Some say it’s good. Others say it’s not so good. Dr. Mark Hyman, a best-selling author and medical director of the UltraWellness Center, says there are 10 reasons to avoid coffee:

1. The caffeine in coffee increases catecholamines, your stress hormones.

The stress response elicits cortisol and increases insulin. Insulin increases inflammation, and this makes you feel less than optimal.

2. Caffeine decreases insulin sensitivity, making it difficult for your cells to respond appropriately to blood sugar. High blood sugar levels lead to arterial deterioration and increased risk of mortality related to cardiovascular disease.

3. Unfiltered coffee has the highest amount of beneficial antioxidants ,yet it leaks the most diterpenes into your system. These diterpenes have been linked to higher levels of triglycerides, LDL, and VLDL levels.

4. The helpful chlorogenic acids that may delay glucose absorption in the intestine have also been shown to increase homocysteine levels – an indicator for increased risk of cardiovascular disease, which tends to be elevated in diabesity.

5. The acidity of coffee is associated with digestive discomfort, indigestion, heart burn, GERD, and imbalances in your gut flora.

6. Addiction is often an issue with coffee drinkers and makes it really difficult to rely on the body’s natural source of energy.

Ask a coffee drinker how it feels to withdraw from coffee.

7. Associative addictions trend with coffee – who doesn’t immediately think of warm, frothy sweet cream and sugar when they picture coffee?

The business of coffee has inspired a culture addicted to the sugary, fatty tastes of what has become more a meal than a drink! That morning latte is the epitome of food lacking nutrition density yet packing energy.

8. They may be at risk for lower levels of serotonin synthesis in the brain.

Serotonin is necessary for normal sleep, bowel function, mood, and energy levels. It is a vicious cycle, as caffeine can disrupt sleep and promote anxiety and depression. We all know the person who tends to be tired, wired, and over-caffeinated.

9. Elevated urinary excretions of important minerals such as calcium, magnesium, and potassium have been noted in coffee drinkers. An imbalance in your electrolyte status can lead to serious systemic complications.

10. Constituents in coffee can interfere with normal drug metabolism and detoxification in the liver, making it difficult to regulate the normal detoxification process in the liver.

Only you can decide IF coffee works for you. If you do drink it, choose Organic Fair Trade Coffee, as low quality coffee beans are heavily treated with pesticides and contain mycotoxins.

As with other foods, I encourage you choose based on how you feel, dependency, or symptoms that arise. Just because you love your coffee doesn’t mean it loves you.