Within 30 minutes of waking, I have to pop a pod into my Lavazza machine. That first sip isn’t just a “nice” way to start a day; it’s a mandatory one. I prioritise my morning coffee ritual over checking my phone, after switching off the alarm, and it’s as much a routine as brushing my teeth or getting dressed to go outside. The hiss of my machine, the way the hot oat milk curls into a caramel cloud, it’s like my own little sunrise.
On the rare occasions I’ve skipped a cup at home, such as before an early morning flight, I’ve been met with a thumping headache, one that only evaporates with a hot brew. If I don’t have time to make a coffee, I have to get one enroute to wherever it is I’m going. None of that sugary Starbucks junk, though—that’s not coffee. A proper coffee is full-bodied, aromatic, and needs no addition beyond hot milk. It’s satisfying without a crash come-down.
Most afternoons get a small top-upon that first brew, but at this point, I’m less dependent on the energy, and it’s more for taste. If it’s a post-lunch drink, I’ll go for a one-shot espresso to curb the need for something sweet. However, since I’m English, I might be late-lunching exclusively on sweets in the afternoon by way of high tea. The other day at The Peninsula London’s marvellous lobby, I had sandwiches with a breakfast blend tea, scones with a sencha tea, and cake with a cappuccino.
Milky coffee pairs better with a cake, in my opinion. Sure, that’s a lot of hot pots and cups, but we can’t do afternoon tea without them. It is completely within a healthy range of caffeine, says registered dietitian Roxana Ehsani, who states that drinking two to three cups [of coffee] per day is perfectly safe. Tea has around half the amount of caffeine found in coffee. Anyway, I don’t have afternoon tea that often. Probably just once a month in a social setting. On regular days, I’ll just have one coffee in the morning and a tea in the afternoon.
I drink the same amount as the average person in the world, but it’s strange that somehow, I still feel like an addict. In an age where every other vice is branded ‘wellness’, coffee still isn’t. Maybe it’s my dependency on the bean that gives me those second thoughts. I haven’t gone one single day without coffee in my adult life, and from the headaches that come with skipping it in the morning, I can’t imagine carrying that through the rest of the day.
Caffeine is almost urgent, and I have to get a fix somewhere, somehow. Whilst headaches are the most common physical symptoms of caffeine withdrawal, other experiences include fatigue, decreased alertness, drowsiness and irritability. These withdrawal symptoms can last up to nine days. If I can’t even get through one morning without coffee, I can’t imagine nine days of torture. There’s no way I’ll ever give up, and thankfully, I don’t need to.
Research has shown that moderate caffeine consumption is good for us, especially in the mornings. Have it inthe late afternoon onwards, and it could spike your cortisol levels and mess up your sleep. In a study with over 40,000 adults, the European Heart Journal concluded that those who drank coffee before lunch were 16 per cent less likely to die of any cause and 31 per cent less likely to die from cardiovascular disease during a 10-year follow-up period than those who didn’t drink coffee at all.
However, those who drank coffee in the afternoon saw no major reduction in mortality. If you’re one of the global 80 per cent who drink caffeine daily but (like me) sometimes wonder if it’s an addiction, relax. Maybe it is. But that first cup isn’t just caffeine; it’s clarity, comfort, and a small ceremony that reminds us we’re still alive and in the race.
I’ll take the ritual, the aroma, and the energy with each sip. Life’s too short for decaf, and there are far worse things to focus on quitting. So take all the pleasure you can from your black drip, your flat white, and even your kopi, and don’t waste another moment thinking about cutting the caffeine again.
