Did you know that over 2.25 billion cups of coffee are consumed in the world ….. every single day?Â
Or, that the lethal dose of caffeine in a human is about 100 cups of coffee in four hours and that coffee affects the same area of the brain as cocaine, amphetamines and heroin – just with milder effects?
While an occasional cup of Joe isn’t going to do any harm especially if you drink healthier dark roasts, addictive drinking via a daily coffee fix definitely has health consequences. This is especially true for those with coffee drinkers with gluten intolerance.
Another thing to watch out for is commercial lattes which contain unhealthful GMOs with every single sip.
Why Tea Isn’t As Addictive as Coffee
I myself do not do well drinking coffee and so have avoided it all my life (although I adore the smell!).
I drink green tea on an occasional basis instead and find that the caffeine in tea doesn’t bother me like coffee does. This is likely because the caffeine in tea binds to the tannins and L-theanine, a water soluble amino acid, at the time it is brewed.
These bonds requires more time to metabolize than unbound caffeine, so the absorption of caffeine into the bloodstream is slower and more gradual with tea than the rapid caffeine absorption and immediate rush of adrenaline that occurs with coffee, chocolate and caffeinated sodas.
If you are looking to reduce coffee consumption, green tea is a good alternative to wean yourself off. Other healthy coffee alternatives are discussed (with recipes) in the linked article. My personal favorite is rooibus tea.
What factoid in the infographic below on the truth about your morning coffee fix did you find most interesting?
Graphic on The Truth About Your Morning Coffee Fix used with permission: Â Evoke Food.
More Information
Why You Need to Change WHEN You Drink Coffee
Is Caffeine Causing Your Chronic Back Pain
Your Coffee Fix and Gluten Sensitivity
Sarah, I adore you and your blog. I have two small children. I will never give up my daily homemade “honeybee latte” (my organic shot of espresso + raw steamed milk + tsp of raw honey + dash of cinnamon). Yes the milk is heated briefly. Come pry it out of my cold, dead hands. LOL
Sounds so yummy! Have you tried making a decaf espresso or espresso from Dandy Blend? Also very delish.
Here are the best decaf beans I’ve ever tried. https://amzn.to/44bUkHQ
Here’s more on a Dandy Blend latte (also contains cinnamon). https://www.thehealthyhomeeconomist.com/dandelion-coffee-benefits-aid-adrenals/
Your alternatives sound amazing! I’ll work them into the rotation 🙂
In Sweden we drink black coffee quite a lot, in the morning, social settings and Fika, in small coffee cups kinda like Italians do, more than that and it messes up your system. Is sipping one small cup of coffee a day entirely healthy Sarah?
what about cold brew? is it less acidic? is it a ferment? does it have less caffeine?
I think, coffee still has lots of benefits that bring to our bodies especially when drank in moderation. Also, it’s when we add lots of things in our coffee that makes it a bit bad and loses its benefits such as sugar and creamer. I’m still a coffee person though but I do drink tea, just not as often, and coffee does have better aroma.
Although I do love the smell and taste of coffee, I too have switch to green tea. I think it has a lot of benefits without as much caffeine as comes with coffee. I still enjoy a cup of joe from time to time.
For anyone wanting to give coffee up with a healthy substitute Dandy Blend, Instant Herbal Beverage with Dandelion is awesome. It has a robust taste. I buy it on Amazon.
I am a coffee addict but curiously, though for the last 18 days (since the start of the fasting month) I have only drank 1 small cup, I have not suffered any withdrawal symptoms. Phew!
I’ve never picked up the habit of drinking coffee. As a child, I was given tea when I was sick, but there was no coffee in the house. So, I’ve never developed a pull or a dislike of it. What I do find interesting is that at work, invariably when I am making tea, someone will come up and alert me to the fact that there is as much caffine in tea as in coffee if not more. Now, I’m not someone who says anything about coffee, except that I don’t drink it, if asked, as it’s an inert item to me. So, I’m always surprised when I get this notification. As an adult, my tea of choice is Jasmine Green Tea, I find it calming and strengthening at the same time – I guess the real affect would be a balancing. I sweeten with raw honey or maple syrup or both depending on how I’m feeling that day. I’ve had loose tea at a tea room and that’s simply the best, although I’m sure any tea room would have the best tea.
Coffee is consumed in many traditional cultures. Lots of research is showing health benefits that are linked to moderate coffee consumption. In my family we all enjoy excellent health and eat probably a 90% traditional whole foods diet, and we still like a cup of coffee or two and find no harm in it. With all there is to worry about, you could do a lot worse than having a cup of coffee or two a day.
Bread was consumed in traditional cultures too but not in the excessive amounts it is today … just like coffee. I doubt they drank it every single day in these ancestral South American societies!