For most of us, our days begin in a very similar fashion. The alarm goes off, and we blindly grope in the dark to silence the offending device. We then stumble out of our warm, cozy beds to face a new day. But just because our body is moving doesn’t mean it is under any intelligent control. The motor may be running, but no one is behind the wheel—not yet. Most of us are on autopilot until we get at least one cup of coffee in us. This little boost from the witches’ brew of oils, esters, and stimulants allows us to function, at least until our brains catch up with our bodies. For adults, this is a normal way of life. But what about children? Could they also benefit from an extra jolt to get the juices flowing? Should children drink coffee?
The History and Health Benefits of Coffee
To answer this, we need to understand a bit about coffee first. It has been around for quite a while. In the early history of coffee, it was often thought to be unhealthy. In medieval times, coffee was regarded as a drug, and coffee houses were treated similarly to opium dens, subject to closure by local authorities at their whim (now you know why this period is also referred to as ‘the Dark Ages’). Thankfully, in modern times, Starbucks is never too far away, and most convenience stores sell something that at least resembles coffee (but that’s for another article). Who could imagine a donut shop (Krispy Kreme rules!) without fresh, steaming hot coffee? With all this liquid ambition readily available, it would be difficult to keep children away from it without strict regulation. But as it stands, anyone can buy coffee at any age.
So, should we be concerned? It depends. Most people think the active component in coffee is just caffeine, but each cup actually contains over 800 aromatic compounds, all of which have some physiological effect on you. The good news is that, in moderation, for individuals in a normal state of health, the effects are either beneficial or negligible. A 2004 study done by the National Institute for Health and funded by Harvard Medical School found that coffee consumption helps prevent Type II Diabetes (2004 Jan 6;140(1):1-8. Coffee consumption and risk for type 2 diabetes mellitus. Ann Intern Med., Willett WC, Ascherio A, Manson JE, Leitzmann MF, Stampfer MJ, Hu FB. Harvard School of Public Health, Channing Laboratory, Harvard Medical School, and Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, USA). Researchers were unsure if the effect was due to caffeine or other compounds in coffee, because decaffeinated coffee also had a positive effect, though to a lesser degree.
Other studies have suggested that coffee may help prevent Parkinson’s disease (Association of Coffee and Caffeine Intake With the Risk of Parkinson Disease G. Webster Ross, Robert D. Abbott, Helen Petrovitch, David M. Morens, Andrew Grandinetti, Ko-Hui Tung, Caroline M. Tanner, Kamal H. Masaki, Patricia L. Blanchette, J. David Curb, Jordan S. Popper, Lon R. White. JAMA. 2000;283(20):2674-2679. doi:10.1001/jama.283.20.2674). Coffee also appears to lower the risk of prostate cancer (Coffee Consumption and Prostate Cancer Risk and Progression in the Health Professionals Follow-up Study Kathryn M. Wilson, Julie Kasperzyk, Jennifer R. Rider, Stacey Kenfield, Rob M. van Dam, Meir J. Stampfer, Edward Giovannucci, and Lorelei A. Mucci JNCI J Natl Cancer Inst (2011). doi: 10.1093/jnci/djr151. First published online: May 17, 2011).
Other studies have suggested that coffee could be beneficial for a variety of health issues. On the downside, coffee could either increase or decrease the risk of cardiovascular problems, depending on external factors such as stress, lifestyle, and individual health. Ongoing research will likely uncover more benefits and potential issues related to coffee in the near future. While coffee has been with us for quite some time, research into its chemical properties is still in its early stages.
There is little doubt that coffee improves concentration and could help children perform better on tests, school lessons, and other short-term mental tasks. A paper published by Dr. Tomas Paulis suggests that children who drink coffee with milk may be at a significantly reduced risk for depression (Coffee-The New Health Food T. Paulis, MD). As far as caffeine is concerned, children get plenty of caffeine from other sources, such as soft drinks and chocolate, so a little coffee will most likely not affect their health negatively, as long as they are generally in good health. Of course, coffee is a stimulant, so hyperactive children should avoid it and refrain from other sources of caffeine as well.
Coffee should not substitute for other more nutritious beverages, such as juice or milk. (Although, on the subject of milk—actual cow’s milk has way too much fat for humans, children included. There are better sources of calcium. Cow’s milk was designed to nourish a 300 lb. baby ruminant with a four-chambered stomach, not a 20-75 lb. young primate with a single-chambered stomach… but that’s for another article.) Additionally, caffeine is an appetite suppressant, so your children may eat less if they drink coffee. This could be beneficial if they are overweight, but not so much if they are underweight. Parents should monitor their children’s consumption of coffee (and all caffeinated products) closely.
Coffee can aggravate heart problems or nervous disorders, so children with these conditions should not be allowed to drink it. In excessive amounts, coffee can cause jitters, hyperactivity, and irritability in some people, including children. It is also important to note that coffee can be addictive and can cause other short-term side effects such as restlessness, heartburn, nervousness, headaches, elevated blood pressure, and stomach problems—although these are typically associated with excessive consumption over long periods of time.
If you are in doubt about whether allowing your children a moderate amount of coffee is advisable, it can be safely eliminated from both children’s and adults’ diets with no risk, as there is no human nutritional requirement for it (but mentally… that’s another story). When in doubt, always consult with your family physician—they are your best source of information on health matters.
