Is Coffee Healthy? Should I drink it?

Coffee is a frustrating and sensitive topic for a lot of people. I want to start by saying that I am NOT going to tell you to give up your coffee habit. Heck, I worked at Starbucks for 5 years and drank several cups of coffee a day that entire time. I've been there. I know many of you love that hot drink every morning and it's one of the most difficult habits to give up. I also know that most of you understand that coffee is an addiction. Not just an addiction to the hot beverage itself, but to the caffeine and depending on what kind of coffee you drink it can also be a sugar addiction. When I gave up coffee, I felt extremely hungover for 3 days. Terrible headaches and even a bit of nausea. Granted, when I officially gave up coffee forever, I was also receiving cancer treatments so that could have been part of it. 

My initial reason for giving up coffee was because I didn't want to need to have coffee while I was in the hospital. I didn't want to have to wake up every morning and order a crappy hospital coffee with my breakfast. Nor did I want to have to beg my family and husband to run to the nearest Starbucks to get me better tasting coffee. So, I gave it up and never went back. I'm happier with my decision now. The more I learn about coffee and how it's processed,  I'm happy that I not longer need it or have that addiction. 

First of all, you could find many articles and "proof" telling you that coffee is good for you. That it fights cancer, and is an antioxidant. What I have learned is that because the demand for coffee is so great, most coffee that is NOT organically grown, is full of tons of chemicals and pesticides. So, even if coffee is high in antioxidants, it doesn't really matter because you are putting so many chemicals and pesticides in your body that make it more toxic than helpful. So, do you remember how I said, I wasn't going to tell you to give up your coffee habit? Well, I'm not, but what I will say is if you are going to drink coffee, at least make it organic. That way, the antioxidants in the coffee can do something for you instead of harm you. I would stay away from places like Caribou and Starbucks because they do not brew organic coffee and they also use tons of sugar in all of their specialty drinks. I know this makes them delicious, but a small amount of processed sugar takes down your immune system for several hours after consuming it. 

Most coffee drinkers not only don't drink organic blends, but they also add sweeteners and dairy to their beverage which have both been known to cause problems. Dairy has been linked to causing breast cancer and as mentioned above, sugars and sweeteners take down the immune system. If you want to learn more about the dangers of dairy, I recommend reading The China Study. 

Most importantly and above all else, if you decide to continue drinking coffee, please buy organic, and either drink it black, or us non-dairy alternatives instead of dairy. Also, if you can, stay away from using refined sugars to sweeten your coffee. You could use something like maple syrup as an alternative. It may take some getting used to, but in general you will be healthier over all by making this change. 

For those of you that are willing to consider giving up coffee. I have two hot beverages that have replaced coffee for me. Both of these beverages have also given me something sweet that I can make myself when those sugar cravings hit, and it doesn't effect my immune system. 

The first drink that I absolutely love is referred to as a "Golden Milk" or is sometimes also referred to as a "Turmeric Latte". This is my favorite recipe. It's sweetened with dates and every time I have made it, it has been delicious. However, I do recommend a few tricks.  First of all, if you soak the dates they blend much better and you won't have any chunks. If you use fresh ginger, use a strainer to get any pieces out, other wise just use ground ginger. Using organic ingredients is always best if you can. This recipe is also good if you like vanilla. 

The other option I have found as a great substitute for that hot beverage in the morning, is a rich cup of healthy hot chocolate. My favorite recipe is called a Raw Hot Chocolate, but there are many others. I recommend soaking the dates and cashews for a bit before blending. The recipe makes kind of a chocolate paste, so you have to use a spatula to scrape it into the cup and then cover with hot water. I add a mushroom blend to mine to make it even healthier. I use Terrasoul Organic Cacao and sometimes I buy the fermented cacao nibs and grind them myself. It adds an interesting flavor. 

These are my go to drinks, but there are many options, like organic herbal teas, steamed non dairy milks with your choice of spices, Mexican Hot Chocolate, you name it. So, although I'm not here to tell you to give up coffee, I hope you at least take into consideration the effects of chemicals, pesticides, sugar, and caffeine on your body and take precautions to limit the amount of these things that you take in. 

Sources:

https://maxliving.com/healthy-articles/how-sugar-affects-your-immune-system

http://www.hungryforchange.tv/article/10-reasons-to-quit-coffee-plus-healthy-alternatives

https://www.idausa.org/campaign/farmed-animal/latest-news/weve-just-dropped-60-massive-billboards-across-los-angeles-exposing-the-dairy-industry/?gclid=CjwKCAiAsIDxBRAsEiwAV76N82xlU4RXjAlT3EpVVswSPUV3lDLl4BT-wLVLXUIZpmoxgyURYLhAEhoCpfUQAvD_BwE

https://www.shortform.com/summary/the-china-study-summary-t-colin-campbell?gclid=CjwKCAiAsIDxBRAsEiwAV76N8xUWxpz-cQHlWQ76gskveqqMAbgMQWIaUnzujWNjYTpJ8legoaGynhoCq1YQAvD_BwE

https://www.nestandglow.com/healthy-recipes/raw-dairy-free-hot-chocolate-recipe

https://cleanfooddirtygirl.com/i-have-no-interest-in-cleansing-your-energy-turmeric-vanilla-latte/

https://www.fitmittenkitchen.com/medjool-date-golden-milk-turmeric-latte/