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Old 04-03-2007, 11:04 PM   #1  
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Default Coffee....should I be?

So on my recent spring break trip to Seattle I got sucked into the world of Starbucks. This last week, I've been drinking a lot of coffee! I have never drank coffee before in my life (well, i have but you know what i mean, on a regular basis.) I find it very energizing and uplifting. It gives me that extra boost in the morning. However, I'm concerned...will this affect my weight loss. Is coffee bad for you?

Can anyone help me???
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Old 04-03-2007, 11:23 PM   #2  
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I sure hope not. I have a coffee pot and make it at home.. I guess it just depends on what you put IN it.. but coffee itself isnt bad for you.. unless you count caffine as bad
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Old 04-03-2007, 11:50 PM   #3  
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Well.... Coffee is such a controversy. I too have recently become a coffee addict...

Coffee isn't horrible for you. But caffein is technically a drug (ask anyone who has tried to quit coffee, the withdrawls are not pretty....) and it is an energizer. Also most people put in TONS of cream and sugar in their coffee (trust me I work at Tim Hortons, and people usually get a Large double/double which is like 100+ calories right there for 2 shots each of cream and sugar.). Plus coffee stains your teeth. Oh and it's bad for your bones, it kind of deteriorates them, the same way pop will.

That said, it isn't the worst thing ever, and it will give you energy to workout. I've heard that it can increase the feeling of hunger, but not the actual burning of calories. It still helps to "move food through the system" because it is drug that speeds things up... (you might poop more, or have looser poop.)

I think it's just a personal choice. But try to not have more than 1-2 cups a day. And try to maybe just have milk in your coffee (what I do, and it's yummy).
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Old 04-03-2007, 11:57 PM   #4  
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Half caf is my friend ... but I've been drinking coffee for 30 years ... black. A regular is a treat for me. I usually tell folks that coffee in moderation probably is fine but I kinda wish folks who don't drink it wouldn't start. Caffeine is a chemical after all.
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Old 04-04-2007, 12:52 AM   #5  
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Coffee makes me clench my teeth. I'm really sensitive to caffeine. But I drink it because I like the "high." It is definitely a drug. I try to drink a lot of water when I'm drinking coffee.

It does give one a buzz and help one focus on tasks. But it's better, I think, to wean off it. For awhile I didn't drink it at all, but I started back up again with decaf, and the next thing you know...

I don't drink even decaf after about 5 pm, or I'm up at night.

Not sure what it does for weight loss.

I used to put a lot of milk or cream in coffee. These days I use Coffee Mate Lite, but I think I'm addicted to it... I use way too much. I put it into FitDay with everything else, however.

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Old 04-04-2007, 01:34 AM   #6  
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Paraphrasing what chickinthehat said in another thread, they'll have to pry the mug out of my cold, dead fingers to get me to stop drinking coffee I average about 2-3 cups a day (though I can go without on weekends...)

But I agree with Susan's sentiments, if you're not already hooked on it, you probably wouldn't miss it and don't need to be starting the lifelong habit. (and boy did I start early, still remembered my first mocha cappucino -- in 4th grade!!! -- and yes, I have since moved on to lower fat, lower sugar, lower calorie options.)
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Old 04-04-2007, 03:08 AM   #7  
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I've always wondered about coffee too.
I didn't start to drink it until quite recently, but I don't drink it everyday. I drink it when I feel like a cup. I just like the taste and smell of a good cup of coffee! I always drink it black, so I guess it's okay to have once and a while.

I'm just afraid of getting addicted to it!!!
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Old 04-04-2007, 03:52 AM   #8  
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There is an article in the March 2007 issue of Cooking Light ("Healthy Perks," pg 50) that suggests that caffeine and coffee may not be as bad for us as was once believed. According to the article, the beneficial effects of caffeine include:
  • Increased alertness and better mood
  • Improved athletic performance
  • Headache control
  • Enhanced reasoning skills
  • Possible prevention of Parkinson's Disease (at least in men)

In addition, coffee (decaf or regular) may help protect against type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease (at least in women). Even more interesting, the article says that caffeine is not dehydrating or a diurectic, as is commonly believed. Instead people that drink lots of coffee have an increased urge to pee simply because of they are drinking more fluids.

I normally only drink about 1 cup of decaf per day, but in social situations I often use coffee to keep me from eating. Setting aside all scientific studies, etc., I figure that when it comes down to it, a cup of coffee is better than a brownie. And I'm a big believer in drugs ; I take Ibuprofen for all sorts of aches and pains, along with allergy medications and birth control. I even drink the occasional glass of alcohol. So I'm not sure I buy the argument that you shouldn't drink coffee because it is a drug. Not all drugs are bad for you.

