Coffee Consumption Essay

1412 Words6 Pages
How would I like my coffee? How about double‐double...TOIL AND TROUBLE! The danger of excess coffee consumption by Joseph Paramagurunathan You may actually have a drug addiction, you just don’t know it! As many of us university students no doubt can attest to, the rigours of schoolwork, extra‐curriculars, and paid employment often leave us physically drained. While the temptation to stay in bed each morning and skip class/work is always in the back of our minds, we know that in the long run we would only be hurting ourselves. As such, where do we find the energy to function? The answer for a large population of university students is simple: COFFEE! Ah yes, whether you prefer a double‐double from Timmies or 2‐cream‐2‐sugar from Williams, coffee in its various concoctions is the saving grace for many of us. The primary ingredient that gives coffee its stimulatory effect is of course, caffeine. Since 1820, caffeine has been one of the most widely used psychoactive drugs and is often found in everyday beverages such as tea, energy drinks, and‐ most commonly‐ in the aforementioned coffee. According to a study conducted by the National Coffee Association of the USA, university‐age students are the fastest growing demographic in terms of coffee consumption. In 2005, about 26% of university‐age students claimed to be regular consumers of coffee. However, one year later that percentage grew to 37%.i While regular consumption of coffee is not necessarily detrimental to one’s health, the next question that arises is how many cups of coffee constitute as “regular”? While 1 or 2 cups a day may be normal for some, it is not inconceivable to believe that 4 or 5 cups a day may be a regular daily intake for many students depending on the demands of their lives. Everyone drinks coffee, what’s the big deal? What are the possible adverse health effects associated with such
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