What is this heavenly brew that I now partake of on a daily basis? For most of my adult life, coffee wasn’t something I drank. Much of what I encountered was weak in flavor or overly caffeinated and acidic, causing me jitters and indigestion. I knew coffee drinkers who experienced bad headaches if they missed their first cup of joe, and I considered myself lucky not having this addiction.
However, that addiction free status began to change nine years ago when a girlfriend introduced me to delicious coffees that weren’t overly acidic or caffeinated. Over time I drank more coffee, and my affection for this ancient brew increased when I began volunteering in Chiapas, a high mountain region in Mexico. Most of the best coffees come from equatorial regions like Ethiopia, Colombia, Guatemala, Kenya and Mexico where it is grown at elevations above 4,500 feet.
Being a Pocatello native, I learned early on that coffee wasn’t drank by faithful members of The Church of Latter-day Saints. That prohibition contained in the “Word of Wisdom” is based upon a revelation received by Joseph Smith not to drink hot beverages. That has been construed to mean coffee and tea, but herbal teas and hot chocolate are permitted. Some interpret the revelation as a ban against caffeinated beverages, but the church has clarified on its website that soda pop can be consumed.
For years, rumors floated about that drinking Coke was eventually approved because the LDS Church acquired a financial interest in Coca Cola. I found no evidence supporting that proposition beyond murky assertions that it might be true because no one can ascertain the full extent of church holdings; absent proof, that rumor should be scuttled.
Church of Latter-day Saint members do avoid addictive substances like drugs and coffee. Given the documented health benefits from coffee, that’s arguably unfortunate, but I’m proof it has addictive qualities. My morning ritual now includes a fresh cup, and my day doesn’t feel right if I miss out on coffee. Asking myself if I am addicted to coffee is a rhetorical question.
Despite Joseph Smith’s revelation, my first sip of quality coffee has a heavenly impact. I’m not alone as the smell and taste of roasted coffee is enjoyed worldwide. It’s the second most traded commodity on the planet after oil.
Consider these fun coffee tidbits gathered from the internet while you savor a cup of black gold:
According to The Week, June 10, 2022, a study of 120,000 people in England found a 21 percent reduced death factor for those who drank coffee, and that number increased to 31 percent if they added a spoonful of sugar. I enjoy coffee with sugar and cream and chose not to research the impact from adding cream — I’m dying eventually and prefer indulging!
Loaded with antioxidants, studies confirm coffee reduces depression and inhibits the onset of type 2 diabetes, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. Joseph Smith might interpret things differently if he could read today’s studies.
The Guinness Book of Records states the world’s oldest cat, Creme Puff, lived to be 38 years old and drank coffee daily.
People in Finland drink the most coffee per capita, and many of the highest consuming nations are located in northern latitudes where coffee isn’t grown. Could it be they are trying to stay warm? Worldwide, over 2.5 billion cups of coffee are consumed daily.
In 16th century Constantinople, not providing your wife with sufficient coffee was grounds for divorce. I’ve known a few people that if you failed to get them their morning cup it became a life-threatening situation.
The two most expensive coffees in the world are created from beans gleaned from the dung of Asian Palm Civets (a jungle cat) and Thailand elephants. Prices can exceed $1,000 a pound for Kopi Luwak and the aptly named Black Ivory. At those prices, no one has ever said, “I’m not drinking this crap.”
Coffee has 800 natural flower and aroma compounds compared to wine’s 200.
Cappuccino was named after Capuchin friars because its color resembled that of their robes worn while they slurped cappuccinos.
You have to drink 80 to 100 cups of coffee in a day for it to become lethal, unlike in 1633 when the Ottoman Sultan, Murad IV, was known to lurk about lopping off people’s heads with a sword for drinking a solitary cup.
Does anyone else think that sounds suspiciously like a highly caffeinated overreaction to prevent others from consuming their share of this heavenly brew?
(1) comment
I imagine that raising coffee beans uses some sort of slave labor and also causes global warming.....so a true leftist kook like you should
Probably give up that luxury. I did the espresso
Maker fad and a few decades of grinding beans
But lately Maxwell House seems to suffice. Black
Coffee unless I put bourbon in it, and then it needs a creamer like International Delight Carmel macciato......elixir of the gods. And
On a hot day......a Monster mean bean iced
Coffee is addictive.
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