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A microscopic view of caffeine crystals and why the world’s favorite stimulant is anything but harmless to the physiology of those who consume it.
Take a close look at the picture above.
Does this look friendly to you? Think with your gut – literally.
Is this something that you think your body would welcome if you consumed it frequently and in large quantities?
Do you think this would be health-promoting in any way?
Caffeine is a Plant Pesticide
Even without knowing a single thing about caffeine, it is abundantly clear by simply looking at this astonishing electron micrograph of caffeine crystals that this substance is very likely a toxin to the body. These insidious crystals are found in varying quantities in the leaves, seeds, and even the fruit of some plants and guess for what purpose?
To stun, paralyze, and even kill insects that feed on the plant for food.
In short, caffeine is a natural pesticide. It is certainly not on the toxic magnitude, of say, Monsanto’s Roundup, but it is a pesticide just the same.
If insects are instinctively smart enough to avoid plants containing caffeine to ensure their own survival, don’t you think you probably should avoid it too?
Caffeine Increases Stomach Acid Levels
Let’s think about what happens when you consume caffeine.
Caffeine increases stomach acid production. While this is not necessarily a bad thing if you just ate, it can cause problems over time if excessive stomach acid becomes a constant feature of your personal biochemistry.
Acid reflux (GERD) is one symptom of imbalanced stomach acid levels and Prilosec, the over the counter medication for this condition is one of the most popular drugs stolen by organized retail crime (ORC) rings – indirect but telling evidence of the widespread nature of reflux problems today.
Could the reflux epidemic be associated with all those Starbucks and Red Bulls folks are consuming? Remember the gal who recently put herself in the ER by drinking too many 5 Hour Energy Shots?
The high demand and dependence on PPI drugs (proton pump inhibitors) like Prilosec or a 24-hour drug like Nexium do not come without a heavy price!
Undesired weight gain is one of the associative side effects of long term treatment with PPI drugs as reported and published in the peer-reviewed World Journal of Gastroenterology.
Once on the purple pill for reflux, always on the purple pill. The outlook is bleak and a ballooning backside is on the horizon unless you take charge and make some changes – losing the caffeine being Job #1.
Caffeine Whacks the Adrenals
Even folks who are seriously health-conscious seem to have trouble shaking the caffeine habit which never ceases to surprise me.
Those who eat low carb, keto or paleo seem to have a particularly difficult time managing caffeine intake perhaps because caffeine stimulates the liver to release sugar into the bloodstream, in essence, a way to get carbs without actually eating them!
Don’t forget about the 5 Hour Energy Shot junkie who ended up in the ER. Let the lesson ring clear. Her liver started to shut down from all that caffeine because she was drinking about 10 of those suckers per day for 2 weeks straight!
I know several people on a first name basis who are not far behind that insane level of caffeine consumption and I’m sure you do too. Just because it doesn’t put you in the ER doesn’t mean it’s not hurting you badly.
One thing’s for sure. If your diet is making you so tired that you need caffeine to indirectly boost your blood sugar and artificially stimulate your adrenals, you’ve got a problem and the diet you’re following is clearly not optimal for you. Time to do some tweaking my health-conscious friends!
C’mon. You know a big plate of sprouted waffles would be totally, rockin’ AWESOME.
There’s no doubt a plate of sprouted waffles – YES – even every single morning would be a more healthful habit than that coffee addiction. Don’t fool yourself and rob Peter to pay Paul.
Frequent stimulation of the adrenal glands from caffeine eventually leads to adrenal exhaustion whether this be at age 20 or age 60. If you’ve been drinking coffee for years and think you are “just fine thank you”, think again. Feeling bone tired and not being able to get off the couch to do much of anything could be just around the corner as hormonal problems can strike suddenly and seemingly out of the blue (just ask any menopausal woman). It is the sleeping giant you best not ignore.
Other symptoms of adrenal exhaustion include lack of physical endurance and stamina, weight gain, reduced ability to handle stress, impairment of calcium absorption, and depression of immunity.
