COVID and COFFEE

2020, has, to say the least, been a unique year. In many ways is has been the worst year ever, but in many ways things have changed for the better. The word is “better” is a bit of a stretch. So, my last post talked about Covid and Commando, two things you would think have nothing to do with each other. So you might be asking what the crazy lady is doing now writing a post about Covid and Coffee.

Well, before Covid, and the outrageous shutdowns that accompanied it, coffee with friends was a daily part of my life. I live in the mountains, and we have a couple small coffee houses that are the cozy, relaxing, quaint little places that you might expect for a small mountain town. At these coffee houses, I gathered every morning with my older, usually retired friends and discussed all sorts of things.

We have gone through many coffee houses in this particular area. Many of our favorites closed while new ones opened, but the people kind of remained the same. Those coffee houses were our community. One thing that used to cause some tension during these morning coffee gatherings were discussing politics or religion, so we made it an unspoken rule that those subjects were to be avoided, so all was well, and everyone was content, and our morning coffee was a great way to start our busy days.

Them BAM, Covid hit, our governor decided to be one of the most restrictive in the country, and that little pleasure was stripped away from us. Then it was given back, but only outside seating was allowed, and then it was gone again, and now it’s back to outside seating only in the freezing cold. Many of the friends I gathered with were left without their only means of socializing, and many of them fell into depression as they waste away their short remaining days locked away in their houses. They didn’t gather necessarily for the coffee, they gathered for the company. The situation is sad indeed, and I plan to write about the consequences of the shutdowns in the future……but……where am I going with this? Oh yeah, I am talking about coffee.

I tried to support the coffee houses as much as possible, but with the winter cold, I just can’t sit in freezing temperatures to have coffee. So instead I started buying ground coffee from those coffee houses and started my journey of learning how to make the perfect cup of coffee at home. I make regular pots of coffee for the most part, but for an extra special treat, I use my Aeropress and make an AMAZING cup of coffee.

I drink a lot of coffee, and I have to say it is my only vice. But is drinking so much coffee bad for me? Let’s discuss this, as this was the point of this post before I rambled a little bit.

The case for making coffee a regular part of your healthy lifestyle is just getting stronger and stronger. Here are some of the benefits (and links to studies).

Helps cut post workout muscle pain by up to 48%. study link

Lowers your risk of type 2 diabetes. study link

Protects against cirrhosis of the liver. study link

Help prevent buildup of brain plaque believed to cause Alzheimer’s disease. study link

Reduces risk of suicide (study link) and reduces risk of depression (study link)and may help you get along with coworkers better (say what??). study link

Helps protect against Parkinson’s disease. study link

Lowers risk of heart disease (study link) even better if it was at least 3 cups a day (study link) and and even up to 25 cups a day was not bad for the ticker. study link

It makes your DNA stronger, reducing spontaneous DNA strand breaks. study link

Lowers risk of MS with at least 4 cups a day. study link

Reduces colorectal cancer risk (study link) and improves survival time and health outcomes in those with colorectal cancer. study link

Lowers risk of gout. study link

You can live longer! study link  There are many more studies on this, I will let you google those.

Helps prevent retinal damage due to oxidative stress. study link

Kills bacteria on teeth that cause cavities and can protect against gum disease, but only works with black coffee. study link

Protects against melanoma, and the more cups you drink the better! study link

Contrary to old beliefs, it gives you stronger bones. study link

The USDA recommends drinking 3-5 cups of coffee daily for for better health (guidelines link) but keep in mind that if you add sugar, cream or flavored creamers, you negate the benefits of coffee, so learn to love it the way it comes straight out of the pot, and rethink your Starbucks addiction.  And using a paper filter also seems to provide coffee with more benefits than other brewing methods (study link). The benefits of coffee come from it’s high level of antioxidants, so keep in mind that decaf doesn’t count, as the decaffeination process removes coffee’s antioxidants as well.

So, I really don’t see a reason to give up my coffee, why would I with all these health benefits. So my coffee will continue to be a daily part of my life. I hope to some day have my coffee houses back. Keep in mind that the way you metabolize coffee will determine if it makes you jittery or anxious, or whether you are like me and can drink coffee before you go to bed. According to my DNA from Ancestry DNA, I am a fast metabolizer, so it leaves my system quickly (my bladder agrees) and does not linger in my body allowing me to enjoy as much as I’d like! So there you go, I hope you learned something about coffee today. And always remember to discuss your coffee drinking habits, benefits and risks with your doctor.