The magic coffee bean

The magic coffee bean

I’m convinced that the deceptively simple-looking coffee bean has magical powers. How else could someone born and raised in a predominantly Mormon state (where coffee drinking is taboo) fall so hopelessly, madly in love? Because of my strong affection for the magic bean, I was a little afraid to ask the question: Is coffee good for me? Still, any healthy relationship should stand up to a little scrutiny, so I did the research and was pleasantly surprised. Numerous studies indicate that coffee has some unexpected health benefits.

Your brain: As reported in the New York Times, aย 2009 study followed about 1,400 people in Finland and Sweden for two decades and found that those who reported drinking 3-5 cups of coffee each day were 65 percent less likely to develop dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, compared to those who didn’t drink coffee or only drank it occasionally.

Your heart:ย Drinking coffee may be associated with a decreased risk of developing heart failure or having stroke, according to preliminary research presented at the American Heart Associationโ€™s Scientific Sessions 2017. Researchers said drinking coffee led to a “decreased risk of developing heart failure by 7 percent and stroke by 8 percent with every additional cup of coffee consumed per week compared with non-coffee drinkers.”

Your liver: A 2015 World Cancer Research Fund International study found there is strong evidence that drinking coffee is linked to a decreased risk of liver cancer.

Your diabetes risk: The American Diabetes Association reports that high coffee consumption (four cups a day) has been associated with better glucose tolerance and a substantially lower risk of type 2 diabetes.

Of course, no relationship is perfect. My love affair with coffee also has its challenges. Caffeine increases blood pressure, and daily consumption may lower bone density. Caffeine also interferes with sleep and can aggravate symptoms of anxiety.

And don’t forget, I’m not a doctor and have not an ounce of medical or nutritional expertise. You and your physician should make decisions about what is right for your health. But as for me, the heart wants what it wants, and mine wants the magical coffee bean.

The magic coffee bean

***Your Turn***

  1. Do you drink coffee?
  2. If so, how much in the average day?
  3. What’s the most desperate thing you’ve ever done for a cup?

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33 Comments

  1. Good Morning
    1. I do not drink coffee regularly, but I do enjoy a good cappachino occasionally.
    2. n/a
    3. I haven’t done anything desperate for a cup of coffee, but one of my favourite cups of cappachino was at a stand-up bar in Italy frequented by locals. It was delicious and it set me up for a new round of touring. So I guess you could say I would return to Italy for another cup!

    1. Well sipping a cappuccino at a bar in Italy sounds much more glamorous than running to the convenience store in my pajama pants after a failed attempt at making a coffee filter out of a paper towel. ๐Ÿ™‚

  2. I became a daily one (big) cup drinker when I started morning journaling. Pick a (Kuerig) flavor, fresh brew it & sit in my comfy chair, hopefully with early morning rays of sun. Cincinnati winters tend to be gray, so those morning rays this time of year are a delight to see! This new retirement ritual helps me stay more positive about life. Does the coffee contribute to that? Hmmm…with all those health benefits, maybe! That and the occasional glass of red wine. ?

    1. I can picture that Pat. I think a big part of coffee for me is the ritual–the warm cup in my hands, the smell. It’s definitely become an integral part of my morning writing routine.

  3. I do love coffee and drink two cups a day. I wish I could drink the 3 to 5 to avoid dementia, but Iโ€™d be a jittery mess! Once in Flaming Gorge we were boating with non coffee drinkers and drove all over town looking for somewhere open on a early Sunday morning to get coffee. The pj trip to get filters does make a funny memory.?

    1. I used to be able to drink as much coffee as I wanted with no noticeable effects. I still do during the day, but if I don’t switch to decaf in the evening, I can’t sleep. Just one more thing to curse about getting older!

  4. Iโ€™m a one-cup-a-day coffee drinker. The first thing I do when I come downstairs each morning is to start brewing my coffee in my French press. My husband isnโ€™t a coffee drinker, though, so Iโ€™m on my own. I donโ€™t think Iโ€™ve ever done anything desperate for a cuppa joe, but the day just doesnโ€™t feel right if I have to go without… two days without coffee and you wouldnโ€™t want to be around me.

  5. I love coffee and drink at least a half a pot a day. Sounds like a lot, but I have two cups in the morning then one in the afternoon. Caffeine and I love each other and coming from a family of coffee drinkers with no ill effects, (my blood pressure is naturally low, and bone density high), I shall continue! We take our ground coffee with us on road trips to visit family because we like our Kirkland Colombian blend. I even had to buy a coffee maker to leave at my brother’s house so when we visit, we have a fresh pot of coffee! I saw a sign at school that read “A yawn is a silent scream for coffee.” LOL!

  6. I can’t start the day without a coffee Christie and I blame my husband! He has made me a morning coffee each morning of the 25 years we have been together. Over that time, coffee has certainly become more popular in Australia with so many types to select from – I don’t know what half of them are. I’m a flat white, or latte girl. I also didn’t know that Mormons didn’t drink coffee. I was also interested in the results of research. It certainly changes from time to time but the latest regarding diabetes I hadn’t heard of. Thanks for making me feel better about having my second cup. I’m off to make it now. thank you for sharing at #overthemoon link party and have a lovely day.

