Are you drinking too much coffee?

It gets most of us out of bed on a morning, is clung on to for dear life during a day at the office, and is estimated to be worth over $100 billion as a worldwide industry. It is, of course, that dark nectar that we all know and love; coffee.

But how much coffee is too much? We may claim that, after a certain hour, it’s the only thing that keeps us going, but could you be in danger of drinking too much of the good stuff?

The Department of Health advises people not to drink more than five single espressos – which translates into roughly seven instant coffees – a day, although individuals vary in their sensitivity. So, if you’re a heavy coffee quaffer already, you’ll likely have a higher tolerance, but that doesn’t necessarily mean you should carry on your habit.

The Department of Health advises no more than five cups a day

Overindulging in coffee, although it may make you feel more alert and sharp initially, can cause restlessness, nervousness, excitement, insomnia and nausea. And, if you drink over five cups of ground coffee or eight cups of instant a day, you run the risk of becoming addicted.

So the general consensus seems to advise no more than 4 cups of coffee a day. But, if you’re limiting yourself, make sure they’re good ones, and pick up your pick up from a great coffee shop, or brew it in a top of the range machine…