With data showing a downward trend in coffee consumption, Editor Ellie Smith looks at whether it’s time to kick our caffeine habit.
Like Marmite, caffeine polarises opinion – you either love it or hate it. Those born before 1980 are more likely to sit in the ‘love’ camp, according to data from the Centre for Economics and Business Research: they found that Gen X are drinking an average of 2.1 cups of coffee a day, approximately four times more than stimulant-shy Gen Z. While younger generations are leading the caffeine-free charge, a downward trend in use is happening across the board, according to Urvashi Agarwal, founder of artisanal tea brand JP’s Originals (jpsoriginals.com). This is thanks to a ‘Covid-induced surge of interest in wellness, sleep and hydration, as well as increased concern about the link between caffeine and anxiety,’ she says. ‘Many are shifting from a highly caffeinated cup of coffee to a milder cup of tea, matcha, herbal infusion or other decaffeinated options.’
The advent of menopause fatigue, insomnia, anxiety and other hormonal symptoms can also see women break up with their morning brew, says menopause nutritionist Emma Bardwell (@emma.bardwell). ‘I have some clients who have significantly improved their perimenopause symptoms by eliminating caffeine,’ she explains. ‘But it’s a mix – there are also true die-hard caffeine fiends who’d rip my eyes out if I told them to cut back, and others still who find they can drink right up to bedtime and not be affected.’
A closer look at the science reveals why our caffeine habits are so often a case of personal preference. What works for some, the experts say, will be a disaster for others.
Behind the buzz
You’d struggle to find a household in the UK without a caffeinated product in the kitchen cupboard. But comparatively few understand exactly what effect caffeine has on the body.
‘Caffeine has been described as the world’s most widely consumed, legal psychoactive drug,’ says Emma Beswick, nutritional therapist and founder of DNA testing company Lifecode Gx. ‘It’s a naturally occurring stimulant found in coffee and cocoa beans (consumed as hot drinks and chocolate), and in black and green teas.’
We can also find caffeine in cola and energy drinks, as well as some cold and flu medications.
Part of what makes caffeine so loved worldwide is how quickly we feel its effects. From the first sip of coffee, it can take as little as 20 minutes to begin to notice a
