Coffee is by far the most popular hot drink in Germany. For most Germans, it is part of a little break. Nevertheless, it is often discussed whether coffee is good or bad. We take a closer look at the popular hot drink.
Coffee is by far the most popular hot drink in Germany. Around three quarters of Germans consume their daily dose of caffeine from a cup. As a stimulant in the morning, against the low in the early afternoon or as a little break in between, coffee is simply part of our everyday life. Nevertheless, it is often discussed whether coffee is good or bad, a stimulant or rather a necessary evil to get going after getting up. Such considerations often focus on health aspects, such as too much coffee causes tachycardia and high blood pressure.
The question of whether coffee is good or bad cannot be answered that easily. Because behind “good” coffee is not only the amount drunk per day and its effect on health. But also the origin of the beans. Coffee beans produced under conventional conditions are not very sustainable. Harmful cultivation methods, lousy working conditions on the plantations and long transport routes turn even a healthy cup of hot drink into bad coffee. This in no way means that the black pick-me-up should be dispensed with in the future – just pay attention to what ends up in the cup and thermos mug.
While exploring the dual nature of coffee’s health benefits and drawbacks, it’s worth noting the tools that enhance the brewing experience. Efficient coffee knock boxes are indispensable for any barista, ensuring a tidy and functional workspace. They help in disposing of used grounds quickly, maintaining the cleanliness that is essential for crafting the perfect cup of coffee at home or in a café.
Coffee: good or bad for our health?
Every German drinks around 164 liters of the black liquid every year. Filter coffee made from already ground beans is still consumed most frequently. However, fully automatic coffee machines that freshly grind and brew whole beans are becoming increasingly popular. Accordingly, the largest quantities of coffee are also sold through the food trade or specialized shops. Various coffee house chains or bakeries that offer “coffee to go” only follow at the bottom.
Coffee’s popularity is easy to explain: its main ingredient is caffeine, medically speaking, one drug, which attaches itself to certain receptors in the brain and thus blocks the “drowsiness” of our body. In addition, caffeine stimulates the release of adrenaline and cortisol. These are two stress hormones that put our body on alert and thereby we work more efficiently in the short term.
Whether coffee is good or bad for our health, wakes us up or harms it largely depends on the dose but there are still numerous myths surrounding the hot drink. A single dose of 3 milligrams per kilogram of body weight is considered harmless, so for a person weighing 60 kilograms that would be 180 mg of caffeine – mind you, per serving. In fact, one cup only contains about 30 to 90 mg of caffeine, depending on the strength. For pregnant and breastfeeding women, more than 200 mg of caffeine per day can have a negative impact on the child. Therefore, it is advised to limit coffee consumption.
For everyone else, it’s not so easy to say how much coffee is too much, three to four cups a day are still classified as “normal consumption”.
When too much is too much
Whether one more cup is too much depends on various factors, such as genetics and habituation. If you overdo it with coffee, overdose of caffeine can cause tachycardia, nervousness or anxiety because the body’s alarm systems are over-stimulated. Exactly this alertness of the body can also make it difficult to fall asleep if we drink a cup in the evening. The bitter substances in coffee can, in large quantities, irritate gastric mucosa. And if you overdo it with coffee consumption, you can even start to have high blood pressure and fall ill.
However, one claim about coffee that still stubbornly persists has been debunked: that is dehydration. If one used to assume that the black hot drink dries out the body and that one should always drink a glass of water with it, one has known for several years that coffee should be included in the fluid balance of the day.
In addition to contributing to our fluid balance, coffee also has other benefits and positive effects on our health. A recent study from Portugal, for example, found that coffee drinkers also have increased brain activity and could solve tasks better. This effect of coffee could also protect against memory loss and Alzheimer’s, according to the researchers.
Scientists had already found out in 2020 that coffee consumption can also boost fat burning by activating the metabolism. Also, coffee drinkers seem to live longer than those opposed to the black brew. The study did not examine whether this was due to the coffee or other factors.
Drink coffee sustainably
Coffee can be good or bad not only for our bodies, but also for our environment and the people who produce it. Coffee plants do not thrive everywhere, only in certain regions of our planet. For example in South America or Africa. The dark brown beans are often one of the country’s most important exports. Since Germany is one of the largest coffee importing countries in the world, we have at least some control over our purchasing decisions as to how the basis for our most popular hot drink is created.
We cannot avoid the long transport routes, but we can influence cultivation methods and trade by Organic and Fairtrade seal. Conventional coffee cultivation usually takes place in large monocultures under much use of pesticides and with bad conditions for the people who work there. Lousy pay, hardly any protective clothing and long working hours are the order of the day. And that applies regardless of whether it is cheap coffee from a discounter or high-priced fine varieties.
Fairtrade seal as a signpost
Fairtrade seals try to remedy these abuses and establish fair trade in coffee on the world market. Although the higher price does not reach the coffee farmers directly, Fairtrade standards ensure better pay and better working conditions. In many cases, Fairtrade products are also organic, which reduces the use of pesticides and is therefore also better for the environment and our health. There are many different versions of fair trade and organic coffee, so there is guaranteed to be something for every taste and budget.
Biggest polluter: coffee in aluminum capsules
There is one more point to consider when deciding whether it is good or bad coffee – the type of preparation. For the hot drink, you need electricity to heat the water on the one hand and the disposal of the “used” coffee powder on the other. The biggest polluters here are the (expensive) machines with aluminum capsules. It looks a little better with fully automatic machines and coffee machines with a pad system, in both cases the coffee grounds are a case for organic waste or compost. The more environmentally friendly way of making coffee is the classic way with a filter or French press. No disturbing shells around the coffee and the caffeine content of the brew can be freely selected. Filled into a thermal mug, even larger quantities stay warm longer.
This is how you enjoy coffee better
Whether coffee is good or bad depends not only on the quantity and the “what” but also the “how”. We often just hurl down a portion of caffeine and thus take away the chance of real enjoyment and what the Germans associate with coffee: a short break or a good start to the day. With our tips you can enjoy every cup:
- Be aware of time for preparation and watch the black liquid trickle into the cup or jug. Breathing in the smell of coffee helps to relieve even a little bit of stress.
- Use fair trade and organic coffee, which gives a good conscience and helps the local farmers to achieve fair prices for their goods.
- Watch out for amount of coffee that you drink every day. This protects your body from a caffeine overdose with all the bad side effects. At the same time, this increases the wake-up effect, as our body gets used to caffeine over time and needs more and more of it.
- Plan the coffee in daily routine. Whether as a morning routine that really wakes you up or as a break in between: plan your coffee into the day and actually take this time slot for yourself. Treating yourself to a little break is good for the psyche and makes our favorite hot drink even better.
Coffee is not universally good or bad
In the right dose, coffee has positive effects for our health and can help us to start the day energetically or to find a break from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. For enjoyment without regrets, however, you should make sure that the beans are consistent cultivated and fair trade. Because only then is really good coffee in your cup!