Is Coffee Good or Bad for you?

[Ripred]

Hi Shellycheval, what country are you in? I would be happy to make some suggestions.

I was just reading in Laura's History of the World about the effects of caffeine (see the quote from the book below)... and while I have the aspiration to drop it, I ain't quite there!!!

In the meantime, if we are going to drink it, we can do better than corporate Agri-Swill.

"The caffeine molecule just happens to be the right “shape” for the adenosine receptor. It hops on and binds. But, instead of doing what the adenosine does, it sends a different message or, at the very least, blocks the sleep message from being sent by the real adenosine. In short, it interrupts the natural sleep signal, allowing a lot more cellular waste to accumulate, putting the individual in a state of toxicity, which can eventually lead to a breakdown of health. ......."
(there is more on this in the book!)

 

[mcb]

I have been buying Whole Foods Market's Allegro brand, looking specifically for varieties that are organic and fair trade. Bulletproof Exec's "Upgraded Coffee" is rumored to be pretty good too, although I haven't tried it.

 

[Ripred]

For organic and Bird Friendly certified coffee, the Smithsonian (which does the certification) has a search function for you to find retailers that sell it.
http://nationalzoo.si.edu/scbi/migratorybirds/coffee/search.cfm?type=d
Organic is mostly shade grown but not all shade grown is bird-friendly. Shade grown means there is a canopy above the plants but that canopy can be less than ideal for birds (local and migrating)
The Smithsonian certification is very stringent and means 40% coverage by something like 12 different species of trees that all have to be a certain height.
http://nationalzoo.si.edu/scbi/migratorybirds/coffee/criteria.cfm

Bird-friendly organic may also have the fair trade logo but if it doesn't it doesn't mean it isn't fairly traded.

If you find an organic, shade grown and fair trade that you like that isn't certified bird friendly, you could always write them and ask. Not everyone with shade grown wants to pay the cash to get the Smithsonian logo.

Cafe Fememino coffees are great as they pay women growers a higher than fair-trade wage and provide programs for kids.
http://www.cafefemenino.com/

 

[Yas]

I get so depressed and tired when I try, that I can only crawl up in bed and feel that life is not worth living without

I had stopped drinking coffee for several years before recently experimenting with it again. While I got satisfaction from drinking it, and didn't become too excitable like I used to when going over a certain threshold, I look back at the fact that I came down with not one but two bouts of flu-y sickness (very raw nose, like Laura mentioned, heavy sneezing fits, and feeling stuffy and feverish) in the space of the ten days I was drinking it.

So I've decided at this point that coffee, certainly on a regular basis, is not for me. I wonder if the coffee very subtly compromised my immune system (even though I felt great) and that is how I came down with my first colds in ... well, a long time! In fact, my symptoms could simply have been part of an allergic reaction to the coffee.

Same here...

Luckily I've never been a coffee drinker. I mean, I've never drank it on a regular basis... I always preferred herbal infusions. So I guess I never got addicted to it, but I really enjoyed a cup of coffee once in a while.

Then, when starting the diet changes two years ago I stopped drinking it at all, and recently I've been experimenting with it, drinking one cup 2-3 times a week.

The result: I've got a cold last week, feeling pretty bad and concerned because it had been a long time since I didn't get sick like that. I had pain all over the body, strong migraines and even felt feverish for 3 days. I though my immune system was compromised for some reason and I got a flu like everybody else (it's the "flu season"), But I was still surprised because, as I said, I don't get generalized strong flu symptoms that last for more than some hours since I started changing my diet.

Besides that, I have been feeling some mind fog every morning and a difficulty to concentrate properly, something that I didn't have anymore. I blamed it on some kind of food reaction, since I'm one of those who are super sensitive to very different foods, but didn't think it was the coffee...

Now that I read this (Yes, I guess I arrived late), I realize it could be the coffee. Yesterday I took a cup of it and today I feel this mind fog, fatigue, and difficulty to concentrate...

I also noticed that I got out of my keto balanced state. I crave for carbs again, something that wasn't a problem for me anymore...

So no more coffee for me.

 

[mcb]

...So no more coffee for me.

The coffee might or might not be connected with the things you noticed. If you are looking for trouble with it, there is a good chance you will find it even if it isn't there. You were not drinking much coffee.

