Author Topic: Why do you drink coffee?  (Read 22614 times)

marielle

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Why do you drink coffee?
« on: January 31, 2017, 11:56:29 AM »
This might seem like a silly question, but I genuinely am curious! Caffeine, even in tea upsets my stomach. And I never really liked the taste of coffee unless it had a lot of creamer/sugar. But maybe I'm just not used to it? It seems that people refuse to cut out coffee for money-saving purposes, so maybe I'm missing out on life...

Why do you drink coffee? For the caffeine, taste, both? Are you actively trying to quit?

Did you always like it or is it really an acquired taste? If my body doesn't like coffee, is that something I will get used to over time?

How much do you spend on coffee in a year (including cost of coffee maker, cups, creamer, etc)? Is it slowing your retirement? What are some frugal ways to drink coffee? Bulk order online, etc?

Kris

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Re: Why do you drink coffee?
« Reply #1 on: January 31, 2017, 11:59:37 AM »
Delicious, delicious coffee. Love the smell, love the heat, love the taste.

I've liked it since I was about... 16? I've always drunk it black.

I don't think I drink it for the caffeine -- though it does "wake me up", I think that's mainly a psychological effect. It sets me in the mood to wake up and start getting things done. When I don't drink it, e.g. on the weekends, I have no withdrawal symptoms or anything like that.

fatcow240

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Re: Why do you drink coffee?
« Reply #2 on: January 31, 2017, 12:04:04 PM »
I drink a few cups of coffee a week.  It's not a daily habit. 

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Why do you drink coffee? For the caffeine, taste, both? Are you actively trying to quit?
Caffeine and taste.  No.

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Did you always like it or is it really an acquired taste? If my body doesn't like coffee, is that something I will get used to over time?
It was an acquired taste.  There is definitely coffee I do and don't like. It has never upset my stomach.

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How much do you spend on coffee in a year (including cost of coffee maker, cups, creamer, etc)?
I spend about $50/year.  My wife spends significantly more. (She does like Starbucks.)

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Is it slowing your retirement? What are some frugal ways to drink coffee? Bulk order online, etc?
Anything I spend slows my retirement if it doesn't have a financial return.  I think that my future self will not be upset with my choice to enjoy coffee today.


sailinlight

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Re: Why do you drink coffee?
« Reply #3 on: January 31, 2017, 12:04:55 PM »
- There seems to be  medical research showing health benefits.
- I get it free at work, so I spend very little on it.  I drink it black and use a French press at home, so it costs very little anyway.  I would say maybe $.10 or less a cup?
- I tried coffee only a few times before I was in my late 20s and hated it.  For some reason, one day I tried it at work, maybe I was tired that day, and it wasn't so bad.  Been drinking several cups a day ever since.

Luke Warm

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Re: Why do you drink coffee?
« Reply #4 on: January 31, 2017, 12:08:34 PM »
i couldn't figure out coffee for the longest time. the swill that my parents and co-workers drank was horrid. i would have a small cup in the morning and load it down sugar and powdered creamer just to get the morning going. however after i had my first truly good cup of coffee i was hooked. i wish i could remember where i got it but it was so smooth and dry. my gf has always had good coffee but a few years ago i started roasting my own beans. it's super easy and the coffee tastes pretty good. i like waking up and going through the routine of boiling water and hand grinding the beans. i also like having something warm to drink in the morning. i like it with some half and half or brenden's but i've become a bit sensitive to milk products so i just use liquid creamer. i remind myself how bad coffee can get by drinking some here at the office. ick.

marielle

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Re: Why do you drink coffee?
« Reply #5 on: January 31, 2017, 12:11:22 PM »
Anything I spend slows my retirement if it doesn't have a financial return.

Fair point! This statement really makes you evaluate your spending. Although I have very little fat to trim from my spending as it is...

It certainly is possible that I've never had a good cup of coffee (maybe I should stay blissfully ignorant?).

tarheeldan

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Re: Why do you drink coffee?
« Reply #6 on: January 31, 2017, 12:14:12 PM »
  • I'm addicted
  • Purported health benefits in moderation
  • It gets things um, moving, in the morning
  • Smells good
  • Tastes good

Cromacster

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Re: Why do you drink coffee?
« Reply #7 on: January 31, 2017, 12:25:16 PM »
It certainly is possible that I've never had a good cup of coffee (maybe I should stay blissfully ignorant?).

That's possible, but it's acquired taste.  The more you drink it, the more you can learn to appreciate and enjoy it.

I typically only drink coffee at work where it's free (decent coffee at that too).  It's a comforting drink to have in the morning, especially in the winter.  There is something to the body or texture of coffee that I enjoy that can't be replicated by tea or other warm beverages.

