© Elizabeth DeBevoise
Regular readers know I love coffee. My morning always starts with three mugs of black coffee and some days, more. Not surprisingly, coffee features prominently in my books, too. Willa Carson loves Coffee Con Leche. Carlos Gaspar likes coffee with loads of milk and sugar. Kim Otto drinks hers black, like me. In Get Back Jack alone, there are 55 references to coffee.
But can you blame Otto and Gaspar? You would caffeinate aggressively too, if you were a professional investigator searching for one of the most dangerous men alive. And Jack Reacher’s a coffee lover, too, don’t forget.
Truth is, I work in a perfectly peaceful office and I enjoy coffee. So what’s my excuse? Let’s chalk it up to health! (Sure. Okay. Why not?)
- Starting with antioxidants. Coffee has a lot of them. Get this: Studies show that many people ingest more antioxidants from coffee, than from fruits and vegetables combined! And coffee tastes a lot better than swallowing pills.
- Coffee drinkers probably have a 20% lower risk of stroke. Sounds like a good thing to me.
- It’s good for the brain, which we know I need for those twisty plots you like so much. Coffee (the caffeinated version…) is a stimulant, which means it blocks an inhibitory transmitter. The brain then encourages faster reaction times, improved memory, and better general cognitive function.
- It’s good for the soul because it’s been shown to improve mood and energy levels. Who doesn’t need to be happy and have more energy?
- Coffee helps me enjoy my red wine, too. Did you know people who drink more than three cups of coffee daily have up to an 80% lower risk of cirrhosis and a 40% lower risk of liver cancer. Gotta love that!
- Coffee counteracts some of those holiday cookies and chocolate, too. Because caffeine stimulates the nervous system, fat cells receive signals to start breaking down body fat. When those fat cells are broken down, energy is released, which means our bodies are inclined to be active. In fact, caffeine can boost physical performance, on average, by 11-12%. Now how can that be a bad thing?
The evidence is overwhelming. My love affair with caffeinated coffee will continue.
So where do you get your caffeine fix? Send me a picture of your favorite coffee shop! And I’ll post a picture of mine on my Facebook page.
Meanwhile —
Caffeinate and Carry On!
p.s. Would a little extra cash in your budget make a difference? We might be able to help with that. Are you a member of the Diane Capri Crowd NewsFlash! mailing list? Just CLICK HERE to complete the form and refer your friends, too. Can’t wait to see you there!
Diane, It’s nice to know I’m not the only coffeeaholick. In the house, in the car, in my hands and right before I go to bed, nothing like a cup of coffee to relax and read.
I’m right there with you, Judy!
Diane, if you really want to boost the healthy aspects that coffee can offer you, add coffee enemas to your life!! The history of medicinal uses of coffee is actually very interesting.
Um, well, I might skip that!
OMD – there’s nothing that’ll jump start a day like coffee. Good coffee. Don’t get me started on bad coffee …
Sooooooo with you there!
COFFEE!! 🙂
You bet, Tiffany!!
love coffee!! This works for me. 🙂
Me, too!!