Most people think of coffee as a drink strictly for adults, but children are naturally curious and therefore want to try what adults drink from a young age. The question is, at what age should a child be allowed to drink coffee, or is coffee generally harmful to children?

 

As with pretty much all foods and beverages, coffee in excess is harmful to children and adults. For a long time, coffee was generally demonised as unhealthy.
For centuries, coffee was even regarded as a drug and was banned in parts of Europe in the Middle Ages.

Today we know about the numerous health benefits of one or two cups of coffee a day. Drinking coffee in moderation can reduce the risk of diabetes, Parkinson's disease, liver cirrhosis, bowel cancer, gallstones and Alzheimer's disease. Drinking too much, however, increases the risk of heart disease.
Coffee can also cause short-term side effects such as heartburn, nervousness or headaches.

There is no conclusive evidence that coffee is actually harmful for children over the age of three. As with adults, drinking a cup of coffee increases the ability to concentrate. Research in Brazil found that children who regularly drink latte are less likely to suffer from depression.

However, there is the clearly detrimental effect of caffeine in the growing body. As children have less blood volume, the concentration of caffeine in the blood from one cup is higher than the same amount in adults.
It should be noted that many children already consume caffeine in other forms, namely through soft drinks and chocolate. If you add coffee to this, the amount of caffeine increases dramatically.

Although caffeine in moderation is not harmful to children or adults, there is a risk that caffeinated drinks will replace much healthier drinks such as milk and juice for the child. Coffee can also affect appetite and result in children not eating enough.

Despite the fact that a little coffee now and then is not harmful to a child, it is safer to cut caffeine out of the child's diet altogether, as the child does not need caffeine for healthy development.
Fortunately, many children who try a sip of coffee out of curiosity find a natural aversion to the unfamiliar bitter flavour. Coffee is one of those flavours that you only learn to appreciate as you grow up or become an adult.