It is the second largest powdered industry that runs this country. Coffee is a drink made from the roasted and grounded bean-like seed of a tropical shrub called Coffea plant, that is processed into a powder that dissolves in hot water and can be served any way you want it. Out of all the reasons why drinking a cup of coffee is beneficial for you, it all comes down to a personal level on why I drink – because of the taste.
Alkaline is what it’s called. The dry feeling that remains on the back of the tongue after sipping coffee. Dating back to the 15th century, coffee was only initially used for medicinal and ritualistic purposes because it reduces the risk of diabetes, improves memory and cognition, and fights off free radicals. The coffee plant, like all plants, contains over one-thousand natural substances called phytochemicals, which are antioxidants that help prevent disease.
Life is wonderful, with coffee it’s even better. Coffee is my go-to, must-have, I-need-it-to-survive-college type of necessity. It’s true, coffee is saving my college life from falling apart. From a research study my friends and I did for a class project, we investigated the correlation between daily caffeine consumption and overall performance in college students. From our data, we found that although most students do not depend on or need coffee to succeed, any caffeinated beverages were shown to be beneficial towards their overall academic performance in college.
According to the National Coffee Association, 48% of 18 – 24 year olds drink coffee, compared to 31% back in 2010. This could be because of social influences such as business meetings where coffee is complimentary in the back of the room, coffee shops are the first to open early in the morning, your peers are drinking coffee or going on coffee runs and you want to join in, etc. Consistent coffee consumption may keep one alert for a while, however, one may crash after the caffeine has resided.
Consuming high doses of caffeine can lead to negative health effects such as increased levels of anxiety, insomnia and poor dental health. Depending on what additives you put in your coffee besides the brewed Coffea plant and hot water, you can gain weight from the sugar fluctuations that caffeine produces due to your flavoring, creamer, sugar, etc. Because of this, know your limits on how much coffee you consume.
I don’t depend on coffee to make me successful in college. However, I do depend on it to transform me into a better mood. The taste, the alkaline of coffee, it all improves my mood by almost 100% because it’s a sensation that no other “treat” can mimic. I will always say yes to coffee. Chances are, if you have class with me early in the morning or see me at work, I have a coffee mug on my desk waiting to be sipped by my lips. I didn’t start liking coffee until I started college in 2014, and until this day, after being a barista, getting the Coffea plant tattooed on me, and after hundreds of cups of coffee, I truly believe that coffee has saved my college life from falling apart. I will never not go back to drinking coffee.