Feb. 2, 2026

The Truth About Coffee Doctors Rarely Explain

The Truth About Coffee Doctors Rarely Explain

Coffee is one of the most beloved beverages in the world — and one of the most misunderstood. In this episode of Chasing Eden, host Caroline Thompson explores coffee’s fascinating journey from ancient discovery to modern daily ritual, uncovering why it has inspired devotion, debate, and scientific curiosity for centuries.We dive into what today’s leading health voices — including Dr. Axe, Dr. Berg, Dr. Huberman, Dr. Gundry, Dave Asprey, and Gary Brecka — say about coffee’s potential benefits and pitfalls. From antioxidants and polyphenols to caffeine timing, gut health, sleep, inflammation, and stress, this conversation brings clarity to the question: Is coffee actually good for you? And if so, how do you drink it wisely?You’ll also learn who tends to thrive with coffee, who may need to be cautious, how quality and brewing methods matter more than most people realize, and how to enjoy coffee in a way that supports your body rather than depletes it. This episode isn’t about rules — it’s about awareness, balance, and choosing habits that truly serve your health.
is coffee healthycoffee health benefitscoffee inflammationbest time to drink coffeecaffeine timing HubermanDr Axe coffeeDr Berg coffeeDave Asprey coffeecoffee and gut healthcoffee and sleepmold free coffeelight roast vs dark roast coffeecold brew coffee benefitspolyphenols in coffeeChasing Eden podcastSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
WEBVTT

1
00:00:21.559 --> 00:00:25.879
Back to Chasing Eden, where we begin to rediscover our

2
00:00:25.960 --> 00:00:30.559
body's divine design. I'm your host, Carolyn Thompson. Thank you

3
00:00:30.600 --> 00:00:34.399
for joining me today. Let's talk about coffee, the drink

4
00:00:34.439 --> 00:00:38.399
that somehow became both a comfort and a controversy, a

5
00:00:38.439 --> 00:00:42.479
morning hug and a medical debate, a ritual, and for

6
00:00:42.560 --> 00:00:47.200
many people, a daily necessity. Coffee has this unique ability

7
00:00:47.600 --> 00:00:51.679
to feel personal. It's not just a beverage. It's a moment,

8
00:00:52.159 --> 00:00:55.359
it's a mood. It's the pause before the day starts.

9
00:00:55.399 --> 00:01:00.359
Talking back, But coffee didn't start out as a lie

10
00:01:00.479 --> 00:01:04.079
with oat milk and a motivational quote. It started out

11
00:01:04.079 --> 00:01:08.760
as something much older, more like discovery than invention. One

12
00:01:08.760 --> 00:01:12.799
of the most famous origin stories begins in Ethiopia, the

13
00:01:12.840 --> 00:01:17.480
tale of a goat herder noticing his goats acting unusually

14
00:01:17.680 --> 00:01:21.640
energized after eating bright red berries from a certain plant.

15
00:01:22.599 --> 00:01:26.400
People have told versions of that story for generations. Whether

16
00:01:26.480 --> 00:01:30.439
every detail is historically perfect, it does capture something true

17
00:01:30.439 --> 00:01:35.640
about how humans often discover what helps them by watching nature,

18
00:01:36.200 --> 00:01:40.920
noticing patterns, and paying attention to how the body responds.

19
00:01:42.719 --> 00:01:47.519
From Ethiopia, a coffee's journey is closely tied to Yemen,

20
00:01:48.120 --> 00:01:52.719
and the broader Arab world. Yemen becomes important not just

21
00:01:52.840 --> 00:01:56.000
as a stop along the road, but as a place

22
00:01:56.040 --> 00:02:02.439
where coffee was cultivated, used, and woven into culture, especially

23
00:02:02.560 --> 00:02:08.000
in settings where wakefulness and focus mattered. There are historical

24
00:02:08.000 --> 00:02:11.199
accounts of coffee being used to support late night devotions

25
00:02:11.680 --> 00:02:15.360
and long periods of study in prayer. Over time, the

26
00:02:15.400 --> 00:02:18.759
coffee didn't just move as a product, It moved as

27
00:02:18.840 --> 00:02:26.240
an experience. Then something fascinating happened. Coffee houses began to

28
00:02:26.280 --> 00:02:29.919
emerge not just as places to grab a drink, but

29
00:02:30.080 --> 00:02:34.960
as places to talk, to debate, to learn, to exchange ideas.

30
00:02:35.680 --> 00:02:39.000
You can almost imagine it. The warm air, the sound

31
00:02:39.039 --> 00:02:42.879
of conversation, the sense that the mind is suddenly awake

32
00:02:43.000 --> 00:02:48.759
and ready to engage. These coffee houses became social engines.

