Earlier this year a study published in JAMA concluded that coffee drinking reduced mortality (even for those drinking 8 or more cups/day and those with a genetic mutation that impacts the rate of caffeine metabolism). According to these finding, it didn't matter whether we are drinking decaf or regular, both are beneficial. Yahoo for coffee!
There are strategies that can maximize these benefits. Take a look at these suggestions, and give a few a try!
1. Buy Organic Decaffeinated Coffee
Whether you get an upset stomach from regular coffee, just want to wait until you’ve been up for a few hours, when your cortisol levels tend to be lower, or find that regular coffee impacts your sleep quality, you might be one of the people who prefer decaffeinated coffee. There are, also, a variety of decaffeination processes. The Swiss Water Process is known to avoid chemicals that have potential cancer causing effects, and the easiest way to know that you are getting water processed coffee is to buy organic beans.
Photo by Devin Avery on Unsplash
2. Buy High Altitude, single origin, Central or South American Coffee
The relatively cooler temperatures at the high altitudes creates more coffee flavor and a denser and harder bean, through the resulting slow growth of the coffee fruit. In addition, at higher altitudes, it can be harder for certain pests and diseases to thrive. With blends, roasters can take a very small portion of a high quality source and mix it with a poor quality and still call it quality, so in addition to beans grown at high elevations look for single origin coffee. Finally, beans that come from Central and South America are usually processed in a way that reduces the mold contamination on the beans. A study has found that 91.7% of all beans are contaminated with molds. Ochratoxin A, the most common mold in coffee, has been shown in humans, when at high levels, to cause a number of health issues: cancer, suppressed immune system, and even contribute to early onset Parkinson's and Alzheimer's.
Photo in Guatemala by Parker Dellis at https://www.parkerdellisphotography.com/
3. Add cinnamon and/or Chocolate to your coffee
There are many benefits to eating cinnamon, including its impact on neurodegenerative diseases, blood sugar, cancer reduction, and our cardiovascular system. While chocolate is known to benefit gut health, our cardiovascular health, and brain health. There are some important details on what kind of cinnamon and chocolate to use, so to head to previous blogs, click on the blue words for each.
Photo by Erwan Hesry on Unsplash
4. Drink Your dark roast and try it black
When is comes to reducing our chances of Alzheimer's and Parkinson's, the phenylindanes in coffee are what inhibit the toxic protein build up that is a key factor in these neurodegenerative conditions. Phenylindanes increase during the roasting process, so look for dark roast, which is roasted the longest, for an added brain boost. Although the research is not settled, some studies show that adding milk to coffee could reduce the absorption of antioxidants by up to 30%. This is attributed to the casein protein in milk. Sugar, without a doubt, takes a healthy drink and turn it into a cheat!
5. Drink your coffee with MTC oil
Medium-chain triglyceride (MCT) oil contains medium-length chains of fats, most commonly extracted from coconut oil, that are easily digested and have many health benefits. MTC oil can promote weight loss, increase fullness and potentially improving your gut biome. MCTs are also a great source of energy and may fight bacterial overgrowth, help protect your heart and aid in managing diabetes, and neurodegenerative diseases. Blending 1-2 tablespoons/day to our coffee is a convenient way to take advantage of all the health benefits MCTs have to offer.
Santa Monica, CA August 2018
How to strategize your “coffee drinking” schedule…
One strategy might include starting the day with organic decaffeinated coffee and cinnamon, which is not likely to break your time-restricted eating (more on TRE here). Then later drink regular dark roast with MTC oil (and some cocoa/Stevia). According to neuroscientist Steven L. Miller, a postdoctoral research fellow at the Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, drinking coffee when we are already "wired up" from the natural rise in cortisol levels will create extra stress. In contrast, drinking coffee when our cortisol levels are low, helps to give us steady strong energy levels. He suggests the best time to have caffeine is 3-5 hours after getting out of bed, which is after the first spike of cortisol levels and before the mid-day spike.
“Given enough coffee, I could rule the world!”
Wendy Dellis is a certified wellness coach. She joins years of training and work in the area of behavior change, experience as a fitness instructor and run club coordinator with a passion for adventure and people. She lives in Minnesota with her husband, Jay, and two sons.
Cold house is great for sleeping, but another reason I need my morning decaf!
The information contained on this page is for general information purposes only. Nothing here should be construed as medical or healthcare advice, but only topics for discussion. No physician-patient relationship exists; please consult your physician before making changes in diet or lifestyle.