Are you a coffee-drinker?
Tom Lieber
gets started!) recently gave me some advice: to start drinking coffee
daily.
I've tried coffee in the past, and it was disgusting; I haven't had
reason to try any coffee again. I also don't want to fall into the
trap of *needing* a coffee in order to start my day. Does anyone else
feel that it's a necessary habit in order to lead an energized life?
Perhaps a better question is this: how do you keep your energy level
up? When you're feeling tired, how do you get your second wind?
Sincerely,
Tom Lieber
t...@alltom.com
http://AllTom.com/
Mike Brown
For many years, I did exactly as he said, and never drank coffee at meals or at parties. I treated it as a drug. It helped that most office coffee is vile and doesn't encourage recreational use. But as the years have gone by, I've developed a taste for the good stuff and use it as a substitute for dessert to "seal the meal." I've discovered in the last few years that I can only drink 2 to 3 cups per day, even if they're spaced out across the day and evening. So I use it as a treat now and parcel it out accordingly. Most days I only have 1 cup, and that's sufficient.
I do make coffee in the morning when I get to work, but as a getting the engine started ritual. As George Carlin says, screw the company, that first 20 minutes belongs to you.
My dental hygienist says she hates cleaning the teeth of people who drink lots of black coffee. Apparently, the back teeth require a lot of scraping.
And that's most of what I know about using coffee as a performance enhancer. -- mike
Ryan Irelan
routine and the ability to accomplish some key todo items before
heading out for the day. After poking around online, I decided to try
out this method:
http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/2005/05/how-to-become-an-early-riser/
I say this (yes, I'm getting to the coffee part) because one of the
keys (according to Pavlina) to a healthy sleep schedule to break the
habit of coffee:
http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/2005/05/how-to-give-up-coffee/
He also points out some good reasons to cut back on coffee or quit
altogether, including how it may stimulate one part of your brain but
supress others. Generally, I think this is true.
I still drink coffee, but not because I think I need to boost - it's
more about the taste. I actually enjoy it. That being said, I've
recently stopped drinking coffee after 10 AM, so as to not tamper with
my new sleep schedule. I'm not planning on quitting drinking coffee
anytime soon. :)
-Ryan
--
Ryan Irelan
Podcast Free America
http://www.podcastfreeamerica.com
Lolindrath
10-12 hours a night which is just ridiculous since I took more than the
usual amount of credits plus a part-time job plus side projects.
Coffee gives me the ability to start thinking sooner in the morning (I
get the most work then because I get in early enough that no one else
is willing to be chatty) and get through the afternoon slump. I sleep
about 5-6 hours a night during the week and 9 hours plus a nap on the
weekends.
If I didn't have coffee I wouldn't see my wife because I'd have to be
in bed at 8pm. One bad part is I'm hooked on good coffee, I grind my
own beans and I can't have office coffee or even gas station coffee
because its too nasty. The upside to this is I drink about half the
amount in good coffee than I would need in poor quality coffee. The
second bad part is that if I go without coffee for more than 15 or so
hours I start getting withdrawl headaches, some advil fixes that
though.
--Andy
two.o...@gmail.com
when I'm especially tired, I find it helps me be alert faster. I DO
believe there is a mental factor to it - the routine and the reliance
on the coffee to help wakeup helps kick my mind and body into gear. I
rarely drink more than one cup in the mornings, and only on occasion
will I have a second cup later in the day, but when I do, its as Mike
described it - as a drug.
Found this article [1] recently on the possible effects of it. I'm sure
its leaving lots of other information out, but its a related tidbit.
[1]http://www.newscientist.com/article.ns?id=dn8401&feedId=online-news_rss091
Daniel
David Douthitt
> Perhaps a better question is this: how do you keep your energy level
> up? When you're feeling tired, how do you get your second wind?
Studies about coffee have been mixed; apparently having 10 or more is
bad for you, but recent studies suggest one a day is good for you.
I don't take in any caffeine after 6p in order to preserve a decent
sleep schedule. I usually have one cup and it stretches over the entire
day. I'm not one for *hot* coffee - I prefer it more warm like hot
chocolate. It also seems to me that cold coffee (some like ice coffee)
has more potency to it, but that may just be me.
I also believe that there is more to coffee than caffeine, so the other
ingredients may be enhancing things or may be good for your health - I
don't know.
As I alluded to, don't just consider coffee intake - consider all
caffeine intake (including chocolate, soda pop, caffeine tablets,
caffeine candy, caffeine soap, caffeinated drinks...) and stop all
caffeine six hours before bedtime - and don't expect caffeine to keep
you up when you should be asleep (or are overtired).
Katy Whitton
--
Katy Whitton
http://www.flippingheck.com
David Douthitt
> I find it very difficult to "Get Going" in the morning without my first
> hit of coffee but the one thing I make sure is that I don't touch
> anything with caffine in it after 6.30pm (on my Doctor's suggestion). I
> used to have trouble sleeping but cutting out caffine after that time
> and I'm fine.
>
> If I really can't do without my caffine-ey goodness then I fool myself
> with decaf!
I discovered a few years back "Caffeine-free Coca-Cola" - in gold cans.
It can be hard to find, but if you like Coke and want to suck some
down after 6pm, it is wonderful. I couldn't tell the difference from
the usual stuff.
