LOVE|HEALTH

What Is All The Buzz And Fuss When It Comes To Coffee

For many years, I simply didn’t get it, but now I understand

It’s Saturday evening. My partner’s out for the night and I have a bunch of things I look forward to doing with our place all to myself.

However, I was feeling so damn tired, even after I got a proper night’s sleep and took an hour nap!?

Earlier in the afternoon, I went for a nice, long walk in the brisk northern air with the elusive sun shining down upon me for the majority of the walk.

Normally all of those things combined make me feel revitalized, not ready to go dive into bed.

What was going on….??

I needed some damn coffee!

I remembered that in my urgency to leave the house as soon as possible, I didn’t have any coffee before embarking on my afternoon stroll through multiple parks in my neighborhood.

While out, I actually thought of getting a cup of coffee but decided to wait until I was home so I could make it EXACTLY the way I like it (with heated soy or almond milk added).

However, once I was home, I made smoothies and a snack for my partner and myself and forgot about making coffee, even when I laid down on the couch to take a nap.

It wasn’t until I thought about how much I wanted, but didn’t feel like, to write, to cook, to read, and to do a host of other things that I realized that my fatigue stemmed from my missed daily dose of caffeine.

The funniest thing about all of this is that I used to rarely drink coffee.

What’s even more ironic is that for almost 10 years, I worked off and on as a barista. I even managed a few coffee shops in Philadelphia and Seattle.

I preferred herbal tea and still do.

Once in a while, I would drink coffee, usually a latte, if I was exhausted and wanted the extra pep in my step.

When I became a full-time student, while working part-time to support myself at 37 years old, I started drinking coffee on a very regular basis.

I didn’t drink it for the taste. I drank it because it was good at helping me wake up every morning and do all that I needed to do on any given day.

Over time, I learned how to make it in ways that I enjoy.

I must admit…

Drinking cappuccinos in Italy made me appreciate coffee in whole new ways, but it took me a long time to be able to come close to replicating their mastery.

Every single cappuccino I’ve ever had in Italy (I’ve visited Italy 7 times in the past 8 years and stayed for 3 months last time) has been perfect!

It was hard to return to America and swallow down drip or Starbucks, but out of necessity, I did.

Then I did some research and learned about different methods of brewing coffee which I found a bit fascinating and fun.

I bought a moka pot, which many Italians use. I used it along with a French press for a few years.

Then I discovered the smooth, delicious coffee that can be made using the pour-over method, which is what I use to this day.

There are a few variations on that method as well which is up to each person to decide on.

However, one of the best and most important things that I’ve learned over the past several years since I’ve become a coffee drinker (just one cup a day) is that there are a decent amount of health benefits that surprised me!

Here are a few excerpts and article links for you to peruse if you’re curious to learn more:

Some research suggests that coffee could help extend longevity, thanks to its multitude of potential health benefits.

For example, one review of 40 studies concluded that drinking two to four cups of coffee daily was associated with a lower risk of death, regardless of factors like age, weight status, and alcohol consumption (27Trusted Source).

Good news: The case for coffee is stronger than ever. Study after study indicates you could be getting more from your favorite morning beverage than you thought: Coffee is chock full of substances that may help guard against conditions more common in women, including Alzheimer’s disease and heart disease.

Low to moderate doses of caffeine (50–300 mg) may cause increased alertness, energy, and ability to concentrate, while higher doses may have negative effects such as anxiety, restlessness, insomnia, and increased heart rate. [2] Still, the cumulative research on coffee points in the direction of a health benefit. [3,4]

1. Improve overall health.

An analysis of nearly 220 studies on coffee, published in the BMJ in 2017, found that coffee drinkers may enjoy more overall health benefits than people who don’t drink coffee.

The analysis found that during the study period, coffee drinkers were 17% less likely to die early from any cause, 19% less likely to die of heart disease and 18% less likely to develop cancer than those who don’t drink coffee.

LONG LIVE COFFEE!!!

Become a member: