What gives the caffeine in coffee, its effect?

And does caffeine keep us awake, or make us even more active?

Coffee is a morning drink, which wake us up and help us get ready for day ahead.

And be honest, we don’t drink it because of the antioxidants that it has, but we drinking it, because of the stimulating effect that caffeine has.

Caffeine works by blocking receptors of substances called adenosine, which also promotes sleep.

And the level of adenosine is increasing during the day.And does caffeine keep us awake, or make us even more active?

The longer we are awake, the higher level of adenosine will be achieved.

By blocking adenosine receptors, the caffeine help us “beat” sleepiness, which consequently make us feel more awake and alert.

By drinking coffee we are not getting smarter, I know… … not very good fact. But anyway, it will improve our activity and accuracy of our mental response. I say, not bad at all.

If we would make sure to intake accurate dose of caffeine daily, we could improve performance and prevent accidents, with those who work long hours, such as medical workers, firefighters and rescuers.
Most people drinks coffee at completely wrong time, as they drink a cup or two in the morning.

This is actually the last thing we need, since we have the lowest level of adenosine in the morning. It is better to start drinking coffee in mid-day and have some in the afternoon, of course, if your goal is to get through the sleepiness.

But millions of coffee addicts, who drink coffee in the morning can’t really be wrong, as they devote first morning thought to coffee.

Must admit, me myself do that some times. And there is such a thing – as craving for morning coffee, it is called “sleeping laziness”. It is true, that some people have major difficulties to get from sleep to alert stage. Some, who could be suffering from some mental disorder features, sometimes needs even two hours to get alert, after they wake up. Caffeine in coffee speeds up this process.

Dangerous combinations

Mixing alcohol with drinks, which contain caffeine, may cause great harm to your body.
In Sweden, a few years ago, they found out, that the three young people died because of mixing energy drinks and vodka.
After this accident, the health services in all media ads have announced warning, that mixing alcohol with energy drinks can lead to many health problems.

Is there any reason, why not love coffee??

Actually, there are only few. People with irregular heart beat are often advice to avoid caffeine, because of concern, that this could aggravate arrhythmia.
And if you have trouble sleeping, try to reduce the consumption of caffeine in order to ascertain whether caffeine is interfering with your sleeping and resting time.
Also common are advices to pregnant women, as they should limit consumption of caffeine from all sources.

The reason is that caffeine increases the risk of abortion; although not all experts do agree with this statement.
One of the signals of healthy pregnancy is, that pregnant woman temporarily lost the taste for coffee.

The excessive consumption of caffeine is associated with low birth weight, and because caffeine passes into breast milk, pediatricians advise nursing mothers to avoid drinking coffee.

But, according to the latest good news about coffee, the issue would likely to be reversed. Should people who do not drink coffee, think about it, and have a cup or two per day?

ArrhythmiaHypersensitive persons, children and pregnant women should be all avoided from beverages containing caffeine such as coffee, cola and energy drinks.

Overdose with decaffeinated, especially if you stir with alcohol, can cause arrhythmia, or irregular heartbeat or moreover a cardiovascular collapse.

Coffee isn’t a universal drink

Recent findings are quite encouraging, even though still must be confirmed by other studies. Scientists need to understand better, what is in coffee and how it works on the body.

After all, for particular all serious diseases such as Parkinson’s and diabetes, active substances founded in coffee, will probably be synthesized in medicine, so that the dose can be carefully maintained.

Some pharmaceutical companies have already begun to explore this possibility. As far as antioxidants, you could get them from all sort of food, from various teas to oranges.
If you are among those who already enjoy a cup of coffee or two per day, these last findings are reason to cherish pleasure, which coffee gives us.

The message is that drinking coffee for most people is not dangerous. If, however, will show that consuming it, is somehow useful, so much better for us.

Effect of coffee on Balzac

Scientists are not the first to have discovered the virtues “buzzing”, which is gained from drinking coffee. Writers have praised it for a long time.

Honoré de Balzac, for example, said that the cup of coffee, “it begin to happen a general confusion of ideas , as it would move a large army battalion on the battlefield, things that they remember, begin to come in a noisy gallop, light cavalry creates a metaphor great change & rise a smile and the paper is covered with ink … ”
Fatal combinationYoung people did rapidly accept consumptions of energy drinks, in the belief that they can drink in unlimited quantities.

Drinks, which provide power, have become very fashion and trendy.

But the producers did not foresight and proved it for mixing these drinks with alcohol, as not, that a lot of people are vulnerable to alcohol and caffeine.

