Coffee?? Gimme sum

Coffee... bueno o no?

Coffee, and caffeine, is another topic that has always been controversial amongst the health nuts. 

My thoughts?

It's an absolute superdrink! 

When approached in the right manner...
   --- Filling up your gas station 64 oz superjug to get the morning started because you're not sleeping well, or enough, or aren't treating your body right... isn't exactly the way to go about it.

Honestly, after reading from multiple, trusted sources, a cup of coffee (mayyybe 2) that is correctly sourced and derived, could be a great thing for you!

TONS of potential benefits.

~~How this superdrink can be best utilized~~

I prefer to workout in the morning, from a fasted state.    (

Coffee can be utilized to help induce the sought after sympathetic state.

There is evidence out there to support the idea that coffee can aid in the retention of lean tissue during intense workouts.

A bit of coffee will go a long way, especially from a fasted state.  Don't overdo it.  And don't always do it. Chronic caffeine intake can have negative effects as well.

I would absolutely avoid coffee AFTER the workout, as it stimulates the opposite (sympathetic)  neural response that you need to recover after a workout.  If anything, let your body cool down and take in a healthy, vitalizing recovery meal/shake.

 

Benefits of pre-workout coffee
~Neural stimulant
~Metabolic booster
~Lipid mobilizer
~Improved circulation
~Endurance
~Muscle retention 
~Reduce DOMS  (delayed onset muscle soreness)

Other benefits:

But every bit as important

~Loaded with polyphenols-- also helps out our gut bacteria!
~Powerful antioxidants; like chlorogenic acid, quinic acid, and cafestol
~One of THE most powerful nrf-2 pathway: reduces toxicity and amps up your bodies innate antioxidant production.
~Improved memory, attention, duh
~Anti-aging biflavinoids
~
~Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF).
~Neuroprotective effect--coffee drinkers tend to have lower rates of dementia, Parkinson's disease
~Lower incidence of DMII
~Cardiovascular benefits--lower rates of rhythm problems, strokes.
~Pain reduction
~Links towards having anti-inflammatory effects, cancer prevention (by inhibiting certain pro-inflammatory pathways)
~Hunger moderator


How much?? 

Just because there are benefits, really, really awesome benefits, doesn't mean that 'more is better'.  As I'm sure you've heard the saying before.

The research is somewhat conflicting as far as an 'optimum' amount goes... but through the research and personal understandings of the matter; a couple cups a day would be about my max.  For some... that's about as much as they need to get out the door in the morning!  But it's important to consider that coffee should NOT be used as a crutch.  You shouldn't NEED it to function throughout the day. Your energy levels should remain pretty consistent throughout the day, and taking a substance to control this is not ideal.

There are other CAUSES that need to be first addressed.

A low level of free radical mediated stress is actually a positive thing for our health and our genome by inducing a state of hormesis.  Our body has to respond, and will help us systemically.

Note:  Even though coffee is an "acidifying" substance in the body, it's not necessarily a bad thing.  Many great foods are acidifying, like meats and some nuts for example.  Just be sure to be taking in plenty of alkalizing foods, like you should be anyway for all the other benefits, and everything will be fine.  Fruits and vegies people, nothing new. 

Get Creative! 

If all these benefits were not enticing enough, as some more superfoods to your coffee! 

• -Cacao, powder and/or nibs
• -Coconut oil
• -Coconut Milk (full fat!) 
• -Grassfed butter
• Cinnamon 

I'll throw all these in a blender and whip 'em up. Makes for a tasty, yet incredibly healthy pick me up!  (aka my version of a "pre-workout) 

Here's an example of one of my creations  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~>>
ooooh yeaaaaaa

Antioxidant loaded, MCT loaded, caffeine booster, flavor loaded TREAT before you work out. Can't get any better.

Not exactly convinced scooping tablespoons of butter into your coffee, everyday, is THE best thing for your body.  Not going to start any debates over it, but it may be a bit excessive especially if you are not on a strict ketogenic diet.  

