Is your espresso habit unhealthy?

[HB]

It's that time of year again, the time to think about resolutions. I have my usual list (exercise, sleep more, lose weight), but Chris' quip in How to reduce coffee waste? reminded me of another potential improvement area:

...are you asking if you all have a consumption problem?

1. Do you drink coffee alone?
2. Do you drink coffee to feel better?
3. Are you drinking coffee more often that you used to, or greater quantities when you do drink?
4. Do you sometimes have the shakes or other discomfort the next morning?
5. And does a pick-me-up espresso help make you feel better?
6. Do close friends say you are acting differently these days?
7. Are you reducing outside activities that interfere with your coffee drinking?

If you answer yes to all of the above questions, welcome to the club!
"Hi, my name is Chris, and I'm a Home Barista."

{Everyone!} "Hi, Chris!"

As if that wasn't enough, Steve sent me a link to this video:



I laughed so hard at the closing lines:

<snip>
Dad: "Where'd you get this! Who taught you how to use this thing?" [holding up espresso machine]
Son: "You! You alright! I learned from watching you!" [runs away]
Dad mutters: "Dammit Billy... [sniffs coffee] At least he's using good beans."

Which leads to the (semi-serious) poll question: Is your espresso habit unhealthy?

[jamhat]

Yes, the video is freakin' HILarious! LOL!

[RapidCoffee]

Unhealthy? Only to my wallet.

Video is great, thanks for sharing.

[Randy G.]

My coffee habit is not unhealthy. I drink because I want to.. not because I have to. I can quit any time I want. All my friends are wrong. You're wrong. I'm just fine. I'm not in denial. No I aren't. Yes you am. Just because I own two espresso machines, five coffee grinders (seven counting my two hand grinders), five vac pots, and seven coffee roasters does not mean I have a problem.

[espressme]

Hello, My name is Richard. I am a recovering non-caffeine addict

[miKe mcKoffee]

See 12 Steps

Ok, more geared towards home roasting. But hey I literally mortgaged the house to open a Roastery Espresso Cafe so what the heck. So yes, espresso habit can be unhealthy causing lack of sleep and long hours slaving to bring nirvanna to the masses!

[CoffeeOwl]

"No, I do not have a problem. Coffee is healthy for me... in fact it's much healthier then anything else I drink, eat or breathe (no, I don't smoke, use drugs, abuse alcochol nor cook in microwaves). I ___________________* and I see the results."

* fill-in with whatever makes you happy to do with your coffee


* I do some Chinese Medicine tricks, but yet traditionally some authorities may claim that cereal coffee is healthy while the normal is not; it is debatable however and in my opinion comes down to caffeine (overtake:).

[ntwkgestapo]

Back in the '70's I drank 12-20 12oz cups of drip coffee (and yes, I had issues! ). Nowadays I go for QUALITY over quantity and only drink a 4 (single) shot Americano in the morning (hey, what's available @ work is "less than quality") and I drink a couple of doubles in the evening (sometimes as a Cappa, sometimes straight). Soooo, NO, I don't think my coffee habit is "unhealthy"!

[Worldman]

nah...

[narc]

No, to both mental/behavioral & physical health. So far, drinking 4-6 espressos per day (for the last several years) has not had any negative effects. When on vacation with exception of an occasional decent cup of tea I stop drinking coffee & espresso. No physical or emotional problems kick in. FrenchPress coffee is another story.

.

[majorzx3]

since I got my Brewtus (1 month ago), I have been drinking way too much espresso and wasting a lot of milk
I now drink about 5x the amount I used to ....
I just went through 5 lbs of beans in 2 weeks.
I can barely type this out, i shake so much. I wish I could stop. I can see this ending badly for someone. I hope its not me
Zed

[Psyd]

I can barely type this out, i shake so much. I wish I could stop. I can see this ending badly for someone. I hope its not me

This is about time time I should introduce you to the magic of decaf. It is a simple process that allows you to continue to drink the wonderful warm auburn nectar of the gods long after you've reached your personal caffeine intake limit.
After all, if we were in it for the just the buzz, we'd be taking the pills.