Probably most worrisome is the blood sugar issues caffeine exacerbates as mentioned earlier. Caffeine stimulates the liver to release stored sugars into the bloodstream which then has an effect on the body’s overall ability to regulate blood sugar levels.
The hormonal system requires such a delicate balance that caffeine’s negative effect on the adrenals can’t help but create hormonal challenges in the body over time. Dr. Bruce Rind MD, a holistic endocrinologist notes that the health of the thyroid gland and the adrenal glands are inextricably linked. If one goes south, the other one probably will too.
So the next time you reach for that cup of joe, chocolate bar, espresso, or energy drink, think about the picture above with all the spikes and points and imagine what this plant pesticide is really doing to your insides.
Ouch!
Sarah I like your post and do not think it is fear mongering. Because something has antioxidants in it does not mean that it is universally a panacea. Not everyone does well with coffee ..or green tea and/or chocolate for that matter.
Caffeine and all the methylxanthines have the potential to be “toxins”. Each person is just able to handle them differently. In our office we have seen many who have gotten off coffee who have had great improvements in their health. Some can later add some back, some need to avoid it forever. Same with kombucha, not everyone thrives on it. What harm is there in avoiding coffee or tea for a few weeks to see if one feels better, sleeps better, etc? Nature has provided numerous sources of plantioxidants.
Sarah,
I have a question… I completely agree with you on the caffeine and coffee issue, so it’s not that. I have been so confused about Kombucha though. I don’t drink any coffee or tea from the tea plant and have been very confused about Kombucha for that reason. Does the fermenting alter the things that are harmful in the tea? Black tea especially is something I particularly avoid. And isn’t that the main ingredient in Kombucha? Have been very curious about this for a while… would really appreciate any insight you have in the matter! Thanks!
Hi Emmally, there may be a slight amount of caffeine that remains in properly fermented kombucha but most if not all is gone else I would not allow my children to drink it. I have a great sensitivity to caffeine and have never had trouble with kombucha. Note the color change from when it starts to ferment (a dark tea color) to when it is finished brewing (a very light, ginger ale type color. You will have to try it and see for yourself how you react to it, but I have not come across anyone in my years as a WAPF Chapter Leader who has issues with caffeine who cannot drink kombucha.
Maybe I missed something, but the article about the woman who overdosed on the energy drink said it was the B3 that cause her liver to fail:
“Doctors believe the woman overdosed on one ingredient: niacin — also called vitamin B3 — which can damage the liver when ingested in high amounts.”
Though the article references ones ability to grossly overdose on caffeine, a caffeine overdose was not what landed the woman in the hospital.
Caffeine could very well be bad for people, I don’t know. What I do know, is that the information in this post would never convince me that it was. Without even addressing the faulty logic throughout this post, this kind of out-of-context reporting is what I would expect of the mainstream media, not my defender of politically incorrect nutrition.
Another thing about caffeine, from a male perspective. It seems that men tend to have heart attacks in the morning, and drinking caffeinated coffee gets and/or keeps the heart going, preventing heart attacks. As in all thing, moderation is the key.
I have to say Willom, that sounds a little far-fetched. And I also am so tired of the expression, “moderation is key”. Ugh.
Willom, I appreciate the attempt at a positive spin on caffeine, but drinking caffeine in the morning to prevent a heart attacks sounds a bit outlandish to me!!! If anything, the sudden stress from the caffeine would trigger one (at least to me … even a half cup of coffee in the am for me on an empty stomach would cause panic attack type symptoms).
