Mmmmm, coffee

November 16, 2004 1:51 PM

Coffee is Good, Good, Good. Coffee is Bad, Bad, Bad. Seems like the experts just don’t know if our most common addiction is, well, good for us, or bad for us.
posted by grateful (22 comments total)

Why can't it be both?
posted by jpoulos at 1:55 PM on November 16, 2004

Because in addition to all that, coffee makes it harder to think clearly.
posted by soyjoy at 2:03 PM on November 16, 2004

It also improves mental performance.
posted by grateful at 2:07 PM on November 16, 2004

I wonder if my 4 espresso shot breakfast is good or bad (aprox. 800 mg in 4 tasty gulps) I try to keep my overall daily intake of the wonder drug below 2 grams. Most days I succeed.
posted by Grod at 3:03 PM on November 16, 2004

I'd say the benefits outweigh the risks. And the grounds are an excellent source of fiber!
posted by groundhog at 3:54 PM on November 16, 2004

Perhaps the problem is with the press and the average idiot who insist on concluding either "coffee is good" or "coffee is bad" from every single study done on coffee, when the experts know that what is likely to be concluded from a study is "coffee has [specific beneficial effect|specific deleterious effect|no statistically significant effect] (potentially in addition to other beneficial or deleterious effects which this study was not intended to measure) for [given subset of the population] when drunk in [given amount] over [given length of time]."
posted by DevilsAdvocate at 4:13 PM on November 16, 2004

If it was really, really good, it'd be a target in the War on (some) Drugs^TM.
posted by alumshubby at 4:37 PM on November 16, 2004

.
posted by drinkcoffee at 5:28 PM on November 16, 2004

Ah, so that's what it means when someone posts a period: "drink coffee." Can someone add that to the FAQ?

And DevilsAdvocate, what you say is all true, but it gets a little more interesting, if no less true, when we substitute in the word "nicotine."
posted by soyjoy at 5:45 PM on November 16, 2004

Honi soit qui mal y pense!
posted by ikkyu2 at 6:27 PM on November 16, 2004

On what grounds do they make their claim?

For me it's Kicking Horse. Organic, fair-trade, and it seems to be a pretty high quality.
posted by five fresh fish at 6:33 PM on November 16, 2004

Do people still drink coffee??
posted by rushmc at 7:18 PM on November 16, 2004

Do people still drink coffee??

Only really good coffee (and no that doesn't include Starbucks, for me)
posted by kamylyon at 8:36 PM on November 16, 2004

drink? *looks at IV*.. Oh.
posted by dabitch at 9:27 PM on November 16, 2004

Coffee is my drug of choice. I spent way too much money on a Rancillio Silvia espresso maker, upgraded it with temperature control, and I have a nice grinder, but I want more! I am an addict of the coffee. It's not just the caffiene either, because all those other caffienated beverages just don't do it for me.
posted by Eekacat at 11:03 PM on November 16, 2004

I switched to Earl Grey a few months back and my stomach has been MUCH happier than it's been in a long time.
posted by Scoo at 11:23 PM on November 16, 2004

I sadly actually like real coffee now. I used to be able to only drink Starbuck's fru-fru coffee, or coffee with half black and half cream. Then, about a week ago, I had some WONDERFUL black coffee with wayyyy below my normal amount of cream and I....actually LOVED it. Now, I feel like I'm getting addicted to the durn stuff, and not just because of caffeine but I also enjoy drinking it. Damn you, coffee and you methods of addiction!
posted by jmd82 at 11:32 PM on November 16, 2004

I haven't had the nerve to read this book yet, but it seems relevant to the discussion: The Caffeine Advantage: How to Sharpen Your Mind, Improve Your Physical Performance, and Achieve Your Goals--the Healthy Way.

I think it is serious, rather than a joke...
posted by kreinsch at 4:33 AM on November 17, 2004

I don't think that I am aware of a single individual personally who does not drink coffee.
posted by adampsyche at 5:08 AM on November 17, 2004

Point: Always check and see who funded the research.
posted by Beansidhe at 5:40 AM on November 17, 2004

Sounds kinda scary to me, adampsyche...
posted by rushmc at 10:17 AM on November 17, 2004

Then, about a week ago, I had some WONDERFUL black coffee with wayyyy below my normal amount of cream

If it has cream in it, no matter the amount, it's not black coffee...
posted by kamylyon at 10:21 AM on November 17, 2004