33
00:02:50.840 --> 00:02:55.039
As coffee spread along trade routes, the Ottoman Empire became

34
00:02:55.159 --> 00:02:58.400
one of the pivotal forces in moving coffee outward into

35
00:02:58.439 --> 00:03:02.879
broader Europe. Coffee wasn't just traveling in bags. It was

36
00:03:02.960 --> 00:03:09.039
traveling in habits, in rituals, in culture, in the idea

37
00:03:09.120 --> 00:03:13.039
that a beverage could keep you alert and mentally sharp.

38
00:03:14.039 --> 00:03:17.639
In our home, we have multiple ways of making coffee.

39
00:03:18.199 --> 00:03:21.319
We are really really into it. I've got a Turkish

40
00:03:21.479 --> 00:03:24.879
coffee pot, a little copper one that sits on the stovetop.

41
00:03:25.520 --> 00:03:27.719
I like to have coffee so many different ways. We've

42
00:03:27.719 --> 00:03:30.199
got an Italian big O Lotti I think it's called,

43
00:03:30.599 --> 00:03:33.360
and it makes a little espresso on the stovetop. And

44
00:03:33.400 --> 00:03:37.879
then we've got this itally thing from coffee bean and

45
00:03:37.879 --> 00:03:43.719
tea leaf on the counter. I've got a Gotcha Macha master,

46
00:03:44.240 --> 00:03:46.520
which is like I believe, a Swedish way of making coffee.

47
00:03:46.520 --> 00:03:49.120
It's like a drip coffee. You make a whole pot

48
00:03:49.120 --> 00:03:52.120
of drip coffee. It's kind of ugly looking. It looks

49
00:03:52.159 --> 00:03:55.439
like a science experiment. So we're really into coffee over

50
00:03:55.479 --> 00:03:58.159
in our home, and we have so many different types

51
00:03:58.199 --> 00:04:02.680
of coffee. We're a big time coffee lovers in this house. Now. Eventually,

52
00:04:02.759 --> 00:04:04.840
coffee reached Europe in a big way. As you know,

53
00:04:05.240 --> 00:04:09.319
Venice in particular becomes a key entry point. One historical

54
00:04:09.360 --> 00:04:12.560
account notes that the first European coffee house opened in

55
00:04:12.680 --> 00:04:17.160
Venice in sixteen forty five, and from there the practice spread.

56
00:04:17.759 --> 00:04:22.360
This is where coffee's story starts. Feeling strangely, modern Europeans

57
00:04:22.399 --> 00:04:27.240
were captivated and also suspicious. Some people were excited about it,

58
00:04:27.720 --> 00:04:31.920
others feared it. Coffee has always had that split personality

59
00:04:31.920 --> 00:04:35.720
in the public imagination. This is amazing on one side,

60
00:04:35.800 --> 00:04:38.920
and this might be dangerous on the other. It's the

61
00:04:38.959 --> 00:04:41.759
same argument we still have today, just wearing different clothes.

62
00:04:42.399 --> 00:04:47.240
But what helped coffee win over so many cultures is

63
00:04:47.279 --> 00:04:50.519
that it didn't dule the mind like alcohol can. It

64
00:04:50.639 --> 00:04:54.639
sharpened it. It didn't pull people downward. It lifted them

65
00:04:54.639 --> 00:05:01.160
into conversation, work, study, and creativity. Many historians argue that

66
00:05:01.360 --> 00:05:05.279
coffee helped shape the intellectual life of Europe simply because

67
00:05:05.319 --> 00:05:10.199
it supported wakefulness and thinking, and coffee houses became centers

68
00:05:10.399 --> 00:05:15.959
of ideas. Now fast forward, and coffee isn't just a

69
00:05:16.079 --> 00:05:21.079
cultural artifact anymore. It's one of the most studied beverages

70
00:05:21.160 --> 00:05:25.920
on the planet. And part of why is simple. Coffee

71
00:05:25.920 --> 00:05:30.160
contains more than caffeine. It contains a huge number of

72
00:05:30.199 --> 00:05:37.439
bioactive compounds, polyphenols and antioxidants that researchers and nutrition experts

73
00:05:37.680 --> 00:05:43.720
keep circling back to. Now that being said, coffee's history

74
00:05:43.800 --> 00:05:48.199
also teaches us something. The way coffee is consumed changes

75
00:05:48.240 --> 00:05:52.959
what coffee becomes in Yemen. It wasn't a dessert drink

76
00:05:53.560 --> 00:05:57.040
in coffee houses. It wasn't blended with a mountain of

77
00:05:57.120 --> 00:06:02.160
sugar like we have now at Starbucks. Historically, coffee was

78
00:06:02.240 --> 00:06:07.199
closer to a strong, simple beverage used in a deliberate way.

