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Coffee & Health

Can Coffee Beans Make You Sick?

Coffee comes from different regions in the world, and each variety has a unique flavor.

While most of us use coffee beans to brew coffee, others prefer to chew on whole coffee beans. You can eat green coffee beans and roasted coffee beans.

roast vs green coffee beans

Roast coffee beans taste better than green coffee beans because roasting them enhances their flavor.

But some people prefer to eat green coffee beans because they contain more nutrients. They are also renowned for their ability to aid in weight loss.

And because coffee is a bit bitter due to its acidic content, people choose to eat coffee beans coated in chocolate instead of having them plain. They make tasty snacks for anyone with a sweet tooth.

Eating coffee beans is just as good if not better than using them to brew coffee beverages. Apart from their pleasant taste, you avoid losing some of their antioxidants through the coffee brewing process.

Coating coffee beans with chocolate enhances their nutty flavor and reduces bitterness. You find yourself reaching for one coffee bean after the other and can easily finish a bag of them.

But can you eat as many coffee beans as you want? Let’s find out.

 

Unsafe Consumption of Coffee Beans

coffee make you sick

Eating coffee beans provides your body with many benefits. You get;

  • Antioxidants like chlorogenic acid that lowers blood sugar and cholesterol, preventing Diabetes and Heart ailments.
  • Fiber that can improve your digestion and promote regular bowel movements.
  • Caffeine which will enhance your mood, memory, and mental capacity.

But, the amazing taste of coffee beans and their benefits should not mislead you to consume too many of them.

Coffee beans contain caffeine, a stimulant that can cause physical discomfort or trigger health issues if consumed excessively.

According to experts, you can only consume up to 400 mg of caffeine a day.

The caffeine content in coffee beans varies based on the type of roast, the size of coffee beans, and the variety.

A coffee bean coated with chocolate contains 12 mg of caffeine. You should only take 20 – 30 such coffee beans in a day to avoid the negative side effects of overconsuming caffeine. These are;

  • Loose stomach and cramps
  • Anxiety and heart palpitations
  • Insomnia and fatigue
  • Acidity and heartburn
  • Frequent urination

Eating too many coffee beans can also increase your calorie intake if they are coated with chocolate or candy.

The effects of eating too many coffee beans are especially serious if you consume caffeine from other sources such as soft drinks and snacks.

The quality of coffee beans you eat also matters. The best coffee beans to eat are those that have recently been roasted.

Old coffee beans can irritate your stomach, especially if they contain toxins such as fungus.

 

How to Overcome the Negative Effects of Taking Too Many Coffee Beans

You may accidentally consume too many coffee beans or foods with caffeine and end up feeling horrible. Here’s what you can do to feel better.

    1. Drink lots of water

Drinking water will hydrate you and encourage the body to remove the excess caffeine in your system.

It will also alleviate dehydration, helping to relieve the negative effects of eating too many coffee beans, such as headaches, anxiety, and heart palpitations.

You should also take fluids that can restore any minerals you lose due to the diuretic effects of coffee beans. Some examples are isotonic drinks, Pedialyte, or orange juice.

    2. Don’t eat coffee beans on an empty stomach

You should not eat coffee beans on an empty stomach. It contains acids such as citric acid, chlorogenic acid, and quintic acid that can upset the stomach.

That happens when the gastric acid in your stomach combines with the acids in coffee, causing acid reflux, heartburn, and cramps.

Always have your coffee after a meal or with a snack such as a banana. That will enable your stomach to metabolize the acids and caffeine in coffee slowly, preventing stomach upsets.

    3. Choose dark roast coffee beans

Although light roast coffee beans have pleasant fruity notes, they contain a lot of acids.

Dark roast coffee beans are less acidic and have lower levels of caffeine than other roasts. These coffee beans are associated with fewer side effects, such as caffeine jitters.

If you feel sick after eating light roast coffee beans, try eating dark roast coffee beans instead.

You may also pick the Arabica variety of coffee beans instead of Robusta coffee which contains twice as much caffeine.

    4. Eat decaf coffee beans

You can also switch to decaf coffee beans to reduce your caffeine intake. These coffee beans may not be as pleasant to consume as regular coffee beans, but they are less likely to make you sick.

The lower caffeine content in decaf coffee beans will reduce your chances of suffering stomach issues or acidity.

If the taste of these coffee beans bothers you, coat them with your favorite syrup or chocolate to improve their flavor.

    5. Space out your consumption of coffee beans

While the taste of coffee beans can be addictive, you should avoid chewing on them continuously to keep from exposing your system to too much caffeine.

Instead, have a handful or about 5 -7 coffee beans every 3 – 4 hours.

That will enable your body to absorb the caffeine and acids in the coffee beans at a low rate reducing your chances of suffering side effects such as nausea and diarrhea.

 

Conclusion

Now that you know eating too many coffee beans can make you sick, we hope you will use our suggestions to avoid such an experience.

Remember that you feel the effects of caffeine quicker when you eat coffee beans than when you use them to brew coffee. It’s also easy to eat too many of them, especially if they are coated with candy or chocolate.

Always stick to 20 to 30 coffee beans a day, and remember to space out your intake.

Also, remember to monitor your body for any funny effects as you eat coffee beans.

Stop eating coffee beans if you notice any negative side effects, such as stomach cramps. You can always consume coffee beverages such as lattes instead to preserve your health.

 

Also read Why Does Coffee Make Me Sick?