Tom Lieber
- There are both health benefits and risks
- Treat the coffee as you would any other drug
- 1-2 cups a day is within healthy levels
- No coffee or other caffeine for several hours before rest
- A dependence can develop
Overall, most everybody so far has seemed to be recommending at least
some coffee everyday, either by saying it or confessing their daily
reliance on its power. Any advice on good, college-student-priced
brands for someone who's never tried it?
Also, could soda or tea replace anyone's morning coffee, or are the
energizing nutrients just not in the right proportions in these
alternatives?
wood_tang
least one cup of regular in the morning, I get headaches. But I find
that the rest of the day I can satisfy my craving with decaf because
the ritual is the same. I know people who weaned themselves from
regular coffee to decaf in the mornings and never knew the difference,
and I knew a guy in college who swore by orange juice every morning to
wake him up. It's about routine and the psychological effect as much
as anything. Plus nothing wakes you up up like a scalded tongue.
Stephen Boulet
> The general consensus seems to be the following:
Tea contains less caffeine (nice article here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Health_benefits_of_tea).
For coffee's health benefits, see here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coffee#Health.
Amount of caffeine in coffee, tea, chocolate, etc:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caffeine#Coffee
_________
Stephen
If your desktop gets out of control easily,
you probably have too much stuff on it that
doesn't need to be there.
Donna Smallin, "Unclutter Your Home"
Jacob Stetser
naturally contains caffeine (or mateine, another name for it when it
comes from mate). It's a little less jittery than coffee to some
people, and comes in easy to make tea bags from a lot of suppliers.
The really potent stuff comes loose and is made by pouring hot water
into a mug and sipping through a special straw that filters out the
particulate... done with the water? Add more until the flavor gets
too weak.
One helping of mate and several mugfuls of hot water later and you'll
definitely feel the effects of mateine in your system.
Just a few other notes about energy, based on my own experience.
* Drink enough water. (Can't stress this enough. Getting sufficient
water brings not only energy but clarity)
* Take a fish oil or flax oil supplement, or DHA for brain-specific
benefit (Essential Fatty Acids support nearly every body function...
get plenty and your body works less to do what it must do)
* Replenish your stomach bacteria with a probiotic supplement. (With
a sufficient amount, you absorb food more effectively)
Jacob Stetser
http://blog.unquiet.net/
David Douthitt
> Also, could soda or tea replace anyone's morning coffee, or are the
> energizing nutrients just not in the right proportions in these
> alternatives?
The right tea could to some extent, but it is much weaker than coffee.
Herbal tea or "green tea" is like decaf coffee - pretty much no caffeine
across the board.
Some pop could - Code Red, Mr Pibb, even Mt. Dew. However, the
carbonation has been linked to throat cancer recently, and there is a
ton of sugar in these.
Stay away from the recent crop of high-priced "get up and go"
alternatives - they don't necessarily help as much as they claim, and
they have not been tested or studied sufficiently yet.
If you want to be creative - there are a lot of caffeinated products
that you would not think of (including caffeinated water and caffeinated
soap and caffeinated candy). My favorite store for this is ThinkGeek -
they even have a dedicated section for it :-)
http://www.thinkgeek.com/caffeine/
Every geek has to have a source ;-)
Mark Hurd
I'll take somebody up on their offer of a cup of the gourmet Hawaiian
stuff, but usually I think it's pretty vile.
A few years back I learned that I was essentially immune from the
normal effects of caffiene. I have tried Jolt, Bawls, you name it, and
they just made me pee. I could have had 2-3 bottles of Bawls in one
sitting and passed out 30 minutes later.
Between working out and commuting to work via bicycle, I get more than
enough energy to carry me through the day. I had always assumed it was
caused by the exercise, but the "start your engines" routine some of
you mentioned is probably having some effect on it as well.
Mark
Ryan Irelan
> water brings not only energy but clarity)
Amen to that. I try to drink 2 liters/day of just water. In fact (and
tying this to coffee), I prefer to drink a cold bottle of water first
thing in the morning, _before_ coffee. Somehow it seems to set up
my stomach and body for the rest of the day.
Since I started drinking almost no cola and pretty much only water,
I've seen a significant increase in energy levels, more normal
appetite that doesn't need to be satisified with heavy fatty foods
and, as Jacob wrote, a lot more clarity in thinking.
The key (for me and my wife) to drinking more water was to make it
easier to do so. For us, that means drinking bottled water. They're
easy, portable and I drink more from a bottle than I do a glass.
A minor tangent...
-Ryan
---
Ryan Irelan
Podcast Free America
http://www.podcastfreeamerica.com
Mark Hurd
I probably drink just shy of a gallon a day. To clarify, I between my
mountain bike and riding to work every day, I log about 180-200 miles a
week on the bike, and need to stay constantly hydrated - so I'm sure
the gallon is definitely overkill for most people.
For most people it's more convenient to crack open a can or bottle of
soda. Since I keep the water so close at hand, I'm no longer tempted
to grab something else if the generic urge hits me to "drink
something."
Mark
britt
> water brings not only energy but clarity)
This is even more important if you start drinking coffee regularly.
Caffeine is a diuretic and it will dry you out more than usual.
