Say Yes to Moderate Coffee Consumption

Coffee lovers indulge in java consumption for different reasons. Some can’t escape the warm, pleasant feeling that their favorite roasts give them. Others have adopted their coffee drinking habit over the years as a staple in their daily schedule, no matter the season, mood, or occasion. Still others seek the effects of productivity and readiness when faced with an all-nighter or other timely tasks for which our good old natural energy level may not be enough, but is provided by an espresso or other cup of coffee. But are these, just some of the reasons people drink coffee, merely masking the true reality of why some people pick up the coffee mug over a soda can?

We know that coffee is not hands-down the healthiest beverage in the world but is it all that bad? The words “healthy” and “healthiest” have almost lost their semantic value over the years, in a twenty-first century world that promotes a new diet every hour and invites its citizens to do jumping jacks backwards on one foot in order to meet their latest health and fitness goals. Who can make sense of all the studies, the articles, the gossip, and the first hand stories we hear from a chorus of informers? But when it comes to coffee, there are some quintessential truths about how it affects our health and my personal belief, as it covers the scope of how to live a healthy life, is that one must never forget the concept of MODERATION, and employ it daily.

Sure, a few cups of coffee a day, whether it be espresso, a raspberry mocha, or a café au lait, could easily be replaced with a vitamin-filled fruit drink or water even as a healthier alternative, but where’s the fun in that? Fun should be had in doses, in moderation, and as occasional alternative to otherwise sound choices. To avoid the jittery feelings associated with overconsumption and withdrawal, moderation in coffee consumption is key but also imperative to being a healthy coffee drinker. You know that adding that chocolate or whole milk to your cup does not need to happen every time you order, and in that awareness, you can comfortably continue to be a coffee lover without crossing the line into unhealthy behavior.

Although I mocked the bombardment of the latest studies and diets in our society, it’s important to note that coffee has been linked with battling anxiety and depression, maximizing overall performances for both physical and mental tasks, and protecting us from several diseases. The antioxidants and fiber content found in most coffee cups actually assist in fighting off heart disease and stimulate the mind’s alertness and attentiveness, at least temporarily. To rely on any one thing or person to be everything we need or want is not healthy. Anyone who has read or watched a self-help book or program, respectively, could tell you this. So to always rely on coffee to give you the mental and physical fertility you seek is to abuse the privilege and cross the line into unhealthy mental and physical behavior. Stick to your moderate ways and coffee drinking could be the healthiest thing you do all day, but let’s hope not.