About once a month I will make coffee at home.  I use a pour over chemex and I like to think of it as meditation time.  Measuring and grinding the beans.  Heat up the water.  Not boiling, just before.  Bloom the grounds and wait.  Once settled gently pour water in a swirling motion without touching the edges.  Keep repeating until the desired amount of coffee is brewed, but do not let the process last too long.  If you do, tannins will ruin your drink.  freaken tanins

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Re: Why do you drink coffee?
« Reply #8 on: January 31, 2017, 12:30:04 PM »
This might seem like a silly question, but I genuinely am curious! Caffeine, even in tea upsets my stomach. And I never really liked the taste of coffee unless it had a lot of creamer/sugar. But maybe I'm just not used to it? It seems that people refuse to cut out coffee for money-saving purposes, so maybe I'm missing out on life...

Why do you drink coffee? For the caffeine, taste, both? Are you actively trying to quit?

Although it's quite tasty, I drink coffee pretty rarely these days.  I might have some before heading out on a four or five hour bike ride because I seem to go further and harder . . . but that's about it.


Did you always like it or is it really an acquired taste? If my body doesn't like coffee, is that something I will get used to over time?

I started drinking coffee with a lot of sugar and milk in highschool.  Over time I stopped liking the sugar in the coffee, and eventually dropped the milk too.  It got to the point where I was drinking about two pots a day in university, but I kicked the habit (and suffered painful withdrawal for a week or two afterwards).


How much do you spend on coffee in a year (including cost of coffee maker, cups, creamer, etc)? Is it slowing your retirement? What are some frugal ways to drink coffee? Bulk order online, etc?

Coffee is not slowing my retirement.

Beans are very cheap at Costco and last for ages if you seal them tightly in the bag and freeze them, only taking them out/grinding them when you need some coffee.  I drink my coffee black.  The french press we've got has been kicking around since university, and is my preferred method to prepare coffee.  You just need any old mug for coffee, so it's not like special cups were purchased for it.

renata ricotta

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Re: Why do you drink coffee?
« Reply #9 on: January 31, 2017, 12:41:03 PM »
I did not start drinking coffee until I was ~25, when I left a religion that prohibits it.

1. Drink it in equal measure for the taste, caffeine, AND the warmth/coziness, which goes hand-in-hand with the soothing qualities of having a daily morning ritual and moment to enjoy something simple without stressing or rushing. Not actively trying to quit, but make sure to stick to only one per day (unless I have an unusually late night ahead), to avoid jitters, gastrointestinal distress, and to go to sleep quickly. After that I drink mint tea or water.
2. Definitely an acquired taste (took me probably 6 months to not make a face).
3. $100-200? I like a local roaster from my home state best, and a pound bag runs about $8-9 bucks (shoutout to Caffe Ibis roasting company, all coffee lovers should try it). But most days I don't make it at home, I drink free work coffee. On the other hand, I also have occasional Starbucks runs while traveling (sometimes reimburseable, sometimes not), or to get in facetime with my bosses who want to grab coffee in the afternoons sometimes.  I do not consider this to be slowing my retirement at all (but my retirement is coming along quickly due to a high income, not by slashing all unnecessary expenses to the bone, so YMMV).

Mezzie

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Re: Why do you drink coffee?
« Reply #10 on: January 31, 2017, 12:46:04 PM »
I have decaf coffee or tea in the morning because I like having a hot drink. That's seriously the only reason. I like my hot water flavored, so I alternate coffees and teas.

Sailor Sam

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Re: Why do you drink coffee?
« Reply #11 on: January 31, 2017, 12:47:43 PM »
My friends started drinking coffee in late highschool, but I thought it was gross.

After college, I started standing a 4-on, 8-off shift. I got 4-6 hours of sleep each night, and turned to coffee out of desperation. It was warm, semi-entertaining, and helped me stay awake. I didn't love the taste, but lots of cream and sugar made it tolerable.

I did shift work for 3 years, and went to regular hours. My coffee consumption fell. I didn't have a preparation rig at home or work. But 2-3 times per week I'd go to Starbucks with a co-worker. My primary motivation was to breakup the workday, but I'd started to have trouble with dairy. Cutting out the cream let me develop a taste for black coffee. 

Back to shift work, but I was older, and it was harder. I drank a lot of coffee. Then back to regular work, but I'd developed a hardcore habit. Black, deep, and delicious. I stop for lent each year. It's hard, and reminds me I have no desire to quit long-term.

To quote tarheeldan, my motivations in order of importance

1. I'm addicted. Physically to the caffeine, and mentally to the habit of comfort
2. I like the taste, feel, and ritual.
3. It's probably better than smoking.

marielle

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Re: Why do you drink coffee?
« Reply #12 on: January 31, 2017, 12:56:53 PM »
My friends started drinking coffee in late highschool, but I thought it was gross.

After college, I started standing a 4-on, 8-off shift. I got 4-6 hours of sleep each night, and turned to coffee out of desperation. It was warm, semi-entertaining, and helped me stay awake. I didn't love the taste, but lots of cream and sugar made it tolerable.

