You can probably guess where this is going and where it’s coming from. I love coffee. I drink it even though it stains my teeth and makes me need to poop. Sometimes I drink it because it makes me need to poop. I love the smell (talking about the coffee now…), the taste – its bitterness, uniqueness -, the process – grinding the beans – the ceremony of it all, the feeling of regularity it gives me – the routine. What could be better than a hot cup of coffee in the morning?
I desperately want coffee to be healthy.
I drink it anyway, regardless. However, I’ve been travelling around in my van for a while now. I have become estranged to my coffee press. I’d managed to organically phase out coffee drinking to near nothing (I still drunk tea like a good Brit – but green tea, mostly), without thinking about it. Organically – like how I prefer the smooth and aromatic Arabica coffee, I didn’t realise I missed. Arabica coffee makes up 60% of the worlds coffee production, in comparison to Robusta, which is stronger and more bitter.
⁃ Did you know? Coffee is the second most widely traded commodity after crude oil.
Anyway, It’s quite easy when it’s out of sight, out of mind, spending a lot of time in and around nature. Whilst remaining travelling, I’ve recently reunited with the city. City life and coffee go hand in hand. I mean, coffee doesn’t have any hands, so it just wraps it’s aroma around you instead. In fact, coffee goes with everything. Coffee. Yes, coffee. My love, I didn’t forget you.
Sorry, back to cities. Cities and coffee – they’re two peas in a pod – well actually coffee is a seed, not a pea, and not a bean, they’re actually the seeds of a berry. So, coffee is actually a fruit you ask? You betcha!
Sorry, I’m getting sidetracked, I need to focus – time for a swift coffee!
Barista; How do you take your coffee? Me; Very seriously.
Recently, I’ve started to ‘treat myself’. I feel naughty when I pick up a little ‘treat’ coffee from a café. I’ve ended up drinking it everyday (Alright, alright, settle down. I know there’s going to be a lot of people thinking “Pump those numbers, rookie!”). I hadn’t even thought I could feel responsible drinking coffee – until my partner said “Matcha green tea has more antioxidants than coffee.”
Hold up, what was that?
“Yeah, matcha green tea is really good for you.”
No, no, no. Not that. The other thing. The comparative. You said it as if – coffee is good for you.
So, I wondered – is coffee good for you?
Coffee is rich in antioxidants. Antioxidants can supposedly fight cell damage and reduce the risk of serious health conditions like cancer and heart disease. It also contains vitamin B2, B5, magnesium, potassium and caffeine. Antioxidants also fight inflammation, which can help with other conditions.
It should help you lose weight, as magnesium and potassium help the body use insulin and regulating blood sugar levels, whilst caffeine can aid fat cells in breaking down body fat and lower the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
It may give you a short and long term memory boost, as caffeine affects the areas of the brain responsible for memory and concentration. Caffeine can also decrease the risk of developing Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s and Dementia.
Caffeine stimulates the release of dopamine and serotonin and has been attributed to notably reducing depression by blocking receptors in the brain from mood reducing chemicals.
Several studies have indicated that coffee drinkers may even live longer, which doesn’t seem like a surprise, considering all the diseases it may reduce the risk of.
That said, there’s a lots of maybes in there. So, you’ll have to use your own initiative on this one.
It’s widely ascribed to negative effects from caffeine, such as addiction, anxiety and disrupting sleep (which itself would feed heavily into any ill effects one might be exhibiting).
That said, we didn’t come here to procrastinate on whether coffee is bad for you. You’re here because you saw the word coffee and it lit up your brain like the warm glow emitted through a coffee shop window.
⁃ Did you know? Before coffee, beer was the most widely consumed beverage. When most water was unsafe to drink, people turned to beer, which was drunk all day.
Fancy a coffee or a beer at 7am?
Don’t answer.
Used coffee grounds can even be used as a great exfoliator for you skin. Now you can enjoy your next cup of coffee whilst rubbing your last one into your face.
Don’t try this as your local coffee shop.
Do – enjoy drinking that next cup of coffee, guilt free – it’s good for you!
What is life without community? I would love to connect with other nicecissists out there. Seeing as you’ve got this far, that’s probably you! Reach out, drop me a message and let me know what you think in the comments, and of course, give me a follow for more – nice!
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