Yes, You Can Still Love Coffee and Drink it too!

Coffee and mornings go together like peanut butter and jelly (which also just happen to go really well with coffee)! As parents, that little extra jolt of wake-up-wonderful your daily caffeine infusion brings can become, not only a welcome addition, but a sanctioned endorsement! Yes! You are free to love coffee!

For every article out there on the benefits of coffee, there is probably one villainizing it. Just look at California’s debate over Proposition 65 and potential carcinogens in coffee, and you’ll see that even in 2018, there’s still much we don’t know about the long-term health concerns of foods we eat (and drink!). Who knew a humble cuppa Joe could harvest so much controversy? While there are certainly no recommendations encouraging people to drink more coffee, most doctors will agree that under 300 mg of caffeine a day is safe for the average woman of childbearing age. (The caveat to this is if you’re pregnant, or trying to get pregnant, some studies have noticed a potential link between caffeine consumption and miscarriage risk, so check with your health care provider before imbibing.) And recent studies have gone even further to indicate that a healthy adult can safely ingest up to 400 mg of caffeine a day (or the equivalent of 3-4 cups of coffee—and some days it feels like we need every single drop!).

While it’s true that excessive coffee-quaffing definitely isn’t good for you (I’m talking to you jitters, stomach upset, and headaches!), it turns out that a little bit can be. However, since there’s a big difference between your morning java kick, and being, say, Voltaire, who reportedly drank around 40 cups daily, you can still safely indulge and reap some of the amazing rewards coffee has to offer.

THAT BEAUTIFUL, BENEFICIAL BREW

Not only does coffee give you a little pep in your step, there are also some great reasons to justify your morning ritual. Researchers believe that drinking one or two 8-ounce cups of coffee every day helps to lower your risk of Type 2 Diabetes, Parkinson’s disease, heart disease, and can do great things for your liver. Not bad for something you’re probably already drinking! And listen up: coffee is an antioxidant! In this age of antioxidant devotion, you’re already super trendy, my friend! Plus, coffee is linked to lowered mortality rates, a potential reduced risk of depression, and contains good things like potassium, riboflavin, manganese, and magnesium.

Amp up your coffee!

Bump up the antioxidant goodness with a little cinnamon, cacao, or cardamom. Or whip in some coconut oil for a brain boosting kick. Swirl in a dollop of collagen for added skin support or go nutty with a splash of delicious nut milk (pecan milk is heaven!).

GOT THE RIGHT STUFF?

Whichever roast you choose, from the lightest of lights, to the richest, deepest, delicious darks, choose organic, sustainably sourced, and fair trade beans. Tip: Just pick fair trade and you are almost guaranteeing that you’ll get all three in one lovely bag of beans!

Buying fair trade coffee means that you’re helping to make sure that the farmers who grow and harvest the coffee are fairly paid for their labour, which gives them the ability to invest in programs where they live like schools and agricultural improvements. Choosing fair trade also promotes environmental sustainability through better growing practices, a more organic approach to pesticide use, and in many cases, incentives are provided to aid in reforestation. Hey, and did you know that almost 85% of fair trade coffee is grown organically? Go ahead—feel virtuous.

So next time you’re cradling your steamy, lovely cup of java, while oh-so-slowly surfacing from your sleep-induced fog, take satisfaction in the good things that guilty pleasure is doing for you!