The variety of Coffee preparations and mixtures is almost unlimited: whether simple filter coffee, espresso, Cappuccino, Cafe Creme, latte macchiato, iced coffee, Turkish mocha or Irish coffee. Let us know about common perception about and then what ayurveda has to say about Coffee.
But excessive consumption poses many dangers. Coffee contains a highly effective and high-dose toxic alkaloid called caffeine. This stimulates the adrenal glands to adrenalin production, pulse and breathing accelerate, blood pressure and attention are increased, the blood glucose is adversely affected, and the stomach is irritated.
Caffeine stimulates the nervous system and reduces the soothing neurotransmitter serotonin. A stress and emergency reaction are triggered – even though we only want to have a break in our office.
On the other hand, health benefits of coffee are also confirmed by studies and analyzes.
So be a cup of coffee daily for example
- Reduce the Risk of liver cirrhosis by 22%
Reduce the risk of colorectal cancer in women,
Protects against skin cancer and neurodegenerative diseases (Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s disease)
Memory and cognitive functions as well improving well-being and happiness through dopamine release.
Coffee – Ayurvedic ViewPoint
Ayurveda classifies all substances of nature according to their elements and the flavors and properties developed from them.
Coffee tastes primarily bitter and is thus a representative of the elements air and space. Its primary properties are light, drying, stimulating and heating. The heating process results from the roasting process, with temperatures of 200-260 degrees.
In relation to the three doshas, coffee increases Vata and Pitta with simultaneous lowering of Kapha. It stimulates the body fire (Agni), clears the body tracts (Srotas) and stimulates the circulation.
Even if coffee stimulates digestion shortly after consumption and leads to loose stool movements in many people, it causes constipation through its drying effect in the long term.Let us know about Coffee from 3 main ayurvedic dosha perspective . If you know your body’s dosha type then it would be easy for you to decide in which category you fall and choose accordingly.
Checklist: Coffee Consumption as per Body Type ( Based on Vata/ Kapha/ Pitta)
The following 5 “W questions” can be used to optimize your personal coffee consume:
| VATA | PITTA | Kapha | |
| WHO? | Poorly tolerated, as little as possible | Little tolerable, in moderation | Well tolerated, positive effect |
| WHY? | As a pleasure | As a pleasure | As a targeted stimulant, to the Kapha reduction |
| WHEN? | In the morning until 1 pm, with or after meals | In the morning before 11am, with or after meals | Whole day until 4 pm |
| HOW MUCH? | Max. 1 cup daily | Up to 2 cups daily | Up to 3 cups daily |
| BY WHICH? | With lots of hot milk / cream and Sugar | With milk or cream and Sugar | Black and Unsweetened, possibly additionally seasoned |
| EXAMPLE | Latte macchiato | Cappuccino | Classic espresso |
Beware of Caffeine
It is a doom-loop. We feel tired, exhausted, low-drive. A coffee is supposed to energize us and for that, it triggers a stress reaction via caffeine. Any stress reaction leads to exhaustion. We go to the coffee machine again and the cycle goes on.
Many people thus enter into a physical dependency with psychological effects. This permanent alert condition promotes anxiety, sleep disorders, irritability, hyperactivity, mood swings, depression etc. At the end of this chain is an exhaustion of the adrenal glands.
When do we talk about caffeine? The tolerability of caffeine is individually different. Take the test and do not drink a drop of coffee for 5 days. If withdrawal symptoms such as headaches, dullness, exhaustion or constipation occur, your body has become accustomed to its daily dose and it is time to act.
Coffee can theoretically be dehydrating by inhibiting a hormone (ADH) and thus dry the body. Therefore, drink a large glass of water for every cup of coffee, as is a tradition in southern countries.
Coffee – Enjoyment, Danger, and Remedy
The fragrance, the ritual of the preparation and the variety of tastes – without a doubt, coffee is for many pleasures. Consumed in calm and balanced condition, his positive effects are the main focus.
As a psychotropic substance, coffee induces a stress reaction even though no obvious stressor is present. People who suffer from a lack of stress management or psychovegetative disorders should, therefore, abstain from coffee from an ayurvedic point of view.
Ayurveda never divides substances into “good” and “bad”, but in individual “beneficial” and “unacceptable” – for coffee, this consideration is particularly important.
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