Things to keep in mind

A) Please use organic coffee beans.  Actually that's not a request. DO IT.   This is one of the most heavily pesticide laiden crop on the planet; it has been shown that coffee beans may contain up to almost a 1,000 different chemical residues.  Conventionally grown coffee typically uses up to 250 POUNDS of chemical fertilizers per acre. No thanks!  It doesn't matter what you're drinking, chemical residues are never a positive thing for your body.

B) Just like any food, you'll want it as close to its natural state as possible.  The more processing, the less active the beneficial the active parts of the bean will be.  So buy whole, organic, sustainable-fair trade beans that haven't been severely processed.  It'll be worth it. These beans are loaded with flavor, and if you're a nerd like me and actually care about what you're putting in your body, you'll reap the benefits of this powerful commodity. 

C) Dark or light roast?  Hmmm seems to be a toss up... so switch it up, and definitely in moderation!
I've heard that the darker the roast, the higher in antioxidant and polyphenol compounds.  BUT, with the higher roasting temperatures produces a greater amount of acrylamide byproducts (due to the interaction of damaged sugars with asparagine, an AA). 

D) Buy unbleached filters!! No plastic or Styrofoam cups!! (BPA, polystyrene baaaad, among other toxic chemicals).   

E) Definitely not advisable to drink while breast feeding or pregnant as caffeine readily dissociates into the placenta and breast milk. 

F) Try to find "shade grown" coffee.  Apparently it ripens more slowly and packs more flavor, and is a cleaner way of growing coffee beans.  Better for the environment, workers, and you!

Not really a coffee drinker? Or would like to try something else? 

• Although coffee can be great, I do prefer using IDLife pre/post workout products.  
• Provides everything your body needs to thrive during and after a workout. And doesn't contain any toxic, health compromising ingredients like most products. 
• Aids in providing and replenishing vital nutrients, electrolytes, minerals. 
• Essential BCAAs and creatine. 
• Taurine and glutamine
• Chromium
• Papain
• Quercetrin 
• Coconut water base
• All sourced from organic, non-GMO, lightly processed, and highly bioavailable bc of these high quality ingredients.  aka, you'll reap the benefits.  
• AND quite affordable

IDLife Pre-Workout

Keurigs?? 

• Filthy
• Virtually impossible to clean. They become a breading ground for bacteria that the heat and coffee will not fully destroy.  I'm no germ-o-phobe, as we have immune systems for a reason, but constant exposure to such bacteria can have detrimental effects over time as it is taxing to the immune system and disrupts normal floral bacteria.  (The rubber tubing and housing can't be drained, which over time fosters the right environment for the formation of a biofilm created by bacteria.) 
• K-Cups
• 8.3 BILLION K-cups discarded every year, enough to circle the earth 10.5 times!!! 
• Although most are BPA free, they still contain chemicals and plastics to form the cups, which ends up in your brew, which ends up in YOU.  Thereby increasing your toxicity, every day, maybe multiple times a day, which is completely avoidable. 
• Some tops coated with polyethylene and aluminum foil, which have been associated with ALL sorts of chronic diseases and disorders; Alzheimer's, anxiety, depression, digestive issues, etc etc.  
• Filters:  Potentially bleached, along with other chemicals/toxins.  
• Coffee
• Definitely not organic, full of mold residues and the accompanying toxins produced by the mold, and bacteria. 
• The flavored coffee contains additives, chemicals, toxins ,you name it. Things like MSG are even hidden in some "naturally flavored:" types.  

Tea!

Another awesome drink that can be a natural caffeine source to utilize (in moderation, of course).  High in antioxidants and other compounds that have positive effects on the body.  

