Coffee was first consumed thousands of years ago by Ethiopian tribesmen who crushed up the berries to help them focus while praying. When coffee first arrived in Europe in the 17th century, beer and wine were swiftly replaced as popular breakfast beverages.
Coffee has recently been connected to an increasing epidemic of bad sleep, which it was previously blamed for in the 20th century along with high blood pressure and heart attacks. All of this has not stopped coffee’s unrelenting growth.
Every day, more than 2 billion cups of the liquid are consumed. So, as many of us believe, is coffee a sinful treat? Or is it a health beverage that feeds your beneficial gut flora?
Jonathan asks James Hoffmann and Tim Spector about it in this episode to learn more. They explore whether decaffeinated coffee is good, how it affects your gut bacteria, hormones, and your heart, and some of coffee’s most interesting side effects, which could be useful if you end up in the jungle.
James Hoffmann is a renowned coffee specialist, the co-founder and chairman of Square Mile Coffee Roasters, and the author of the World Atlas of Coffee. One of the top 100 scientists in the world with the most citations is Tim Spector, a co-founder of ZOE.
Maryam's Blog 