79
00:06:08.720 --> 00:06:12.079
And that's where we begin to connect history to health.

80
00:06:12.800 --> 00:06:16.920
Because if coffee is both ancient and modern, both beloved

81
00:06:17.120 --> 00:06:21.360
and debated, then maybe the honest answer isn't coffee is

82
00:06:21.399 --> 00:06:25.920
good or coffee is bad. Maybe the honest answer is

83
00:06:26.519 --> 00:06:30.759
coffee is powerful, and what matters is how you relate

84
00:06:30.839 --> 00:06:35.040
to it. We're going to talk about that next, types

85
00:06:35.079 --> 00:06:39.480
of coffee quality differences and why some people thrive on

86
00:06:39.560 --> 00:06:43.800
it while others feel anxious, inflamed, and exhausted. When we

87
00:06:43.879 --> 00:06:46.800
come back, we'll talk about the different types of coffee

88
00:06:47.079 --> 00:06:52.680
light roast, dark roast, espresso, cold brew, and why quality

89
00:06:52.720 --> 00:07:05.360
matters more than most people realize. Welcome back. Let's talk

90
00:07:05.560 --> 00:07:10.800
coffee types because coffee is like saying music, it's not

91
00:07:11.000 --> 00:07:17.000
one thing. It's a category with flavors, intensities, and effects.

92
00:07:18.079 --> 00:07:21.839
The first big divider is roast level, light roast and

93
00:07:21.959 --> 00:07:26.279
dark roast. Now, people often assume dark roast is stronger,

94
00:07:26.720 --> 00:07:31.439
but it's more complicated than that. Dark roasts can taste stronger,

95
00:07:31.759 --> 00:07:35.879
more spoky, more bold because the bean has been roasted

96
00:07:35.920 --> 00:07:40.800
longer and those flavors deepen, But caffeine content can actually

97
00:07:40.839 --> 00:07:45.160
be slightly higher in the lighter roasts by volume, because

98
00:07:45.240 --> 00:07:50.439
longer roasting can reduce caffeine somewhat. What matters more than caffeine, though,

99
00:07:51.480 --> 00:07:56.199
is what the roast does to acidity, compounds, and your digestion.

100
00:07:57.240 --> 00:08:00.279
This is where the coffee debate starts to get real

101
00:08:00.319 --> 00:08:04.879
for people. Some people love coffee, but it doesn't love

102
00:08:04.920 --> 00:08:10.199
them back. They drink it and they feel jittery, anxious, nauseated,

103
00:08:11.279 --> 00:08:17.600
wired but tired, heart racing, stomach burning, and they assume

104
00:08:17.800 --> 00:08:22.959
the problem is caffeine. Sometimes it is, but often the

105
00:08:23.000 --> 00:08:29.240
real problem is quality and delivery method. One major quality

106
00:08:29.319 --> 00:08:32.120
issue that gets talked about in the health world is

107
00:08:32.279 --> 00:08:38.679
mold and mico toxins in poorly stored coffee. Dave Aspbury

108
00:08:38.720 --> 00:08:42.080
has made this a central theme in his coffee messaging,

109
00:08:42.759 --> 00:08:47.039
that you want coffee that is mold tested, because some

110
00:08:47.240 --> 00:08:54.440
coffee can be contaminated depending on how it's processed and stored. Now,

111
00:08:55.360 --> 00:08:59.679
not everyone reacts to this the same way. But that's

112
00:08:59.720 --> 00:09:04.399
the point point. Coffee isn't a universal experience. People with

113
00:09:04.559 --> 00:09:09.639
certain sensitivities can feel profoundly different when they switch from cheap, stale,

114
00:09:10.000 --> 00:09:14.639
poorly sourced coffee to a cleaner, better sourced option. That's

115
00:09:14.720 --> 00:09:17.919
me when I switch to organic coffee, and I know

116
00:09:18.000 --> 00:09:21.720
which ones work for me best, I started to get

117
00:09:21.720 --> 00:09:25.960
better results with my coffee. So there's the being quality question,

118
00:09:26.720 --> 00:09:31.639
and then there's the brewing method. A surprisingly modern health point,

119
00:09:31.919 --> 00:09:37.679
Unfiltered coffee like French press or other espresso styles, contains