[cannonfodder]

Caffeine does not bother me, ya, ya ya, more more, why are my fingers numb and eyes wobbling in my head, Ooooo pretty colors on my computer, what was that, the sky is blue today, did I mention that I have a high tolerance for caffeine, hay this soda tastes like coffee, mmmm coffee flavored donuts, why do you park in a drive way and drive on a parkway, I like coffee, spoon.....

[majorzx3]

Ok , It's not as bad as I made it out to be. I am actually very surprised at how much I'm able to tolerate caffeine now. I can drink 3-4 doubles and not really getting bothered by it. Before I'd drink a cup o'joe and get the shakes.
Somehow I can't bring myself to drink decaf. I am still learning to use the Brewtus, maybe after all my shots have been extremely good I'll try some good decaf.
I still have a few things to learn. Especially steaming milk. But I'm taking it slow. Will get there one day

Zed

[cannonfodder]

FYI, a cup of coffee has more caffeine than a double shot of espresso. Caffeine is water soluble. The short percolation time of espresso (28 seconds) extracts far less caffeine than the 3 minute percolation time of brew or press pot coffee.

[Rainman]

Well- since it's "semi-serious". I admit that I cannot live without coffee/espresso or at least some sort of caffeine vehicle. Work just wouldn't be the same. I actually tried it, once, in 1993 (I actually remember the year, it was so traumatic). All I could do was stare at the CRT.. went back to my habit within 3-4 days. Mind you- it's not much, only 2-4 hits/day, but I can't function without it. I probably could figure out a way to deal with life without it, but it definitely gets me out the door to do whatever: run/ride/swim/work/deal with other humans. At least I know "when to say when"- unlike some of you out there, downing 12, 14, 18 shots/day!

I'd have to say that at my level, there'd be only eyebrow raising going on between my friends and family, because of the "pickiness factor" only. As far as "unhealthiness" going on- not to my knowledge- and I stay fairly abreast of nearly all medical literature on the subject; it must be by far, the most healthy of all vices I've developed over the years (cycling, perhaps the worst in my case).

In Chris's case (he's a neighbor, so I've had occasion to see him up close and personal)- he's got to be just naturally wired- I think because he spends so much time in close proximity to loads of electronics.. Not sure how well he sleeps (on top of all that caffeine), but he probably can't afford to, what with all of the travelling and all.

And that guy in the video just had to say "hazlenut"-- The bane of American productivity-- caffeine, no matter the flavor! I have to agree w/ Ken, though- that last scene in the teens bedroom is the best!

Ray

[HB]

Per Henry's suggestion, follow-on discussion split to Coffee and other medicinal herbs...

[Psyd]

In Chris's case (he's a neighbor, so I've had occasion to see him up close and personal)- he's got to be just naturally wired- I think because he spends so much time in close proximity to loads of electronics.. Not sure how well he sleeps (on top of all that caffeine), but he probably can't afford to, what with all of the travelling and all.

I'm naturally enthusiastic. If I was an elementary school kid today, I'd be getting doses of Ritalin. I do sleep fine, though, as I keep the caffeine intake down. It's one of the reasons I went toward espresso in the first place. I wasn't going to give up coffee, just the constancy of having a cup in my claw every moment of the day. So, I decided, if I'm just going to have one or two a day, it had better be the best one or two that I can get my claws on. Enter espresso! Better than coffee, and less caffeine! Anytime I want to stray form the one or two a day, I'd better be doing a sixteen or eighteen hour workday, or leaning toward the decaf.
Decaf is a gift from the gods. Nearly all the wonders of espresso (especially if you hide it in a cappu) and almost none of the jitters.
I don't have an intake problem, but half of my friends think I'm obsessive, the other half just think that I should open a cafe.

[Spresso_Bean]

I don't really drink as much as many here do, usually 2-3 doubles in the morning and maybe some press coffee in the early evening, but I am drinking my first few shots of the day right now (after 4 pm) and I have a massive headache that I'm hoping will go away soon. People still think it's odd that I roast my own coffee and drink straight espresso, but I'm ok with that. They don't know how good it can be...oh well, more for me.

[Wescott]

No. No problem at all. And what's more, I'm one of those who can take a double, or even two of them, before bedtime as a nightcap. Those are my favorite coffees of the day.

I'd have to say that coffee is not addictive because overload makes one back off and not want even more. (In the old days, it would take a triplet of press pots over a couple of hours to get me overloaded.)