I did shift work for 3 years, and went to regular hours. My coffee consumption fell. I didn't have a preparation rig at home or work. But 2-3 times per week I'd go to Starbucks with a co-worker. My primary motivation was to breakup the workday, but I'd started to have trouble with dairy. Cutting out the cream let me develop a taste for black coffee. 

Back to shift work, but I was older, and it was harder. I drank a lot of coffee. Then back to regular work, but I'd developed a hardcore habit. Black, deep, and delicious. I stop for lent each year. It's hard, and reminds me I have no desire to quit long-term.

To quote tarheeldan, my motivations in order of importance

1. I'm addicted. Physically to the caffeine, and mentally to the habit of comfort
2. I like the taste, feel, and ritual.
3. It's probably better than smoking.

Sometimes I'm amazed I made it through undergrad without regular caffeine. I had caffeine but very rarely, maybe during times when I pulled all nighters. Took a 200 mg caffeine pill once--worst mistake of my life. I was shaking for hours. I had lots of days with 4-6 hours of sleep, but I snuck in 20 min naps on campus here and there. I think if I made it through engineering school without a caffeine addiction, I could make it through anything else sleep-deprivation related. Of course it might change when I get older and it definitely wasn't easy without caffeine.

I laughed at "It's probably better than smoking."

brute

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Re: Why do you drink coffee?
« Reply #13 on: January 31, 2017, 01:06:19 PM »
I started drinking coffee when I lived in Amsterdam. Late nights and early mornings were rough and it was the first time I ever really used caffeine as a drug to get me moving. After a few months I got used to the taste and got to where I liked it a lot.

Now, I drink 20 oz a day. I spend about $55 a year on coffee. It's a nice morning ritual. I drink it black in the morning, with cream at night (decaf at that point though).

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Re: Why do you drink coffee?
« Reply #14 on: January 31, 2017, 01:06:55 PM »
I drink coffee mostly as a vehicle for whipped cream.  (Once our admin just brought me a starbucks cup of whipped cream- that was just as good.)

I only get it when I'm traveling on expense, then it is an incredible sugary vanilla goodness. (I actually like the vanilla coldbrew from starbucks too- but only with a lot of extra vanilla, so again, it's just a vehicle for sugar.)

At home and work, I drink water.

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Re: Why do you drink coffee?
« Reply #15 on: January 31, 2017, 01:19:39 PM »
Sometimes I'm amazed I made it through undergrad without regular caffeine. I had caffeine but very rarely, maybe during times when I pulled all nighters. Took a 200 mg caffeine pill once--worst mistake of my life. I was shaking for hours. I had lots of days with 4-6 hours of sleep, but I snuck in 20 min naps on campus here and there. I think if I made it through engineering school without a caffeine addiction, I could make it through anything else sleep-deprivation related. Of course it might change when I get older and it definitely wasn't easy without caffeine.

One time in engineering school I stayed up all night cramming for an 8am fluid dynamics test.  I drank lots of coffee and monster energy drink.  About 5 minutes into the test I had to pee like race horse.  Finished the test in 15 minutes time and hustled to bathroom.  The irony was thick....

zoltani

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Re: Why do you drink coffee?
« Reply #16 on: January 31, 2017, 01:42:47 PM »
It's a socially accepted psychoactive substance. It is highly addictive. It isn't grown within 2000 miles of me.

It tastes ok once you get used to it, find the right beans and the right brew method. I drink out of habit.

See this comical honest ad about coffee:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ovhbT-Iulc

I honestly think if tomorrow we woke up and there was no coffee in existence there would be blood in the streets.

marielle

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Re: Why do you drink coffee?
« Reply #17 on: January 31, 2017, 01:53:05 PM »
See this comical honest ad about coffee:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ovhbT-Iulc

I love it! It's mind blogging how rampant coffee addiction is, but no one bats an eye at it. People just look at you weird if you don't drink it.

zoltani

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Re: Why do you drink coffee?
« Reply #18 on: January 31, 2017, 01:53:54 PM »
See this comical honest ad about coffee:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ovhbT-Iulc

I love it! It's mind blogging how rampant coffee addiction is, but no one bats an eye at it. People just look at you weird if you don't drink it.

Here, have a hot cup of your personality!

marielle

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Re: Why do you drink coffee?
« Reply #19 on: January 31, 2017, 01:58:34 PM »
See this comical honest ad about coffee:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ovhbT-Iulc

I love it! It's mind blogging how rampant coffee addiction is, but no one bats an eye at it. People just look at you weird if you don't drink it.

Here, have a hot cup of your personality!

Don't delve into the YouTube comments on the video. There's people saying that there is no significant scientific evidence that coffee is addictive. Hilarious.

fatcow240

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Re: Why do you drink coffee?
« Reply #20 on: January 31, 2017, 02:21:05 PM »
Anything I spend slows my retirement if it doesn't have a financial return.