Cinemafia
them. Most taste quite disgusting, but two of the better-tasting ones
I've tried are:
Monster Khaos
Available almost anywhere
&
Kizz-Me
Available at most Whole Foods stores
Chris
When I tried Googling for it though all I came up with was discussion
boards like this where people mentioned it but no links to an actual
study. Do you know where you saw this at?
David Douthitt
>> * Drink enough water. (Can't stress this enough. Getting sufficient
>> water brings not only energy but clarity)
>
> Amen to that. I try to drink 2 liters/day of just water. In fact (and
> tying this to coffee), I prefer to drink a cold bottle of water first
> thing in the morning, _before_ coffee. Somehow it seems to set up
> my stomach and body for the rest of the day.
I agree completely. However, if you combine much coffee (or caffeine)
with drinking water, you'll "leak like a sieve" like I like to say.
Best to be prepared for lots of bathroom breaks.
However, drinking some water after a bathroom break is a very good
habit, though it'll make you wish you passed up that coffee :-)
David Douthitt
> Interesting... I hadn't heard about carbonation being linked to throat cancer.
> When I tried Googling for it though all I came up with was discussion
> boards like this where people mentioned it but no links to an actual
> study. Do you know where you saw this at?
Sigh. Unfortunately, this is one of those "someone said that someone
said that someone said...." I wish I *did* know (best to be able to
point at one). If I saw it in the paper, I don't remember where.
However, I *do* know someone (anecdotal, yes) who drank *lots* (and I
mean *lots*) of Mt Dew, and it caused them stomach problems. They had
to stop, and can't have it any more.
I've also had cases where it seemed like there was "bubble" in my throat
after swallowing soda, and I had to clear it out to be able to breathe
properly. Again - anecdotal.
All I have is anecdotal evidence... perhaps a search of one of the
medical libraries could turn something up?
maryann
energy level, but if something prevents me from having coffee in the
morning, I don't feel sluggish or sleepy. I naturally have more energy
in the morning, and a cup of coffee feels more like a nice ritual to
mark the beginning of the day, than a drug to get me going.
At times I work longer hours, anywhere from 10 - 13 hours/day, and
often past my normal bedtime. On those days, I'll have a cup in the
afternoon, to be sure I'm alert and appear fresh, face to face with our
patrons -- in that way, I'll use it as a drug.
Overindulging in coffee gives me headaches. However, I have a colleague
who was prescribed coffee by her doctor to combat migraines.
Maryann
Grurp
I personally drink black tea myself as I unfortunately can't handle coffee anymore (for reasons unrelated to drinking coffee for most of my life). I tend to drink caffeinated tea till about 6:00pm and then maybe have some decaf tea (primarily herbal teas) after that. I find drinking something with caffiene in it (generally black tea) helps me get going sooner and easier in the morning. Also I find that the trick to using caffiene to keep you awake is a constant consistent intake (drink early, drink often).
Grurp
P.S. Keep in mind that I was started on coffee when I was rather young[1], I come from a family of coffe drinkers, and one of my favorite t-shirts has a molecular diagram of caffiene on the front (you can get these from thinkgeek.com).
Footnotes:
[1] When I was living out east and I was in school there I was bored and didn't want to do my schoolwork. The inept PHB like sorts there at the school mistook this for ADD and I was put on ritalin. I wasn't all that happy on ritalin and the aforementioned inept PHB like sorts said I had to be on something, so I started drinking a cup of coffee in the morning when I was knee high to a frog as an alternative to being on ritalin.
Vicki Brown
Coffee (or at least caffeine) may help prevent Alzheimers and Parkinsons. In
"reasonable" doses. Don't over-do. Don't get addicted.
If you need a quick pick-me-up, half a No-Doz or Vivarin tablet is equivalent
to approx. the caffeine in a cup of coffee (half a cup of coffee?). Take
with a glass of water.
Tea actually has _more_ caffeine than coffee but less gets into your system
because of the way the caffeine is bound into the leaves...
Company break room coffee is generally vile, nasty stuff.
My preference is iced coffee (I don't much like hot coffee). On work days, I
tend to make myself a 12-oz mug of iced coffee (not too strong). I prefer it
with Sweet-n-Low and a tablespoon of half-n-half. I use Victorian House
coffee "concentrate" (liquid, concentrated, brewed coffee; add water). I use
their measure (about 1.5 oz) and 12 oz water and ice. It helps wake me up
without being overwhelming.
Coffee gives you bad breath. Coffee and tea will stain your teeth. :-(
Tea may help prevent cavities...
Green tea is said to have many benefits.
Caffeine dilates the blood vessels. Helps make headaches go away. Excedrin is
a miracle drug :-)
Caffeine withdrawal can _give_ you a headache.
If you hate coffee and don't want to rely on drugs for a pick-me-up, drink a
glass of spring water and go for a walk around the block in the morning.
--
- Vicki
ZZZ
zzZ San Francisco Bay Area, CA
z |\ _,,,---,,_ Books, Cats, Tech
zz /,`.-'`' -. ;-;;,_ http://cfcl.com/vlb
|,4- ) )-,_. ,\ ( `'-' http://heatercats.com
'---''(_/--' `-'\_) http://cfcl.com/vlb/weblog
JoshD
> I would suggest that you go with black tea if you don't like coffee. The main drawback I find to drinking tea as opposed to coffee is that the US isn't a tea drinking nation anymore which means that the only sort of pots you are going to happen across are coffepots not teapots. If you live in another country you might not have this problem.
