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The Culture of Coffee Drinkers
Grown Ups and Coffee
By 1988 only 50 percent of the adult American population drank coffee. In 1962, average coffee consumption was 3.12 cups per day; by 1991 had dropped to 1.75 cups per day.
At the onset of the 1980s, coffee growers and retailers realized that the current 20-29-year-old generation had little interest in coffee, which they associated with their parents and grandparents.
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Coffee in moderation
Coffee was once believed to be a possible carcinogen. However, the evidence is consistent that coffee in moderation is associated with a lower risk of mortality.
Research found moderate ...
The way coffee is prepared matters
- Roasting reduces the number of chlorogenic acids, but other antioxidant compounds are formed.
- Instant coffee may not have the same health benefits.
- The oil in boiled coffee has cafestol and kahweol, compounds known to raise LDL, the bad cholesterol, and slightly lower HDL, the good cholesterol. However, the clinical significance of such small increases in cholesterol may be questionable.
Coffee and caffeine
- A typical 12-ounce serving of drip coffee has 200 milligrams of caffeine.
- Instant coffee has 140 milligrams of caffeine.
- Espresso has the highest concentration of caffeine, 70 milligrams per one-ounce shot, but is consumed in smaller quantities.
- Brewed decaf has caffeine too - about 8 milligrams.
- Some people have a genetic variant that slows their metabolism for caffeine and keeps them awake deep into the night.
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Key Ideas
Coffee brewing
In years passed, coffee drinkers didn't know how coffee was produced or brewed. Coffee was cheap, tasted bitter, and was purposed for medicine or fuel. But over the decades, coffee has ...
Spending a bit more money on coffee
High-quality coffee is more expensive, and spending a bit more means your coffee is more likely to be ethically produced.
Coffee producers have historically been exploited, and even fair trade prices are not always enough. Where possible, buy your coffee from roasters who purchase their beans ethically.
Drink thoughtfully prepared cups
- Coffee stays fresh only for a limited time. The person making it must know how to brew it properly.
- Even the best beans brewed the wrong way can produce a bad cup of coffee.
- To enjoy coffee, look for places with lots of information about their coffee displayed, and/or staff who can answer your questions about the coffee.
- To brew at home, you're best off learning how to brew well by hand, using a kettle to boil water and one of the dozens of manual coffee devices available on the market.
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Key Ideas
Coffee is better in group tasks
A recent study found that if you have coffee before a conversation, it will actually make you focus better and feel better about the people you are talking to.
The ideal time to drink coffee
If you want to maximize the benefits of caffeine, you should have your first cup about four hours after you wake up.
You are naturally alert when you wake up because your cortisol levels are high. So drinking caffeine first thing is just going to make the drop even harder a few hours later.
Coffee has the potential to extend your lifespan
According to studies, coffee drinkers have a slightly lower risk of death over 10 years (10 to 15%) than those who don't drink it regularly.