The debate about coffee is a constant one. One day coffee is great, the next, not so much.
Coffee lovers often choose to believe the former. Happily, they may be right. There’s a lot of exciting research coming out about coffee, showing you how to get the most out of your cup.
Let’s rethink coffee drinking as a skill. Here are the do’s and don’ts of coffee to turn your cuppa joe into a superfood should you anticipate a long and happy relationship ahead.
Quality & Source
This is probably the most important piece of the puzzle. Not only is coffee a very highly sprayed crop, how you make coffee means you could be steeping a mug full of pesticides.
Secondly, regular coffee is usually sourced from hundreds of different farms. Having so many sources of beans means your digestive system needs to work overtime.
Luckily, you can get around this.
Choose a single-origin coffee, which means what it sounds like: coffee that’s sourced from the same place. More and more brands are making it known that they’re single origin. This means that there’s a great number of options out there (thank goodness).
Organic is also the best choice due to those unwanted pesticides.
Quick Tip: Choose beans that are single-origin and organic.
Brew Method
It’s not only the beans that we have to worry about when it comes to chemicals. Drip coffee is the worst, along with single-cup/pod makers because the filters contain chemicals and the machines get dirty easily.
The easiest and best way to reduce these chemicals is by using a French Press, Percolator, or pour-over. These methods don’t involve filters and brewing is very simple. As an added bonus, none of these take up a lot of precious counter space.
Quick Tip: Use a brewing method that doesn’t involve filters or single-serving pods.
Add-Ins
Now that you have great quality beans it’s time to think about what else you add to your cup. Stay away from white sugar, powdered milks and artificial sweeteners (which can be hard to do in the era of seasonal beverages).
The healthiest way to drink coffee is black. Try a plain Americano, espresso or pour-over. Adding a splash of organic cream is great too. If you think coffee is bitter, try a better quality coffee and you may be surprised.
Blending in butter, MCT, coconut oil and other fats are still a big trend. Bulletproof, Keto, or butter coffee is getting more well known. Drinkers believe that coffee made in this fashion takes away many of the negative effects of drinking coffee like jitters, crashing and overstimulation.
Quick Tip: Keep it simple. Consider blending in healthy fats for added boost without the crash.
Caffeine vs. Decaf
If you choose to drink decaf, it must be Swiss Water Decaf. Swiss water is the process that’s used to extract the caffeine from the beans and it doesn’t add more unwanted chemicals.
Did you know that no coffee is 100% caffeine-free? Still, sticking to decaf when you’re tired or stressed is a good idea. Caffeine added to a stressed & tired body is too much of a stimulant and is hard on our adrenal glands.
Quick Tip: If you choose decaf, make sure it’s Swiss Water Press. Choose decaf when you’re stressed & overtired.
Quantity
Yes, quantity matters.1-2 cups (8oz servings) per day seems to be the magic number for the benefits of coffee. Drinking more can be doing more damage than good.
Try to view drinking coffee as a treat rather than a need. Why not skip a day or two and enjoy a tea instead?
Quick Tip: 1 venti-sized Starbucks does not count as your daily cup. Some is good, and less is more.
Alternatives?
If you want to wean off of coffee, there are alternatives out there that taste similar but are 100% caffeine-free.
Dandelion coffee is popular, as is chicory as they both have a dark bitter taste. Try a couple of different brands if you desire and remember that tea is a great alternative too. Rooibos and green tea are two great alternatives.
John Van Druten said, “I think if I were a woman I’d wear coffee as a perfume.”
Well stick to drinking it, thanks.
If you want to learn more about coffee, head here for a great podcast.