As known as the interactions of medicines and alcohol, and we all know that they must not be mixed.

Although energy drinks are not drugs, there are similar actions in organism.

Stimulant and depressant

Two opposites are not good to each other, as caffeine is a stimulant (stimulates the activity), and alcohol is depressant (calms us down.

Thus, both are acting on the brain. , if you enjoy in larger quantities (and young people often do), this may also lead to heart attack- vein.

Those who survive it would never ever mix these substances together. But there are not only caffeine and alcohol in the drinks, which are controversial.

The energy drinks are often part of the ephedrine, and when we mix these three substances together, their activity is similar to activity when taking ecstasy.

And then, is not far away from the rapid collapse. In the U.S. have banned the use of ephedrine, the actual effects of caffeine on the body were discovered only recently.

Caffeine and headache

Cup of espresso contains about 60 mg of caffeine; liter of cola drink about 130 mg in one tin (250 ml) of the energy drink has about 90 mg of caffeine.

In cup of tea, we could find next to caffeine also other alkaloids such as theophylline and theobromine.

From chocolate to hot cocoa, all the products whose main ingredient is cocoa also contain caffeine.
It should be remembered that the caffeine is the component of many substances for the pain relief (in quantities of 60 to 200 mg), but also that caffeine in large quantities can cause headaches.

The effect after 15 minutes
Already fifteen minutes after having cup of coffee, caffeine occurs in the blood. Since acts on the central nervous system and accelerate the heart functioning, which supply more oxygen to the body.

For a better mood

Caffeine accelerates the consumption of calories, breathing, excretion of urine and stomach acid. After we consumed caffeine, it very rapidly leads to mood, concentration and motivation improvement, (goods euphoria), but this situation lasts for a relatively short time, from 30 to 60 minutes.

Afterwards comes the second, depressive phase. The larger dose of caffeine does not do the trick, and improve the situation, but it would make it worse – because often when it is used, the worse it works.

If you drink four cans of energy drink, you enter into the body of approximately 350 mg of caffeine, which is sufficient first for euphoria, secondly for depression and insomnia as a third stage.

Breaking hearts and rage

The International Olympic Committee is treating caffeine as a drug and they are disqualified players, if they found in urine a large proportion of this substance.

The concentration of 12 mg / l is acceptable, but more than that is already note as a doping. Eight pans of strong coffee can bring the concentration up to 700 mg / l.

As a stimulant caffeine may defer a feeling of tiredness. It works even better, if few days before we haven’t drunk any beverage that would contain caffeine (coffee, tea, cola).

Average sensitive man can intake daily dose of 100 to 130 mg of caffeine (that is equal to two, three, or one cup of coffee and half a tin of energy drink), and if it is taken twice or even three times larger amount, then it could lead to insomnia, migraines, heart breaking and rage attacks, which are reliable indications of poisoning.

What if, a cup of coffee is really useful?

I have adored coffee even before I have actually try and taste it. Yet its smell was delicious. I started to drink coffee regularly in student years; it helped us stay up long, when we were studying for exams.

And, so the commitment to scented black coffee remained.

In eighties, experts for food have made an assertion, that drinking coffee could be harmful to our body, and that they wouldn’t recommend it for every day drinking. In hundred of studies, they attempt to uncover the risk of drinking coffee, and sought to ascribe various bad effect, from high blood pressure to cancer.

A couple of years ago, in an article in the American journal »Eat well«, were published reviews of results from these studies and came to a surprising discovery: the consumption of coffee is, even if you drink large doses of high-octane beverage, showed a relatively safe for most adults.

But there was even greater surprise

A cup of coffee, or two, perhaps even three can be even beneficial for your health.

Reports indicate one good thing after another, from drinking coffee with the “side” benefit to health, which it brings.
After one cup of coffee per day, you could reduce chances of developing bile stones.

Next good side effects say that drinking coffee reduces the risk of developing diabetes.

The first report was from societies, from California University in Irvine, which have studied the health and habits of more than 13 thousand people from home for old-age pensioners. Study took more than twenty-one years.

With pensioners, who have drunk at least one cup of coffee per day, the possibility that they deceased have been reduced for ten percent.

Alan Leviton, epidemiologists from Harvard Medical University, which has nearly twenty-five years of examining the studies and research on drinking coffee, and himself have daily two cups per day, says that for years there is evidence of the beneficial effects of coffee.

On the other hand, in all coffee studies they have always proceed from fact, that the coffee would probably be harmful, so they have been more focused for the search of negative consequences for health.

