I’ve been addicted to coffee in some form or another since I was a freshmen in college. The sugary iced drinks I started drinking got expensive quickly, so I learned how to drink coffee with cream and sugar. When I learned about the calorie content of cream, I learned to drink it black or with a bit of skim. When I found out coffee has no calories and is incredibly good for you, the addiction took off.
This was aided and abetted by my employer, who had free coffee all day. I worked an afternoon and evening shift after class and coffee was a great helper. But at some point I found myself easily downing 10 cups in a shift. Combined with a bit of school stress I developed a twitch. It didn’t take long to figure out why. I cut out coffee cold turkey and switched to tea, which has a much lower caffeine content.
Since then I’ve balanced myself between caffeinated and decaf versions of both coffee and tea. But every once in a while I need to cut out the caffeine completely to keep from developing dependence and what-not. Caffeine is the most widely consumed drug in the world. Next to oil, it’s the most widely traded commodity too.
If you’re putting back a lot of caffeine you should consider a cutback as well. The health benefits of coffee and tea are somewhat diminished with caffeine removed, but not by much.
What’s your beverage of choice? I like black coffee with a splash of skim milk, but while I’m purging myself of it I go for a decaf green tea with a tablespoon of pomegranate juice.
 By The Weakonomist |
The Weakonomist is the founder of Weakonomics. Clicking the picture of the puppy will tell you more about him. If you like what you're reading consider subscribing to the blog, following him on Twitter, and checking out the related posts below. Please consider a donation if you really enjoy Weakonomics. Also keep in mind that nothing I say can be construed as financial advice. |
