2008 Woodie Awards
Student recommends coffee in moderation
Commentary
Brittany Shaw
Issue date: 10/19/06 Section: Editorial
- Page 1 of 1
Commentary By
Brittany Shaw
Copy Editor
Is it just me, or are the zombies out a couple weeks early this year?
Everywhere I go, I see glazed-over college students like myself holding on to their coffee cups for dear life.
As midterms are underway and cold weather approaches, the lines at the coffee shop seem to have increased steadily and college students seem more obsessed than ever with the classic caffeinated beverages.
Whether you prefer a Javalanche towering with chocolatey caramel goodness or a frothy cappuccino with an extra shot of espresso, it is important to realize that mindlessly throwing back more than a couple of these beverages per day may result in a heavier, twitchier and quite frankly more miserable version of yourself by the end of the semester.
As summer ended, I was pleased because I had almost completely kicked my own coffee habit and at least had my addiction to a mere cup or two a day. Now, I am back to my old ways, requiring at least about three or four medium coffees per day for my desired level of alertness. That's more than twice my summer coffee consumption, and ironically, I feel less than half as productive.
There may be a reason for the zombie-like aura of so many college students, though. In fact, according to Wikepedia.com, throughout history coffee has actually been banned for its wine-like effect. Like alchohol, nicotine, chocolate or any other potentially addicting substance, an article from Harvard Health Publications reminds that coffee does contain caffeine which is a "mild addictive stimulant," and intake should at least be moderated to avoid addiction and health issues.
Heavy consumption could cause increased heart rate and blood pressure and even irregular heartbeat. And ladies, studies are still out on long-term coffee consumption's effect on women's health issues, including osteoporosis and cancer. Plus, having more than a few of the sweeter coffees per day may add calories to your diet and send insulin levels surging, which decreases long-term energy. For example, according to javacity.com, a 20-ounce Caramel Javalanche with whipped cream has 544 calories, 27 grams of cholesterol and 62 grams of sugar.
But for those who can handle drinking coffee in moderation, there are apparently some health benefits, at least according to the article by Harvard Health Publications. The article suggested that moderate amounts of coffee may actually decrease the risk of type 2 diabetes, heighten cognitive abilities, deter the formation of colon cancer, reduce the risk of Parkinson's disease and actually promote better stamina during lengthy physical activities.
So, to get the most alertness with the fewest drawbacks, sip very small amounts of coffee, about one to three ounces, over the course of a few hours rather than downing an entire cup in one sitting.
Just remember: everything in moderation.
Brittany Shaw
Copy Editor
Is it just me, or are the zombies out a couple weeks early this year?
Everywhere I go, I see glazed-over college students like myself holding on to their coffee cups for dear life.
As midterms are underway and cold weather approaches, the lines at the coffee shop seem to have increased steadily and college students seem more obsessed than ever with the classic caffeinated beverages.
Whether you prefer a Javalanche towering with chocolatey caramel goodness or a frothy cappuccino with an extra shot of espresso, it is important to realize that mindlessly throwing back more than a couple of these beverages per day may result in a heavier, twitchier and quite frankly more miserable version of yourself by the end of the semester.
As summer ended, I was pleased because I had almost completely kicked my own coffee habit and at least had my addiction to a mere cup or two a day. Now, I am back to my old ways, requiring at least about three or four medium coffees per day for my desired level of alertness. That's more than twice my summer coffee consumption, and ironically, I feel less than half as productive.
There may be a reason for the zombie-like aura of so many college students, though. In fact, according to Wikepedia.com, throughout history coffee has actually been banned for its wine-like effect. Like alchohol, nicotine, chocolate or any other potentially addicting substance, an article from Harvard Health Publications reminds that coffee does contain caffeine which is a "mild addictive stimulant," and intake should at least be moderated to avoid addiction and health issues.
Heavy consumption could cause increased heart rate and blood pressure and even irregular heartbeat. And ladies, studies are still out on long-term coffee consumption's effect on women's health issues, including osteoporosis and cancer. Plus, having more than a few of the sweeter coffees per day may add calories to your diet and send insulin levels surging, which decreases long-term energy. For example, according to javacity.com, a 20-ounce Caramel Javalanche with whipped cream has 544 calories, 27 grams of cholesterol and 62 grams of sugar.
But for those who can handle drinking coffee in moderation, there are apparently some health benefits, at least according to the article by Harvard Health Publications. The article suggested that moderate amounts of coffee may actually decrease the risk of type 2 diabetes, heighten cognitive abilities, deter the formation of colon cancer, reduce the risk of Parkinson's disease and actually promote better stamina during lengthy physical activities.
So, to get the most alertness with the fewest drawbacks, sip very small amounts of coffee, about one to three ounces, over the course of a few hours rather than downing an entire cup in one sitting.
Just remember: everything in moderation.
