That said, drinking multiple cups of coffee or tea without also drinking water could end in dehydration. "A cup of coffee is not going to dehydrate you that much," integrative medicine doctor Bindiya Gandhi, M.D., says, "but many cups of coffee without water intake will."
“The best way to hydrate is always to drink water, but coffee lovers can definitely count their coffee toward their eight daily cups of fluid,” DeWolf says. “The sugar and fat from cream and sweetened coffee drinks, however, can lead to weight gain and other detrimental health effects.”
While caffeine can help you stay more alert, energized and focused, Webster warns, “Heavy caffeine intake has the potential to cause other unwanted side effects like an upset stomach, heartburn, restlessness, increased anxiety or nervousness, insomnia, muscle tremors (aka the “coffee jitters”) and increased heart rate. ...
Drinking coffee on an empty stomach could damage your stomach lining and cause indigestion and heartburn. It can even increase anxiety and hinder your ability to focus. Instead, try drinking coffee in the mid-morning or early-afternoon for the best results.
The action of coffee on stomach acid secretion has raised the issue of a possible increase in dyspepsia (poor digestion, discomfort, nausea, heartburns, eructation, and flatulence), or esophageal burns, gastritis or ulcers, and gastro-esophageal reflux disease (GERD).
The Bottom Line
For healthy individuals, having a cup of coffee on an empty stomach is unlikely to cause any significant harm. However, you know your body best. If you find that your body is sensitive to caffeine, consider pairing a snack with your coffee to help with digestion.
No, humans can't live on coffee. How much coffee can people safely drink? According to the FDA, 400 mg (4 cups) of brewed coffee per day appear to be safe for most healthy adults.
That is because, while a recent study by Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health stated that drinking four cups of coffee daily could reduce body fat by 4 per cent, turns out that consuming black coffee also aids in weight loss, and the benefits get doubled if you drink yours without any sweeteners.
There can also be side effects to consuming too much caffeine, such as jitteriness, anxiety, nervousness, increased blood pressure, heart palpitations, difficulty sleeping, irritability, tension, and even exacerbated panic attacks.
After day two (maybe earlier) your body has nothing to run on but your own fat. The water weight you lose will come back quickly, but that fat loss is real. You can expect to lose ~1-2 pounds per day, but consider this a nice benefit, not the primary motivation.
How does coffee stain teeth? The big culprits are tannins, and they are commonly found in drinks like coffee. Tannins are a type of polyphenol that breaks down in the water. Tannins release coloured products that stick to rough surfaces on your teeth, causing yellow or brown discolouration.
Safety Concerns. For most people, there are no serious dangers involved in eating one meal a day, other than the discomforts of feeling hungry. That said, there are some risks for people with cardiovascular disease or diabetes. Eating one meal a day can increase your blood pressure and cholesterol.
Milk is more hydrating than water
For example, milk was found to be even more hydrating than plain water because it contains the sugar lactose, some protein and some fat, all of which help to slow the emptying of fluid from the stomach and keep hydration happening over a longer period.
Drink Other Drinks
Besides water, there are many drinks you can have to stay hydrated. You can sip on juices, smoothies, milk, iced tea, or regular tea. However, be mindful of drinks with high sugar content, such as fruit juices, and try to rely more on sugar-free beverages like tea.
If you're not replenishing your fluid intake, your energy levels could plummet and you could experience fatigue and brain fog. So the next time you reach for another cup of coffee, see if it's water that you need instead. Weight gain.
Black coffee, according to research, has calories as low as 1 in one serving and can be a great beverage to include in your diet for weight loss. It is one of the healthiest beverages around the world. It boosts metabolism and aids digestion and is great for your skin also.
Studies have shown that people who drink coffee are 20 percent less likely to become depressed, and 53 percent less likely to die by suicide.
While it might sound bad, it's not an addiction most of us should be particularly concerned about, says Llewellyn Mills, a drug and alcohol researcher at the University of Sydney. "With caffeine, there are no real social consequences from using it. It's more or less encouraged.
A lethal amount of caffeine is about 180 mg/L, which has been determined by examining the blood of patients who died from overdose. When you consume ~100 mg of caffeine, it raises your blood caffeine levels by about 5 mg/L, meaning it'll take almost 40 cups of coffee to be lethal.
Indeed, according to experts, drinking coffee on an empty stomach right after waking up can interfere with your cortisol levels and actually leave you feeling even more tired later on in the day.
Drinking water first thing in the morning immediately helps rehydrate the body. Your six to eight hours of sleep is a long period to go without any water consumption. Drinking two or three glasses of water right when you wake up is a good way to rehydrate your body quickly.
For many people, coffee is the first beverage consumed in the morning and can be relied upon for energy to help them get through the day. For some, the smell and taste of coffee are comforting. If you are deprived of sleep, having a cup of your favorite brew can help you feel more relaxed and ready to be productive.