Sunday, April 25, 2010

what about coffee......

Sipping at my black Americano happily typing away like a little know it all about the negative nutrient value of orange juice and pop.  I wonder about the heavenly black liquid I am currently savoring.
Since we are really trying to focus on increasing our daily hydration, the idea that my coffee could be working as a diuretic (increase in urine production through kidney function), really seems more than defeating.
As I start googling 'caffine + diuretic' I discover that it is not as much as a diuretic as I had originally understood YAY.
Coffee does not dehydrate the body if drunk in moderate amounts.  About 3 cups a day does nothing to the water levels of the body.  BUT ...oh yes there is always a but... Caffine in certain doses can actually deplete the body of vitamin B6.  A vitamin that plays a crucial role in how the body manufactures serotonin.  This is the chemical that is low in people with anxiety and depression.  So this Brew that seemingly fills me with a feeling of happiness ...could actually be making me depressed?!!  How annoying.  Also important to add, caffine may interfere with the body's absorption of vitamin D.  Since vitamin D is necessary for the body's absorption of calcium it shows us that drinking too much coffee could be associated with bone strength or lack there of.  As a woman I find this is a topic of great importance.
So nobody is perfect ...I love coffee but I too will try and focus simply on drinking more WATER!!!

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