Dehydration

Since enhances secretion of urine, caffeine accelerate the excretion of fluids from the body.
Therefore, decaffeinated drinks do not actually quench one’s thirst but have opposite effect.

As a result of this, we could gain body dehydration. Moreover it is clear that young people who quench thirst with energy drinks actually are harming your body.

Often they have been wrong

Older studies showed a link between drinking coffee and cancer, until researchers’ further find out, that the real culprit is actually a cigarette with coffee and not drinking coffee.

Afterwards researches start to collect evidence, that drinking coffee may even be useful, but will be in quite some time, when people will accept good results.

Against bile stone?

One of the first good news about drinking coffee had showed when the laboratory researchers found that caffeine may shrink bile stones, calcified stone, which sometimes lead to the attack which is accompanied by severe pain.

Epidemiologists were interested, if regular coffee drinkers could reduce the risk of biliary disease and bile stones.

They have reviewed data on health and nutrition, which they have collected in three decades in more than 46 thousand men and more than 80 thousand women. It appeared that with regular coffee drinkers stones have been less common than with those who have avoided coffee.

These studies do not prove a cause and effect. As coffee drinkers could be doing something else than drinking coffee and this thing could attribute to the risk reduction.

Nevertheless, due to the size of the group, which was more than 125 thousand people, this research has a quite big point. And the effect depends on the coffee dose; the more they drink, the more they reduce chances of develop bile stones.

For those who drank one cup of coffee per day, the risk was lower for 13 percent of those who drank two, was less by 21 percent in people who drink four or more cups of coffee per day, the risk was lower by 33 percent.

Lower risk for Parkinson’s?

Other good news was filtering. . Based on data from studies carried out in the same population, researchers found out, that a man coffee drinkers had less opportunity for developing Parkinson’s disease, condition which disrupts the brain control movement and balance.
Even for women there have been some benefits.

But while the men appeared to be more protected against Parkinson’s disease, if they drink more coffee, the benefit for women has shown, if they have from one to three cups of coffee per day.

In the following analysis, the epidemiologists have found out, that coffee drinkers reduce risk for developing Type 2 diabetes. Men, who drink six cups of coffee a day, have halved the risk of disease compared with those who drank coffee only occasionally.

Women have decreased their risk by about 30 percent. It could be, that these results are only coincidence, but more and more studies are confirming the benefits from drinking coffee.

Also quite interesting is; when researchers at the Department of War Veterans in Honolulu reviewed data of more than eight thousand men, followed by more than three decades, have been found that coffee drinkers lowered the risk of developing Parkinson’s disease.

The study published in the British medical journal The Lancet, which included 17,111 men and women, in 2002, Dutch researchers have reported that those who drinks seven cups of coffee a day, halve the risk of developing diabetes compared with those who drink two cup or less.

Swedish study published in 2004, which have fallowed 1361 women for 18 years, showed the following: the more coffee a woman drinks, the smaller are her potential for developing diabetes.

Where can we find caffeine?

Coca cola 130 mg, Can of energy drinks (250 ml) 90 mg, Espresso (45 ml) 100 mg, Turkish coffee (85 ml) from 40 to 70 mg, Cup of decaffeinated coffee, 3 to 4 mg, Iced tea (300 m) 50 mg, Indian tea (200 ml) from 50 to 70 mg.

What we can find in cup of coffee?

Caffeine is the most popular ingredient, but the coffee is chemically very complex, and a cup of coffee contains hundreds of substances, some of them we are just starting to know. Caffeine in coffee is the reason that some people are avoiding it completely, or they enjoy de -coffined version.

Ironically, however, as caffeine is the main “culprit” for useful effect that we could gain by drinking coffee.

In study of bile stones, for example, they found out that drinking »real« coffee has reduced our chances to get bile stones, but contrary, with de-coffined version didn’t have any effect.

Even the studies of Parkinson’s disease were identified, that drinking coffee offers protection (in both studies have found that we could reduce risk also with consumption of caffeine from other sources, such as tea or cola).

A rich source of antioxidants

Coffee has been shown as a rich source of antioxidants, substances that are found in fruits and vegetables, which slow the damage to cells caused by reactive oxygen atoms.

Antioxidants consist of about ten percent of unroasted coffee beans, and only one percentages of caffeine. Other, newly discovered substances, will probably help to explain reduced rik of diabetes for coffee drinkers.

Scientists are looking closely substances, called kvinidi, which are unique to coffee and are generated during the process of roasting.

