For any coffee fanatic, coffee is love, coffee is life. Even those who do not care for the taste would most likely not live without the occasional cup of java. In fact, 72% of Canadians aged 18-79 consume at least one cup of coffee per day. This is an extravagant amount when taking into consideration that only 65% of Canadians from that same age category consume at least one glass of water per day. Now although coffee is the equivalent of holy water to most Canadians, with Tim Hortons and Starbucks locations lining every street corner, we have the Arabian Peninsula to thank for the discovery of this magical drink.
The National Coffee Association explains that while coffee was only found in regions such as Yemeni during the 15th century, it quickly spread to Persia, Egypt, Syria, and Turkey as early as the 16th century. After knowledge of the so called, “wine of Araby” began to spread, European travelers sought to bring this mysterious beverage to their continent. Not long after, coffee, “replace[d] the common breakfast drink beverages of the time – beer and wine.” The energizing properties of coffee were celebrated, leading to many coffee houses popping up to satisfy the demand. This demand only continued to grow as more and more people discovered the benefits of drinking coffee for alertness and mental clarity.
Now in understanding why people love to drink this strange, dark brown, bitter substance, we must take a look at the long-term psychological effects of coffee on the brain. Scientists have discovered that positive reinforcement may be at the forefront of caffeine addiction. This is because the stimulation one receives upon drinking coffee allows the drinker to acquire a taste for the drink as they begin to associate the bitterness of coffee with the feeling of energy.
The way that caffeine works is simple; it belongs to a category of stimulants that affect the central nervous system (CNS). Throughout the day, your CNS regulates and monitors the level of adenosine found in your body. This is because adenosine is responsible for keeping you alert and awake, meaning once your levels of this compound begin to drop, your body knows it is time to start winding down. However, this process can be interrupted if one chooses to consume any form of caffeine. Upon drinking a cup of coffee, the caffeine attaches to your body’s adenosine receptors and tricks the CNS into remaining awake and alert, just as though high levels of adenosine were present. After about 5-6 hours post-caffeine consumption, your body will have metabolized most of the caffeine, meaning there are fewer molecules occupying the adenosine receptors and you will once again begin feeling relaxed and sleepy.
Now if you’re trying to fight that sleepy feeling, then it is worth knowing that certain types of coffee drinks are better suited to providing you long-lasting energy than others. For starters, there are two kinds of coffee beans: Arabica and Robusta. Arabica beans are more common as they are higher quality and have a sweeter, less bitter taste than Robusta beans. That being said, popularity does not always equal superiority. In fact, Robusta beans have approximately double the amount of caffeine compared to Arabica. If you are looking to find Robusta coffee beans, the best place to look may be store brand coffee in budget-friendly grocery stores, as much of their coffee is sourced at the cheapest market value.
If you are looking to get the most bang for your buck at the nearest coffee shop, then your best bet is a regular drip coffee. While this may seem like the wrong choice when espresso is an option, unless you intend on starting your day throwing back multiple shots of espresso, there is a much higher pay off with either a medium or large cup of coffee. This is because, even though espresso shots have a higher concentration of caffeine per ounce, there is a lot more volume in a drip coffee. If your regular cup is any larger than 10 ounces, you’re getting more caffeine per cup than a double shot of espresso. Regardless, if you are looking for a midday boost to keep energized, the best course of action is to stay away from the fancy, eye-grabbing frappuccino- style beverages, and you should be good to go- at least for the next 5-6 hours that is.
By Alanna Munjal
Please note that opinions expressed are the author’s own. They do not necessarily reflect the views and values of The Blank Page.