120
00:09:38.080 --> 00:09:43.679
dieterpenes compounds like caffastall that can raise LDL cholesterol in

121
00:09:43.759 --> 00:09:49.720
some people. Paper filtered coffee can reduce those dieterpenes. This

122
00:09:49.879 --> 00:09:54.480
is why some nutrition experts recommend paper filters if cholesterol

123
00:09:54.720 --> 00:10:00.000
is a concern. Now espresso deserves its own moment, because

124
00:10:00.000 --> 00:10:04.879
because espresso has this reputation of being hardcore, but in

125
00:10:04.919 --> 00:10:09.679
some ways it can be gentler, smaller volume, more concentrated,

126
00:10:10.039 --> 00:10:13.720
and for some people, less gut irritation than sipping a big,

127
00:10:13.759 --> 00:10:17.720
acidic drip coffee on an empty stomach. If you're someone

128
00:10:17.720 --> 00:10:22.200
who gets that coffee stomach, espresso or coldbrew might be

129
00:10:22.240 --> 00:10:26.559
a better route. Cold brew is another interesting one. Because

130
00:10:26.720 --> 00:10:30.679
it's brewed with cold water over a long period, it

131
00:10:30.759 --> 00:10:34.639
tends to be less acidic and often easier on reflux

132
00:10:34.679 --> 00:10:38.039
prone stomachs. This is why people who can't do coffee

133
00:10:38.440 --> 00:10:41.679
sometimes can do coldbrew. And I have to be honest,

134
00:10:42.039 --> 00:10:45.039
I went through a period where, because of my digestion issues,

135
00:10:45.559 --> 00:10:48.440
every time I drink coffee, I got terrible heartburn. And

136
00:10:48.639 --> 00:10:51.399
I switched to cold brew and discovered that I wasn't

137
00:10:51.399 --> 00:10:53.720
getting heartburn with the cold brew. So if you're one

138
00:10:53.759 --> 00:10:55.519
of those people who really really wants to drink your

139
00:10:55.519 --> 00:10:58.639
coffee and you just can't figure it out, maybe colbrew

140
00:10:58.840 --> 00:11:02.799
is your option. You might try it. Now, let's talk

141
00:11:02.840 --> 00:11:06.720
about what people put in their coffee, because honestly, this

142
00:11:06.759 --> 00:11:10.679
is where coffee's reputation gets damaged. Black coffee is one thing.

143
00:11:11.279 --> 00:11:16.120
A coffee milkshake with sugar syrup and whipped cream is another.

144
00:11:16.919 --> 00:11:20.840
Many of the studies and positive associations with coffee are

145
00:11:20.879 --> 00:11:25.919
about coffee itself, not dessert beverages. And that's not about judgment,

146
00:11:26.240 --> 00:11:31.240
it's just chemistry. There was a recent summary that highlighted

147
00:11:31.279 --> 00:11:35.480
common habits that reduces coffee's benefits like drinking it too late,

148
00:11:36.159 --> 00:11:41.080
drinking it immediately on waking, using coffee as a meal replacement,

149
00:11:41.600 --> 00:11:46.120
or loading it with sugar. This is where doctor acts

150
00:11:46.720 --> 00:11:51.000
framing Doctor axis framing can be really helpful. On his site,

151
00:11:51.039 --> 00:11:56.720
he talks about coffee having potential benefits cognitive support, performance,

152
00:11:57.159 --> 00:12:00.960
liver support, and more. But also he knows downsides for

153
00:12:01.000 --> 00:12:06.600
some people like anxiety, digestive issues, dependency, and that certain

154
00:12:06.639 --> 00:12:11.360
groups should be cautious. So here's the heart of segment two.

155
00:12:12.120 --> 00:12:16.679
Coffee isn't simply healthy or unhealthy. Coffee is a substance

156
00:12:16.720 --> 00:12:21.000
with benefits that can be either amplified or undermined based

157
00:12:21.039 --> 00:12:25.480
on things like the bean quality, the brewing method, what

158
00:12:25.559 --> 00:12:28.919
you add to it, the time you drink it, and

159
00:12:29.039 --> 00:12:32.080
your body's sensitivity. And now we're ready for the most

160
00:12:32.080 --> 00:12:37.639
practical part, timing and dosach. That's where doctor Huberman's guidance

161
00:12:37.799 --> 00:12:42.200
has become very influential. When we come back, we'll get

162
00:12:42.200 --> 00:12:45.759
practical when to drink coffee, how much is too much,

163
00:12:46.200 --> 00:12:49.559
and how to avoid the crash using timing advice made

