What is the Best Time to Drink Your Coffee?
We would be willing to wager that most of our customers utilizing traditional hot brew coffee machines get a fresh pot of coffee going first thing in the morning. Our single cup customers begin seeing the coffee capsules flying as soon as staff members start arriving for the day. With that said, here is a question: what is the best time of day to drink your coffee?
As strange as it sounds, the question is not random. It has been suggested drinking coffee first thing in the morning may not be the wisest choice if you are hoping to realize the maximum benefits from your beverage of choice. Waiting a few hours might be better.
Coffee, Caffeine, and Cortisol
Many studies have been done explaining the health benefits of drinking coffee. Some research indicates that getting the greatest health benefits out of coffee is likely influenced by the time of day you consume. Apparently, coffee consumption is best when cortisol levels in the body are low. The lower the cortisol, the better coffee is for you. The interesting thing is that the body starts producing cortisol the minute you wake up.
90 Minutes to Peak
It takes roughly 90 minutes from the time you wake up for cortisol levels to peak. So if you wake at 6:30, your body will peak somewhere between 8 and 9 a.m. Your body will then hit another peak somewhere between noon and 1 p.m., and then again between 5:30 and 6:30 p.m., making each of these times perfect for that cup of office coffee.
The point here is that perhaps it is better to wait until after cortisol levels peak before having that first cup in the morning. Researchers suggest that consuming earlier not only reduces the benefits of coffee but could also make you more tired at the same time.
Great Coffee Any Time of Day
Thankfully, there is no right or wrong time to drink coffee. Even better is the fact that there are great coffees for any time of day. Start your workday with a great cup of hot brew as you plot and plan for the next eight hours. Grab a cold brew at lunch to complement the great sandwich you brought from home. Avoid ‘leaded’ in the afternoon so as to not keep yourself up at night, choosing a delicious decaf coffee instead.
We have them all here at Galaxie Coffee. Our product list includes dozens of different coffees for traditional equipment and the newest single-serve brewers. Along with great coffee, we also provide our customers the finest teas, juices, and bottled waters.
It looks like first thing in the morning is not the best time to drink coffee if you want to maximize its health benefits. Even so, any time of day is appropriate to enjoy a good cup of coffee just for what it is.