Fair point! This statement really makes you evaluate your spending. Although I have very little fat to trim from my spending as it is...

It certainly is possible that I've never had a good cup of coffee (maybe I should stay blissfully ignorant?).

I wouldn't say stay blissfully ignorant.  Just don't get hooked on spending $5 per cup.  I was blissfully ignorant to wine in my 20s.  I can appreciate a $30 bottle of wine now, and will buy one now and then.  I mainly stick to the box wine.

Coffee is cheap.  Even expensive beans aren't really that expensive.  You can by a 1/2 lb of fancy beans ($4-$10) and a french press ($10-$20) and get a good amount of enjoyment.

HPstache

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Re: Why do you drink coffee?
« Reply #21 on: January 31, 2017, 02:27:39 PM »

Why do you drink coffee? For the caffeine, taste, both? Are you actively trying to quit?

Did you always like it or is it really an acquired taste? If my body doesn't like coffee, is that something I will get used to over time?

How much do you spend on coffee in a year (including cost of coffee maker, cups, creamer, etc)? Is it slowing your retirement? What are some frugal ways to drink coffee? Bulk order online, etc?

I definitely do like coffee for the taste.  We drink the costco whole bean 3lb bags at both home & work, I drink it black at work... they are all good except (IMHO) the rainforest blend.  I also drink coffee for the warmth and it's just a social thing in the Pacific NW.  I don't necessarily drink it for the caffeine, but at the same time, I don't drink decaffienated... so maybe there some truth behind me liking it for that too.  I would estimate I spend b/t $50 and $100 which includes a fancy coffee about once a month or so.  At home, the wife likes flavored creme in her coffee so I'll sometimes add some to mine too.

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Re: Why do you drink coffee?
« Reply #22 on: January 31, 2017, 02:39:31 PM »
I've quit coffee several times and I always go back. Even after I wean myself off the caffeine or sub green tea or whatever, I just miss it! These days, I'm trying to only have one cup in the morning since too much of the caffeine seems to bother me. We'll see how it goes. I was drinking 3-5 cups a day a few months ago. I love the way it helps me wake up and I think I've come to associate the smell with comfort and friends. I'm definitely a little bit of a Gilmore Girl when it comes to the joe. 

Samuel

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Re: Why do you drink coffee?
« Reply #23 on: January 31, 2017, 03:54:55 PM »
I drank a good amount of coffee (always black) in college, then around age 24/25 developed anxiety issues and had to give it up. But then I still drank decaf every morning for almost 10 more years. That's how much I like the taste and ritual. There is good decaf out there.

The last couple years I've stopped the every day routine and just drink a cup here and there, like when I'm sitting down to do taxes or whatever. It just feels right when it's paperwork time. I use a pour over setup that makes a single great cup of coffee without having to have a full coffeemaker. I'll typically have some non-decaf around for guests.

I only drink non-decaf if I'm having to function on less than 4.5 hours of sleep, and even then it's only a splash. The stuff works really well when you're not addicted.





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Re: Why do you drink coffee?
« Reply #24 on: January 31, 2017, 04:09:49 PM »
See this comical honest ad about coffee:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ovhbT-Iulc

I love it! It's mind blogging how rampant coffee addiction is, but no one bats an eye at it. People just look at you weird if you don't drink it.

Here, have a hot cup of your personality!

Don't delve into the YouTube comments on the video. There's people saying that there is no significant scientific evidence that coffee is addictive. Hilarious.

I think you've really gotta drink a lot of the stuff to get any sort of dependency... I really don't see a problem with coffee or caffeine.. it doesn't seem to be particularly harmful. I can drink my full 20oz thermos every workday and have never had a trace of withdraw on weekends when I don't even think about it.

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Re: Why do you drink coffee?
« Reply #25 on: January 31, 2017, 04:28:22 PM »
Well, I started drinking sugary crap young- I would slip away from the campus of my middle school in 7th and 8th grade with a friend, walk to a starbucks, and buy a caramel macchiato. I stopped drinking it during HS when she went to another school though. So it had been a social + sugar vehicle.

During my undergrad, I started drinking it as a survival mechanism. Insomnia, working, and a heavy course load meant I used it as a study tool. And I didn't want energy drinks, they've always freaked me out. I started with the sugary crap again (we have this amazing sugar bomb stuff here called "Dutch Bros" that is just... well, sinful, and possibly causing diabetes at a state level). Eventually, the sugary crap got way to expensive, so I switched to crappy drip (Yuban or Folgers, whatever was on sale). I loaded it with milk and sugar to avoid the taste. Eventually, I came to love the smell. Then a boyfriend introduced me to real coffee. I drank it with no sugar, and less and less milk. Still would only have 1 cup a day and skip some days. Then I went to nursing school, and ended up WICKED addicted. Like, full pot a day on my own level, would get a headache without at least 2 cups.

