Drink Your Coffee

Here's a quick question for you. Out side of water, what is the world's most popular drink? I bet you said "tea". I would have. But it's my favorite morning libation, coffee.  But coffee is one of the more maligned drinks too. I am sure you have been told nonsense like, "Coffee has so much caffeine it will keep you awake at night". In truth, coffee is, on average, just 1% caffeine. But myths about caffeine in coffee persist. Maybe that's why people think drunks can be sobered by forcing coffee down their throats. They can't.

Now there is good news about drinking coffee. According to a Cornell University study that was just released,  coffee helps prevent deteriorating eyesight. It seems that the study confirmed that coffee is a strong antioxidant that prevents retinal degeneration  And previous studies have shown that coffee cuts the risk of such chronic diseases as Parkinson's, prostate cancer, diabetes, Alzheimer's and age related cognitive declines. And ignore the idiot you are sitting with who tells you after your 4th teaspoon of sugar is added, "You'll get diabetes from all that sugar". People who drink six or more cups of coffee each day are 35% less likely to develop diabetes. And, Studies have shown that regular coffee drinkers frequently score significantly higher on cognitive ability tests, spatial awareness exams, IQ tests, and short term memory studies.

Ok, you ge the idea. So why do so many people claim coffee isn't healthy? Well, I don't mind because if they tell me that they may be so focused on my coffee they won't lecture me about the donuts that I eat with my coffee.  People have been drinking coffee since the 15th century. It is said to have begun in  the Mid East, probably in Yemen. Good for Yemen. It gets a lot of bad publicity today because so many of those crazy terrorists are in Yemen. I hope the coffee isn't making them nuts. Anyway, Yemen  thanks for the coffee.

I drink my coffee in the morning, probably 6 days a week I start my day with a cup of coffee (the other day I drink a cup of tea). It's not an addictive drink because when I travel if often don't have access to coffee or just  don't  drink it. Not having the coffee doesn't make me yearn for it. One thing a person can learn when traveling is that there are many kinds of coffee and many ways to drink it. Some people think of coffee like wine drinkers think of their wine. They grade it by variety, season etc. I know African coffee is much different from South American coffee. When I drink coffee in Asia it's almost like another drink from my American cup of coffee.

I prefer coffee with chicory, which is not a common way of drinking it in most places in the world. I want cream or milk and plenty of sugar in my coffee. But most people drink it black, without sugar. I don't know who started the coffee house, but Starbucks has taken that concept to an extreme.

But the ultimate love of coffee was expressed in the early 1700's when Johan Sabastian Bach (that classical guy) composed the "Coffee Cantata",  in which a young woman, Lieschen, pleads with her disapproving father to accept her devotion to drinking coffee. I leave you with a stanza from it.

Better than a thousand kisses,

Milder than muscat wine.

Coffee, coffee, I've got to have it,

And if someone wants to perk me up

Oh, just give me a cup of coffee!