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Can your morning coffee make you fat? Here's the truth

Most people find it difficult to start their day without a cup of strong coffee. The scent of a freshly brewed cup of coffee early in the morning is a necessity for most coffee lovers to kick start their day. But could this make you fat?

According to dietitian Geraldine Georgeou, one cup of coffee per day isn't bad, but if you preferred brew has hidden sugar or fat then it's a cause for concern. The worst offenders are Mochas or coffees that are flavoured with shots, said Georgeou.


"The problem with coffees that come with added caramel, vanilla or hazelnut flavoured syrups is these tend to be high in sugar," she said, according to Mail Online. "If these coffees are also made with full cream milk what you are ending up with is a full-fat product that comes loaded with sugar and before you know it your calorie intake has increased," she explained.

Indulge in these flavored brews once in a while, but do not make them you preferred brew, cautions Georgeou.

A Piccolo Latte and flat white are great options for coffee drinkers, said Georgeou.

Research has shown that the caffeine in coffee has a number of health benefits, ranging from its ability to boost metabolism, its efficiency to reduce risk of type 2 diabetes and improve cognitive functions. But for this coffee intake has to be moderate -- about three cups a day -- and it should not be consumed post noon as excess caffeine can disrupt sleep patterns.
Coffee is also said to ward off depression in women. A 2011 study in Archives of Internal Medicine followed 50,000 women over several decades and found that women who had two-three cups of coffee per day were about 15 percent less likely to develop depression than others.
"There's no need to start drinking coffee," study co-author Alberto Ascherio, M.D., a professor of epidemiology and nutrition at the Harvard School of Public Health, was quoted as saying. "The message is that coffee is safe to drink, with no adverse effects. That's really all that can be said."

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Digital GP booking leaves older patients 'excluded' and 'dehumanised', report warns

When access to in-person care is reduced, some older people feel increasingly cut off from the support they rely on

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Digital GP booking leaves older patients 'excluded' and 'dehumanised', report warns

Highlights

  • Survey of 926 older people shows strong demand for face-to-face GP visits among over-75s.
  • Report warns digital-first care may increase loneliness in older patients.
  • Only one in ten over-75s use online booking, as access shifts away from phones and reception.
Older people across England are feeling increasingly cut off from their GPs as surgeries shift toward digital appointment systems, a new report has warned.
The findings, published by charity Re-engage, are drawn from a survey of 926 people aged 75 and over and reflect their direct experiences of trying to access GP services.

The report, Care On Hold, found that the loss of family doctors and the erosion of face-to-face care had contributed to growing feelings of loneliness, rejection and inadequacy among older patients.

Re-engage, which works to tackle loneliness in old age, described the digital-first approach as "dehumanising" and said it was leaving vulnerable people feeling "excluded" from a system they depend on.

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