Many people struggle with wondering if they need to quit coffee or not.
And since some people say it has incredible benefits to health and longevity, while others are 100% sure it’s poison, it can be really difficult to figure out what works for you.
So, let’s first dispel the idea that it’s poison. People have been drinking coffee for quite a long time, and some of them lived very long, healthy lives. In part, thanks to coffee’s very healthy benefits for the human body and mind. It’s clearly not a poison, although in the wrong circumstances it could feel like it.
What are those circumstances?
Someone who has overworked their adrenals and stress hormones is not going to feel well when they drink coffee.
Someone who does not eat enough carbohydrates, or often enough (i.e. intermittent fasting), especially when drinking caffeine, is not going to feel well drinking coffee.
Someone who is not sleeping well is going to feel worse from coffee, and sleep worse, too.
Someone who has stomach problems is definitely not going to feel well after a cup of coffee on an empty stomach.
I used to fit into all of these categories, and yes, I decided to quit coffee until I could figure out how to stop feeling worse when I drank coffee. My thyroid got its butt kicked by drinking Bulletproof coffee without sugar instead of eating food every morning for a few years, and a ton of my hair fell out. Don’t do that!
If you’re drinking coffee and feel fine, there’s absolutely no reason to stop. You may want to consider a few simple tips that can keep you enjoying coffee for many years to come:
- Never drink coffee on an empty stomach
- Always drink coffee after you’ve had breakfast that includes carbs and protein to maintain blood sugar levels
- Always drink coffee with enough sugar (or honey or maple syrup) so your body has fuel to support the increase in metabolism from caffeine
- Do your best to only drink high quality, fresh roasted, organic coffee without artificial crap in it
That’s it! I have seen how just following these simple rules has allowed me and many others to start enjoying coffee again without any undesirable consequences. That’s because caffeine triggers an increase in our bodies metabolic functions, as in it starts burning more energy and you feel that boost. But if there’s not enough fuel to burn because you haven’t eaten any carbs yet, that is going to trigger a stress response. That means cortisol, and a process called gluconeogenesis where the body manufactures sugar out of itself and actually creates excessive blood sugar levels. Over time, it also creates the conditions of diabetes by reducing our sensitivity to insulin.
The question is not “should I quit coffee,” but “am I unwittingly creating the conditions of metabolic dysfunction that drinking coffee makes far more obvious?”
Now that we’ve stopped making these unfortunate mistakes, we can enjoy the myriad benefits of coffee. For one, it helps prevent iron overload, which is incredibly valuable in our pursuit of health! When we drink coffee with sugar, collagen and cream, it’s a great pre- or post-workout drink that will support burning fat and recovery. Most importantly, it’s delicious and pleasurable. Things that are delicious and pleasurable (and not synthetic frankenfoods) are absolutely critical to our enjoyment of life.
Proven benefits of coffee:
- Longevity, reduced risk of stroke, heart disease, diabetes and kidney disease
- Improves blood sugar regulation
- Reduces risk of neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s
- Protects the liver
- Reduces risk of certain cancers and protects against DNA damage