6 Coffee Myths Busted

Coffee has not only fuelled nations for centuries, but has also fuelled its fair share of myths. You’ve likely heard a few of these doing the rounds. The question though is, which ones do you believe, and which are just a bunch of hogwash? After all, you wouldn’t want a ridiculous myth affecting your enjoyment of your morning cup of freshly brewed coffee. As it is our duty to spread the word about the magical coffee bean, we’ve decided to bust some of these myths.

1. You should use boiling water on your coffee grounds

I still remember my grandparents telling me that a good cup of coffee needs good quality coffee beans and lava-level boiling water. Turns out this isn't true and actually negatively impacts the taste of your coffee. If the temperature of the water you use exceeds 100 degrees Celsius it can start to extract some of the bitter tasting oils from the beans and might also scorch the beans giving your cup of coffee a burnt, bitter taste. The ideal temperature, although this varies from brewing method to brewing method, is between 91 and 96 degrees Celsius. So, if you are looking for that perfect cup of coffee, make sure that your water isn’t too hot.

2. An afternoon cup of coffee will keep you awake in the evenings

Although coffee is a stimulant, thanks to our little friend Mr. caffeine, drinking a cup of freshly brewed coffee at 3 pm won’t affect your bedtime as most of the caffeine is flushed out of the body within three to five hours. So, if you have a hankering for a late afternoon cup of coffee but worried that it might keep you up the whole night, worry no more.

3. Coffee helps you lose weight

Unfortunately, this is one is a myth (although I really wish it wasn't). While the effects of caffeine can slightly increase your metabolism it’s not enough to help you get rid of that bit of weight you’ve been struggling to lose. However, coffee might reduce your desire to eat momentarily, but as all things in life that to does pass. So, the only way to lose that bit of weight is to still eat well and exercise.

4. Decaf coffee is caffeine free

Now, I know a lot of people who love their cup of decaf, but have you ever wondered if, as the name implies, it is truly caffeine free. Contrary to what many may tell you it is actually very difficult (even impossible) to completely remove every trace of caffeine from coffee. A cup of decaf coffee will most likely have between 10-20% of the caffeine left that you would find in a normal cup of coffee. So, if you find yourself drinking more than three or four cups of coffee a day you might as well enjoy a cup of regular old coffee.

5. A cup of coffee will sober you right up

We’ve all been there. You’ve had one too many glasses of wine and a friend jams a cup of coffee into your hand saying it will sober you up. Well, guess what? They were wrong. Consuming coffee is actually a very bad idea as it can trick you into feeling alert and awake making you think you can handle potentially dangerous situations such as driving even if you are still under the influence of the alcohol.

6. Coffee is bad for you.

As with all things in life, too much of a good thing is bad for you. The same goes for coffee. Although over the years people have believed that coffee might be bad for you, recent studies have actually proved the contrary. In moderation, coffee has been shown to lower the risk of type 2 diabetes by 11%. Coffee also contains high levels of antioxidants which are known to fight the oxidative damage that cancer causes. This could explain why some studies have shown a lower risk of liver cancer among coffee drinkers. More surprising is that a recent study has shown that coffee might even help you live longer as some of the chemicals in coffee may help reduce inflammation which is known for being responsible for playing a role in many age-related health issues. While all this is great news for coffee drinkers, it’s always important to remember that moderation is the key when it comes to enjoying your cup of coffee.

Hopefully, we’ve helped you bust some of the coffee myths out there. Now, why no treat yourself to a good quality cup of Diesel Coffee. #likedieselcoffee