[Adagio Tea](http://www.adagio.com/) sells creative and useful
[teaware][1] and good loose tea. The [InginuiTEA][2] is what I use.
(Watch the video to see how it works.)
Douglas Adams (R.I.P.) had an eloquent rant on tea, and how Americans
have never had a decent cup of tea. Unfortunately, it's not available
online, but his point is easily transmitted: if your experience with
tea has been teabags left in a mug full of boil*ed* (rather than
boil*ing*) water, what you think of as "tea" is in fact better known as
"crappy brown leaf piss."
It's worth trying real tea if you don't like coffee.
[1]: http://www.adagio.com/teaware/index.html
[2]: http://www.adagio.com/teaware/ingenuiTEA_teapot.html
Rich Henderson
> have never had a decent cup of tea. Unfortunately, it's not available
> online
I could have sworn it was.. Ah, yes, here it is:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A61345
cheers,
rich
Stephen Boulet
> Notes and factoids:
> Tea actually has _more_ caffeine than coffee but less gets into your
> system because of the way the caffeine is bound into the leaves...
Not according to wikipedia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caffeine#Sources
Coffee, brewed (drip) - 4 to 20 mg/floz
Black tea, brewed (USA) - 2.5 to 11 mg/floz
Green tea, 2.5 mg/floz
Vicki Brown
>
>http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caffeine#Sources
>
>Coffee, brewed (drip) - 4 to 20 mg/floz
>Black tea, brewed (USA) - 2.5 to 11 mg/floz
>Green tea, 2.5 mg/floz
"brewed", and "floz" indicate caffeine __in the liquid__.
Note that I said "less gets into your system because of the way the caffeine
is bound into the leaves". More in the plant, less in the cup.
or so I was told by the professor of the drug class I took in college.
Dipesh Navsaria
o I've had two cups of coffee in my entire life, and I hated them.
However, I'm a life-long tea drinker, and quite happy that way, thank
you very much. :-) I personally can't imagine starting a coffee
habit deliberately if I didn't like it, but that's just me.
o While it's true that tea contains less caffeine than most coffee,
if you're looking for a consistent caffeine hit, I'd echo the
previous suggestion that you treat it purely as a drug and consider
all forms of caffeine.
o While this is purely anecdotal, I do find that the "pick-me-up"
from tea is different from what I get when I have, say, a caffeinated
soft drink. Sometimes I'm in situations where I can't get to my
afternoon tea (made in the AM and carried in a thermos), but a soft
drink is available. Sure, I feel the stimulating effect from it, but
it's not the same as the "fuller" alertness I feel when I have tea.
I've heard some talk about how there are related compounds to
caffeine in tea that are also wakefulness-promoting, but I've never
seen a really authoritative source on that.
o I limit my tea consumption: two cups (12 ounces) in the AM, two
cups in the lunch to late-afternoon time period. Nothing with
caffeine after 6pm, otherwise I'll end up going to sleep later and
then screwing up my sleep cycle. Then again, I know others who can
ingest caffeine and be sound asleep an hour later, so it's personal.
Peace and Prosperity,
Dipesh
Eugene Liedel
I'm seriously addicted to caffeine.
I've tried coffee, tablets but I always seem to come back
to the cola.
Until last week. my wife bought a tassimo single serve
coffee/hot drink maker.
I just love the cappuccino's it makes.
my coffee consumptions has increased dramatically.
--
lie...@gmail.com
deepthoughts.liedel.org
spdaly
coffee to the infamous "Black Eye" (drip coffee with *2* shots of
expresso) on occasion.
I just started drinking afternoon coffee a couple of years ago. I was
working for a client in NYC who regularly had a cup of coffee around
2PM. I would keep it to a "foo foo" drink or a small drip unless I
pulled an all-nighter the night before. It definately gave me a pick
up, but like others have said, I found that I needed to stop drinking
coffee by 4-5PM in order to get a decent sleep. I now either have drip
coffee, black or green tea.
Interestingly enough I found that another good afternoon pick-up was
drinking a liter or so of water. My doctor thinks that I was not
getting enough water during the day and the mild dehydration was
causing me to drag.
neilio
coffee you've ever tasted then you're missing out. Coffee is like any
other beverage (be it wine, spirits, beer, tea, etc.) - there are a
wide variety of types, flavours, qualities, etc. You can't compare a
Starbucks drip coffee to a Barcelona Cafe con leche or a true Italian
espresso. It's like comparing Budwiser to Guinness - totally different
beasts.
That said I'm a huge believer of a big ol' glass of water followed by a
cuppa joe first thing in the morning to get the engine going. Yeah, I'm
probably addicted, but besides a cup or two of coffee a day I'm pretty
clean, so I figure I'm allowed a vice here and there.
Tom Lieber
Has the colored teeth bothered anyone, or is that considered a worthy
compromise? Are there any decent preventative measures that make it a
non-problem?
