Do you rely on caffeine to get you through your shift … whether that’s in the form of a coffee, soda or energy drink?
Perhaps you rely on two, three, or maybe even more for an energy hit to keep you going?
Whilst I’m partial to a 1/2 strength latte or mocha myself, did you know that habitual caffeine intake can contribute to malnutrition?
It does so by depleting key vitamins and minerals such as:
- Iron – a single cup of coffee can reduce iron absorption from a meal by as much as 75%!
- Calcium and Magnesium – half a cup of caffeine (50mg) depletes the body of calcium and magnesium. Larger doses deplete even more.
- Potassium – 300mg of caffeine increases potassium loss by one third.
Ironically, malnutrition also contributes to weight gain since the body can’t work as well as it’s missing key nutrients to function. It’s why people that are overweight often experience food cravings as they’re constantly hungry all the time because the body is trying to tell them it needs minerals to function.
So whilst I’d never tell a shift worker to stop drinking coffee (people would throw things at me if I did that I’m sure -lol!), please be mindful of how much you’re drinking which applies to energy and soda drinks too.
I recommend alternating caffeinated drinks with filtered water, Coconut Water or beverages which contain less caffeine such as Green Tea or Yerba Mate.
Yerba Mate is a naturally derived caffeinated tea containing various vitamins, minerals, amino acids and polyphenols. It provides an energizing, stimulatory effect, but does so without the jitteriness that often accompanies many caffeinated beverages.
Might be worth giving a go as a healthier alternative to what’s located in most vending machines that we see in workplaces today. Naturally Driven is a brand here in Australia that I recommend. You can check them out by Clicking Here.
Audra x
P.S: If you’d like to learn more about some of the perils around high caffeine intake (or maybe not!!), I recommend reading the book Caffeine Blues by Stephen Cherniske. It’s a real eye-opener to say the least :-).
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