Coffee has long been the drink of choice for those of us going in to work early on a Monday; and in today’s age there are many different options to choose from. However, each type of coffee has its benefits and its drawbacks and it may be time to consider switching from your plain old drip coffee to something that could actually benefit you at work.
First things first, all of the options we are going to discuss today have one benefit that they share in common: caffeine. Caffeine has been found to temporarily boost focus and concentration and can help you feel more alert, which is typically the reason most of us drink it in the morning: to wake up! However, these different coffee types each have different pros and cons that can affect your not only your mood and concentration in the workplace, but your long-term health as well.
Drip Brew
This is probably the most common method that America’s workforce uses to get their caffeine fix throughout the day. Almost every office or workplace has at least one Mr. Coffee with half a pot sitting on the burner somewhere in the building. While this method is fast, easy, cheap, and allows you to keep refilling from the pot; there are a few drawbacks that come along with it. The paper filter that is used to keep the coffee grounds from entering the pot, while inexpensive, is filled with chemicals that can leak into the coffee during the brewing process. The filter also strips away a lot of the antioxidants and healthy fats that are naturally present in coffee. It will definitely do the job in making you feel more focused in the morning, but beyond that it won’t be doing much else.
Espresso
Espresso has long been enjoyed by coffee connoisseurs for its bold taste and high caffeine content, but it has now become a mainstay at many coffee chains around the country. Starbucks for example has many drink choices that feature espresso as an add-in or as the main ingredient. With it being such a fixture in coffee culture today, chances are you’ve enjoyed a cup of espresso either on its own or as part of a specialty drink.
Contrary to popular belief it actually has about the same amount of caffeine as a standard cup of coffee, but the serving size is typically a fraction of the amount. This is where espresso can be unhealthy as many people over indulge and start to do more harm than good. In standard servings, espresso can boost focus and concentration by providing your body with healthy fats, antioxidants, and caffeine thanks to its unfiltered brewing process. This will help you feel more alert during the day, can help with long term heart health, and will boost your immune system to help you from having to use up those sick days during flu season. However, drinking too much can lead to caffeine crashes, headaches, and more serious acute heart complications if you have an existing condition. If you want to enjoy espresso, do so in moderation.
Cold Brew
Another up-and-comer in the coffee scene is cold brewing. It involves a longer filtering process and uses room temperature water rather than hot water which gives it a naturally sweeter taste. Cold brew coffee offers a multitude of benefits to help you in the workplace included the normal boost of focus that caffeine provides as well as being easier on your stomach than hot coffee because its not as acidic. This can help those of you with more sensitive stomachs get a caffeine boost in the morning without having to sacrifice comfort for focus. It can also boost metabolism, strengthen your immune system, and lift your mood; all of which will make your day a bit better.
Tea
I know what you’re thinking: “This is supposed to be about coffee! Why are you bringing that weird leaf water into this?!”. Remember, this blog is about rethinking your morning cup of coffee, and tea is a caffeine alternative to consider. Tea, in most of its forms, contains caffeine in smaller amounts than coffee which can help you achieve the benefit of focus without the drawback of that mid-day crash. Some teas, like green tea, even contain a compound that releases caffeine slowly into your system instead of all at once which can make the focus effect last longer and reduce the chances of getting a caffeine buzz like you would from drinks like espresso. It is also full of antioxidants and the trendy new matcha green tea has roughly 137x the antioxidants as in a standard cup of green tea. This can help with mental clarity and cognition, as well as supercharging your immune system to keep you at your desk instead of at home sick. While you may be used to coffee, it may be time to consider tea as an alternative.
-Tyler Geeve, Staff Source Marketing Assistant