Just be careful when purchasing tea as many of the pre-bagged tea are in bleached filters, even some of the organic brands.  So yes, go with organic, unbleached filter bags.  I prefer to buy mine loose-leafed.  I can decide how strong I want it, it tends to be cheaper, and you can usually smell-test them at the tea shop, which is way fun and then you're not stuck with an entire box of tea that you don't like, which ends up getting pushed to the back of the cupboard and wastes space.  

Green Tea

• is the least processed, which also depends on conditions under which the tea was grown, harvested, and processed.  
• Contains the highest amount of EGCG, along with other catechins, polyphenols, and anti-oxidants.  EGCG is known to be 100x stronger than Vit C and 24x stronger than Vit E. Holy crap!
• These powerful effects have shown to have significant health benefits:

What you didn't know about coffee..

Technically, you need to get the seeds, unroasted.

1,500 different chemical rxn happen during roasting.  At this point they can be easily assimilated.  Yet, these benefits need to be exploited within a week of roasting!!

Super easy to roast your own.  Heat on a pan, let cool, let the beans settle (couple hours).  Can do it in a popcorn popper!!

Peak potency about 10 hours after roasting.

No studies have looked at the physiological effects of FRESH roasted coffee.
---even though the number 1 source of antioxidants in the American diet is from coffee..

Working in Conjunction with your circadian clock! 

Finland tops the charts with an avg. of 5 cups/day..

I thought for sure France would have had that one, but maybe the dinky little cappuccinos they drink don't count? 

Sources:: 

Coffee Consumption and All-Cause, Cardiovascular, and Cancer Mortality in an Adult Mediterranean Population

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33918797/

During the 18-year follow-up period, 317 died; 115 due to CV disease and 82 due to cancer. Compared with no-consumption, the consumption of ≤1 cup per day and >1 cup per day of coffee was associated with a lower risk of all-cause mortality, HR = 0.73 (95% CI: 0.56-0.97) and HR 0.56 (95% CI: 0.41-0.77), respectively. A lower cancer mortality was observed among drinkers of more than 1 cup per day compared with nondrinkers, HR 0.41 (95% CI 0.20-0.86). Regarding the type of coffee, only the overall consumption of caffeinated coffee was associated with lower all-cause mortality at 12 and 18 years of follow-up, HR = 0.66 (95% CI:0.46-0.94) and HR = 0.59 (95% CI: 0.44-0.79), respectively. In conclusion, this study suggests that the moderate consumption of coffee, particularly caffeinated coffee (range 1-6.5 cups per day), is associated with a lower all-cause and cancer mortality after a long follow-up period. No significant association was found between coffee consumption and CVD mortality.

. 2021 Apr 9;13(4):1241.
Coffee Consumption and All-Cause, Cardiovascular, and Cancer Mortality in an Adult Mediterranean Population

 doi: 10.3390/nu13041241.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33918797/

http://fitness.mercola.com/sites/fitness/archive/2014/07/11/6-coffee-pre-workout-benefits.aspx?x_cid=20140711_lead_facebookdoc

http://drjockers.com/2012/07/the-benefits-of-green-coffee-extract/

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2011/04/16/ori-hofmekler-on-coffee.aspx
     -interview with Ori Hofmeler who studied the effects of coffee extensively.
http://troglopundit.wordpress.com/2013/10/16/why-is-most-heavily-sprayed-with-pesticides-on-the-con-side-people-want-bugs-in-their-coffee/

http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/features/coffee-new-health-food
--some actually decent stuff as they recognize some positives, but never mention anything about the quality
http://authoritynutrition.com/top-13-evidence-based-health-benefits-of-coffee/

http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-living/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/expert-answers/coffee-and-health/faq-20058339

http://www.bulletproofexec.com/bulletproof-coffee-recipe/
---some other great resources and links

http://www.greenmedinfo.com/blog/why-i-kicked-my-keurig-curb

A reason to skip the Caribou and make yer own, from an environmental and ethical standpoint.
http://www.upworthy.com/if-you-drink-coffee-heres-a-fact-you-need-to-wake-up-to?c=tkp1