Where are all my coffee lovers at?!
If you’re like me, you wake up and one of the first things you start thinking about is a hot cup of coffee. The smell, the feeling of holding that warm mug on a cold morning. Thinking about the day ahead while sipping it or if you’re like me…Im writing my thoughts and educational topics while drinking my coffee, crossed legged on the couch in my P.Js.
Are There Actual Benefits Of Drinking Coffee?
Short answer, Yes there are many benefits of drinking coffee.
It increases alertness. Caffeine has its nootropic effects because it blocks a receptor in your central nervous system that is responsible for binding a compound called adenosine. When you inhibit adenosine, you get increased activity of dopamine and glutamate. Which both help with feeling good, increases alertness and increases brain-stimulating compounds.
What else does it have?
- Coffee is great source of antioxidants. These come in the form of polyphenols. While there are definitely foods that have higher levels of antioxidants, the frequency of coffee consumption makes it an even higher source of antioxidants. Scientists have found the relatively same amount of polyphenols in both caffeinated and decaffeinated coffee, so whatever your choice, drink up.
- Coffee is a great source of soluble fiber. Soluble fiber is important to good health for a variety of reasons. Particularly because it feeds the microbiota in your large intestine and ferments with important fatty acids like burette. Researchers found that an 8 ounce cup of coffee contains as much as 1.5 g of soluble fiber. The fiber in the coffee also helps fight oxidative stress which can have both cardioprotective and neurological benefits.
- Coffee is great for the brain. Most of us know that caffeine helps with attention and focus. But caffeine also has an important effect on long term memory. Researchers from John Hopkins University recently found out that caffeine has cognitive enhancing effects that can strengthen memories and helps being resistant to forgetting. There’s also evidence that coffee has a neuroprotective effect. Which may be beneficial for diseases like Parkinsons.
- Increase longevity! Researchers who studied coffee drinkers found that those who drank one cup a day had a 6 % reduced risk of early mortality. Those who drank 1-3 cups had 8% reduced risk. Sometimes I wonder if it helps everyone else live longer because I had my coffee, lol
More Is Not Always Better and Timing Is Important
More caffeine is not better, since higher doses may decrease blood flow to your brain, and you can quickly build up a tolerance. Plus, if you want to use caffeine for sports and exercise performance, you actually need to drink LESS caffeine, then only load with caffeine immediately prior to your big even. Everyone metabolizes caffeine differently. You have to listen to your body. Most studies on the benefits are between 1-3 cups per day. If you noticed you are not feeling the benefits like you use to, then take a break for a few weeks and drink green tea or decaf instead.
TIMING- it matters! Most of us wake up and go straight for the coffee maker. When we wake up, our cortisol levels, which are markers of stress, are the highest. This is because we need the cortisol to help us wake up and get out of bed. But having elevated levels of cortisol in conjunction with the caffeine in coffee can actually have a counterproductive impact. Drinking coffee when your cortisol is elevated in the morning can cause an even higher amount of cortisol to be released by the adrenal glands, which can eventually result in adrenal fatigue. That’s why I recommend going for an electrolyte water or water with lemon to hydrate you first when waking up. Then having your coffee an hour later. This will not only hydrate you, but let your cortisol levels subside before that first cup of coffee.
What about in the evening? Caffeine can alter your sleep cycle. As mentioned earlier everyone metabolized caffeine differently…some are slow metabolizers and some are fast. Listen to your body. I believe no one should drink caffeinated beverages 5-6 hrs before bed in order to get the best quality sleep. Even decaf coffee has some caffeine in it.
Not All Coffee Is Created Equal
Did you know coffee is one of the most chemically treated crops in the world? If you’re drinking coffee daily, choosing organic is best. Aside from pesticides, herbicides, and fungicides, there is another aspect of coffee you should be aware of, Mycotoxins. These are naturally occurring toxins that are produced by certain molds that can contaminate beans at multiple stages of the coffee production process. Many lower-quality supermarket brands contain high levels of mold and mycotoxins in their roasted coffee. If a person frequently consumes contaminated coffee, they can start to experience serious health problems such as anxiety, chronic fatigue, and depression. Can increase oxidative stress, mitochondrial damage, and reproductive and developmental toxicities.
