Coffee Comebacks

My name is Kristen and I love coffee.

On average, I drink around six cups of a coffee a day: one cup at each meal with a thermos twice a day. (However, currently my thermos is dirty and I am too afraid to clean it because I do not want to see what is growing inside)

Many friends have told me I have a serious problem. While, others have contemplated hosting an intervention.  In fact, one person once told me I am going to die from a caffeine overdose.

Whenever they mention I have a problem or try to convince me not to buy another cup of coffee, I just roll my eyes and tell them that coffee is good for me. However, I can never come up with the facts off of the top of my head.

Well guess what!!! I did my research and now I have comebacks for these comments.

"Kristen, coffee is not healthy for you."

Actually, coffee has a lot of benefits for your health. 

First, coffee contains large amounts antioxidants, which help to prevent various diseases. Antioxidants protect against the effects of oxidation on cells as they pass through the body.


In fact, a 2005 University of Scranton study found that coffee was number one source of antioxidants for Americans.

Second, coffee does contain nutrients:

One cup of coffee contains:

• Vitamin B2: 11% of the RDA. (Helps with energy production)

• Vitamin B5: 6% of the RDA. (Helps to alleviate conditions of asthma, hair loss, allergies, stress and anxiety, respiratory disorders and heart problems)
• Manganese and Potassium: 3% of the RDA. (Helps reduce the risk of stroke, protection against loss of muscle mass, preservation of bone mineral density)
• Magnesium and Niacin (B3): 2% of the RDA.  (Helps lower cholesterol) 

Finally, coffee may protect you from various diseases. 

In an article written for the Mayo Clinic, Donald Hensrud, M.D. writes that coffee may protect you against Parkinson's disease, type 2 diabetes and liver disease. It also shows to decrease the risk of depression.

"Kristen, coffee is going to make you dehydrated."

Actually, that's not true. 

In a study published by the Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics, researchers found no evidence that showed a correlation between the intake of coffee and the loss of fluid. 

In fact, a study published by PLOS ONE, shows that drinking three cups of coffee a day is the equivalent drinking three cups of water. 

I think people sometimes forget that coffee is made out of water, not magic potions.  

"Kristen, you are not a nice person until you finish your first cup of coffee."

This one is actually very true. I do need coffee to function as a nice person. 

Coffee contains caffeine.  Caffeine makes people happy.  Therefore, happy people drink coffee.  

"Kristen, you are going to die from a caffeine overdose." 

The good news is I am not going to die from a caffeine overdose from drinking too much coffee.  

In fact, according to an article by authoritynutrition.com, I would need to drink 100 cups of coffee in one day. (And I don't have the time to drink that much coffee)

So the next time my friends make a comment about my love for coffee, I can reply with confident comebacks.