And if that hasn’t put you off the black stuff, bear in mind that it’s also no friend if you’re a PMS sufferer. That’s because caffeine increases sleeplessness, anxiety and tension, which are symptoms of PMS. A study of over 200 college-age women found severe PMS symptoms in 60 percent of those who drank more than four cups of caffeinated drinks a day. Coffee also causes your body to get rid of important nutrients, especially B vitamins, which are needed for energy, good skin and hair, healthy growth, and mood.
It gets worse. Caffeine also destroys calcium—one cup of coffee removes about six milligrams of calcium form your body’s stores. Experts have found that calcium is important in weight loss because it’s thought to help prevent fat storage and boost metabolism. (You can increase the calcium in your diet with skim milk, cheddar cheese, fish, sesame seeds and dried figs. Other good sources include steamed tofu and nuts.)

So how much is too much? How much caffeine are you drinking?
About 300 milligrams of caffeine a day is a “moderate” intake. One cup of instant coffee contains about 100 milligrams, tea has 30 to 60 milligrams per cup, and cola around 50 milligrams per can. So three mugs of tea per day plus one cup of coffee would give you almost your daily “allowance.”

Best advice, then, is to cut down as much as you can—don’t drink more than one or two cups a day—and instead look for healthy alternatives.

Bear in mind that chocolate also contains caffeine; in fact there’s about 10 milligrams of caffeine in 50 grams of milk chocolate—dark chocolate contains 28 milligrams per 50 grams. There’s more caffeine in a 4 ounce bar of dark chocolate than in a cup of instant coffee … so if you’re serious about getting rid of cellulite, go easy on the chocolate.