Also, Vicki mentioned No-Doz; with all the people who use coffee as a
'drug', does anyone use some over-the-counter product (or perhaps
caffeinated mints or soap) _instead_? Why? Does the soap, in
particular, actually cause you to feel more awake, or is it the
shower? I realize that as with anything, even the drinks, some of the
energy boost is psychological. Putting caffeine into a product for
your skin just seems over-the-top to me, however.
Dipesh made the comment "I personally can't imagine starting a coffee
habit deliberately if I didn't like it, but that's just me," and to
that I feel it's appropriate to respond with a quote from neilio which
wasn't a direct reply, but is related: "North American coffee in
general is pretty terrible. If that's the only coffee you've ever
tasted then you're missing out. Coffee is like any other beverage ...
there are a wide variety of types, flavours, qualities, etc." In
short, I'm sure that we're not an entire country of people drinking
bad coffee, so I won't let one bad experience ruin the drink for me
for the rest of my life! I'm going to give it a chance if it seems
worthwhile. At this point, I think I'll be trying at least a few
brands from the store to see what we've got in the area.
I see myself drinking coffee as a 'prescription' as many people have
mentioned. I've had problems recently with nodding off in class and
not having the energy to do schoolwork early in the afternoon, not to
mention getting up in the first place (thanks for the early riser
article), so a pick-me-up seems in order. As for the water-drinkers in
the thread, they'll probably be pleased to hear that I've been taking
1-2 glasses of water at every meal and .5-liter bottles between. ;)
I'm glad so many people decided to bear with me on this rather naive
research method about a topic that can seem so inconsequential on the
surface. ;)
And finally, a quote from the original inspiration for the thread (who
surprisingly hasn't participated yet):
"You are sleepy? Drink a cup of coffee. But your brain will be sleepy
even when your system is up and running. You need to get your brain
started, and the only way to do that is by being passionate about
something." - Javier of
<http://www.emaginacion.com.ar/cym/how-to-stay-up-energized-all-day-long/>
By the way Javier, that quote's on my wall!
TWJ
coffee-tea-sparkling beverage can assist with energy flow...investing
some extra effort in brewing it, leaving the workspace to find it.
Catching a choice brew at the local coffee shop with its related
ambience is more refreshing than pounding down a cup of joe over the
office sink. Even better if it involves a brisk walk to said cafe. Done
with moderation, it's cheaper than lunch out.
Chris Lott
than a cup of coffee. Nodding off during classes is usually indicative
of other issues and can be dealt with in many ways-- consumption of
coffee as a prescription for sleepiness seems kind of silly to me. Do
some stretching (mental or otherwise), isometrics, check your sleep
patterns, and most importantly monitor your diet-- quality and length
of sleep is 50% of the equation, diet and eating patterns about 40%
more. There is no "reason" for drinking coffee other than that you
like it!
I'm a confirmed coffee lover, so don't get me wrong. I would never
discourage one from trying it. But it should be because you like it!
Coffee is one of the world's most interesting beverages in terms of
complexity and variety. Let the addiction part come naturally :)
c
Dave Emmons
but when I started riding my Bike to work I stopped needing that as
well. I guess a good nights sleep and excercise would be the most
"natural" way to handle these things. Cheaper too.
Sometimes the simpliest things are best. <G>
-Dave
Paul Worthington
is absorbed, so you don't actually get any of the expected results from
using it. However, I can vouch for Penguin caffeinated peppermints.
According to the tins, three Penguins are the caffeine equivalent of
one cola beverage. I've found that one of them at the right time in the
afternoon helps flatten my energy low.
David Douthitt
> At 16:34 -0500 12/14/2005, Stephen Boulet wrote:
>> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caffeine#Sources
>>
>> Coffee, brewed (drip) - 4 to 20 mg/floz
>> Black tea, brewed (USA) - 2.5 to 11 mg/floz
>> Green tea, 2.5 mg/floz
>
> "brewed", and "floz" indicate caffeine __in the liquid__.
> Note that I said "less gets into your system because of the way the caffeine
> is bound into the leaves". More in the plant, less in the cup.
>
> or so I was told by the professor of the drug class I took in college.
Don't wait, don't hold back - if you can back it up somehow, go fix up
the entry in Wikipedia....
David Douthitt
> I've had problems recently with nodding off in class and
> not having the energy to do schoolwork early in the afternoon, not to
> mention getting up in the first place (thanks for the early riser
> article), so a pick-me-up seems in order.
Another thing - don't have a heavy meal for lunch. Digestion is a major
source of strength sapping, so go light at lunch.
Mitch Wagner
> Douglas Adams (R.I.P.) had an eloquent rant on tea, and how
> Americans have never had a decent cup of tea. Unfortunately, it's
> not available online, but his point is easily transmitted: if your
> experience with tea has been teabags left in a mug full of boil*ed*
> (rather than boil*ing*) water, what you think of as "tea" is in
> fact better known as "crappy brown leaf piss."
>
> It's worth trying real tea if you don't like coffee.
>
> [1]: http://www.adagio.com/teaware/index.html
> [2]: http://www.adagio.com/teaware/ingenuiTEA_teapot.html
I'm a bit of a tea snob myself. I have several china teapots in various sizes. I literally got a new one this week and brewed the first pot in it today:
http://shopstashtea.com/800667.html
I also frequently make tea one mug at a time, using a nylon basket with a fine mesh, filled with loose tea, that I suspend from the rim of the cup, and put the tea in.
