COFFEE MYTHS – WHAT IS RIGHT AND WHAT IS WRONG?

A PROMISE FOR A GOOD DAY

For many of us, coffee is an integral part of our morning routine and also saves us from many an afternoon depression. So it’s not really that surprising that coffee is the world’s most widely consumed beverage after water. But what’s the truth in all these rumors – is coffee really healthy or harmful for us?

“DON’T DRINK TOO MUCH”

A phrase I think everybody knows. Admittedly, too much of something is never good, and as everywhere else, this also applies to coffee. Where this limit lies depends on what you expect from your coffee (do you want to wake up, concentrate or just enjoy the good taste). But the main role is played by your unique body. It is decisive for the effect that coffee has on you. It is quite possible that more than one cup is not good for you. Especially during pregnancy and chronic illnesses it may be advisable to resort to other delicacies. As always, know your limits and listen to your body.

IS COFFEE THE BEST MEDICINE?

Numerous scientific studies indicate that coffee can have positive effects on our health. That surprised me after all. Because I always thought that coffee was bad for your blood pressure. But long-term studies show that coffee has a protective effect on our cardiovascular system and is even said to reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes.

While I know the short-term attention-enhancing effect of coffee from everyday life, I was amazed at the long-term effect on our head: coffee protects our brain from degenerative degradation processes, such as those that are increasingly common in Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and multiple sclerosis.

Cancer is as individual as every living creature itself and is also subject to a dynamic with different phases. Therefore, it is only true for some types of cancer that drinking coffee can protect or make the treatment more effective. Nevertheless, these incredible effects have been shown for breast cancer (most common cancer in women), prostate cancer (most common cancer in men) and colon cancer.

AND HOW DOES OUR FAVORITE WAKE-UP CALL WORK?

Now it is time to stay tuned, because it is worthwhile to go a little deeper into the matter! The effect is based on innumerable mechanisms, which still need to be researched in detail. Nevertheless I would like to give you some insights into the magic:

Some important components a coffee bean contains are caffeine, polyphenols and acrylamines. Caffeine acts like a messenger substance at the receptors in our body and then (depending on the amount) triggers a series of reactions in our body. For example, it increases the ability to concentrate by activating our organism and thus saves us many an afternoon. Polyphenols are said to have an anti-oxidant effect, it protects against the formation of free radicals, which can damage our nervous system in particular, which may explain the positive effect on Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease.

If that does not even speak FOR coffee :). Equally important for me is the fact that this drink is a social pleasure, which contributes to additional feelings of happiness when drinking it. What I do take care of, however, is that I do not drink it too late in the evening, as this has a negative effect on the quality of my sleep. I usually drink my coffee before 3 p.m.

WHICH BEANS ARE THE BEST?

If this has convinced you to try coffee again, you are probably wondering which of the countless types of coffee you should choose. My answer is probably already too familiar to you: it depends entirely on you and your preferences. I choose organically grown coffee, which is fair trade. Even if it costs more, it’s worth it to me, because buying it reflects my values. I want to protect the environment as much as I can and I want to give the workers a financial reward for their hard work. I choose highland coffee, which grows in higher and colder areas, so it takes more time to harvest and develop its full aroma. For an intense taste, not too much time should have passed since the bean was roasted and ground. I recommend two weeks for roasting and I often do the grinding myself, as you may have read in my book. Finally, I make sure that the powder is airtight.

When it comes to other benefits, I am also a big fan of Vivo. Vivo is one of the most transparent brands I know. And with their *Magic Ground with Lion’s Mane they have once again outdone themselves. The smell when opening it is super intense and the “magic effect” after drinking it is definitely noticeable to me. (Get 10% discount on everything with ANNELINA10 on your first Vivo order). Let’s get magic *here.

Which coffee do you like to drink? Stay healthy and enjoy it your way.

Your Annelina

Quellen:

1. S Malerba, F Turati, C Galeone, C Pelucchi, F Verga, C La Vecchia, A Tavani. A meta-analysis of prospective studies of coffee consumption and mortality for all causes, cancers and cardiovascular diseases. Eur J Epidemiol. 2013 Jul;28(7):527-39.

2. MS Butt, MT Sultan. Coffee and its consumption: benefits and risks. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr. 2011 Apr;51(4):363-73.

3. AIMS Public Health. 2016 Jun 20;3(2):407-422. doi: 10.3934/publichealth.2016.2.407. eCollection 2016. Beneficial Role of Coffee and Caffeine in Neurodegenerative Diseases: A Minireview. Sc Y, Muralidhara.

4. Nutrients. 2018 Sep 30;10(10). pii: E1386. doi: 10.3390/nu10101386.The Acute Effects of Caffeinated Black Coffee on Cognition and Mood in Healthy Young and Older Adults. Haskell-Ramsay CF, Jackson PA, Forster JS, Dodd FL, Bowerbank SL, Kennedy DO.

5. J Basic Clin Physiol Pharmacol. 2019 Aug 1;30(5). pii: /j/jbcpp.2019.30.issue-5/jbcpp-2018-0119/jbcpp-2018-0119.xml. doi: 10.1515/jbcpp-2018-0119.The acute effects of decaffeinated versus caffeinated coffee on reaction time, mood and skeletal muscle strength. Sane RM, Jadhav PR, Subhedar SN

6. https://espressocoffeeguide.com/quality-coffee/

7. https://www.roastmarket.de/magazin/beste-kaffeebohnen-woran-erkennt-man-gute-qualitaet/