Coffee fuels Olympic efforts

While the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have profound impacts around the world, governments, businesses, and every day people are working together to build back to normal while keeping us all safe.?

Delaying the 2020 Olympics was a hugely visible symbol of the pandemic’s disruption, and now as the world’s most talented and inspiring athletes gather in Tokyo, it is clear that major challenges remain.?

Despite it all, the Olympic spirit remains an inspiration in these unprecedented times. The values represented by the Games can remind us of everything that is possible when we persevere through even the most difficult challenges.

Every few years, I look forward to watching the incredible feats made possible by Olympic athletes’ years of intense training coupled with natural talent. My admiration and respect (and a touch of envy!) grow with each passing year, as we see athletes soar to new heights.?

The inspiration of athletic accomplishments can inspire us in spirit and mind, and some athletes’ training routines may even inspire healthy habits. For example, did you know that America’s favorite brew often has a special place in athletes’ hearts and diets??

That’s right - among the 6 in 10 Americans who drink coffee each day are some stellar athletes who, like many, love the taste of coffee and who also say drinking coffee can help drive focus, energy, and their competitive spirits.??

While drinking coffee probably won’t turn regular folks into Olympic athletes, its unique properties do make coffee perfectly suited as a beverage of choice for average exercise-seekers and top athletes alike.?

Registered sports dietitian, UK Athletics coach, and ultra-distance runner Alex Cook has said, “Caffeine is used widely in professional sport due to its proven benefits enhancing endurance when undertaking physical activity.” And despite some popular misconceptions, Cook clarifies that coffee is hydrating, too.

One recent study found that coffee can play a role in recovery after strenuous exercise and activity. Drinking two cups after a workout can reduce inflation and soreness -- which sounds much more pleasant than taking an ice bath.?

Coffee has also been found to increase stamina and improve athletic performance. One study found that elite triathlon competitors were able to reduce swim times by 4% when drinking coffee before exercise. Another found that drinking coffee helped professional cyclists cut race times by upwards of 30 minutes.?

Sports journalists have commented on elite athletes’ love of coffee, most recently with some great stories about coffee’s popularity with professional basketball players. Stories about the Portland Trail Blazers grinding their own beans and the Philadelphia 76ers bonding over coffee warm my heart.?

Today, Tokyo-bound USA Rugby player Nicole Heavirland makes it a point to try different coffee as she travels for rugby competitions and says that sharing coffee with her teammates brings them closer together.?

Paralympian swimmer Mallory Weggeman starts every day with coffee, sometimes with the unique twist of adding cinnamon to the grounds before brewing.

Taking a look back in history, in 1932, coffee quite literally fueled the Brazilian Olympic team. Pressed for funds when the Great Depression sank demand for Brazilian coffee, the government arranged for its Olympic delegation to travel on a cargo ship filled with donated coffee. The athletes sold coffee along the way to help defray expenses.

Ironically, in 2016, Olympic athletes and coffee drinkers around the world were shocked to see that the Olympic Village in Rio de Janeiro did not stock coffee. We can only hope that competitors in Tokyo will have plenty of coffee over the next several weeks of exciting competition.

Best of luck and cheers to Team USA and all the talented athletes competing in Tokyo this month.?

NCA: We Serve Coffee.

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