Writer’s note - we talk about some health related topics here, and it’s important to stress that none of the following is medical advice. Please talk to your general practitioner regarding any health concerns you may have. Thanks!
If you drink coffee, (and if you’re here, I imagine you do) you’ve likely heard someone say “it’ll stunt your growth!” or “it stains your teeth” or even “don’t drink coffee, it dehydrates you!” Despite all of these claims, Coffee is one of the most traded commodities in the world and an estimated ~2 billion cups are consumed daily. That many people can’t be dehydrated everyday, right? Well maybe, but we shouldn’t be so quick to blame the coffee.
Fact or Myth #1 - Coffee dehydrates you
The biggest claim behind coffee dehydrating you is the caffeine content. Coffee naturally contains caffeine which is the likely reason it is such a popular drink. Caffeine, if you truly don’t know, is a stimulant that increases the activity of your brain and nervous system. Being the most consumed psychoactive substance in the world, it helps many people jumpstart their day and be more productive, focused and active.
Caffeine also has some negative effects, namely its action as a diuretic. When any diuretic is consumed, it increases your “output,” a kinder way of saying it makes you need to use the restroom more often. This leads to the myth: drink coffee, get caffeine, “go” more.
This is largely a myth. While it is true that coffee intake can increase your need to use the restroom, coffee is still ~98% water. When you drink it, you are taking in more water than what it is causing you to expel out.
There are limits to this balance. The FDA recommended a maximum of 400mg of caffeine per day. This is ~4 cups of coffee. Exceeding that can lead you into a state where you are losing water, alongside plenty of other negative health effects from caffeine. Drink responsibly, coffee enjoyers.
Read more on this from Mayo Clinic here
Fact or Myth #2 - Coffee stains your teeth
Coffee is a dark beverage. The beans are roasted from dull green to a brownish, blackish bean and then ground into a gravelly, gritty mixture before it’s brewed. While some add milk, a lot of us drink it “black” which just means no additions.
It's pretty easy to see where the idea comes from thanks to its composition. I drink this dark beverage with little bits of dark material and it passes by my teeth on the way down. Some of it probably gets stuck to my teeth, causing it to yellow or even brown, staining my teeth in the process.
Coffee staining teeth has some plausibility. Coffee contains tannins, which are naturally occurring in many plants. Tannins are polyphenols, which simply are a specific type of nutrient that can be good for us. Polyphenols specifically are great antioxidants. In short, tannins can make dark colored “stuff” stick to our teeth.
While coffee consumption can cause some staining, combatting it isn’t the most difficult thing to do. Maintaining regular dental hygiene is vital not just to your teeth color, but overall health. I am not here to provide medical advice, but the general guidance of brushing twice a day, floss, and seeing your dentist regularly are pretty ubiquitous. Always seek help from a medical professional if you have concerns!
Here is an article from healthline for more info
Fact or Myth #3 - Coffee stunts your growth
I’ve heard this one in the ethos before, but I’ve never been told this one directly. If you drink coffee, it will (allegedly) stunt your growth. At first it sounds like something parents tell their children to prevent them from taking the delicious nectar of their morning and leaving less for them. But does it have validity?
In my childhood my family drank Maxwell House or Folgers so I didn’t have much desire to consume the swill they brewed, and being 32 now I think I’d like to grow less, not more anyway. I can understand having a concern regarding this claim if you are a parent; You want your kids to grow big and strong! (also don’t worry, I’ve converted my family to better coffee.)
This one has myth written all over it. There is no scientific evidence that coffee stunts your growth. There are many claims that may have stemmed this rumor, such as coffee causing osteoporosis (it doesn’t) or simply that when teenagers start to show interest in coffee beverages they reach their final height. Correlation does not equal causation!
It is important to say that coffee likely isn’t the best choice for those still growing - caffeine can affect sleep, and sleep is vital at that young age! Moderation is important and growing children should always be provided for in the best way possible. Sleep, nutrition, and cleanliness are all vital for growing healthy little ones.
Harvard Health Publishing has a great article covering this topic