    1. What a nice husband you have. I get up before my husband, but he always sets out a mug and a Keurig K-cup for me and makes sure the water reservoir is full. During the summer, I like an iced latte during the day, but I always start the morning with hot coffee, no matter the temperature outside.

  7. I don’t drink coffee at all, Christie. Not that I’m without vices. I drink peppermint tea by the gallon (perfectly healthy) and then when I want to leap off that wagon, I go for rootbeer – the high sugar satisfying stuff.

    1. Funny that you would mention peppermint tea, Karen. I just tried that a couple of weeks ago for the first time, and really liked it. I’m not a big fan of sugary soft drinks, but I do enjoy a Diet Coke once in awhile. I think I trained my taste buds to like the sugar substitute back in my younger “dieting” days. ๐Ÿ™‚

  8. I start every day with a cup and a half, if I drink more I get the jitters. At lunch I have an iced coffee. It is funny if I get a cold or any type of sick coffee is the first thing I give up for some reason the taste changes when I don’t feel well.

    1. It’s funny. I like coffee hot or iced, but if it gets to room temperature, I throw it out. I found it interesting that you don’t like coffee if you’re ill. Unless it’s an upset stomach, I still want me coffee.

  9. Hi Christie!
    Just discovered your blog on “Hungry Runner Girl”. We are the same age and I think it’ll be fun to read about your adventures in this crazy life! I am also a grandmother and it looks like we have a lot of the same interests.
    We LOVE coffee in our house. I drink about 3-4 cups per day. I look forward to it each morning – especially flavored coffee.
    Can’t say I’ve ever done anything too desperate for coffee – except make sure I have it EVERY.SINGLE.DAY. no matter where I’m at!

    1. Hi Cindy! Welcome. Thanks so much for stopping by. It’s always great to hear from another coffee-loving grandmother. Can I assume you’re a runner too, since you came to me through Hungry Runner Girl? Either way, I’m happy to “meet” you, and I look forward to more conversations.

      1. Unfortunately, due to a bad knee, I am not a runner. But I love exercise and never miss a day of it. Sometimes walking, otherwise it’s the elliptical, rower, arc trainer.
        It’s a necessity in my life.
        My husband and I are loving this stage of our lives….sounds like you two are also!

        1. I agree, Cindy, physical activity is a must for my mental and physical health. I assume from your email address that you work in the health industry. Me too–on the payer side. Wellness is something I’m passionate about. I wish you a healthy, happy weekend!

  10. I’m one of those Mormons so I don’t drink coffee, but it does amuse me to watch all of us cope with missing what we’ve never had. I’m a skinny hot chocolate girl myself, but I’ve got office mates drinking rockstars and all varieties of magic drinks to drag us into consciousness. Diet Coke seems to be the holy grail. So, I’ll trust my faith that coffee isn’t best for me, but wonder a little about the irony of filling the hole in my morning with stuff that’s as bad or worse. ๐Ÿ˜‰

    1. Thanks for sharing the viewpoint of a non-coffee drinker, Anneliese. While I know there is caffeine involved, I honestly believe the mental aspect of having my morning coffee is just as big a part of the magic.

  11. Ha! I dug through my car seats when my kids were teens, and gathered enough change to buy a Starbucks on my way to work. I made them help. They were highly amused and teased me forever after about it!

    I gave up espresso for Lent one year…not coffee, mind you, espresso..and I thought I might die.

    I have written lyrics about coffee to a song from the musical: Youโ€™re a Good Man Charlie Brown. I sing it often.

    Thank goodness it is good for me!

    PS: coffee helps control my ADD

  12. Oh dear. I am doomed. Wait… unless you found a study on the healthy effects derived from the scent of coffee? Because I do LOVE to smell it brewing. But I abhor the taste. My husband keeps tricking me into trying things that really “don’t taste at all of coffee” but my taster is NOT tricked and can’t detect the ever so slightest hint of the stuff!
    I find it strange that my Mama, who loves it and drinks it from sun up to bed time, has three grown (senior citizens even!) children and none of them drink coffee.
    Anyway, YAY for your (and my mama’s) health! haha
    ๐Ÿ™‚ gwingal

  13. Christie, I am sure you have found that life is too short for a bad coffee. We love our coffee and the fact that we can always find a good health review to make us feel better. Your coffee review is very good and balanced. I don’t drink it after 2 pm so that it does not disturb my beauty sleep, problem solved.

    Kathleen
    Blogger’s Pit Stop

  14. I love a latte, especially those first few sips in the morning. Mmmmmmmm, heavenly.

    I drink about 2 cups per day, or until I feel the anxiety from the caffeine settle in.

    I once bought a French Press because I thought it would make me feel more cultured. I didn’t like it, because it was a mess cleaning up the grounds. A battery operated frother that came with it. I use it to froth up some warm milk and then pour my coffee in over the top. It’s quite yummy, and I’ve decided just the frother was worth the cost of the French Press.

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