A few facts about coffee and caffeine

Consuming moderate amounts of caffeine appears to be safe for most people. Some experts recommend your daily caffeine intake to be 300-400 milligrams. Tally up your intake using the chart:

• Brewed coffee, 250 ml (1 cup):  72 to 130 mg
• Espresso, 1 shot:  58 to 76 mg
• Caffe latte, 355 ml (1 1/3 cup):  75 mg
• Brewed tea, 250 ml (1 cup):  20 to 90 mg
• Iced tea, 250 ml (1 cup):  9 to 50 mg
• Cola, 355 ml (1 1/3 cup):  30 mg
• Chocolate milk, 250 ml (1 cup):  2 to 7 mg
• Energy drink, 250 ml (1 cup):  30 to 77 mg, on average (some contain much more)

If you use a French press to make coffee, consider switching to a drip-style coffeemaker. Boiled coffee, which includes brew made with a French press as well as Scandinavian and Turkish coffee, contains compounds called diterpenes that can raise total cholesterol by up to 23 mg/dl and LDL ("bad") cholesterol by as much as 14 mg/dl. Filters used in drip coffeemakers remove diterpenes.

Maybe. Ask your doctor if it's safe to drink caffeinated coffee if you fall into any of these categories.

• You are pregnant. Research shows that drinking moderate amounts of coffee (up to 750 millilitres/three cups a day) doesn't seem to cause miscarriages, though a few studies suggest that greater amounts could increase the risk.
•  You have high blood pressure or any other heart condition. Drinking coffee doesn't appear to cause chronically elevated blood pressure, but all the same, doctors often advise patients who already have the condition to cut back on caffeinated drinks.
• You have fibrocystic breasts. Some research suggests caffeine may promote the formation of cysts in the breast, which may cause discomfort. This theory remains controversial, though some women say that cutting back on caffeine helped relieve the problem.
• You have chronic insomnia, headaches or nervousness. Some people are highly sensitive to caffeine. Eliminating it may help with these problems, though if you're a regular coffee drinker, quit gradually to avoid unpleasant withdrawal symptoms.

Caffeine can alter the way your body metabolizes certain drugs. If you take prescription medication, ask your doctor whether it can interact with caffeine.

Caffeine can be very addicting, even though it's something most of us don't even think of when we drink it. If you suffer from any of these problems, consult a doctor and see if your caffeine intake could be affecting your health. Otherwise, enjoy the pick-me-up that your morning coffee brings!