164
00:12:49.600 --> 00:13:06.399
popular by doctor Huberman. Welcome back. If you only change

165
00:13:06.440 --> 00:13:09.720
one thing about your coffee habit, timing might be the

166
00:13:09.759 --> 00:13:13.799
best place to start, because timing is where coffee flips

167
00:13:13.840 --> 00:13:19.120
from being a support to being a stressor. Doctor Andrew

168
00:13:19.159 --> 00:13:24.639
Huerman has been very consistent about this idea. Delaying caffeine

169
00:13:25.039 --> 00:13:28.080
for about ninety to one hundred and twenty minutes after

170
00:13:28.200 --> 00:13:32.960
waking can help avoid the afternoon crash and support better

171
00:13:33.279 --> 00:13:39.120
energy stability. Here's the simple human reason that makes sense

172
00:13:39.639 --> 00:13:43.879
even if you've never read a science paper in your life.

173
00:13:43.919 --> 00:13:48.000
Your body wakes up with its own natural wake up chemistry.

174
00:13:49.320 --> 00:13:52.679
Cortisol rises in the morning. It's part of your built

175
00:13:52.679 --> 00:13:57.879
in alertness system. If you slam caffeine right on top

176
00:13:57.960 --> 00:14:01.879
of that, some people feel fine, but many people end

177
00:14:01.960 --> 00:14:05.399
up with a later crash and need for more caffeine

178
00:14:05.440 --> 00:14:11.720
to keep going. Houberman also talks about caffeine timing relative

179
00:14:11.840 --> 00:14:16.080
to sleep. Many people do better avoiding caffeine within ten

180
00:14:16.120 --> 00:14:19.799
to twelve hours of bedtime. For some eight hours is enough.

181
00:14:20.720 --> 00:14:25.120
The point is that caffeine can disrupt sleep architecture, even

182
00:14:25.159 --> 00:14:28.799
when you feel like you fell asleep fine. Now here's

183
00:14:28.840 --> 00:14:33.840
where coffee becomes one of those quiet dominoes. If coffee

184
00:14:33.879 --> 00:14:38.559
pushes your bedtime later or reduces your sleep quality, then

185
00:14:38.600 --> 00:14:41.399
you wake up more tired, then you need more coffee.

186
00:14:41.840 --> 00:14:45.919
Then you're more stressed, then you're more inflamed, and suddenly

187
00:14:46.080 --> 00:14:49.919
coffee isn't the hero any more. It's part of a cycle.

188
00:14:50.559 --> 00:14:56.559
So timing matters and dosage matters. Most health guidance still

189
00:14:56.639 --> 00:15:02.600
lands around moderate coffee intake for most adults. In mainstream summaries,

190
00:15:02.639 --> 00:15:05.960
you'll often see four hundred milligrams of caffeine a day

191
00:15:06.000 --> 00:15:09.279
as a common upper limit for healthy adults, roughly for

192
00:15:09.960 --> 00:15:16.320
eight ounce coffees, though sensitivity varies widely. This is where

193
00:15:16.399 --> 00:15:19.559
Gary Brecka's style of messaging resonates with a lot of people.

194
00:15:20.639 --> 00:15:25.240
He emphasizes that genetics and metabolism matter. Some people are

195
00:15:25.360 --> 00:15:30.279
fast caffeine metabolizers and coffee feels like clean focus. Others

196
00:15:30.399 --> 00:15:33.919
are slow metabolizers and the same amount of coffee feels

197
00:15:34.000 --> 00:15:37.720
like anxiety in a cup. That's such an important point

198
00:15:37.799 --> 00:15:42.039
because it removes shame from the conversation. If coffee makes

199
00:15:42.080 --> 00:15:45.039
you feel bad, it doesn't mean you're weak. It might

200
00:15:45.120 --> 00:15:49.279
mean your body processes it differently. Now, let's weave in

201
00:15:49.440 --> 00:15:54.399
doctor Gundry and polyphenols. Gundry has written about the polyphenols

202
00:15:54.399 --> 00:15:59.200
and coffee compounds like chlorogenic acid, and frames coffee as

203
00:15:59.240 --> 00:16:02.080
potentially ben a official for many people because of these

204
00:16:02.120 --> 00:16:06.480
bioactive compounds. He's also pointed to the light roast as

205
00:16:06.480 --> 00:16:11.000
a way to preserve the polyphenols. Now, I want to

206
00:16:11.039 --> 00:16:15.360
be careful here. Experts don't always agree on every point,

207
00:16:15.679 --> 00:16:19.440
but where there's overlap, we can draw a wise middle path.

