Coffee – A Sinful Thing?

 

 

As most know, coffee contains the mild stimulant, caffeine. If used in moderation, caffeine is not harmful to the body. Many appreciate the energizing effects of a cup of coffee.

 

But for some of us who drink coffee and suffer nervousness or anxiety, it’s probably better that we abstain from drinking coffee altogether. Also, for those who enjoy it, coffee must be consumed in moderation. They cannot allow it to become a necessity.

 

The Bible tells us, “Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand” (Phil. 4:5), and that “…every man that strives for the mastery is temperate in all things” (I Cor. 9:25).

 

The principle of moderation also applies to tea, which can have effects similar to those of coffee. Drinking coffee or tea is not a sin, but rather the overuse of misuse of it.

 

A new research study suggests that high caffeine consumption could be linked to a greater tendency to hallucination. People with a higher caffeine intake, from sources such as coffee, tea and caffeinated energy drinks, are more likely to report hallucinatory experiences such as hearing voices and seeing things that are not there, according to the Durham University study.

 

‘High caffeine users’ – those who consumed more than the equivalent of seven cups of instant coffee a day – were three times more likely to have heard a person’s voice when there was no one there compared with ‘low caffeine users’ who consumed less than the equivalent of one cup of instant coffee a day.

 

The researchers, whose paper is published in the academic journal Personality and Individual Differences, say their finding could be down to the fact that caffeine has been found to exacerbate the physiological effects of stress. When under stress, the body releases a stress hormone called cortisol. More of this stress hormone is released in response to stress when people have recently had caffeine. It is this extra boost of cortisol which may link caffeine intake with an increased tendency to hallucinate, say the scientists.

Facts about caffeine (Source: Wikipedia)

 

• Caffeine is a central nervous system stimulant, having the effect of temporarily warding off drowsiness and restoring alertness.

• With ninety per cent of North Americans consuming some of form caffeine every day, it is the world’s most widely used drug.

• In its pure state, caffeine is a crystalline white powder.

• Caffeine is completely absorbed by the stomach and small intestine within 45 minutes of ingestion.

• When taken in moderation, studies have shown that caffeine can increase the capacity for mental or physical labour.

• Caffeine use can lead to a condition called caffeine intoxication. Symptoms include nervousness, irritability, anxiety, muscle twitching, insomnia, headaches, and heart palpitations. This is not commonly seen when daily caffeine intake is less than 250mg.