Is COFFEE a no-no?

[chubby_abby]

Is Coffee a no-no for PCOS/IR cyster like me?

I make my coffee with maybe 1/4 cup of skim milk and Splenda. I use a big mug, that would be probably equivalent to 1 and 1/2 cups of regular coffee.

I drink that...twice or sometimes, thrice a day.

Any advice?

[mrsmarohn]

I can say that honestly don't know.

[cailinmulv]

i don't see how coffee would be a problem

[youngcanadianlady]

I read that coffee itself has no effect as far as a low GI diet is concerned. lol not even low, but actually no effect

[conceptionwait]

not sure if you are trying to conceive, but even small amounts of coffee can use infertility

[mommy in waiting]

Interestingly, many infertility books recommend cutting out all caffeine (including chocolate...I know, not so fun...). So, I switched to decaf coffee. But, then I was reading "Making Babies" which raised a great point about the acidity in foods and how you want to keep you body balanced - lean towards alkaline foods and away from acidic foods (an internet search can give you guides to each). To this point, even decaf coffee is acidic and so I've dropped both all together. A few sites recommend spearmint tea for PCOS because it helps with androgen levels, so if you still want a hot drink you could try that.

Finally, not to totally burst your bubble, but even more than coffee, my RE has highly recommended that I cut out all artificial sweeteners. So even if you can't give up the coffee just yet, try to avoid Splenda because it can definitely mess with your hormones and PCOS.

[chubby_abby]

Oh no... and I use a lot of Splenda because I add it every time I drink coffee. And that makes about 3-4 cups of coffee a day.

[Kora]

Yes, definitely cut out Splenda OR Aspartame. Try Stevia instead (which is natural and made from a plant, however make sure to read the ingredients in case it has additives. Buy the pure one). If you don't have Insulin Resistance, a half a teaspoon of honey, at 10 calories, is a good addition to coffee and milk.

[soft things]

i like truvia also. a little bit easier to swallow than stevia, but not as good as splenda. it took about a week for me to get into it. if that makes any sense at all! ha!

[kristenmickel]

Even I take coffee twice or many times thrice a day..
Is it hazardous to health?

[arcticslug]

There are some antioxidants in coffee that help reduce IR. However, caffeine increases IR. Overall, caffeinated coffee does increase IR temporarily.

Your best bet, if you are worried about IR, is to drink decaf. Decaf coffee can actually HELP IR, because it has the IR fighting antioxidants without the caffeine.

Although I have problems with IR, I still drink the real thing....but I try to minimize how much I drink, and try to drink it without food (1-2 hours after breakfast/1-2 hours before lunch).

[Emily928]

I'm not convinced that Stevia is so much better than Splenda. Although it is touted as "natural," it has still been linked to possible cancer risks, and can trigger cravings for more sweet foods. I read an article from MSNBC that had a pretty good explanation - sorry I can't link it. I did a little research on caffiene's effect on insulin levels, and from what I could tell, it can raise these levels, but not by much. Even so, I'd like to try to cut out my daily coffee at some point. I'm already working on cutting out my lunchtime diet coke, so I guess one thing at a time!