youThroughout the dizzying ups and downs of 2022, one thing remained constant: our collective love of coffee. Whether you’re an espresso elitist or a Starbucks loyalist, if you drank coffee this year, you helped contribute to a record-breaking year for coffee sales. In the United States alone, approximately 400 million cups of coffee were consumed every day this year (phew!).
In our never-ending search for the *perfect* morning cup, we’ve spent this year turning to coffee experts for their advice on all things coffee. Read on to discover our favorite coffee tips of 2022.
The 9 Most Revealing Things We Learned About Coffee This Year
1. Coffee shouldn’t be the first thing you drink in the morning.
While most of us rely on the energizing properties of coffee to get us going in the morning, doctors say water, not coffee, should be the first thing we drink. The reason? Sleep dehydrates. After working through the night to keep the blood pumping and the organs working, our bodies are desperate to replenish themselves with H2O. Before using coffee to fuel your step, fuel your body with the water you lost overnight.
“We lose almost a full liter of water each night, so we wake up dehydrated,” says sleep expert and clinical psychologist Michael Breus, PhD. “Remember folks, caffeine is a diuretic; makes you want to pee So it’s not a good idea to do that, we want water to hydrate ourselves.”
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2. How to establish a healthier relationship with caffeine
The saying “too much of a good thing can be a bad thing” certainly applies to coffee. Aside from the benefits of coffee, too much caffeine can cause anxiety, increased cortisol levels, and higher blood pressure. On episode 56 of the Well+Good Podcast, Ella Dove turned to neuroscientist Caroline Leaf, PhD, Nguyen Coffee Supply founder Sahra Nguyen, and registered dietitian Brigitte Zeitlin, RD, for tips on building a healthy relationship. with the caffeine.
Among other tips, staying under 300 mg of caffeine a day, listening to your body’s signals, and drinking plenty of water throughout the day can keep your caffeine habits in check.
3. Ways to make coffee suitable for sensitive stomachs
Coffee is both a diuretic and a laxative; Combine those properties with caffeine-induced anxiety, and you’ve got yourself a recipe for upset stomach. Adding a pinch of baking soda to your cup of coffee can eliminate stomach problems, according to dietitian Maddie Pasquariello, RD.
“Because baking soda is alkaline with a pH of eight, it can help bring the overall pH of your coffee to a more neutral level. [of seven]as well as helping to neutralize stomach acids in general,” says Pasquareillo.
For an increasingly smooth cup of coffee, try swapping out your blonde roast for something darker. Dark roasted beans are less acidic than other varieties, Pasquariello says. Take a look at our favorite low-acid dark roasts of 2022.
4. How the world’s longest-living people drink coffee
After studying the Blue Zones for years, we have come to several conclusions about how the world’s longest-living people eat, sleep, and exercise. According to National Geographic journalist and longevity researcher Dan Buettner, we can also glean valuable life-extending information from your coffee habits.
Instead of having a cup of coffee at home for a quick boost of energy, people living in the Blue Zones (Nicoya, Costa Rica; Ikaria, Greece; Sardinia, Italy; Okinawa, Japan; and Loma Linda, California) they sip throughout the day. the day, mainly in social settings. By drinking it in smaller amounts, the world’s longest-living people reap the energizing benefits of java throughout the day, not all at once. Specific coffee brewing methods used by the Blue Zones, such as the Ikarian coffee method, extract more antioxidants from the beans compared to Western methods.
5. The delight that is “coffee with honey”
Speaking of the longest living people on the planet, ‘honey coffee’ is the brew of choice for locals in the Blue Zone of Nicoya, Costa Rica. The name ‘honey coffee’ refers to the method in which the coffee fruit was processed before the beans were extracted. While most coffee methods involve removing the sugary inner layer of the coffee fruit before roasting, the honey coffee method ferments it, resulting in a naturally sweet bean yield.
Ready to try honey coffee? Check out our list of the best and boldest honey coffees on the market right now.
6. All the health benefits of sparkling coffee
Let us introduce you to our favorite bubbly drink: foamy coffee. Composed of espresso, seltzer, orange zest, and basil, this blend was created by coffee roaster and TikTok star Dan McLaughlin.
In addition to being a unique way to drink your morning cup, frothy coffee is great for your gut and heart. Mineral water aids in digestion through hydration and lowers blood pressure by providing a boost of magnesium and calcium. The added citrus is also packed with immunity-boosting vitamin C, making it a great sip for flu season.
Don’t beat it until you try it!
7. The self-care power of a morning coffee routine
For some of us, making a cup of coffee is just another part of our morning routine. For others, it is much more. Working with a morning cup (or enjoying a cafeteria beverage) that is specifically tailored to your unique tastes can be calming, comforting, and provide a moment of mindfulness before the busy day ahead. Well+Good reporter Hannah Schneider asked nine coffee enthusiasts how their morning coffee routine positively impacts their lives. “To see how the milk frother warms my milk before I have to take care of everyone during the day… bliss,” says the poet Maghan.
8. How to make concentrated coffee at home
If one of your New Year’s resolutions is to get your finances in order, consider trading your daily cold brew from Starbucks for an iced coffee at home. Coffee concentrate is surprisingly easy to make at home with the help of an Instant Pot. Simply mix 1 ¼ cups of your favorite ground coffee with 18 cups of water, cap, seal, and cook on high pressure for five minutes. The result is a huge batch of super-concentrated coffee that will last you a full week. The $9 you save every day by brewing at home will add up fast.
9. The best and most delicious protein coffee recipes
This year, we learned that two eggs *do* not contain enough protein for a filling and energizing breakfast. To properly repair our hard-working muscles and avoid midday energy dips, dietitians recommend consuming 25 to 40 grams of protein at breakfast. Incorporating protein into your morning cup may be the easiest way to reach your daily nutritional goals. Whether you’re a dairy devotee or an oat milk fan, there’s a recipe for everyone on this list.
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Source: news.google.com