Coffee

A friend asked me an impossible question today: Coffee or tea?

Two years ago, my choice would have been a no brainer. Green tea was my drink of choice. I used to drink it after every meal because it settles my stomach and neutralizes my taste buds especially after a serving of something heavy and fatty. However, when my bloodwork showed decreased amounts of iron, I had to stop drinking too much tea because it was preventing my body from absorbing the iron from the food I was eating. That’s when I started considering coffee as an alternative. It still decreases iron absorption but not as much as tea does. However, I can’t drink it regularly nor too much because my body reacts negatively. After drinking a tall Americano, my hands shake, my heart palpitates, and I couldn’t sleep for at least 24 hours. So I drink it moderately and only for the sheer pleasure of it.

Most people drink coffee because they need the energy boost that caffeine gives them. Others drink it as a daily habit to start off their mornings or as a night cap. And others drink it to ease a hangover. Then there’s me. 

I typically wake up (generally at 5:30am) with enough energy to last me till bedtime (usually 10pm). Even then, I still have some energy left over for 2 more hours. My friends often joke that they’d like to see me high on caffeine to witness me bouncing off the walls. They’re not wrong. Though I’m not necessarily that hyper after a cup of coffee, I often feel like dancing more than usual. So, no, I don’t NEED coffee pick-me-ups on a daily basis. I drink coffee because I WANT it. I love the way it tastes. And the stronger the better. If it doesn’t bite, it’s not good enough. No sugar, creamer, or milk for me either. Black is the ONLY way I take it. 

But I have not totally turned my back on green tea. I could never do that. It’s my go to comfort drink. So when my friend asked me what I’m having, I had to think for a second. Could you guess which one I chose?

Someone to look at me the way I look at coffee. --Anonymous