I've reduced down since then. I drink the good stuff, 1-2 cups a day, and savor the hell out of it with just a little splash of cream. At this point, it's more about the ritual and taste and comfort than the caffeine. I *can* do without now. But I don't want to. I give up alcohol regularly, but I have no intention of giving up coffee.

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Re: Why do you drink coffee?
« Reply #26 on: January 31, 2017, 04:29:02 PM »
I think you've really gotta drink a lot of the stuff to get any sort of dependency... I really don't see a problem with coffee or caffeine.. it doesn't seem to be particularly harmful. I can drink my full 20oz thermos every workday and have never had a trace of withdraw on weekends when I don't even think about it.

Research disagrees with your anecdotal evidence.

Caffeine blocks adenosine receptors A and A2A. Adenosine is a by-product of cellular activity, and stimulation of adenosine receptors produces feelings of tiredness and the need to sleep. Caffeine's ability to block these receptors means the levels of the body's natural stimulants, dopamine and norepinephrine, continue at higher levels. Studies have demonstrated that people who take in a minimum of 100 mg of caffeine per day (about the amount in one cup of coffee) can acquire a physical dependence that would trigger withdrawal symptoms that include headaches, muscle pain and stiffness, lethargy, nausea, vomiting, depressed mood, and marked irritability. Professor Roland Griffiths, a professor of neurology at Johns Hopkins in Baltimore strongly believes that caffeine withdrawal should be classified as a psychological disorder.

That said, not everyone will react to caffeine the same way, so it is entirely possible for you to be able to have coffee on the weekdays and not have withdrawal symptoms on the weekend.

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Re: Why do you drink coffee?
« Reply #27 on: January 31, 2017, 04:38:47 PM »
I think you've really gotta drink a lot of the stuff to get any sort of dependency... I really don't see a problem with coffee or caffeine.. it doesn't seem to be particularly harmful. I can drink my full 20oz thermos every workday and have never had a trace of withdraw on weekends when I don't even think about it.

Research disagrees with your anecdotal evidence.

Caffeine blocks adenosine receptors A and A2A. Adenosine is a by-product of cellular activity, and stimulation of adenosine receptors produces feelings of tiredness and the need to sleep. Caffeine's ability to block these receptors means the levels of the body's natural stimulants, dopamine and norepinephrine, continue at higher levels. Studies have demonstrated that people who take in a minimum of 100 mg of caffeine per day (about the amount in one cup of coffee) can acquire a physical dependence that would trigger withdrawal symptoms that include headaches, muscle pain and stiffness, lethargy, nausea, vomiting, depressed mood, and marked irritability. Professor Roland Griffiths, a professor of neurology at Johns Hopkins in Baltimore strongly believes that caffeine withdrawal should be classified as a psychological disorder.

That said, not everyone will react to caffeine the same way, so it is entirely possible for you to be able to have coffee on the weekdays and not have withdrawal symptoms on the weekend.

Much like other bioactive compounds, caffeine is metabolized through one of the CYP450 pathways (CYP1A2 specifically), meaning you see massive variation in levels of expressions. The so called "fast metabolizers" and "slow metabolizers". So some people will feel very little effect from caffeine and clear it quickly, while others will find the effects linger substantially.

It always amazes me how little the caffeine discussion comes up around sodas. I've had my MIL give me crap for drinking a cup of coffee with a desert at a restaurant, when she was on her FOURTH cup of diet pepsi. I pointed this out to her, and she said "well I didn't think soda had much".
(Based on a mayo clinic list, 12oz diet pepsi has 27-37mg. Assuming an average of those two, or 32mg, 4 cups is 128mg. An 8oz cup of coffee has 95mg).

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Re: Why do you drink coffee?
« Reply #28 on: January 31, 2017, 06:30:44 PM »
I like everything about it. it tastes good, makes me get out of bed and is something to look forward to having.  Dh brings me my first mug while I'm still in bed.  He claims it's the secret to our 30  year marriage.  I have a second cup later.  I might have a third at work in the morning.  I drink decent quality coffee, but not top of the line, with a little half and half.  I can usually get a 12 oz bag on sale for $4, which lasts us about a week.  I buy a few bags when it's on sale and stick them in the freezer to control costs.

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Re: Why do you drink coffee?
« Reply #29 on: February 01, 2017, 02:11:28 PM »
How 'advanced' are you all getting with your coffee habits?

Are you just finding the cheapest grounds and throwing them in an automatic coffee pot? Or are some of you roasting your own beans and using fancier brew methods?

I found I only started enjoying coffee, beyond the need for a caffeine fix, when I began getting a bit obsessive with what and how I was preparing it.

Bracken_Joy

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Re: Why do you drink coffee?
« Reply #30 on: February 01, 2017, 02:25:05 PM »
How 'advanced' are you all getting with your coffee habits?

Are you just finding the cheapest grounds and throwing them in an automatic coffee pot? Or are some of you roasting your own beans and using fancier brew methods?