As shown, kvinidi improve the liver ability, to metabolise glucose, which can maintain the level of blood sugar at one stage, and this protects us from diabetes.

German researchers from the University of Munster have recently reported, that they have discover an antioxidants called metilpiridin, which can be found almost exclusively in roasted coffee beans, which can help to fight against cancer. Researches on antioxidants have only started, and this is only beginning, but early findings are encouraging.

English experts from the University of Glasgow have done the study last year, where they found out, that coffee contains antioxidants in such level that could be found in black tea and that special blend of antioxidants in coffee may soon pass into the bloodstream.

In a study carried out by Norwegian, the home of keen coffee lovers, have found out, that coffee contains more antioxidants than anything else on our menu.

Another thing I was interested in: What gives the caffeine in coffee, its effect? And does caffeine keep us awake, or make us even more active?
For answers to these questions look up in my next post, which I will post shortly.

People are constantly looking for shortcuts and tools that would make them as easy as possible to achieve the objectives they have set for themselves. This is also the case with getting rid of excess body fat. Surely you have heard about fat burners, products that promise (quick) solution to your problem with the excess body fat. Some of you have positive experience with such products, while some others have came to the conclusion, that this makes only your wallet thinner.

What is the truth behind fat burners?

Use of fat burners is meaningful only in combination with a regulated diet and regular physical activity. If you are dreaming of a body without excessive fat, but at the same time you are not ready to lay off your favorite sweets and get up from your comfortable couch, your dream will not came true even with the most effective product. Do not expect miracles!

Some products that are marketed as fat burners actually have nothing in common with the combustion of body fat. One such substance is chitosan, which operates on the principle of tying fat which we intake with food and prevents it from being digested in the body. If you eat a balanced diet, which is the cornerstone of any effective diet, fat should be limited to so called healthy fats such as you do not want to exclude from the body. Therefore, the consumption of chitosan is in complete opposite with the logic of diet, which restricts the bad fats, but stresses the importance of healthy fats.

Active substances in fat burners

Fat burners, which can be found on the market, mostly contain L-carnitine or a combination of L-carnitine and other substances (caffeine, green tea,hydro citric acid). We believe that a lot of questions arise as reason due to the wide range of products. What are the differences between different products? What substances do they contain and how do they act? Which of the products is the most effective? Which is best for me? And finally, which is the safest to use?

L-carnitine

L-carnitine is a natural substance that is found in meat and dairy products. For decades it is a very popular additive for safe help in the matter of losing excessive body fat. L-carnitine transport of fat from fat cells in the cell mitochondria, which are oxidized and the resulting energy. Many studies confirm its support for the burning of excess body fat, greater levels of energy during exercise improved muscle endurance and maintaining muscle mass. Furthermore, it reduces the feeling of hunger and weakness, which may occur in the lower calorific intake.
Hidroksicitronska acid (HCA) – less appetite, inhibition of absorption of carbohydrates
Hidroksicitronska acid (HCA) comes from the fruit of exotic fruit garcinia cambogia. It helps in the loss of excess body fat, improve endurance and strengthen the immune system. The study is supported by its incredible ability to prevent the conversion of carbohydrates into fat, as inhibiting the functioning of an enzyme called ATP-citrate lipase. HCA has also proved successful as an inhibitor of appetite.

Extract of green tea – burning body fat, antioxidant functioning

Extract of green tea has recently become a very popular addition, the number of beneficial effects of scientific studies repeatedly confirm. All of us is well known to its antioxidant action, in addition, green tea also significantly contribute to speeding up the metabolism (calorie usage) and burning fat. Studies have shown that it contributes to the 4% increase in energy consumption throughout the day (which averages to about 100 calories). It is also diuretic, therefore, it reduces water retention in the body.

Caffeine – more energy and stamina

Caffeine itself is not fat burner, but it is one of the most popular stimulant. Located in plants, such as the guarana, kola nuts, coffee and cocoa beans, tea, … Caffeine increases endurance and the long-term physical exercise and also helps in short, high intensity exercise. Reduces sensitivity to pain during exercise and helps to improve concentration and memory. The function of the  fat combustion is reflected in the promotion of the elimination of fatty acids from fat cells, so it is advisable to consume, even in combination with l-karnitine. Studies have shown that consumption of higher doses of caffeine (about 5 mg per 1 kg body weight) increases the basal metabolism, which means higher energy consumption in the rest.

