I’ve been drinking coffee since elementary school. Some say that coffee stunts your growth. Some say that it dehydrates you, and some say that coffee is addictive. Despite all of the myths or facts about coffee I have heard over the years, I am still a huge coffee fan.

Is coffee addictive?

Scientists say that coffee is safe and should not be classified as an addictive drug of abuse. But, some people think and feel the effects of withdrawals. Any person can get into a routine, and when their routine is ruined they can become a mess. I do not think that people become dependent on coffee or demonstrate compulsive behavior, but it does have the power to relieve my headaches and sleepiness. So, you can tell yourself that you are addicted to coffee, but in reality it should not be associated with addictive drugs.

Many parents tell their children not to drink coffee because it will stunt your growth.

Well, that isn’t true. There is no link between drinking coffee and height, but I can see how parents want to keep their children away. Caffeine and kids can be undesirable for many other reasons. It is true that diet does play an important role in how tall your child will get, but so are genes and the rest of the environment. So, while parents were wrong about coffee stunting my growth, and gum staying in our stomachs for seven years, I’m not sure what to believe anymore.

Now, regardless of the bad myths, I want to share why coffee is good for you.

First, I want to point out that even though coffee is considered a bean, it is actually the pit inside of the coffee fruit. Consider it as part of your serving of daily fruits.

Coffee can also make you smarter. It improves your mood, reaction time, and memory. Not only does it help you with short term memory, it can protect your brain from aging.

There’s a reason why you find caffeine in fat burning supplements. Coffee stimulates the central nervous system and both raises metabolism and the oxidation of fatty acids. It also helps you gain momentum to exercise.

Coffee is loaded with nutrients and antioxidants. A cup of coffee contains 6% of the RDA for Pantothenic Acid (Vitamin B5), 11% of the RDA for Riboflavin (Vitamin B2), 2% of the RDA for Niacin (B3) and Thiamine (B1), and 3% of the RDA for Potassium and Manganese. Plenty of the nutrients from the bean actually make it to the final drink.

All I can say is, drink more coffee. It’s good for you!