I found I only started enjoying coffee, beyond the need for a caffeine fix, when I began getting a bit obsessive with what and how I was preparing it.

When we were drinking more volume, we just did a drip pot. The ol' $20 special. Now we do pour overs. Metal cone, so no filters. Just a regular kettle (wish we had a swan neck... some day). We do grind our own beans with a hand grinder, which I guess could be counted as 'fancy'.

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Re: Why do you drink coffee?
« Reply #31 on: February 01, 2017, 02:32:03 PM »

Why do you drink coffee? For the caffeine, taste, both? Are you actively trying to quit?

Did you always like it or is it really an acquired taste?

Caffeine first, taste second.  No desire to quit.  It was an acquired taste.

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Re: Why do you drink coffee?
« Reply #32 on: February 01, 2017, 02:34:37 PM »
I don't.  Never acquired a taste, and since it isn't a particularly healthy habit, never bothered to try to.

Johnez

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Re: Why do you drink coffee?
« Reply #33 on: February 01, 2017, 04:51:48 PM »
Drink it for the caffeine fix. Taste, well I always wondered how the taste could be tolerated when it's nowhere near as good as it smells. As a kid going to grocery stores the coffee aisle was my favorite, all those little grinders with the different beans. Then I tasted a cup....Very disappointed. Have definitely grown to like it though, and need it. I find the more I drink, the more I need to drink the next day. If I drink more than 40 oz for some reason I feel like total crap the next day and need at least 2 cups to start the day....

Pigeon

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Re: Why do you drink coffee?
« Reply #34 on: February 01, 2017, 05:03:14 PM »
I either use a Melita cone pour over or a drip pot.  I like the drip pot better, but if it's just me, it's not worth it.  It's tastier if you grind your own, but often I don't bother.  Whole beans keep beautifully in the freezer longer than pre-ground.  I keep both on hand.

horsepoor

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Re: Why do you drink coffee?
« Reply #35 on: February 01, 2017, 05:24:56 PM »


Started drinking it sporadically in high school, then got a job at an espresso bar at 18 and got addicted.  My parents always bought French roast and ground it at home, so I never went for Folgers and that.  I've had the dependency where going without leaves me with a headache (when I worked at coffee shops and had unlimited free espresso).  Now I can go without it, but it certainly helps clear the fog on weekdays.  I get the Rainforest blend beans, grind in my fancy grinder and do pour over.  Love the taste with cream, no sugar.  These days I usually  do one big mug each morning, and sometimes a second one mid day on weekends.
« Last Edit: February 01, 2017, 05:34:02 PM by horsepoor »

CmFtns

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Re: Why do you drink coffee?
« Reply #36 on: February 01, 2017, 05:42:53 PM »
I think you've really gotta drink a lot of the stuff to get any sort of dependency... I really don't see a problem with coffee or caffeine.. it doesn't seem to be particularly harmful. I can drink my full 20oz thermos every workday and have never had a trace of withdraw on weekends when I don't even think about it.

Research disagrees with your anecdotal evidence.

Caffeine blocks adenosine receptors A and A2A. Adenosine is a by-product of cellular activity, and stimulation of adenosine receptors produces feelings of tiredness and the need to sleep. Caffeine's ability to block these receptors means the levels of the body's natural stimulants, dopamine and norepinephrine, continue at higher levels. Studies have demonstrated that people who take in a minimum of 100 mg of caffeine per day (about the amount in one cup of coffee) can acquire a physical dependence that would trigger withdrawal symptoms that include headaches, muscle pain and stiffness, lethargy, nausea, vomiting, depressed mood, and marked irritability. Professor Roland Griffiths, a professor of neurology at Johns Hopkins in Baltimore strongly believes that caffeine withdrawal should be classified as a psychological disorder.

That said, not everyone will react to caffeine the same way, so it is entirely possible for you to be able to have coffee on the weekdays and not have withdrawal symptoms on the weekend.

Much like other bioactive compounds, caffeine is metabolized through one of the CYP450 pathways (CYP1A2 specifically), meaning you see massive variation in levels of expressions. The so called "fast metabolizers" and "slow metabolizers". So some people will feel very little effect from caffeine and clear it quickly, while others will find the effects linger substantially.

It always amazes me how little the caffeine discussion comes up around sodas. I've had my MIL give me crap for drinking a cup of coffee with a desert at a restaurant, when she was on her FOURTH cup of diet pepsi. I pointed this out to her, and she said "well I didn't think soda had much".
(Based on a mayo clinic list, 12oz diet pepsi has 27-37mg. Assuming an average of those two, or 32mg, 4 cups is 128mg. An 8oz cup of coffee has 95mg).

I didn't say it had no addictive properties... I just was trying to say and still believe most people need to go a bit overboard on the coffee to really develop a dependency. Also, even if you have a caffeine addiction on your hands it doesn't really matter because the stuff isn't particularly harmful like a lot of other addictive things so you can just slowly work your way off of it.