Some people find coffee beneficial; others have problems with it. It depends on both the person and the amount consumed, not to mention the quality of the coffee and the effects of anything else you might mix in with it. For me, coffee acts as a mild laxative and helps with some of my adrenal issues -- without any other side effects -- but then I am one of those people that can drink a pot of coffee and then curl up for a nap. I do limit my intake, however, and I know from experience that drinking it all day long causes problems.

 

[Yas]

...So no more coffee for me.

The coffee might or might not be connected with the things you noticed. If you are looking for trouble with it, there is a good chance you will find it even if it isn't there. You were not drinking much coffee.

Yes... I agree.

I wasn't looking for a trouble with coffee specifically...

I just connected my flu symptoms to it since I read this thread yesterday and found that others had reported something similar. AND... one thing that I added to my diet recently was coffee... So... I thought it made sense to think that maybe coffee isn't that good for me, even if I don't drink a lot of it.

But it can certainly be another thing too, as I react to many different foods, as I said. ;)

 

[luc]

Just wanted to share my ecperience with coffee.

Cut it out for about 6 months last year, and then slowly re-introduced it. This is what I found (for me):

- Quality matters: I felt bad after drinking cheap coffee, whereas I didn't have any negative reaction when drinking high-quality organic coffee.

- When I drink too much, I feel bad.

- However, when consumed in little amounts, it seems to have a positive effect on me, it kind of gives a little boost in terms of concentration and general mood

- Because of this "boost", there IS a danger to get addicted to it (again).


So bottom line for me: The occasional cup of pure, black, high-quality organic coffee (made in one of those italian espresso "machines") seems to be benefecial for me, so I drink between one and three cups a week (sometimes none, and sometimes a bit more). But I have to be really careful as to not fall into addictive behaviour. fwiw

 

[Minas Tirith]

I also noticed that I got out of my keto balanced state. I crave for carbs again, something that wasn't a problem for me anymore...

Huh, interesting. I have the same, though never made the connection between the two. I'm down to 2 cups a month anyway, feeling too acidic afterwards.

I recently watched 15 min. of Navy CIS which I had watched extensively about 10 years ago. Seemed to be new episodes and it was remarkable that in almost every scene some-or even everyone was drinking copious amounts of coffee from huge mugs. In this episode the lab girl (forgot name) tried to give up coffee and had severe withdrawal symptoms. Of course it was portrayed as if she did a horrible thing, doing harm to herself, inconveniencing the others, and what was she thinking anyway? Couldn't stand to watch the show until the end, but I am sure she eventually got back into the ranks of her colleagues seemingly getting a lot of benefit from their extensive drinking habits :(

M.T.

 

[mcb]

...- Quality matters: I felt bad after drinking cheap coffee, whereas I didn't have any negative reaction when drinking high-quality organic coffee.

I have read, and I am inclined to believe that low-cost coffee is prone to contamination by mold toxins. The mold itself is gone by the time you buy it, but the toxins it leaves behind do not break down.

...
- However, when consumed in little amounts, it seems to have a positive effect on me, it kind of gives a little boost in terms of concentration and general mood

- Because of this "boost", there IS a danger to get addicted to it (again).
...

Some people seem to be addiction prone, and I have seen any number of people that appear to be addicted to caffeine. They may drink coffee all day when it is available, and they may talk about their dependency as if it were funny ("I have a problem that I am not doing anything about -- ha ha"). I suppose if it worked as well for the brain as nicotine, that might be OK, but I haven't seen any sign of that. At high repeated doses of coffee you might well run into insulin problems, especially if metabolic disease is already present.

A true addiction, however, is characterized by "tolerance" -- the need to consume higher and higher doses to receive the same response. If you receive a small "boost" from the same amount of coffee month after month (as I do), without increasing intake, I don't think you have much to worry about addiction. You should be aware, however, that this may be a way of self-medicating for a problem such as adrenal insufficiency, and you may want to look for a root cause. In my case the adrenal hormone problems are well documented, but I have not been able to discover a cause. I am still working on it. In the mean time, a little coffee in the morning helps.

 

[Ollie]

...- Quality matters: I felt bad after drinking cheap coffee, whereas I didn't have any negative reaction when drinking high-quality organic coffee.

I have read, and I am inclined to believe that low-cost coffee is prone to contamination by mold toxins. The mold itself is gone by the time you buy it, but the toxins it leaves behind do not break down.

Yes, I've restricted myself to Brazilian coffee beans only, for this very reason (and thanks to whoever it was that recommended South American, and selected ones at that, only).

