On coffee

So. It’s been quite a while since I last posted, so I decided to put up something that’s been on my mind: coffee.

McDonald’s Canada (@McD_Canada) has been offering free coffee all day from March 1 up to March 14, and they claim it has nothing to do with Tim Horton’s Roll Up the Rim promotion.

I went to try it, but I don’t really have an opinion about the taste or quality of McDonald’s coffee. (I haven’t bought coffee at a coffee shop for more than 3 months.) Apparently “experts” say it beats Starbucks and Tim Hortons.

Stay awake!

I don’t like coffee. However, I can understand why people might like it, or need it. I can’t think of anyone who could be happy and energetic all day, unless they’re on drugs—and that’s my point. Coffee serves as a drug; caffeine, of course, is a narcotic. It’s a psychoactive stimulant that makes you more alert and aware. You already know that.

If not for this wonderful effect of caffeine products like coffee, the demand for coffee would probably be rather low.

Health risks benefits

I guess caffeine could have benefits; apparently it has a role in preventing Parkinson’s disease. The fact that caffeine doesn’t directly cause any health concerns for most users explains why it is one of the only unregulated drugs in the world. (Of course, that’s partly because the lawmakers are staying awake on it too.)

Taste

In any case, I’m not a coffee person. This brown … substance … is too bitter, too caffeinated.

I don’t understand how people get used to the bitter taste (even with a few creams and sugars). Sure, it might smell great, but smell ≠ taste. The most popular foods in life not only smell good, they have to taste good. (Unless you go by this definition of delicacy.) Coffee just doesn’t taste good.

Tea

Personally, I prefer things like tea. To me, the bitter taste of coffee can never match the aromas of Earl Grey, orange pekoe, rooibos & honeybush tea (more easily acquired in South Africa), or the easily tolerable green tea. I take it with a little sugar and sometimes a little milk. The result, of course, is something that smells wonderful, tastes great, and is much more natural and healthy than coffee. (I should note that while true teas from the Camellia sinensis plant do contain caffeine, rooibos & honeybush tea is herbal, ‘red’ tea that lacks caffeine.)

In this, I’m not alone. Coffee might be ‘enjoyed’ by 90% of North Americans (or so Wikipedia tells me), but tea is the second most popular drink in the world after water. I’m also glad to know that I’m consuming something that originated from processes as natural as immersing plant leaves in boiling water, as opposed to the complex process that involves roasting and grinding.

What do you like?

Everything I’ve just talked about is only my preference. You’re free to feel differently, to enjoy your bitter beverage and to convince me that coffee is absolutely delicious.

At the end of the day, though, if I’m in need of a boost, I won’t be turning to coffee. I’ll boil some water in the kettle, find my container of tea bags, and make myself some soothing, delicious, and natural tea.