Unveiling the Unappreciated Vigor of Coffee

On average, we drink around 2 billion cups of coffee a day.

You may well be sipping on a cuppa right now as you browse through another post of mine. From the discovery of the, now called, Arabica bean and the potency it delivers once you look down and see the bottom of your cup, there is something magical happening here.

How coffee really affects our bodies.

Over the last few years, I have been fascinated by how much coffee has changed the world and how it can make or break one day’s life. But with a lot of things in life, it is quality that counts and the devil lies in the details. From coffee-making championships to swiping your credit card for a box of Black Ivory, there is so much more going around and about when you either fill your thermos with a medium roast or hit your favourite roaster around the corner for that morning must-have.?

But as we down gallons and gallons by the hour worldwide, there must be something good about it.

What exactly does caffeine do to your body? You might have a general notion that it helps you stay alert, disrupts your sleep tremendously, and can enhance athletic performance.

But do you understand how much of it you can consume safely? When you're maybe sipping on that morning double espresso, do you realise that, besides caffeine, a typical Americano contains over 100 biologically active ingredients?

What precisely occurs within your body during that caffeine boost?

There’s a lot of data connected to what is the right bean, the accurate roasting temperature to get the bean cracking, and also the time of the day when it is best to pour in another one. All the above in the previous paragraph are tried and tested.

The truth? It certainly leans more towards the good than the bad of having a daily cup of coffee.

Just a few examples of what caffeine can do and will do when you add the right dose into your bloodstream. When I talk about coffee and caffeine, I refer to the black one, the Americano, without any sugar, milk or other bells and whistles.

• Coffee has the potential to enhance memory and boost alertness rapidly and with measurable results. Numerous studies state that peak caffeine concentration in the blood occurred after 45 minutes. The coffee aficionados under us even have documented proof that the kick starts when you smell the aroma.?
• Caffeine functions as a stimulant for the central nervous system. It is related to the adenosine (an organic compound naturally present in your body) receptors in your body, which play a role in regulating your heart rate, blood flow, and sleep-wake cycles. When adenosine attaches to these receptors, it initiates physiological reactions that result in a reduction of cellular activity, frequently encouraging feelings of tiredness and promoting sleep.
• Caffeine is known to boost athletic performance. It may not be a lot for the Average Joe but professional athletes have seen even the slightest improvements in their athletic performance when adding some caffeine (in pill form) in their training routine.?
• Coffee was associated with a probable decreased risk of several forms of cancer, alongside cardiovascular disease, Parkinson’s disease and type 2 diabetes. Although the studies are not yet conclusive, the lineage of results has led to numerous health benefits. Lowering risks of liver and heart diseases, as well as reducing depression, have been added to the list of potential advantages of drinking 3 cups a day. It’s all about the anti-oxidants delivered through quality beans.

In the end, you are unique and your caffeine tolerance may be higher than your next-door colleague. I have found that between 4 - 5 cups a day before 2 pm works best for me without any side effects. However, my ideal daily coffee intake came through trial and error. And some sleepless nights.

So, here's my recommendation

Enjoying up to three cups daily is perfectly safe, drink it black, and if you do feel you need to control the munchies, go for the bulletproof version (add butter or coconut oil to your coffee). Make sure you opt to brew your coffee, as the beans at the most well-known stores tend to be not of the finest quality.

The amount of caffeine in seemingly similar high-street coffees can vary significantly (with differences up to 200% (!) in milligrams of caffeine for your standard Americano).

Opt for dark roast if you're aiming to reduce caffeine intake, but go for light roast if you want to maximise the other beneficial compounds. Spread them out in the morning, and leave a reasonable gap before your last cup in the early afternoon (between 6 to 8 hours before bedtime, connected to the half-life of caffeine in one's blood stream).

The more you add to your coffee (milk, sugar, sweetened syrups, or cream), the more calories you take in, and the positive effects of caffeine may dilute in the mix. If you are on a fast, black coffee is perfectly fine. It will not break the fast.

And, if you fancy participating in the Aeropress World Coffee-Making Championships, why not give it a shot? They welcome everyone to join in.

It may not be your cup of tea.

It certainly is not mine.

Life's too short to drink bad coffee. | Unknown