It is worth mentioning that a tall (12 oz) Starbucks coffee has anywhere from 2 to 6 times the amount of caffeine in normal brewed coffee. They make their coffee ridiculously strong. I have a friend that used to work there and they seriously use at least twice as many beans as is normally used to brew coffee. So you might want to buy your own coffee maker and go a little easy on the Starbucks coffee or you'll probably find yourself pretty hyper (and it could interfere with your ability to sleep). Also, you might want to stay away from the lattes, etc., except as an occasional treat The lowest calorie latte is a tall, NF, SF cinnamon dolce and even that has 90 calories. Everything else just gets worse from there, on up to 300 or possibly 400 calories per drink. Also, the lattes have barely any espresso in them; they are basically just warm flavored milk. People think they are getting a boost of caffeine with a latte but the fact is that a Starbuck's tall latte has only 1/5 to 1/2 the amount of caffeine in a cup or normal brewed coffee.

A good alternative to a latte is to ask Starbucks to put 1 to 2 pumps of sugar-free syrup in a cup of reg or decaf coffee and then add a little skim milk to it (and artificial sweetener if it's not sweet enough for you).

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Old 04-04-2007, 05:16 AM   #9  
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Ahhhhh! Coffee!

I have to say that I'm liking what Barbara has to say about coffee not being that bad for you as previously thought!

A nice cup of coffee (I grind my own Starbucks French Roast before putting it in my coffeemaker at home) has helped me NOT to have the gooey dessert that my family is eating. It also keeps my mouth busy as I make dinner. I used to make/get Vanilla Lattes at Starbucks, and they USED to be regular milk, VENTI, and the sugar syrup. Now I get fat-free milk and sugar-free syrup OR most recently order just a Tall regular coffee with skim and am satisfied.

I am not affected by caffeine like other people seem to be. It will perk me up a bit, but I can make a vanilla latte with the Starbucks Espresso pods, low-fat milk, vanilla and Splenda and go to sleep shortly after drinking it.

I like coffee in the morning, and I like it after dinner or in the evening. For me it is a nice comforting drink that helps to keep me away from the bad stuff. That's plenty good enough for me!

Cheryl
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Old 04-04-2007, 09:04 AM   #10  
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I love coffee! I usually drink it with just a little skim milk (but I can drink it black, too). I get really hungry around 4 PM like clockwork which is too early for dinner so sometimes I have a cup of coffee and it gives me some energy and I also find that is suppresses my appetite.
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Old 04-04-2007, 09:39 AM   #11  
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Do you like the taste of coffee? If you are simply looking for a boost, you could try tea. It has lots of antioxidants. I love tea but I don't like coffee
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Old 04-04-2007, 09:44 AM   #12  
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I LOVE coffee. Have a 16 oz. cup every morning. Use 2 oz. whole milk and 2 tspn. sugar. I figure in those calories in my total count for the day. Sometimes I'll have a second cup (smaller) if I'm at the grocery store but I'll use splenda and less milkl but it's pretty rare. Love the pick me up in the morning. Also, if I wake up w/a sinus headache (like today) taking an ibuprofen w/the coffee helps it (the ibuprofen) to work faster 'cause the caffeine in the coffee gets everything moving. It's the one thing I refuse to give up! Black coffee has zero calories; you just have to watch what you put in it. Those gianormous latte, venti, vette or whatever they're called at Starbucks can add a TON of calories. I always get a small cup of black coffee and add my own extras.


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Old 04-04-2007, 11:58 AM   #13  
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Yup, I drink coffee for a headache too. There's caffeine in lots of headache-type medications.
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Old 04-04-2007, 03:55 PM   #14  
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I add a dash of cinnamon to my coffee grounds. It cuts the acid taste and I feel no need for sugar.

Speaking of sugar, BIL was here last week and we were at McD's (road trip over the mountains, no other choices for potty/food/let kids out of car before we maim them) He ordered a coffee - looked like ~ 16 oz cup. And put in 7, (SEVEN) sugars and 4 creamers. Holy sugar rush batman!!! It was disgusting! I told him next time to ask them to just microwave a cup of icecream until it melted and then pour a little coffee over it.
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Old 04-04-2007, 08:46 PM   #15  
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An interesting twist.... I recently read about people allergic to caffeine and how this allergy masks as mental health disorders, bipolar, depression and even schizophrenia (go figure). Just check in with your body. My husbabd cannot tolerate any caffeine, while I LOVE the stuff. Try a non fat latte, they are very satisifying too.
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