Last week my husband went to a local coffee shop and picked up this little flyer for me. It is all about coffee and health.
After some help with translating from my Portuguese teacher, I’ve learned the view, of what I consider a tasty liquid energizer, is a bit different here than it is in the US.
Don’t get me wrong there are a ton of coffee drinkers back home, and there are probably just as many who view is as something worthy of giving up to protect there health.
I am on the side of the coffee drinkers and tend to focus on the health benefits that come with its consumption. In moderation, of course.
I found this flyer to be so interesting. It is important to note that the publication came from a place that makes quite a bit of its money from selling the stuff. Perhaps it is a bit biased. I found some info I agreed with and some that I didn’t, from a health perspective that is.
(By the way, this is loosely translated to give you the general idea and make sure this post isn’t 3 pages long.)
The text presents the Truths vs. the Myths of drinking coffee in moderation. Now I should mention that I’ve been told that a cup in cooking is different than a cup of coffee even though it is the same word. A cup of coffee is like a shot in Brazil, but it is more intense like espresso. A cup in cooking is similar as in the US, about 200 mL.
Here are the Truths (according to this coffee shop):
Consuming coffee in moderation (3 to 4 cups a day) is effective in preventing Parkinson’s disease, depression, diabetes, gallstones, colon cancer and the use of drugs like alcohol. It also improves memory in school.
I’m not so sure about the depression here or any evidence that you are less likely to use other drugs, but the other things I did find scientific evidence to support.
Coffee contains vitamins and minerals.
True, but they named some that may not be correct like calcium. Yes, if you drink café com leite, but not in the coffee itself.
Coffee contains antioxidants and can help in sports practice. Yep.
Okay, so now for the myths and the part where I have lots of doubts. Here are the myths there answers to the myths.
Coffee is not good for kids. They disagree by saying daily coffee consumption by kids can help with concentration, learning in school, attention span and intellectual development.
Well, maybe it does, but that doesn’t mean that it is healthy. I didn’t find any evidence of their claims probably because caffeine is seen as a drug and most researches wouldn’t give it to children. Which leads me to the next point.
It isn’t true that coffee causes dependency and it does not act as a drug on the brain.
Um, sorry, just lost faith in the whole brochure. The caffeine in coffee is a psychoactive stimulant. You can learn about the action here. There is also evidence that long term use can cause dependency.
Diseases such as heart attack, deformities of the fetus, breast cancer miscarriage and gastric ulcers are not associated with moderate coffee intake.
I’d be careful this one. There is evidence that taking in 200mg of caffeine can increase the risk of miscarriage. These are the types of situations where I’d rather be safe than sorry.
Now don’t think that these are the thoughts of Brazil as a whole on their beloved drink. Just like in the US I am sure that there are contradicting thoughts and ideas.
I just think that there is some inaccurate info being presented in this coffee ad. Irresponsible promotion like this can be found everywhere, though.
I did learn a little more about coffee. I wasn’t aware of some of the specific associations. So, in retrospect I guess the brochure worked for me. I’ll continue drinking coffee. I just wish they wouldn’t stretch the truth so much.
7 comments:
coffee TOTALLY causes dependency, I have the caffeine headaches to attest to that one. When I was pregnant I followed the US recommendations, up to 200mgs of caffeine - I allowed myself about one cup (1/2 mug) a day and switched to decaf for the rest. But, my obstetrician did not even mention that I should cut down. In her defense, most Brazilians don´t drink as much coffee as the average American, so I guess it was not considered a problem. I have seen coffee given to kids - in Costa Rica not Brazil and the thought still freaks me out!! But lots of kids do drink a lot of Coke, and that has caffeine too, so I guess that is just as bad.
You are definitely right. Soda is pretty much the same. I guess there is just something about sitting down to a steaming cup of coffee that is 'adult' to me. Maybe that is why it seems so weird.
I've had the headaches before too for sure. Now I've got myself down to a point where I don't get them if I don't have it one morning.
Despite the huge love of coffee here and its production, I think you are right about USAmericans drinking more. The to-go mugs, large soup mugs and ventis make for some major intake compared to the mini doses here.
Lori,
When we were in Brazil we learned that most Brazilians do feed their children even as babies with "Cafe com Leite" in the baby bottles, we witnessed that many times...and the funny part, some people gave their babies a bottle of coffee with milk and said that helped them relax and sleep!!!
I always had the impression Brazilians drank way more coffee than we do, but I was in Sao Paulo and maybe that is the truth in Sao Paulo and not for all of Brazil...
On your point regarding coffee being addictive, I think that maybe truth, just come to New England and you will see how the addiction has taken us over, there is a Dunkin Donuts in every corner and some corners even two, one across the street from each other and they are always packed...every single one of them...
But you could probably make the same argument about "sugar"...which is the first refined drug to ever become an addiction to human beings...
Ray
That is really interesting about the baby bottles. It reminded me of a similar thing that takes place in the US. In the rural parts of KY some mothers report putting Mountain Dew in their baby's bottles. If I had to choose one I'd pick coffee, but it has to be so bad for the baby's sensitive system at that age.
w00t?? Baby bottles of coffee with milk???
please, dont think all brazilians do that. Maybe the crazy paulistas, since their state was the largest coffee producer in the world in the 19th century and beginning of the 20th.
but really, i NEVER knew anyone giving coffee with milk to their babies.
(I live in Rio Grande do Sul, so I speak for my region only)
I definitely would never generalize an interesting practice like that! :)
That is kind of how we felt in the larger cities of KY when we learned about the soda in the bottles. I can't imagine what people from more health conscious states in the US would think.
Aceshigh,
We thought the same thing when we heard many people telling us they gave babies ( not just borns ), mostly toddlers and yound children coffee and milk in the baby bottles.
Another practice that amazed us is that it is a common practice in Sao Paulo as well to make a refreshment for children that takes wine, chilled water and sugar, just like we serve lemonade in the summer, we never saw drunk kids thought, wine and beer in Sao Paulo are not considered "liquor", it really is considered a part of a meal, we usually saw little grandmas with blue hair and pink cheaks from drinking wine or beer with a meal, we don't remember seeing anyone wasted drunk!
How about your state? Rio Grande do Sul, do you guys give "Yerba Mate" to your children in the baby bottles?
When I traveled to Montevideo, I noticed people walking around town with thermos and Mate, they really love that stuff, you guys are neighbors, I wonder if the Mate culture is strong in your state as well :)
Ray
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