About the compatibility of alcohol with coffee

Neither coffee nor alcohol are unequivocally healthy drinks. But how you want to justify your little weaknesses by the presence of at least something useful! This is how theories are born about the amazing ability of coffee to prevent intoxication or instantly sober up after an extra dose of alcohol. Let’s try to apply logic and, based on scientific data, understand the compatibility of coffee and alcohol.

coffee before alcohol

Intoxication is the result of alcohol getting into the blood. Natural coffee contains substances due to which microsomal enzymes are produced in the liver – proteins that accelerate the processing of alcohol. For coffee to take effect, you need to drink it at least 20 minutes before drinking alcohol. The effect of coffee on the liver lasts for about an hour and a half.

The best effect can be achieved if you drink coffee with cream or have a drink with a slice of cheese. Milk fats and proteins protect the gastric mucosa and slow down the penetration of alcohol into the blood.

Simultaneous drinking of coffee with alcohol

The combination of coffee and cognac is considered a classic of the genre. However, despite its popularity, it is not as harmless as it seems at first glance. Alcohol stimulates the production of the pleasure hormone dopamine in the body. A drunk person’s mood rises, he begins to experience causeless joy. But alcohol also has a sedative, calming effect on the body, dulling mental functions and slowing down the reaction. Cognac, in addition, has the ability to dilate blood vessels and lower blood pressure. Caffeine, on the other hand, constricts blood vessels and increases blood pressure.

Two substances of opposite action enter the body at the same time. As a result, a person’s heart rate increases, there is a significant load on the vessels and nervous system with all the ensuing consequences.

Both alcohol and coffee contribute to dehydration. Therefore, a hangover after immoderate consumption of coffee with alcohol (including cognac) will be very difficult.

In order not to cause irreparable damage to the body, the dose of alcohol should not exceed 20-30 grams per 100 grams of coffee. A mixture of drinks in this proportion will help to relax a little and warm on a cold day.

coffee after alcohol

There is a misconception that coffee sobers up or at least alleviates hangover suffering. In fact, everything is exactly the opposite. Under the influence of alcohol, a person relaxes, he is sleepy. If at this moment he drinks coffee, he will cheer up a little. There will be a false sense of sobriety, but reactions are still slow. A lot of accidents happened due to the fault of drivers who got behind the wheel drunk, mistakenly believing themselves sober after a cup of coffee.

Coffee is a little sobering, but only for 20-25 minutes and only if the amount of alcohol drunk does not exceed 50 grams. This drink also helps with a hangover, providing a diuretic effect. However, to get rid of a hangover syndrome, you can drink coffee only after a large amount of liquid (at least 3-4 glasses of water): this helps to quickly remove toxins from the body.

Alcoholic drinks containing coffee

Caffeine in combination with other stimulants in energy drinks (for example, with guarana extract) creates a huge load on the cardiovascular system. If the walls of blood vessels are weakened, this can lead to their destruction, and in the most severe cases, to a stroke.

Only absolutely healthy people with normal blood pressure can drink energy drinks, and no more than once every three months.

Liqueurs containing coffee are commonly used to make cocktails. The concentration of caffeine in such drinks is low, and in small quantities does not cause harm to the body. But even the best and highest quality liqueurs (for example, Sheridan’s or Patron XO Cafe based on tequila) are very high in calories, so you should not abuse them.

conclusions

So is it worth it to drink coffee with alcohol? In reasonable amounts, neither coffee nor alcohol is poison. On the contrary, it has been found that people who consume up to 100 grams of wine or up to 50 grams of stronger alcohol once or twice a week are less at risk of atherosclerosis than absolute teetotalers. As for coffee, one or two cups a day will help prevent Alzheimer’s disease.

Of course, coffee with alcohol is harmful to hypertensive patients, hypotensive patients and those suffering from diseases of the cardiovascular system. Everyone else must follow the following rules:

1. Drink only high-quality alcohol and coffee brewed from ground beans.
2. The stronger the liquor, the worse it goes with coffee.
3. A cup of coffee with cream or a piece of cheese 20 minutes before the feast will slow down intoxication.
4. 70-100 grams of coffee and 20-30 grams of cognac (wine, whiskey, tequila) is enough to warm up and cheer up. Coffee with alcohol in large doses can harm your health.
5. Combining coffee with alcohol more than once a week is not recommended.
6. Coffee after alcohol causes a false sense of sobriety, but it helps a lot with a hangover if you drink one cup after a large amount of liquid.