Coffee and health: Avoid these six common food pairings

Coffee is one of the most commonly consumed beverages in the world, and for many people, a morning without a cup of coffee is unimaginable. However, it's important to know that coffee combined with certain products can have negative health effects.

Coffee stimulates the nervous and circulatory systems. It contains various vitamins and minerals, such as B vitamins, magnesium, potassium, and manganese. Unfortunately, its beneficial health properties can be disrupted depending on what it is consumed with. Certain products may interact with caffeine, reducing valuable substances' absorption. Check out what to avoid when drinking coffee.

Contrary to common opinion, coffee does not flush vitamins out of the body but limits their absorption. Therefore, it is recommended that you avoid drinking coffee with medications or dietary supplements. Additionally, it is not recommended to drink coffee within two hours of taking medications.

Coffee reduces calcium absorption, so it should not be consumed with dairy-containing meals, such as yogurt, cottage cheese, kefir, or other calcium-rich products. But what about coffee with milk? You can drink it but not exceed three cups a day to avoid issues related to calcium level disturbances in the blood, which can lead to serious health problems.

Legumes, such as peas, beans, or chickpeas, are rich in iron, a key mineral whose deficiency can lead to anemia. When consuming legumes for protein and iron, avoid pairing them with coffee. Coffee reduces iron absorption, which can result in anemia in the long run.

A similar situation applies to zinc-rich products, including fish, seafood, pork, beef, veal, lamb, eggs, and cheese. Drinking coffee during or shortly after meals with these products blocks zinc absorption. Zinc deficiency can cause serious dermatological issues, as well as thyroid and immune system dysfunctions.