Rural

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Re: Why do you drink coffee?
« Reply #37 on: February 01, 2017, 05:50:30 PM »
I drink it because I like my husband alive. :)


Seriously, I like the taste, I like that it wakes me up, and yes, I get a migraine without at least one cup a day. Started drinking it when I was 12 and haven't missed a day since aside from some memorable gastrointestinal afflictions.


We drink the cheap store brand stuff from a drip pot, with a camp percolator for backup in case of power outages. When I can get it on sale or when I have harvested some, I drink it with chicory.


I have no desire to quit, and the cost is so worth it to me that I don't actually care how long it's delayed retirement.


On the physiological effects, I seem to be a fast clearer. I can drink several cups of full caff coffee with supper and go to sleep normally an hour or two later. Don't, usually, as I am generally finished with coffee by noon, but I can.


I drink it black or with skim milk (depending on whether I'm out of milk or not). It's actually probably my primary source of calcium, so there's that. I'm of the opinion that coffee with sugar in it, rather like cornbread with sugar in it, is right next door to poison.

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Re: Why do you drink coffee?
« Reply #38 on: February 01, 2017, 09:04:19 PM »
I started to drink coffee when I was 19 to get me through my nighshifts at the hospital. I remember putting 75% milk 25% coffee and now I usually enjoy it 10%milk/90% coffee ratio.

I've been making my coffee at home for years but it wasn't always the case. I remember when I first did my budget and looked at my expenses.. When I saw I was spending almost 1k per year on take out coffee my jaw dropped. Changed that habit promptly. I was drinking the cheap stuff but now I'm more concerned about where it came from so I'm buying fairtrade and organic. I think I spend max 10$ per month on coffee. More if I count tea, as I usually drink 2 cups of coffee in the morning and one cup of tea in the evening.

I'm definitely addicted now, to a point that I'm usually in a more irritable mood if I don't drink it right away. And I always get a headache if I don't get my morning cup.

shelivesthedream

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Re: Why do you drink coffee?
« Reply #39 on: February 02, 2017, 04:34:41 PM »
I started drinking it because I wanted to join in with my friends at university. I stayed drinking it because of mostly the taste and sometimes the amazing powers of waking up it has (but I can get that through other means, like a cold face wash). And still for the joining-in possibilities, because bad coffee tastes better to me than bad tea, and it's nice to be able to participate in those little social rituals at work.

I'm quite sensitive to caffeine (and to prescribed drugs - i.e. medication - I only ever need the lowest dose) and I've known people drink insane amounts of coffee and be unable to function without it, so I only ever drink one cup a day and I don't drink it after 3pm. Obviously exceptions do happen, but less than a dozen times a year. I don't drink it every day, and I tend to go through coffee phases and tea phases where I strongly prefer the taste of one or the other. It's a coffee phase at the moment, but I think I can feel it tipping back into tea. I have to pay attention to what I eat with coffee drinking, though, otherwise I have a blood sugar crash.

We buy moderately fancy whole beans and have FOUR different ways of making coffee at home, which I think is ridiculous. We have a cafetiere, an Aeropress, an espresso machine and a Moka pot. If I'm having coffee alone I use the espresso machine (prefer the idea but my tiny hands can't make the Aeropress work properly) and if it's me a DH we'll use the cafetiere, and if it's people over we'll usually use the Moka pot because it's a treat for us as we don't usually get to use it. We both drink it strong and black.

Costs us under £100/yr to buy beans and replace the odd cafetiere interior that I break. I do get coffee out from time to time, but never takeaway coffee if I can help it. It's always for some other reason like meeting up with a friend.

Penny McSave

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Re: Why do you drink coffee?
« Reply #40 on: February 03, 2017, 09:08:22 AM »
I drink coffee for the taste and for the warmth in the morning. I also admit to liking the bonus of "moving things along" heh.

I've always liked coffee, I started the habit SUPER young, I think I was 5 or 6. I come from a family of insane coffee drinkers though, my grandmother (who is Italian and from New York) would brew a pot for all of the kids and we would sit around the table drinking and chatting "like REAL New Yorkers". I also used to sneak a cup of my parents coffee before school each day.

I don't really track what I spend on coffee, roughly $10 a week I'd estimate. My husband uses a drip coffee maker and I use a moka pot so we each buy different types. I also have access to free coffee at work so I will usually have a cup or two while working. I absolutely refuse to buy coffee at Starbucks and the like. I LOVE coffee but not for $5 a cup. Hell, I don't even wanna pay $1.50 a cup!

cats

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Re: Why do you drink coffee?
« Reply #41 on: February 03, 2017, 09:18:25 AM »
I used never to drink coffee, but it has grown on me.  I do not drink it daily, but we get decent free coffee at work and I do like to treat myself to a small cup 2-3 times a week.  I'll sip it while looking out the window rather than staring at my computer screen, so it's a "real" break.  I'll admit that I am definitely using it for the caffeine as well--on weeks when I am particularly tired I will sometimes have coffee every weekday.  I am not actively trying to quite completely but I do sometimes wonder if it's really doing me any good in the long run!