Use one teaspoon of loose tea per six-ounce cup, add boiling water, let steep for five minutes--don't go more than that, or the tea will stew and become foul. You may have to strain while pouring if you're using a teapot, although many teapots come with built-in strainers, and you lift the tea out of the pot when it's done.
If you want to be even fancier: Before adding the tea, fill the pot and mug with hot water, and put it aside for a minute or two (you can do this while the water is boiling). This heats up the pot and mug, and makes the tea taste better.
You should use loose tea, not bags--especially not in America, where the teabags are filled with the floor sweepings that the rest of the world won't buy.
Lipton Green Label or Yellow Label are good teas, sold by the box in many American grocery stores with a large, immigrant customer base. You can also find good teas sitting around loose in barrels in Indian grocery stores in America (or so I'm told--haven't seen it myself).
If you want to be fancier, Upton Tea sells a good selection of gourmet teas for a reasonable price. Try one of their samplers. Upton Tea also has good herb teas, for a hot drink late at night that won't keep you awake.
80% of the caffeine in tea is dissolved in boiling water within 30 seconds. So, to make a crude sort of decaf at home, set up your teapot normally, add boiling water, let it steep for 30 seconds, and then pour it off and discard. Fill the pot again with boiling water, and let it steep for five minutes.
Mitch Wagner
AndyC
Sodium deficiency or some other electrolytic imbalance. It can happen
- there was a well publicized case of an actor in the UK who collapsed
on stage due to drinking 4 litres (just over a US gallon) of water a
day.
Andy
Howard Fore
The right tea could to some extent, but it is much weaker than coffee.
Herbal tea or "green tea" is like decaf coffee - pretty much no caffeine
across the board.
Howard Fore, howar...@gmail.com
Konrad Neuwirth
not herbal, but also a product of the tea bush. It's just processed
differently than black tea.
The wikipedia entry <URL:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tea> gives a
good introduction into the differerent kinds of tea coming from the
tea bush.
Ella E-L
all good things :)
http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A61345
And darling, listen to me and Douglas, don't listen to that crap about
buying something at $40/oz that was picked by chinese virgins using
only their knees or whatever.
Teabags are fine, it's just that an awful lot of teabags you see in the
US are stale and undersised. There's only one really important thing
to remember that nobody in the States seems to have got the hang of
yet: tea goes in *first*, and the -boiling- water (not warm, and
please god not that pot of tepid water that was run through the
coffee-maker sometime this morning) is poured on top of that. Oh, and
please don't do that thing Americans do where they think it's a good
idea to try and use the same poor exhausted teabag for multiple cups of
tea, it just results in something that tastes almost, but not quite,
exactly like dirty pond water.
Best of luck, if all else fails lime or lemon juice are a nice
pick-me-up and caffeine-free obviously.
:e
Chris Lott
teas (with a few, pricy exceptions). Do yourself a favor and pick up
some good tea and one of the many great brewing devices (tea wand, cup
with brew suspension, tea ball, pouch, whatever).
The worst tea sins (besides bad tea): brewing with water that is not
hot enough, brewing with water that has been boiled too long, brewing
green tea with boiling water, steeping most teas for more than a few
minutes...
Upton Tea Imports and Adagio Tea both sell *good* tea and
paraphernalia at reasonable prices and provide a lot of good
information on how to make it right.
c
David Douthitt
> The worst tea sins (besides bad tea): brewing with water that is not
> hot enough, brewing with water that has been boiled too long, brewing
> green tea with boiling water, steeping most teas for more than a few
> minutes...
I've been following along, learning - but seems to me that water that's
been boiling for a while is boiling water - just like it was a few
seconds ago - or even a minute ago.
> Upton Tea Imports and Adagio Tea both sell *good* tea and
> paraphernalia at reasonable prices and provide a lot of good
> information on how to make it right.
Do you have links to their stores?
I drink coffee as a pick-me-up - I drink tea for enjoyment. Coffee is a
drug - tea is a joy. :-)
Chris Lott
> I've been following along, learning - but seems to me that water that's
> been boiling for a while is boiling water - just like it was a few
> seconds ago - or even a minute ago.
I don't know what it is, but it definitely effects the taste. Amongst
tea drinkers it is "common knowledge" for what that is worth :) I
think part of it is that the boiling takes more of the oxygen out of
the water? I'm no chemist...
> > Upton Tea Imports and Adagio Tea both sell *good* tea and
> > paraphernalia at reasonable prices and provide a lot of good
> > information on how to make it right.
>
> Do you have links to their stores?
>
> I drink coffee as a pick-me-up - I drink tea for enjoyment. Coffee is a
> drug - tea is a joy. :-)
Upton Tea Imports (my favorite): http://www.uptontea.com/
Adagio Teas: http://www.adagio.com/
c
Ryan Irelan
>
> On 12/16/05, David Douthitt <ss...@mailbag.com> wrote:
> > I've been following along, learning - but seems to me that water that's
> > been boiling for a while is boiling water - just like it was a few
> > seconds ago - or even a minute ago.