208
00:16:19.519 --> 00:16:24.279
And the overlap is this. If you choose high quality coffee,

209
00:16:24.919 --> 00:16:28.679
avoid excess sugar, drink it at a time that respects

210
00:16:28.679 --> 00:16:33.559
your sleep, and pay attention to your body's response, coffee

211
00:16:33.559 --> 00:16:36.799
becomes far more likely to be helpful rather than harmful.

212
00:16:37.720 --> 00:16:41.480
This is also where decaf deserves a better reputation. Many

213
00:16:41.480 --> 00:16:45.639
people assume decaf is pointless, but decalf still contains many

214
00:16:45.639 --> 00:16:50.679
of the beneficial compounds associated with coffee without the caffeine intensity.

215
00:16:51.360 --> 00:16:56.960
Some summaries note decaf retains many anti inflammatory compounds, So

216
00:16:57.039 --> 00:16:59.759
if you love coffee but caffeine makes you edgy or

217
00:16:59.759 --> 00:17:03.519
dis reps your sleep, decaf can be a smart compromise,

218
00:17:03.840 --> 00:17:09.720
especially in the afternoon. And one more practical piece, don't

219
00:17:09.839 --> 00:17:13.720
use coffee as a meal replacement. It's a common habit

220
00:17:14.039 --> 00:17:19.200
and it backfires if coffee suppresses appetite and you skip food,

221
00:17:19.880 --> 00:17:22.279
you could end up with blood sugar crashes later on,

222
00:17:22.839 --> 00:17:26.960
which makes you crave sugar and more caffeine. It's not discipline,

223
00:17:27.119 --> 00:17:31.839
it's biology. So coffee is best used like a supporting actor,

224
00:17:32.079 --> 00:17:35.720
not the main character. Which brings us to the last segment.

225
00:17:36.119 --> 00:17:39.279
Who should drink it, who should avoid it, and how

226
00:17:39.319 --> 00:17:42.680
to choose the best coffee in a way that's realistic.

227
00:17:43.200 --> 00:17:46.480
When we come back, we'll finish with the real world guidance.

228
00:17:46.720 --> 00:17:50.119
Who should lean into coffee, who should be cautious, what

229
00:17:50.240 --> 00:17:53.640
best coffee actually means, and how to make this a

230
00:17:53.759 --> 00:18:10.519
life giving habit. Welcome back to our final segment. This

231
00:18:10.559 --> 00:18:13.000
is where we put the pieces together and answer the

232
00:18:13.079 --> 00:18:19.599
questions people actually live with. First, who should consume coffee?

233
00:18:19.680 --> 00:18:23.119
If you generally do well with caffeine, meaning you drink

234
00:18:23.160 --> 00:18:26.920
coffee and feel focused, steady, and fine, you're probably someone

235
00:18:26.920 --> 00:18:30.839
who can enjoy coffee As a net positive for many people,

236
00:18:31.279 --> 00:18:35.960
coffee can support alertness and cognitive performance, mood and motivation,

237
00:18:36.799 --> 00:18:42.519
exercise performance, and, according to many broad summaries, potential protective

238
00:18:42.519 --> 00:18:48.359
associations with cardiometabolic and liver outcomes when consumed moderately and

239
00:18:48.839 --> 00:18:55.839
without excess sugar. Doctor ax As, writing, for example, frames

240
00:18:55.880 --> 00:18:59.920
coffee as something that can support cognitive function and performance

241
00:19:00.079 --> 00:19:05.839
for many people with the important qualifier moderation and individual tolerance.

242
00:19:06.839 --> 00:19:12.160
Doctor Gundry's angle often emphasizes polyphenols, the plant compounds that

243
00:19:12.240 --> 00:19:16.319
may support health, and he's spoken positively about coffee as

244
00:19:16.359 --> 00:19:20.279
a delivery vehicle for them, particularly when you're not turning

245
00:19:20.279 --> 00:19:25.880
it into a sugar bomb. Now, who should avoid coffee

246
00:19:26.519 --> 00:19:32.000
or at least be cautious if coffee triggers anxiety or panic,

247
00:19:33.000 --> 00:19:38.880
causes heart palpitations worsens reflux, as such as myself when

248
00:19:38.880 --> 00:19:41.559
I was drinking coffee for a while and I had

249
00:19:41.559 --> 00:19:45.839
digestive issues. Now that I have cleared up my digestive issues, honestly,

250
00:19:45.839 --> 00:19:48.519
I could just drink coffee now and I'm fine. So

251
00:19:48.799 --> 00:19:51.279
this could just be a temporary thing for you where

