Neera completed a degree in Nutrition and Dietetics from the University of Alberta. She has gone on to do a combined Masters in Public Health Nutrition and her Dietetic Internship upon which she will be registered with the Dietitians of Canada. She has worked as a Community Nutritionist for the South Asian population and has been featured in Flare Magazine and Family Health Magazine. Questions about food and nutrition? Calories in Indian foods? Low-fat desi-recipes or fad diets? Email her! neera@mybindi.com

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Decaffeinated Coffee

Hi Neera,

I'm trying to watch my caffiene intake. Is it okay to drink one cup of decaffeinated coffee with cream and no sugar a day?

Thank you,

Bissal

Dear Bissal,

Thanks for your question.

Your coffee choice is great! Decaffeinated coffee (that too without sugar!) is the way to go if you want to avoid the negative risks associated with caffeine consumption. But if you need that "kick" once in a while, like during exams or deadlines, your basic cup-of-Joe is not harmful.

A cup of coffee contains approximately 80-115 mg of caffeine, while a cup of decaffeinated coffee contains 2-3 mg. A cup of brewed tea (chai) contains 40-60 mg of caffeine. Caffeine increases adrenaline release, which stimulates the central nervous system, increases states of alertness and increases heartbeat.

Caffeine is classified as a "generally recognized as safe" food additive and moderate consumption of caffeine-containing foods does not seem to be harmful for the average adult. Side effects of excessive caffeine (800 mg or more) include anxiety, sleeplessness, agitation, shortness of breath, irregular heartbeat, nausea and headaches.

Drinking coffee carries with it several risks. Caffeine can be habit forming. Even a single cup a day contains enough caffeine to create risk of withdrawal if it is suddenly eliminated in susceptible individuals. Coffee can cause heartburn by relaxing the muscle between the stomach and esophagus, allowing stomach acid to rise into the esophagus. Though coffee does not cause ulcers, it causes increased stomach acid production, which can exacerbate ulcers. On the other hand, drinking coffee does not lead to hypertension, pancreatic cancer or bladder cancer. The caffeine in coffee can block calcium and iron absorption; coffee drinkers who avoid milk and dairy products need more calcium to minimize the risk of osteoporosis.

It is best to use a common sense approach to coffee: Drink it in moderation - which is about one to two cups a day. People with high blood cholesterol levels, coronary diseases, heart arrhythmias and hypertension, and pregnant woman may want to cut back on high coffee consumption and consumption of other beverages that contain caffeine. Those who drink boiled coffee may want to switch to drip-filtered coffee.


In the spirit of health and wellness,
Neera Chaudhary
South Asian Nutritionist