"This is, excuse me,
a damn fine cup of coffee."
Let’s face it.
We’re hooked on the stuff.
Most of us can’t even start our day
without a nice cup of joe.
According to the International Coffee Organization,
over 1 billion cups of coffee
are consumed every day.
So it’s safe to say, as a whole,
we’re big-time "cafaholics."
Coffee goes hand in hand with caffeine.
Caffeine is a pro at mimicking
a neurotransmitter called adenosine.
Adenosine slows down
nerve impulses in the brain,
causing drowsiness as it depresses
the central nervous system in the process.
In other words, it makes you feel relaxed.
Caffeine, on the other hand,
is kind of 'Trojan horse,'
its molecules bind to these
adenosine receptors and block them,
increasing your dopamine levels,
and making you more alert.
It's a stimulant drug,
helping the brain get messages
to the body quicker.
In general, caffeine is not the worst thing
in the world for a person
— in moderation.
And that’s the key word here.
It has some pros,
but there is also a risk of developing
a caffeine dependency that can result in
some serious health issues.
Well, if you did,
you'd want to wean yourself off the stuff.
If it disappeared this instant,
you'd be a little more than grumpy.
It's almost guaranteed
that you'd feel some withdrawal effects.
You could expect to have headaches,
fatigue and insomnia,
not to mention nasty bouts of constipation,
depression and anxiety.
But if we were all on board,
could we benefit from
taking coffee out of our morning rituals?
Well, in the long run,
technically, we would be a lot healthier.
But that doesn’t mean we’d be in the clear.
Without coffee in our day, we'd be eliminating
the biggest source of caffeine
for the majority of Earth’s population.
People would find other ways to get their fix.
The energy drink market could see
a spike in sales, and that could be dangerous.
To name just one example,
The World Health Organization is
officially on record as saying
that the health risks associated
with energy drinks are mainly due
to their caffeine levels.
Some of the effects include heart palpitations,
nausea, convulsions and vomiting.
There would also be another cost
if everyone stopped drinking coffee,
a literal one.
Well, the top commodity in the world is oil.
But do you know what’s right behind it,
in second place?
Coffee.
Coffee is grown in more than 50 countries,
and 25 million farmers around the world
rely on coffee crops to make a living.
In the United States alone,
the coffee industry is worth $225 billion,
and has created nearly 1.7 million jobs.
Sadly, this is a case where economics
is going to win out
over the well-being of humans.
If coffee simply disappeared overnight,
no questions asked,
we’d be looking at the collapse
of a multibillion-dollar industry.
And what do you think?
Do you think everyone could really
stop drinking coffee?
Well, it’s doable, to an extent.
If you decide to quit drinking coffee,
there are caffeine-free alternatives
such as chicory coffee,
which is made from chicory root.
If you still want to drink something
with caffeine in it, like black tea
be aware of the dangers.
Like alcohol,
caffeine is a socially acceptable substance
that can lead to some issues.
And while rare, in extreme cases,
too much caffeine can kill you.
So, it’s safe to say that coffee drinkers
are not in a rush to take coffee
out of their lives.
But, think of the other stuff
we put in our morning cup.
What would happen if
there was no sugar in the world?