Coffee Talk

I swear, just about everyone I know right now is eschewing coffee. Why? That humble little cup of joe has gotten a bad rap, and it’s such a travesty. I for one, would rather give up a million dollars than fore go my daily cuppa. And lately I have read over and over how good coffee actually is for you! And just like the once-forbidden daily egg, coffee is back in the circle of good.
Check out this excerpt from this article on WebMD:

“Want a drug that could lower your risk of diabetes, Parkinson’s disease, and colon cancer? That could lift your mood and treat headaches? That could lower your risk of cavities?

If it sounds too good to be true, think again.

Coffee, the much maligned but undoubtedly beloved beverage, just made headlines for possibly cutting the risk of the latest disease epidemic, type 2 diabetes. And the real news seems to be that the more you drink, the better.”

There are so many myths about coffee that are just now coming to light to be false. The first being that increasing coffee consumption increases your need to relieve yourself. Of course it does! But if you drank the same quantity of milk, you would have to go to the bathroom just as much. It’s not the caffeine to blame for an increase in the urge, it is simply consuming a liquid beverage. Coffee also does not dehydrate. The US Government’s Institute of Medicine has found that coffee actually quenches thirst and does not deply the body of necessary fluids.

It’s no secret that coffee helps me get through my day. Being a Mom 24/7 I don’t get the opportunity to take a nap or sleep through the night without a child needing something. That cup of coffee in the afternoon helps me relax and enjoy the rest of my day. I have seen studies recently that say that up to 5 cups of coffee are perfectly acceptable- and even good for you. That’s extremely encouraging to one who drinks about 3 cups a day. The only time I did not drink coffee was during pregnancy. Studies still haven’t concluded whether or not caffeine may have an effect on miscarriage, so I felt it best to avoid that for the first half of my pregnancy. And for the second half…let’s just say that anyone who’s been 8 months along and chugs a grande cafe mocha understands what I mean when i say a caffeine induced fetus is one of the worst things to endure.

I understand that some people take it too far. Drinking a pot of coffee a day will make someone quite sick, and drinking coffee too close to bedtime will keep me up many hours into the night. I know some people also get headaches from too much caffeine, and I am sure not picking on those people. But golly, when I lift that gorgeous cup of black gold to my mouth and someone says “you know coffee is bad for you.” That’s going too far. Coffee is far from bad for you. It’s when you add a half cup of sugar to your cup or a mountain of freshly culled cream. Duh. Of course that venti mocha latte is bad for you, it’s half full fat milk, and loaded with sugar. By that point, you might as well just go buy yourself a pint of Ben & Jerry’s and indulge that way.

So with that being said, I am going to go pour myself a fresh cup of coffee- black only please. I’m going to indulge in my morning pleasure and just think to myself about how much other people are missing out on all the antioxidants coffee has to offer, as well as the diabetes and cancer warding caffeine. Finally. And for more than you ever wanted to know about all the many benefits of coffee, check out the website Coffee Science.