Contents
In this article you will learn, among others:
- Where is the coffee from?
- Is coffee healthy?
- Can children drink coffee?
- How much caffeine is in coffee?
- How does coffee affect children’s bodies?
Where is the coffee from?
Coffee trees have a tree structure. Some varieties are shorter and look like shrubs, others are larger and can reach up to 10 m in height. Its two main species are Arabica and Robusta. It is cultivated in tropical climates, where there are no frosts, but it is humid. Coffee trees can therefore be admired, among others in Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela, India, Ethiopia, Cameroon, Kenya, Cuba, Jamaica, Bali, Java, Sumatra. In these countries, it is often part of traditions and rituals.
Is coffee healthy?
Coffee is a source of caffeine. Has stimulating effect on the body, improves concentration, memory and alertness. This role makes it the queen of energizing fluids. 90 percent of adult Poles reach for it. It is a low-calorie drink if it is made only of water and coffee beans. If, on the other hand, you add sugar, cream, sweetened syrups, it can become a caloric dessert. Such a treat will provide up to 600 kcal per serving. Check what our dietitian Zuzanna Kaczmarek wrote.
It has some health benefits. Coffee has been reported to reduce the risk of cancer, including prostate, kidney, liver and protects against cardiac arrhythmias and even lung diseases. However, its excess causes sleep problems, hand tremors, nervousness, and stomach problems.
Can children drink coffee?
Scientists are still wondering about the influence of coffee on children’s bodies. Their opinions are divided. Overall, however, the approach to introducing coffee in little ones is skeptical, though have the same metabolic capacity as adults. This sentence is mainly due to its composition (high caffeine content) and quick stimulating effect. Most people in our country will not even think about giving coffee to a child. However, when you give a fizzy drink or tea, do you realize that they also contain caffeine?
How much caffeine is in coffee?
Note that a cup of coffee is 50-100 mg caffeine, a cup of tea 30-50 mg, a bar of milk chocolate approx 20 mgand bitter 50-85 mg. It can also be found in cola drinks at about 10 mg per 100 ml, therefore half a liter is already 50 mg. Keeping in mind that there is a lot of sugar in carbonated drinks, such a cup of cola is a recipe for a burst of energy in a child and great stimulation. Justyna Piechocka, a dietitian, wrote about what coca cola contains. Especially in hyperactive children, you need to pay attention to what and how much they drink. The US National Institute of Health recommends that you should not prohibit your child from drinking coffee so much as pay attention to the daily supply of caffeine in the diet from all sources.
How does coffee affect children’s bodies?
In the United States and England, there is a heated discussion from what age of age coffee drinking is safe and what effect it has on the child’s body. Such questions, however, do not bother anyone in Colombia or Brazil. In these countries it is generally accepted to drink coffee in small amounts from an early age.
What is your opinion whether children should drink coffee? From which age can you drink coffee? How does coffee affect you?
Main photo is from: Ben124. / Foter / CC BY
The photo in the content comes from: subewl / Foter / CC BY-SA