I knew when I saw the title that you were going to get lots of unhappy comments! Thanks for being willing to put up with the negative comments and concentrate on getting the info out there for us to look at and check into it! I drink a half cup a day of organic coffee with raw milk and stevia and cinnamon. I decreased my usage from one cup a day to the half for the obvious side effects that I was unable to deny. Occasionally, I will have one of those fancy, expensive coffees while I am out with my daughter, and OH MY! I really pay for it! Heart palpitations, headache and sometimes nausea that can last for 24-48 hrs.! I have only done that twice in a year and then was sure of the culprit. It is not worth it to me. I am a definite Type A, and that little bit in the morning seems to clear the cobwebs without any adverse effects. I also eat a high protein and healthy fat breakfast to make sure that I don’t cause any blood sugar swings. Someday, I may just stop totally, as I am working toward a healthier lifestyle..but, it will have to be a little at a time. When I was younger, I was radical about everything, and now God has helped me to be more moderate and less compulsive. I really don’t want to be in bondage to anything… so, thanks for helping me understand better about my body and how everything works. P.S. To the commenter, Sally_Oh, you made me laugh so hard!!! Thanks! I needed that!
No way! I am gluten sensitive but have to have the coffee, a small cup in the AM. I am pregnant with my 4th, the oldest is almost 5. I need a bit of energy to start the morning. If anyone has a healthier alternative I am all ears. Until then, a small cup of coffee during the week (not the weekends as hubby is home to help) and occasional dark chocolate.
Oh please don’t drink coffee while pregnant! Try a cup of herbal tea with a TBL of coconut oil in it instead.
Oh enjoy your coffee Lisa, your body will tell you when you should and shouldn’t have it and it will make you sick if you even smell it at times. If you’re a coffee drinker herbal tea is not enjoyable! I consume a quart of herbal tea per day for health benifits but coffee is what I enjoy and I am waiting impatiently for #10 to arrive. Some of us are fine with enjoying things that may have a toxin. I love your blog Sarah, but you do have to admit optimal health is your passion and you are obsessive about it, that is not said to cause offense. You and your unborn are FAR worse off having twinkies or doughnuts so the sugar surge doesn’t compare to that.
Question: How does de-caf fare comparitively? My husband has been trying to go off coffee and has been drinking de-caf sometimes…
Decaf is a great tool to help oneself wean off coffee. Note that the protein in the coffee bean is a cross trigger for those with gluten sensitivity so if your hubby has issues with wheat, the decaf would not help.
My goodness – decaf is a horrible way to go! Your promoting it just gave away all credibility in my mind. Amy, please research most decaffeinated beverages and how they lose their caffeine – it’s with chemical processing that you *really* don’t want in your body. The only “safe” decaf is called a Swiss water process decaf, which is a natural way to decaffeinate, but it is very rarely used and hard to find!
The picture looks soooooo cool!!!!!
Here are a couple of issues I have with this discussion:
First- almost ALL plants have some kind of mechanism against buggies, all vegetables do…it’s called oxilates. Can’t escape that. Good thing we aren’t bugs!
Second- stomach acid..it increases it…yay! For those of us with low stomach acid (which in most cases of those on the purple pill DO have, they just don’t know it, since they think GERD and heartburn, etc are HIGH acid, which we know they aren’t). I like having my stomach acid higher, it helps me digest 🙂
I am not defending coffee/caffeine, other than to say, moderation in all things. And for people like me, who have high ferritin, coffee actually blocks iron absorption and right now, I NEED that!
The fact that caffeine kills animals, like dogs, should be a little alarming. If I am not mistaken, humans are one of the only creatures on God’s green earth to willingly consume the stuff.
I don’t care for the side effects of caffeine in myself, as I usually don’t feel too well after consuming it; the increased HR/blood flow apparently feels too similar to the activated sympathetic nervous system in my body, and gives me a gnawing feeling of uneasiness that is not pleasant! But, my husband and I share a cup of coffee occasionally. It is not common for us, though.
Coffee has, I am sure, many good side effects, but let us not be the drunkard justifying his red wine because it contains a serving of resveratrol.
How does the caffeine in Green Tea factor into this study. I use Green and OOlong Tea in making my Kombucha and am curious what your school of thought is on this.
Hey charlie in the making of Kombucha both the caffaine and sugar are digested by the scouby.