>
> I don't know what it is, but it definitely effects the taste. Amongst
> tea drinkers it is "common knowledge" for what that is worth :) I
> think part of it is that the boiling takes more of the oxygen out of
> the water? I'm no chemist...
>
That's what I've heard and read, too. My favorite place for coffee
also says the same thing:
"Don't boil the water too long, or the oxygen content of the water
will be reduced and lend a flat taste to the cup."
http://www.peets.com/learn/tea_basics.asp?sid=497C82AFEC4278772752B3E435BE088E
Ryan Irelan
www.podcastfreeamerica.com
Michael Langford
temperature rises. The soluability of carbon monoxide (CO) and
nitrogen decrease until you hit something between 68 and 78 (I can't
remember, and it varies with pressure anyhow), then they start to
rise.
This is why a coke goes flat faster on a summer day and why simple
models of the greenhouse effect runaway so quickly (warming the ocean
can release more CO2 from the ocean, in turn, warming the ocean more,
etc, until you have a terrestrial version of Venus[1]).
This is another reason factories can kill fish in streams when they
dump even clean water: the warmer water coming out of the factories
can suffocate the fish (much of the oxygen comes out of the water).
So yes, boiling "for awhile" can make more gas leave the water.
Anything keeping the water hot for awhile will cause it though. Take
cold water, quickly bring it to brewing temperature for your
particular kind of tea.
--Michael
On 12/16/05, Chris Lott <chris...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
--
Michael Langford --- 404-386-0495
The demon that you can swallow gives
you its power, and the greater life's pain,
the greater life's reply --Joeseph Campbell
David Douthitt
> That's what I've heard and read, too. My favorite place for coffee
> also says the same thing:
>
> "Don't boil the water too long, or the oxygen content of the water
> will be reduced and lend a flat taste to the cup."
Seems odd to me. Oxygen is a part of water - two hydrogen molecules to
one oxygen molecule. If you remove the oxygen, you have hydrogen -
hydrogen gas I suspect.
There could possibly be another reason - but I doubt that oxygen content
is it.
I would propose these: the metallic lining might further add unwanted
taste to the water. Any water impurities may start to collect on the
sides and either add unwanted taste to the current cup or to future cups.
Xian Pitt
good strong black tea.
http://www.teadog.com/shop_c67774.html
--
visit monstercoop.com
Swift gratitude is the sweetest.
~Proverb, (Greek)~
for...@gmail.com
I lift weights, and recently began taking in "good calories" throughout
the day, in small quantities (ie: small meals). That can be food, a
meal replacement shake, etc.
I also take one before bed to keep my body in anabolic mode (vs.
catabloic/fasting).
I found, overall, some positive changes in my energy level. This
method also affects the body's metabolism. Think of it like a wood
fire: you keep adding logs to keep the fire burning... and thus,
similarly with your metabolism.
Of course, everyone's body is different, so experiment to see what
works for you.
I also drink coffee in the mornings, and sometimes in the afternoon -
but overall, I don't take in much.
I also weaned myself off sodas, sweets and other yucky/oily foods --
sure I "cheat" now-and-then, but it's amazing how "gross" it is now,
that I don't eat those things regularly.
Those types of foods also affect your energy level. Many people
experience the "high" of coffee, then you come "down" from that, with a
slight sugar withdrawal (if you use sugar).
Also, stay AWAY from artificial sweeteners!
Hope this helps.
_F
Mitch Wagner
Good speculation--too bad it's wrong--I like your reason better than the real reason.
The real reason: The oxygen is dissolved in the water. That's in addition to the oxygen that water molecules are made up of. The dissolved oxygen is what fish breathe.
Mitch Wagner
Justin Lilly
water that you get from the tap isn't H2O, its H2O + impurities (like flouride, arsnic [heh], and whatnot). As you boil the water, the H2O evaporates and it concentrates the impurities in what is left of the water, thereby making their taste more apparent.
It may not be scientific, but it sounds better.
-justin
The real reason: The oxygen is dissolved in the water. That's in addition to the oxygen that water molecules are made up of. The dissolved oxygen is what fish breathe.
Justin Lilly
University of South Carolina
http://www.justinlilly.com
Amit
source of caffeine because of the various health benefits, also that
the body absorbs tea's caffeine better. I personally don't need the
extra kick until the wee hours of the night, being a college student
that has a night-owl sleep schedule. I generally drink soda though
which obviously isn't the best health wise. I think I should get into
the habit of drinking tea then. There is some heavily caffeinated chai
available from thinkgeek, maybe I will try that when my caffeine supply
goes dry.
Evan Edwards
> water that you get from the tap isn't H2O, its H2O + impurities (like
> flouride, arsnic [heh], and whatnot). As you boil the water, the H2O
> evaporates and it concentrates the impurities in what is left of the water,
> thereby making their taste more apparent.
Except that laboratory pure distilled water has the same metallic taste of
boiled water -- because it also lacks dissolved gasses.
Nifty theory, though.
You can eliminate the taste somewhat by putting it in a bottle so it's
half full and then shaking it.
--
Evan "JabberWokky" Edwards
http://www.cheshirehall.org/
David Douthitt
> Except that laboratory pure distilled water has the same metallic taste of
> boiled water -- because it also lacks dissolved gasses.
>
> Nifty theory, though.
