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Coffee Rituals
Many of us rely on coffee to kick start our day, some people make it a point to drink coffee the moment they wake up in the morning. More than just drinking it, coffee for some has become a ritual not only once a day, but sometimes up to 5 cups a day and even more. According to the International Coffee Organisation, approximately 1.6 billion cups of coffee are consumed worldwide every day.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) state that an average US person consumes 300 mg of caffeine daily an equivalent of two and four cups coffee which is said to be moderate caffeine intake. Coffee when consumed in moderation can promote a variety of health benefits.
I know we are in Oz but this is something worth mentioning.
How About Australians? Where Do We Get Most of Our Caffeine From?
The most common source of our caffeine intake comes from coffee, it could be from instant coffee, coffee from a vending machine or from any local cafe or restaurant. Australians aged 15-49 showed that 50% of caffeine comes from coffee products and the rest comes from a wide range of sources such as soft drinks, tea and energy drinks but nothing comes close to coffee as the main source of caffeine.
Why is Coffee Addicting?
Studies claim that one or two cups of coffee a day may result in negative effects on our health but others suggest this is still acceptable. What is the real deal and who are we to believe?
Steven Meredith, a researcher in behavioural pharmacology at the John Hopkins School of Medicine said that “Caffeine is a drug!” Although low to moderate doses of caffeine is considered safe, still it can become highly addictive and users have the tendency to become overly dependent on it and may even find it difficult to let go. Anyone who tried to quit consuming caffeine can attest to the following effects like headaches, mental fuzziness and body fatigue for a few days until the body recovers.
Caffeine effects may vary from person to person sending mixed messages of whether caffeine is good or bad for us. Individuals with anxiety disorders are more likely to experience anxiogenic* effects from the compound. Caffeine can also differ in metabolic rates among individuals for many reasons.
*An anxiogenic substance is one that causes anxiety.
One example would be, cigarette smokers can metabolise caffeine faster than non smokers. Individuals must also take note that caffeine metabolism is slower among pregnant women, infant and persons with liver disease.
Rob M. Van Dam, an adjunct associate professor of the Department of Nutrition at the Harvard School of Public Health mentioned that the effects of caffeinated drinks are depended on the person’s genetic characteristics and lifestyle factors. With this being said, others may experience difficulty sleeping or tremors and stress.
Caffeine Safety
A comprehensive study on caffeine is being done for many years but the latest landmark opinion on the safety of caffeine was published by the European Safety Authority (EFSA) on the 27th day of May 2015.
Its key findings were:
- Daily caffeine intakes from all sources up to 400 mg per day do not raise safety concerns for adults in the general population, except pregnant women — 400mg is equivalent to the caffeine in five 250ml energy drinks, or 5 cups of instant coffee;
- Daily caffeine intakes from all sources up to 200 mg per day by pregnant women do not raise safety concerns for the fetus;
- Single doses of caffeine up to 200 mg, corresponding to about 3 mg/kg bw for a 70-kg adult are unlikely to induce clinically relevant changes in blood pressure, myocardial blood flow, hydration status or body temperature.
The Harmful Effects of Caffeine
After reading this article may continue drinking coffee or not. It’s really up to you, you may still drink your coffee but I suggest that you switch to organically grown and produced coffee. I may have to talk more about organic coffee later on, meanwhile let’s check out the unhealthy effects of (non-organic coffee) to our body.
- Drinking more than 4 cups of coffee can cause early death.
- It may cause elevated blood pressure.
- Increased risk of heart attack among young adults.
- Caffeine linked to gout attack.
- Caffeine may cause abnormal sleeping patterns.
- Caffeine can cause indigestion.
- It can cause headaches, dizziness and fatigue.
- Caffeine could reduce fertility in women.
- Caffeine overdose.
- Caffeine allergies.
- It can increase anxiety.
- Can worsen menopause symptoms.
- Inhibits collagen production in skin.
- Increase risk of bone fractures.
As I’ve said, caffeine can affect people differently. Individuals must know well how their body could react to caffeine and shouldn’t abuse caffeine and to drink it wisely.
If you want real health boost, switch to a an all natural and healthier coffee, or a coffee alternative like dandelion tea or chicory. This I guarantee you will only give you good health benefits unlike non-organic coffee. Drink coffee derived from organic ingredients, free from toxic chemicals and side effects and one that’s rich in antioxidants and other nutrients ready to protect your health against any disease.
Why Drink Organic Coffee?
Not known to many people, organic coffee is grown the natural way, in lush forest that provides wild plants and animals a home. It sustains the soil fertility and keeps the unique regional ecosystems alive. These forested farms are more resilient to handle harsh weather conditions as a result to climate change, making them a safer investment for farmers.
Organic coffee doesn’t contain harmful pesticides and chemicals found in conventional coffee. In fact, when coffee is organically grown it grows at a slower rate and is naturally lower in acid and caffeine. The slower growth rate of shade grown coffee means that it allows the beans to develop a naturally superior flavour unique only to organic coffee. It tastes better than non-organic coffee and is rich in antioxidants that can help reduce the risk of diabetes and cancer.
Organic coffee also helps to preserve both the short and long term memory by increasing the size of the hippocampus, reducing the chance of developing Alzheimer’s disease. It acts as a natural pain reliever, it aids comfort to headache and other body discomfort.
This is a good news to all those coffee lovers who can handle caffeine – you can now enjoy a cup of coffee or 2 as long as it is organic.
My Top Tips if Choosing Coffee
Bulletproof Benefits.
Turning your average coffee into a 'Bulletproof' one can almost make you feel bulletproof. It's hard to describe the experience to someone who hasn't gone there yet but it's pretty special.
A bulletproof coffee is not like a typical cappuccino, it's quite different. The sensation and mount feel is smooth, rich and creamy (if you add the ghee as well). The feeling is more enjoyable too, way less jitters. I think this is due to a slower delivery of the caffeine to the liver? I read this somewhere a long time ago so don't quote me on this one.
Some of the reasons to choose 'Bulletproof':
- The coffee tastes even better with the addition of grass-fed butter and organic MCT oil (give it a go)!
- Contains no sugar or carbs as there is no milk or sugar
- MCT oil is a fat-burning fuel
- MCT oil is super energising but it's a sustainable type of energy and without the crash you may get from a regular coffee or carby snack
- The combination of ghee, MCT oil and collagen is very satisfying (keeps you satisfied for long periods of time) making it popular on keto and weight loss diets.
- The collagen adds vital amino acids (amino acids like glycine that are the building blocks of life)!
- Collagen is perfectly safe and effective in coffee and does not get destroyed by such temperatures, it can actually withstand up to 150c heat.
Why Cardamom in Coffee?
Like a bulletproof coffee, the cardamom spice can help to lower the effects of the caffeine. It also tastes incredible.
Add in other things such as cinnamon (for blood sugar stabilisation and super food medicinal mushrooms such as reishi, lion's mane, cordyceps, chaga etc.
(Perfect Supplements will be stocking a mushroom blend in 2022 so stay tuned...)
*Disclaimer: the information in this article is intended purely as information and not health advice. It is not intended to treat, diagnose, prevent or cure and one should always seek expert advice from their trusted health practitioner.
