
2. Don’t have more than three coffees a day
Both experts recommend drinking 2-3 cups per day to get the full benefits of drinking coffee.
Dr Burnell explained that limited coffee consumption offers longevity-boosting benefits, but beyond three cups could risk cognitive decline in later life.
3. Opt for plant-based milk
Dr Burnell recommends steering clear of dairy milk as it’s high in lactose and becomes harder to digest with age – particularly for women.
But she also doesn’t advise reaching for commercially produced plant milk – she encourages to people to just make their own.
‘It’s fresher and doesn’t contain harmful additives and refined oils that are normally found in commercial nut milks,’ she said.
While coffee is said to be beneficial and fight against common health problems, it can also be associated with hormone disruption, poor sleep and even dementia
The medical expert also tells patients to avoid adding sugars or sweeteners, except a little bit of honey.
‘Just enjoy the taste of the coffee,’ she said.
4. Know how coffee effects you
Mr Land said it’s important to know if you’re naturally a fast or slow metaboliser, as your genetics play a big role in how your body responds to coffee.
Those with slow coffee metabolism will usually feel more nervous and jittery or have a higher heart rate after drinking coffee.
These signs of discomfort mean that your body is more susceptible to the negative reactions of drinking too much coffee, such as mood swings or drops in energy levels.
Whereas people who digest coffee quickly are more likely to feel stable after drinking it, and can usually drink more than others without adverse effects.
Dr Burnell agrees that people react to coffee in very different ways – and she regularly uses DNA testing on her patients to determine their caffeine metabolism.
5. Enjoy the coffee and slow down
Dr Burnell believes it’s important to take inspiration from the Europeans by slowing down and make coffee drinking more of a ritual or a social experience than ‘just a beverage’.
‘Awareness and appreciation make a huge difference in anything we consume,’ she said.
The medical expert will often lay out her coffee utensils the evening before, and has a special spoon and fancy cup that elevates the simple drink to something more of sacred ritual.