Welcome to International Coffee Day…  like I need an excuse to drink a nice, hot cup of dark roast java!

Yet on this glorious day where we celebrate the Bouncing Bean of Life, some weirdos offer tips like:

• How To Wake Up In The Morning Without Caffeine (Why would I want to???)
• 21Ways To Wake Up That Don’t Involve Coffee (Do I really need to say it again?)
• 7 Ways to Wake Up Without Caffeine (Honestly, what’s the point?)

And that’s just three of the 407 million articles on the subject, according to Mr. Google.

Wow. Just grab a cup and drink it already.

But for those who may be wary of The Bean, here are a few interesting factoids about the drug we all know and love.

• Caffeine begins to take effect within 15 minutes.

That’s the good news. The bad news? Caffeine’s effects wear off within a couple of hours, but isn’t that what the second cup is for?

• Caffeine is  a central nervous system stimulant that blocks adenosine, a chemical that makes you drowsy.

Great! I don’t drink caffeine because I want to sleep. I drink it because I need to wake up and write.

• A 6-ounce cup of coffee contains between 75-150 milligrams of caffeine

Honestly, 6 ounces is what’s left after I polish off half of my favourite mug.

• Coffee originated in Africa around 575 A.D., where it was used as currency as well as consumed for pleasure.

I get using coffee beans as money but if coffee originated in Africa, why do the best coffee beans in the world come from Costa Rica? (A personal bias, I admit.)

• Caffeine consumption can increase your memory

Studies show caffeine intake is associated with improved memory and executive functions, including time management and organization.  Who doesn’t want a better memory?  And while I can’t speak for you, I need all the help I can get with organization!

• Caffeine is lethal

Ten grams of caffeine is fatal to most humans. Most of us will never worry about this, however, as that’s the equivalent of more than 80 cups of coffee.

If you have a heart condition, you may want to pay attention to your caffeine intake.

While rare, caffeine toxicity is a real thing. In 2012, 14-year-old Anais Fournier died after downing two large energy drinks inside 24 hours – the equivalent of 480 milligrams of caffeine. She had a preexisting heart condition and died of cardiac arrhythmia due to caffeine toxicity.

I hope you enjoyed this little informational interlude.

I’ll be back tomorrow with my regular daily column on something far more serious. I promise.

And if you enjoy my daily commentaries, what better day than International Coffee Day to buy me a cup to express your gratitude for my work?

If you’re so inclined, the links below make it easy for you to buy me a cup or two of Costa Rican dark roast. 🙂

1. Send an Interac eTransfer to author @ christopherdiarmani.net (remove spaces)

2. Send via PayPal using this link: https://www.paypal.me/ThatLibertyGuy