You know, I posted a photo of this decaf latte on my Facebook wall the other day and someone immediately jumped to tell me that caffeine was actually healthy and there’s no reason to stop consuming it.
That person is either disillusioned or lucky, I don’t know which. Either she has never been off caffeine and felt the difference in her body OR caffeine doesn’t affect her like it does other people.
Whatever. I’m not saying caffeine is the devil and must be avoided at all costs.
There may even be some mild health benefits. Studies are always showing that, right? Regardless, I think we are better off not consuming it regularly, for several reasons:
1. Most obviously, caffeine is addictive. It’s really hard to quit and when you do, you get withdrawal symptoms. It’s a drug, man.
2. Caffeine puts you on a roller coaster. Super perky and then ready to drop dead. Little Miss Sunshine and then pissed off. I find that people are much happier with sustained levels of energy and even moods throughout the day even if it means giving up those caffeinated highs. You would be surprised how different (and good, truly good) it feels.
3. Caffeine is liquid stress. It forces your adrenal glands into overdrive, similar to the way your body would react if you came face to face with a tiger. Doesn’t matter how tired you are – you would run! It’s cool that the body can override a need for rest in order to save itself. It’s not cool to abuse this function. Talk about tiring yourself out. And aren’t we all stressed out enough?
Oh, but I do love coffee. The flavor, the ritual. I drink a lot of herbal tea instead and also love Dandy Blend for the roasty coffee-like flavor.
But when I really want coffee, I look for an organic, Swiss Water Processed decaf. (Look for these designations on the label. Whole Foods makes one!) Organic is about the way the coffee beans are grown. The decaffeination process that happens afterwards? Here’s what the Swiss Water Process website says:
People drink decaffeinated coffee for a variety of reasons. However, it’s important to know that decaffeination methods vary. Most use chemical solvents such as methylene chloride or ethyl acetate to strip caffeine molecules from the green coffee bean. And some leave behind more caffeine than you would think.
Whether you make this drink with regular or decaf, I think you’re gonna love it.
- 1 cup brewed Swiss Water Processed decaf coffee
- ⅓ - ½ cup coconut milk (room temperature works best)
- 1 Tbl. raw honey
- 1 tsp. cacao or cocoa powder
- ¼ tsp. vanilla
- Whizz all ingredients together in a blender.