Benefits of Coffee

1. Enhances fat burning metabolism

Researches found that participants who ingested coffee 30 minutes before exercise had a 30% increase in fat burn metabolism. Another study shows that it increases resting metabolic rate by activating brown fat, which increases thermogenesis. This means your burning more calories by doing nothing when drinking coffee.

2. Mental health

A study in Korea found that participants who had at least 2 cups of coffee per day experienced a 32% lower prevalence of self-reported depression than people who did not drink coffee. Also, a class of compounds in coffee known as methylxanthines has been shown to protect neurons against dysfunction, Alzheimer’s  and Parkinson’s disease.

3. Liver health

Research has been done showing coffee consumption significantly reduces liver cirrhosis, and may protect against alcohol. A meta analysis has been done showing the significant reduction in liver cancer as well. The subjects consumed  2 cups of coffee per day and associated it with a 43% reduced risk of liver cancer.

Coffee Quality

Commercial coffee-

The quality of coffee really matters. About 97% of the coffee worldwide is considered to be commercial coffee, meaning it’s mass produced with the primary goal of minimizing cost and maximizing yield. Coffee has high demand, so commercial coffee producers must clear huge amounts of land and spray coffee crops with gobs of chemical pesticides to maximize yield. in fact, coffee is one of the most heavily sprayed crops on the planet. These pesticides are well-known to be toxic to human health and the environment. Also, mold and mycotoxins, specifically ochratoxin A and aflatoxins, are commonly found in coffee. Mold has been found in about half of samples from commercial coffee.

High quality-

Look for organic USDA certified coffee. This will ensure that it is grown with out pesticides, or other chemicals. Also, it’s been shown to be much more rich in antioxidants and bioactive components than conventional coffee. It’s much better for the environment as well.

Testing-

Look for a coffee company that also regularly tests its beans for common toxins, such as yeast, pesticides, mold, and mycotoxins specifically ochratoxin A and aflatoxin which can cause oxidative stress, mitochondrial damage, and reproductive and developmental toxicity.

How to Biohack Your Coffee

1. Add fat to your coffee

Adding fats like MCT oil, coconut oil, ghee, or butter can do a few things. It can cut the bitter taste of coffee, slow down the absorption of caffeine, and make the nutrients more available.

2. Medicinal mushrooms

Adding adaptogens like medicinal mushrooms to your coffee is a great idea. It helps balance out the acidic nature of coffee. Also, at balances the nervous system response to coffee because adaptogens calm the nervous system. Utilizing chaga, reishi, and lions mane are great ones.

Caffeine Cycling

Adenosine is a chemical in the body that builds up through out the day to make us fall asleep. Caffeine has a unique ability to fit in to the receptor cites of adenosine to turn on non sleep like programs, such as alertness. Coffee has a half life of 6-8 hours depending on the person. This means if you consume 200 mg of  caffeine (2 cups of coffee), 100 mg will still be active in your system 8 hours later. This means that we should consume coffee in the morning too early evening for optimal sleep. Access caffeine in the system before sleep will impair sleep quality by  prolonged sleep latency, reduced total sleep time and sleep efficiency, and worsened perceived sleep quality. Also, caffeine can build up in our system over time, so it’s good to take a break. Not drinking coffee, or switching to decaf 1 week out of every month, or 1 month out of every 3 months is a good idea to rest the nervous system and reset the adenosine receptors.