If you have navigated your way to this page, chances are that the smell of coffee hits the spot! I give you a morning filled with Norah Jones’ crooning ‘sunrise’ on your surround sound as your coffee machine hisses and prepares your cup o’ joe; hmm…that is not an aspirational advertisement. That friend is a good life.
Coffee easily transitions from a morning-wake-me-up to a pick-me-up afternoon beverage. This wonder drink keeps us going throughout the day. Tasty energiser apart, coffee can also improve our cognitive abilities. Caffeine improves cognitive performance because it stimulates the central nervous system on entering the bloodstream. However, coffee has numerous other benefits, for example, how coffee rituals strengthen professional relationships and increase productivity.
FIKA: socialise over coffee
Fika is an informal Swedish ritual, a coffee break to socialise, that is now institutionalised. Many offices in Sweden introduced Fika break so that employees get away from their desks at a designated hour and socialize with one another. Fika hour leads to the exchange of ideas, random conversations, improvement of personal relationships, and increased individual and group productivity.
Health benefits of coffee
Burns Fat
Did you realise that all fat-burning pills contain caffeine? In a word, yes, it is that efficient for helping one shed pounds. However, caffeine is one of the few chemicals that can accelerate metabolism and help burn fat. Documented results reveal that coffee drinking increases fat burning by 10% in obese people and 29% in lean people. Studies suggest a 3-11% increase in metabolic rate. This effect, however, is not permanent.
Improves your physical performance
Caffeine moves the brain to release chemicals which metabolise fat cells. The adrenaline in your bloodstream gets a boost. The release of this hormone readies the body for strenuous physical activity. Body fat is broken down and used as fuel when released into the bloodstream. It’s for this reason that experts advise drinking coffee 30 minutes before hitting the gym.
Nutrition-rich, believe it!
While it’s true that coffee appears to be nothing more than a black liquid to the uninitiated, it’s so much more than that. It’s an excellent source of the nutrients of manganese, potassium, niacin, magnesium, and riboflavin.
Lowers risk of type 2 diabetes
Millions worldwide suffer from type 2 diabetes. The primary cause of this illness is insulin resistance. Coffee drinking is one of the most potent methods to lower diabetes risk. Studies reveal that regular coffee drinkers have a reduced risk of type 2 diabetes by 25-30%.
Liver Protection
You might think of the liver as the “mother ship” of your internal organs. The liver controls more than 500 bodily processes. Hence, it is more vulnerable to a wide range of illnesses—for example, the risk of cirrhosis, a severe liver disease. However, the chances of cirrhosis are reduced by 80% if people consume four cups of coffee daily.
Other Benefits of drinking coffee
Pain Relief-
Drinking coffee before performing a computer-based office task may have a significant pain-relieving effect, according to research by the National Institute of Occupational Health in the United States. Furthermore, drinking about two cups of coffee can lessen muscle soreness by as much as 48%.
Ethical Behaviour
According to a study conducted in 2014, participants who were given a caffeine boost before taking a test showed greater adherence to ethical standards.
It shows you care
Offering your team high-quality coffee is a simple way to show them how much you care while keeping your costs low. It’s a good idea to stock up on coffee, tea, and other warm beverages for your staff so they may take a break and return to their work feeling revitalised.
Increased Productivity
It’s common sense that caffeine-rich beverages like coffee can enhance cognition and performance in various mental tasks. Remembering and focusing on things is also helped by this. Eighty per cent of workers’ morale and motivation improved when they were offered free gourmet coffee and tea, according to the study’s authors.
Positive Workspace Culture
Offering a corporate coffee solution in the workplace has multiple benefits, including increased productivity and improved teamwork. Forty per cent of workers stated they were able to have more fruitful discussions with coworkers when sharing a cup of coffee.
The productivity of groups and individuals in the workplace was found to increase during coffee breaks, according to research conducted at MIT. (Also see FIKA as mentioned earlier). Taking coffee breaks with coworkers breaks down barriers to discuss issues, brainstorm, and build relationships.
Improves Morale
A survey found that 37 per cent of workers would choose a free gourmet coffee bar daily over an office holiday party. Free coffee is an easy way to show appreciation for your staff without breaking the bank.
Types of Coffee Beans – Arabica and Robusta
Arabica and Robusta are the two most common varieties of coffee beans grown around the globe. The difference between the two starts early on
Arabica Beans | Robusta beans |
| Prefers cooler temperatures | |
| Lower caffeine content (1.7%) | High caffeine content (2.5%) |
| Not very disease resistant, hence lower yield | High caffeine content is toxic for insects hence, disease resistant, producing higher beans yield |
| Selling point | Selling point |
| Much more refined taste than Robusta | The high yield makes it more economical to grow and affordable to consume |
| example: instant coffee |
Types of Coffee Roast
Many people, mistake darker roast beans to contain more caffeine than lighter roast. That’s not true. Roast colour is not indicative of caffeine levels in the beans.
Brew it right.
The quantity of caffeine in a cup of coffee can be altered by how you brew it. As a general rule, the more finely you grind the coffee beans, the more caffeine you get in a cup.
In other words,
1. a cup of drip coffee will have more caffeine than a cup of french press coffee of the same size because of this.
2. Brew temperature alters the extracted level of caffeine. Caffeine is most easily extracted from coffee with water temperature between 195 and 205 degrees Fahrenheit (90 and 95 degrees Celsius). So, don’t count on iced coffee to have a lot of caffeine.
We have told you everything about coffee and its benefits. We encourage you to try out coffee and see its benefits. Many positive effects on cognitive performance and brain health are linked to moderate coffee consumption, and the benefits outweigh the few potential adverse effects.