252
00:19:51.279 --> 00:19:53.480
you have these symptoms after drinking coffee, and then maybe

253
00:19:53.480 --> 00:19:56.079
once you clear up some other health problems, you can

254
00:19:56.119 --> 00:19:58.039
go back to drinking it. That's kind of up to

255
00:19:58.079 --> 00:20:01.519
you to evaluate how your body responds and just use

256
00:20:01.519 --> 00:20:06.160
your intuition. If it disrupts your sleep, makes you shaky,

257
00:20:06.400 --> 00:20:12.559
sweaty or nauseated creates a wired but tired feeling, then

258
00:20:12.680 --> 00:20:16.279
coffee may not be your friend right now, see right

259
00:20:16.319 --> 00:20:19.839
now being the key here, because again I had to

260
00:20:19.880 --> 00:20:23.680
go to cold brew temporarily, and after I cleared up

261
00:20:23.680 --> 00:20:26.440
some of my just of problems, I was able to

262
00:20:26.480 --> 00:20:30.240
go back to regular coffee. And I also have to

263
00:20:30.279 --> 00:20:33.559
be careful now that my body can only handle like

264
00:20:33.599 --> 00:20:35.759
maybe one cup a day and then I and it

265
00:20:35.799 --> 00:20:38.880
has to be clean coffee, like organic coffee, certain types,

266
00:20:38.960 --> 00:20:41.039
like one of my favorite types is the wake Up

267
00:20:41.079 --> 00:20:44.440
brand from Trader Joe's. That's a really delicious one and

268
00:20:45.039 --> 00:20:47.680
I believe it's clean based on my reactions to it.

269
00:20:48.359 --> 00:20:50.880
So you kind of have to experiment and see what

270
00:20:51.039 --> 00:20:55.079
works best for yourself. Now, some people can come back

271
00:20:55.160 --> 00:20:58.319
to it later after they stabilize their sleep, stress, hydration,

272
00:20:58.440 --> 00:21:01.279
and minerals. And I do believe one thing you need

273
00:21:01.319 --> 00:21:05.599
to realize that coffee is known to deplete some minerals

274
00:21:05.640 --> 00:21:08.599
in the body. So when I was drinking coffee every

275
00:21:08.680 --> 00:21:11.279
day a couple months ago, I started getting late cramps

276
00:21:11.319 --> 00:21:13.960
in the night and it was because my minerals were

277
00:21:13.960 --> 00:21:16.480
being depleted. So I had to replace minerals I had

278
00:21:16.519 --> 00:21:19.799
to start taking extra minerals to make up for the

279
00:21:19.839 --> 00:21:22.519
coffee that I was drinking. So keep that in mind

280
00:21:22.599 --> 00:21:24.960
that if you're going to be an everyday coffee drinker,

281
00:21:25.480 --> 00:21:27.920
you're going to be depleting some of your minerals. So

282
00:21:27.960 --> 00:21:31.839
you need to work on hydration and mineral supplementation if

283
00:21:31.880 --> 00:21:34.359
you want to make sure that you have enough and

284
00:21:34.400 --> 00:21:36.839
that you're not going to end up getting cramping in

285
00:21:36.880 --> 00:21:40.640
your calves or waking up with the Charlie Horse. So

286
00:21:40.880 --> 00:21:44.519
some people do better with decaf or lower caffeine styles

287
00:21:44.640 --> 00:21:47.640
like half calf, and those are pretty tasty. I've had

288
00:21:47.680 --> 00:21:51.240
those before. We'd like our coffee pretty strong in this house,

289
00:21:51.279 --> 00:21:54.440
so that's not always the best option as far as

290
00:21:54.599 --> 00:21:58.799
pleasure for us. Now, pregnancy in certain medical conditions obviously

291
00:21:58.920 --> 00:22:03.200
change the conversation, but since you asked for expert commentary

292
00:22:03.240 --> 00:22:07.720
and general research summaries, the simplest takeaway is if your

293
00:22:07.759 --> 00:22:11.599
body says no, listen, now, let's talk about the best

294
00:22:11.599 --> 00:22:15.759
types of coffee, because that question is always loaded. The

295
00:22:15.799 --> 00:22:18.680
best coffee is the one that gives you the benefits

296
00:22:18.720 --> 00:22:23.359
without the drawbacks. For many people, that means higher quality,

297
00:22:24.039 --> 00:22:28.359
fresher beans. Ideally tested or responsibly sourced to reduce the

298
00:22:28.440 --> 00:22:32.200
risk of contaminants, fruit in a way that's gentle on

299
00:22:32.240 --> 00:22:37.000
your digestion and consumed at a time that doesn't sabotage sleep.