...
- However, when consumed in little amounts, it seems to have a positive effect on me, it kind of gives a little boost in terms of concentration and general mood

- Because of this "boost", there IS a danger to get addicted to it (again).
...

...

A true addiction, however, is characterized by "tolerance" -- the need to consume higher and higher doses to receive the same response. If you receive a small "boost" from the same amount of coffee month after month (as I do), without increasing intake, I don't think you have much to worry about addiction. ... a little coffee in the morning helps.

I've found the same, morning only, 500ml with clotted cream, and for my age it definitely helps, particularly with elimination.

 

[Jono]

I thought I'd post some of my experiences with coffee :)

I cut it out for about 4 months, but recently tried a few cups of rolyateel's high quality coffee one morning. It did improve my concentration when reading in an active environment (in a long car ride).

However when I participated in a group EE session the day after I was burning up during the pipe breathing, and I can only really relate this to my body detoxing the caffeine. Now I think back on it I may have over done it on the caffeine for that day, as I'm not really used to it.

I'm going to try one or two small cups per week and report back, to see if I can get the concentration effect without the crashing/burning up reaction to it.

...- Quality matters: I felt bad after drinking cheap coffee, whereas I didn't have any negative reaction when drinking high-quality organic coffee.

I certainly think this is the case for me. Freeze dried coffee, no matter what the quality, always gives me stomach ache.

 

[SovereignDove]

Sharing my story of caffeine:
I have been drinking coffee for about 20 years (since the age of ten), and am attempting to wean myself off of it. I realize that for me, the caffeine is an addiction. Throughout that time period of drinking coffee, I averaged about 2 pots of coffee each day (a pot is about 12 cups, and in each cup of 8 ounces, the caffeine level can vary from 80 and 135 milligrams, according to energyfiend.com) which I realize is excessive. Sometimes the coffee was organic or high quality, and sometimes it was not, or the source was not known (as in a restaurant).

In 2011 I stopped drinking coffee all together for 6 months. I had stopped because each time I drank a cup of coffee I would vomit. Perhaps my body was trying to tell me something? I switched to yerba mate during that time period, but was still consuming about the same amount of yerba mate as I had been consuming coffee. Coffee was less expensive so I went back to drinking coffee.

As far as my tolerance for caffeine goes, I do not get much of a boost from coffee, even after consuming two pots I am tired, but awake. It is definitely time to kick the habit, as the people around me have encouraged me to do so for years (well, the people who do not consume as much coffee anyway). Their statements were generally, "I've never seen someone drink as much coffee as you do", and ,"I think you should stop drinking so much coffee".

I had thought coffee was basically harmless, but after reading this thread I realize it is not. I was one of the people Megan describes:

Some people seem to be addiction prone, and I have seen any number of people that appear to be addicted to caffeine. They may drink coffee all day when it is available, and they may talk about their dependency as if it were funny ("I have a problem that I am not doing anything about -- ha ha"). .

Yesterday after reading this thread and drinking a cup of coffee, I began to vomit from it again (although the quantity has been cut down). A week or so of withdrawl symptoms like headaches, mental fogginess, and irritability await me but it will be worth it, for my health.

 

[Minas Tirith]

Hello SovereignDove,

I applaud your intention to quit.

Pick a weekend since the first two days are the worst (but you know that).
When I quit for the first time I could virtually do nothing than lying curled up in bed.
Taking Epsom Baths helped too.
Plan something nice for that weekend like reading a good book or listen to the Sott Radio Shows as a distraction.

Good luck!

M.T.

 

[SovereignDove]

Hello SovereignDove,

I applaud your intention to quit.

Pick a weekend since the first two days are the worst (but you know that).
When I quit for the first time I could virtually do nothing than lying curled up in bed.
Taking Epsom Baths helped too.
Plan something nice for that weekend like reading a good book or listen to the Sott Radio Shows as a distraction.

Good luck!

M.T.

Thanks for the advice Minas Truth! I was planning on quitting Sunday(which is also when I should run out of the coffee grounds I have), since I have the day off, and work nights the following three days. Then I will have the time to get up without the caffeine. The distraction of reading or listening to Sott Radio Shows should surely help myself to "forget" my withdrawl symptoms. I had not thought about Epsom Baths, and I think I will try that. I ran out of Epsom salts last week, so it is time to get more to help with the detoxing.

 

[Ollie]

... Perhaps my body was trying to tell me something? ...

It always pays to 'listen' to what your body is 'telling' you, after all, your body knows better than 'you'.