I rarely feel the need to drink coffee on the weekends, but I do enjoy tea.

69mach351

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Re: Why do you drink coffee?
« Reply #42 on: February 03, 2017, 09:32:27 AM »
The caffeine and taste.  I used to not like it.  I also notice that I eat less after a cup or two. 

That said, I think most coffee (including the popular places) is absolute crap.  I will usually only have it if I can make it myself or are at a local spot.

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Re: Why do you drink coffee?
« Reply #43 on: February 03, 2017, 09:36:07 AM »
I've quit coffee several times. I keep coming back because it is tasty and so enjoyable in the morning. I also get free coffee at work so it's something to do at my boring as hell job.

It's about $270/year for me.

trollwithamustache

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Re: Why do you drink coffee?
« Reply #44 on: February 03, 2017, 09:42:58 AM »
Dark roasted coffee has a wonderful flavor. If you can get good unroasted beans and roast them yourself, its both much cheaper than buying "good" coffee and has been a most enjoyable culinary experiment.

Tris Prior

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Re: Why do you drink coffee?
« Reply #45 on: February 03, 2017, 02:58:18 PM »
The caffeine, the taste, the warmth in winter. And, the ritual of having something enjoyable first thing in the morning when I am absolutely not an early riser and would prefer to stay in bed rather than hauling my ass onto public transport to go sit in a cube. It sounds pathetic to say "coffee gives me a reason to get up in the morning" but there you go. :)

I am not actively trying to quit but I limit myself to one (large) cup daily, since as I've gotten older, I've lost my ability to pound coffee all day and night and then go to sleep. I don't really have withdrawal if I skip it in the morning (which I will do sometimes if I'm going somewhere where I know there won't be easily accessible bathrooms. Like the Women's March, or when I vend outdoor craft fairs.)

I hated it as a kid and teen - both parents were coffee fiends and I thought it was gross. Started drinking it in college to pull all-nighters studying and acquired the taste.

It's only recently - like in the past couple years - that coffee has started to give me any adverse side effects, like unhappy stomach. I can largely avoid this by drinking quality coffee and not the cheap crap that comes in a can. Also by avoiding Starbucks because their coffee is gross. There are also a couple local coffeehouses whose in-house-roasted coffee bothers me a lot for some reason.

Until recently I probably spent around $5/week on coffee grounds/beans. This month we got a fancy coffee service at work that actually has good coffee in it, so I expect this cost to go down considerably - I'll now be drinking coffee at home on weekends only instead of daily. I've had my coffee maker - just a basic Mr. Coffee - for probably 10 years. The grinder was given to me free. Filters - maybe $3 every few months? I rarely buy coffee out; maybe once every couple months.

Just Joe

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Re: Why do you drink coffee?
« Reply #46 on: February 09, 2017, 12:26:32 PM »
Never liked coffee until I moved to Italy for several years. Fell in love first with cappuccino and then espresso. An Italian friend gave me a tiny Bialetti Moka Express and I've been wearing it out for over two decades now.

We have a big fancy coffee maker that makes it all but we use a ~$30 Hamilton-Beach single cup coffee maker. Fill it with water, add grounds to the basket, put your favorite travel cup under the spout and press the button. I figure it costs 10 cents a cup?

I've had some really good percolator coffee too - we have a campstove coffee pot and I've of course had it served from the electric teapot like my grandmothers had. We also have a Neapolitan flip coffee pot that makes good coffee.

I don't mind my elders' brands of coffee (JFG, Folgers) but we keep coming back to the "8 o'clock" brand from the grocery store. We buy it in bulk on sale. We discovered grinding the beans right be we brew it and it made all the difference.

Wife is a sugar and cream girl, I'm a sugar only. Both working towards black to cut the sugar intake. Maybe a tiny pinch of salt to reduce the sharpness of any coffee. Maybe a pinch of cinnamon for something different.

GuitarStv

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Re: Why do you drink coffee?
« Reply #47 on: February 09, 2017, 12:36:23 PM »
A well made cup of espresso is the single greatest achievement of humankind.  It's the closest thing to an admission by nature that we are the chosen creatures of God that I've ever seen.

stream26

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Re: Why do you drink coffee?
« Reply #48 on: February 10, 2017, 11:05:40 AM »
love the smell and the taste of roasted coffee beans. The tangyness, bitterness and the flavor that lingers around your teeth for upto half an hour after you've finished an espresso.

Rufus.T.Firefly

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Re: Why do you drink coffee?
« Reply #49 on: February 10, 2017, 11:17:27 AM »
Because I love it and, according to Harvard, coffee loves me back: http://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2015/09/how-coffee-loves-us-back/

 

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