Some Like it Hot...But Most Like it Cold Even More

 

Regardless of the groundhog’s experience on February 2nd, spring is in the air (though we had a few flurries earlier in March). And when the first buds appear on the trees, and the sun stays higher in the sky, later into the day, we all start to celebrate in different ways.

I personally celebrate by drinking coffee outside more frequently. There’s nothing I like more on a beautiful spring day than walking in the park or sitting in the backyard with a large cup of steaming-hot coffee---and when friends are there, even better.

But what about cold coffee? For me, cold coffee is something I drink mainly in the summer. Surprisingly, I am not in the majority. According to a survey commissioned by Mr. Coffee, and conducted by One Poll, 63% of people polled (2,000 respondents) are happy to drink iced or cold-brewed coffee all year long.

I’m definitely part of the 37%---those people who only drink iced coffee in the summer and drink hot coffee the rest of the year (assuming a 4-season locale).

Still…there is something to be said for ordering an iced coffee when there are still patches of snow on the ground, but the sun is high in the sky and the temperature is a balmy 60 degrees.

Scientifically, there are advantages associated with drinking cold coffee and other advantages associated with drinking hot coffee. Let’s start with cold coffee. Cold coffee tends to be slightly less acidic and easier on the stomach. For me, if I’ve been drinking hot coffee all day and I want to keep going, I might switch to cold coffee. As for hot coffee, it has more antioxidants than cold coffee. Hot coffee is also associated with increased sociability and a sense of “warmth” both literal and metaphorical.

There is one sense in which most coffee, including iced and hot, are similar. Results of a 10-year study, involving 500,000 people in the UK, and published in Journal of the American Medical Association Internal Medicine (2018) highlight coffee’s incredibly positive effect on health and longevity.

Researchers found that compared to non-coffee-drinkers, people who drink 2 to 3 cups of coffee a day have a 24% decreased risk of dying. In addition, coffee is associated with a significantly decreased risk of lots of different cancers, as well as heart disease, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, depression, and liver disease.

Bottom line: Coffee is good for you---hot or cold; decaf of caf; instant or brewed. So drink up!