300
00:22:37.880 --> 00:22:41.440
This is where Dave Asbury's emphasis on mold tested coffee

301
00:22:41.480 --> 00:22:45.160
shows up. He argues that you want coffee that's tested

302
00:22:45.200 --> 00:22:50.400
for mold toxins because organic alone doesn't guarantee that. Now,

303
00:22:50.440 --> 00:22:53.359
whether you buy into every detail of that debate or not,

304
00:22:53.839 --> 00:22:58.519
the core principle is solid. Coffee quality varies, storage varies,

305
00:22:59.000 --> 00:23:03.240
and your body can tell the difference. If you're someone

306
00:23:03.279 --> 00:23:07.720
with inflammation, headaches, or gut issues. Upgrading your coffee quality

307
00:23:07.759 --> 00:23:11.440
can be a surprisingly meaningful experiment because it's not just

308
00:23:11.480 --> 00:23:15.319
about caffeine, it's about what rides along with it. Let's

309
00:23:15.400 --> 00:23:20.640
also talk briefly about filtered versus unfiltered. If cholesterol is

310
00:23:20.640 --> 00:23:24.039
a concern, paper filtered coffee may be a better bet

311
00:23:24.119 --> 00:23:28.319
because paper filters reduce certain compounds that can raise LDL

312
00:23:28.359 --> 00:23:32.440
in some people. So what about the best time to

313
00:23:32.519 --> 00:23:36.960
drink coffee? If you want the most practical, easiest rule,

314
00:23:37.160 --> 00:23:41.200
it's this wait a bit after waking often sixty two

315
00:23:41.279 --> 00:23:44.799
hundred and twenty minutes works well for many. Avoid caffeine

316
00:23:44.799 --> 00:23:47.680
too late in the day so sleep remains protected. And

317
00:23:47.799 --> 00:23:50.960
as doctor Huberman has been very explicit about delaying mourning

318
00:23:50.960 --> 00:23:54.039
caffeine to avoid an afternoon crash, make sure to avoid

319
00:23:54.079 --> 00:23:58.160
the caffeine within ten to twelve hours of bedtime. Remember

320
00:23:58.200 --> 00:24:01.480
that coffee is a tool, and the best tools are

321
00:24:01.519 --> 00:24:08.960
the ones used intentionally. So here's some summaries. Doctor X

322
00:24:09.240 --> 00:24:12.839
says coffee can have meaningful benefits, but it's not for

323
00:24:12.920 --> 00:24:17.400
everyone and not in excess. Timing and individual response matter.

324
00:24:18.519 --> 00:24:21.960
Doctor Humern says caffeine timing can change your whole day.

325
00:24:22.200 --> 00:24:25.559
Delay it for energy stability and guard your sleep window.

326
00:24:26.319 --> 00:24:30.680
Doctor Gundry says coffee's polyphenals can be helpful. Quality and

327
00:24:30.799 --> 00:24:35.160
roast choice do matter. Dave Asbury says coffee quality again

328
00:24:35.599 --> 00:24:40.680
and potential mold contamination are worth considering. Mold tested is

329
00:24:40.720 --> 00:24:45.319
his key phrase now. Human biologist Carry Brecka says your

330
00:24:45.359 --> 00:24:50.359
genetics and metabolism change your tolerance. Some people thrive on caffeine,

331
00:24:50.599 --> 00:24:56.000
others don't. And the final practical note coffee should enhance

332
00:24:56.039 --> 00:24:59.319
your day, not prop it up. If coffee is your

333
00:24:59.319 --> 00:25:02.599
only source energy, your body is trying to tell you

334
00:25:02.680 --> 00:25:07.240
something deeper. I'm so glad that you've decided to join

335
00:25:07.240 --> 00:25:10.839
me on this journey today. Never stop searching, seeking, and

336
00:25:10.920 --> 00:25:14.400
pursuing the truth about your health and what truly supports

337
00:25:14.400 --> 00:25:18.400
your body. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to

338
00:25:18.440 --> 00:25:21.599
the podcast, maybe leave a review, or share it with

339
00:25:21.640 --> 00:25:25.319
someone who you'd love to learn and be wiser to

340
00:25:25.359 --> 00:25:29.359
approach everyday health choices and for more resources an episode,

341
00:25:29.839 --> 00:25:37.680
visit Chasingaiden dot net. Thanks for listening. Until next time. Boy,

342
00:25:37.720 --> 00:25:37.960
that was