Caution: pregnant women and individuals that do not use food and beverages with caffeine do not enjoy a regular basis, do not tolerate caffeine well, or can suffer from high blood pressure, are recommend avoiding products with caffeine.

And do not forget – fat burners only help you in achieving loss of excess body fat, but are not a miracle pill that will do all the work for you. The cornerstone of any successful fat loss in a body is a regulated diet and regular exercise.

Coffee-black energy

Redcurrant  is the best medicine for the immune system

Each redcurrant berry is a vitamin C treasury – it contains about two grams. As animals produce it for themselves naturally, humans need to consume it with nourishment, in a natural, organically connected and accessible form. Vitamin C is extremely important to our organism, since it is active in all body cells as the best catalyst.

Redcurrant also contains pre-stage of vitamin A, which acts on the protective mucous membranes and stimulates the metabolism, which balances viability and health of the organism and also improves vision. Vitamins C and A are not the only one that are worthy of attention.

Also highly valuable as niacin (vitamin B3), which protects our nervous system, and vitamin B2, which is involved in cell breathing.

Among the mineral substances is quite important organically bound calcium, which calms us down and is present in our bones and teeth.

A redcurrant also contains iron, the most important substance in the blood formation, and potassium, which helps us to reduce water from our body and tissue. Although also contains magnesium, which strengthens our heart.

Purchase and prepare: More substantial is redcurrant, but blackcurrant is more aromatic. Both types are equally useful for use and intake; I used it a lot specially for fruit salads, fresh made juices and as a something extra to a dessert.

Currants with its wonderful aroma and the color make all desserts as something special, me myself love it a lot.

Currant shouldn’t be stored for a very long time, after purchased (or harvest), therefore is better recommended to eat it fresh, as that way sustain most of the vitamins and minerals.

Redcurrants – the joy of summer

Who does not know the delicious and very attractive looking red balls that you can simply eat them while picking or you could store, and make a wide variety of dishes from it.

A redcurrant is a plant that grows mostly in parts of Western Europe.

This is a highly branched bush, which grows from 1 meter to 1.5 meters high and produces delicious red fruits that are mutually useful.

It has a yellow-green flowers and dark green leaves that looks like maple. Their roots are superficial and quickly damaged if we mess with it a lot. Therefore, do not damage the roots, cultivate them gently.

Blossoms are extending to the small twig, which are attached to larger branches. They are growing fruits, which are forming a chain of red berries.

Each berry contains approximately from 3 to 12 seeds. Berries are very good attached to a stalk. Ideally is, that you live them on for about three weeks later, after they start showing red color. Trust me; currants are the best then, with a nice, lively red color, reddish. At the harvest, be careful, that berries are dry.

Gentle berries could be easily damaged, therefore be careful when picking them. Do pick the whole stalk with berries.

The very first currant was bred in Belgium and northern France in the 17th century.

It is cultivated quite a lot in modern times, although, you could also find it in the wildness, as it has spread from gardens to outland.

It is even spread to Asia. Currants grow best in humid summer heat, in regions where winters are colder.

Currant benefits from the morning sun and afternoon half-shadow, with good air circulation. They can be grown in the shade of trees or on the north side of buildings.

Currant is extremely sensitive to the sun.

A redcurrant is slightly sourer than its relative the blackcurrant, and is primarily grown for jams and cooked dishes. In Scandinavian countries it is used mainly for soups and summer fruit puddings, in Germany it is also used in combination with various fillings for pastries and cakes. It’s actually quite excellent in pies and sauces.

Furthermore it is also used for the preparation of wine.

Blackcurrants are a traditional source of the French liqueur Cassis.
The medical effects are more related to blackcurrants, but may be in German or in English doctrine where we could find records, which are proving that a redcurrant is good for reducing fever, sweating acceleration, beneficial influence on menstrual cramps, increasing appetite and for blood cleaning.

It acts as a diuretic and improves digestion. These effects are unlikely in view of the very high content of vitamin C, fruit acids and roughage in the redcurrant.

Tea from the dried redcurrants leaves help to assist in relieving the symptoms of rheumatism, used as a compress on the wound, which is healing badly and it’s also used as a gargling to tackle infections in the mouth.

Its power is already aware of the century

Reddcurrant  juice has been used in folk medicine, particularly in problems with the stomach and strengthen gums.

Fresh and sterilized juice of redcurrants is a refreshing drink to patients with fever.

Berries increases appetite, affect the size and secretion of mucus  and becouse of many un-digested seeds in them, they are regulates digestion, in a good way .