I couldn’t believe it when I started looking into how high some of these levels toxins are in many coffee brands! This is something I drink EVERYDAY! So, besides getting the junk foods out of my diet the next thing I changed is looking into better coffee brands. This was difficult and most aren’t transparent about the quality of their coffee or your health.
Here is what I tend to look for in a company:
- Is organic, sustainably grown?
- Is it 3rd party tested?
- How transparent is the company. Can you look up exactly where it is grown? Are they grown in perfect farms and growing conditions with each new batch?
- Do they regularly tests its beans for common toxins, such as yeast, pesticides, mold, and mycotoxins.
- Do they start with the healthiest possible green beans.
HOW I MAKE MY COFFEE
I make my coffee work even harder for me by adding some extra benefits to it.
DID YOU KNOW? Adding milk to coffee makes the antioxidants less bioavailable. The polyphenols that give coffee its great antioxidant value have a high affinity for protein. So when you add milk, which has a protein in it called casein, the polyphenols from the coffee bind with the casein, and become less available to you. So if you really value your antioxidants, skip the milk. I use heavy whipping cream. Which has virtually no casein and zero sugar. My sweetener of choice is Whole Earth. Which is made from stevia and monk fruit. It has zero calories, zero sugar, non GMO and no artificial anything.
I add Collagen Peptides to my coffee. This is the only time of day when Im drinking something other then electrolyte water and sense Im not a breakfast eater, this is a convenient time for me to get added protein specifically for my hair, skin and joints.
I will also add 3-5g of creatine to my coffee. If Im sore from working out I’ll add 5g. If it’s just a maintenance then I’ll just to 3g. I do this daily not just for the muscle and hydration benefits of creatine but also for my brain. Creatine can be a very effective nootropic. It can have a neuroprotective effect by slowing down neuronal cell death, and can also increase levels of the neurotransmitter glutamate to improve memory and learning, assist with depression, and suppress steep spikes in serotonin. If you’re already eating meat, as little as 2g daily is enough supplementation to maintain average stores of creatine. If you’re vegan or vegetarian you’ll need to up this maintenance dose. This bulk brand of creatine last me a very long time.
My Favorite Coffee Brand As Of Now
Because I travel a lot it’s been very difficulty for me to get healthy coffee that I know isn’t full of toxins.
Over the past 6 months (as of this blog post) I’ve been using Purity Coffee®. Its absolutely amazing and ticks all my boxes of picking the best coffee. They’re not only transparent about their coffee process, from harvesting beans to how your coffee gets safely to your door, but they truly prioritize the health benefits of their coffee. In fact it is the only organic coffee company in the world that is entirely focused on maximizing health benefits throughout every step of the production process. It is organic, sustainably grown, and 65% higher in antioxidants compared to other coffees. They also rigorously test for mold, toxins, and heavy metals before and after roasting. The end result? A pure cup of coffee that tastes delicious, provides remarkable health benefits, and a clean source of energy (without the crash).
MY Favorite Part is their Pocket Purity – sachet / pouch (super convenient, great on-the-go, works like a tea bag). These have been a life saver since Im constantly on the road. They also have pods and only send whole beans which is the freshest way to brew coffee. I use this super easy coffee grinder at home. You can set the amount of cups and the type of grounds you need and hit start. So easy.
…And because I use them so much and love everything about what they are doing and how I feel after since making the switch I decided to become an affiliate with them. Right now, Purity Coffee® is offering 20% off your first order to my followers when you enter code HERESTOYOURHEALTH at checkout.
What do you think? What is your favorite brand of coffee?