All this talk about boiling too long being bad.... I came across an
interesting essay about making tea the right way (as we've been
discussing). This time it wasn't Douglas Adams, but rather George
Orwell. He had this to say about boiling water:
Some people add that one should only use water
that has been freshly brought to the boil, but
I have never noticed that it makes any difference.
The full essay is here:
http://www.netcharles.com/orwell/essays/nicecupoftea.htm
Where I found this was at Wikipedia:
teri.p...@gmail.com
of the stuff. I've always been a tea drinker. For good teas, I buy from
http://www.specialteas.com/ . They have some great green teas and
that's what I usually drink at work. At home, I buy stuff from the
local produce stand. We have a lot of Russians in this area and the
produce stand caters to them. I can buy large boxes of lovely Ceylon
tea cheaply, so that's my morning drink. I like it strong with honey
and half and half.
I used to burn out daily at 2pm. When I went low carb and cut out
sugar, that stopped. I'm a low energy person but seem to get by with a
minor lift from a couple of cups of green tea at work. I've used that
Emergen-C powder in the past, which can be useful if you are really
running on empty. There's no reason to resort to coffee if you don't
like it.
Chris
> I used to burn out daily at 2pm. When I went low carb and cut out
> sugar, that stopped.
Good to hear; I just started a low carb diet and I was wondering how
I'd get through my day with out a sugar fix in the afternoon.
Mitch Wagner
At Mon, 19 Dec 2005 09:11:23 -0600, David Douthitt <ss...@mailbag.com> said:
> All this talk about boiling too long being bad.... I came across an
> interesting essay about making tea the right way (as we've been
> discussing). This time it wasn't Douglas Adams, but rather George
> Orwell. He had this to say about boiling water:
>
> Some people add that one should only use water
> that has been freshly brought to the boil, but
> I have never noticed that it makes any difference.
>
> The full essay is here:
>
> http://www.netcharles.com/orwell/essays/nicecupoftea.htm
>
> Where I found this was at Wikipedia:
>
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tea
That's great! Thanks, David.
Mitch Wagner
Mitch Wagner
I drink coffee as well as tea, and I enjoy them both. But I don't recommend drinking coffee because you habitually wear down in the afternoon. Instead, I suggest going for a walk--or, if possible, taking a nap. Which I plan to do now, as a matter of fact.
Mitch Wagner
Tom Lieber
> Coming in late to this conversation ... if you don't enjoy coffee, why start?
>
> I drink coffee as well as tea, and I enjoy them both. But I don't recommend drinking coffee because you habitually wear down in the afternoon. Instead, I suggest going for a walk--or, if possible, taking a nap. Which I plan to do now, as a matter of fact.
Well as I said, I've only ever tried coffee once. Maybe I shouldn't
have brought that part up at all. ;) I've tried doing something active
when I'm feeling tired, but I always just collapse when I get back.
This is why I figured the problem was my diet.
Even short naps do help a lot, though.
> Mitch Wagner
Sincerely,
Tom Lieber
t...@alltom.com
http://AllTom.com/
bill7tx
people sleepy in the afternoon, and other solutions beyond naps and
stimulants.
Many people don't realize that afternoon sleepiness can be due to
undiagnosed diabetes. Next time you see your doctor, ask about this.
Also -- another reason for afternoon sleepiness that people don't know
about is dehydration. If you drink your 8-10 glasses of water a day
(more if you drink more than a couple of cups of coffee in the
morning), you will have fewer problems with being drowsy in the
afternoon. And no, the increase in alertness is NOT from having to run
to the bathroom to get rid of all that water!
Bill
Max Smith
business.
Max
Mitch Wagner
>
> On 12/19/05, Mitch Wagner <mi...@wagmail.com> wrote:
>
>> Coming in late to this conversation ... if you don't enjoy
>> coffee, why start?
>>
>> I drink coffee as well as tea, and I enjoy them both. But I don't
>> recommend drinking coffee because you habitually wear down in the
>> afternoon. Instead, I suggest going for a walk--or, if possible,
>> taking a nap. Which I plan to do now, as a matter of fact.
>>
> Well as I said, I've only ever tried coffee once. Maybe I shouldn't
> have brought that part up at all. ;) I've tried doing something
> active when I'm feeling tired, but I always just collapse when I
> get back. This is why I figured the problem was my diet.
>
Well, a big workout wasn't what I had in mind. Just a short walk.
I used to work in an office complex where all the buildings were clustered around a nice little pond. Every day about 3-4 pm, weather permitting, I'd go out for a stroll around the pond. This was in Silicon Valley; weather was usually permitting. Took about 10 minutes. I didn't work up a sweat, or change out of my work clothes. But it was a nice pick-me-up.
I should note that I *am* a coffee and tea drinker. And I just made myself a cup now. It's 4 pm. I need a pick-me-up. I'm just saying if you're *not* a coffee drinker, I don't recommend starting the habit just for the afternoon pick-me-up.
Because it *is* a habit, and I'm good for nothing until I get some tea or coffee in me in the morning.
> Even short naps do help a lot, though.
Indeed, yes. I'm lucky enough to work from home, and sometimes just lying down in bed, in a cool, dark room, is sufficient to perk me up, even if I don't fall asleep.
Mitch Wagner