Many decades ago, the most popular and almost only way to get your daily caffeine was to down several cups of coffee. Nobody thought twice about it. People started their days with coffee at breakfast, sipped it at the office all through the day, and chose the same beverage with their lunches and dinners. It was easy to see why our grandparents stayed awake and alert for many hours a day.
Skip to the present day scenario, where many of us start to slip into a tired slump in the middle of the day. Some of us have tried to remove caffeine from our daily schedules, but end up suffering with bouts of fatigue as our bodies try to adjust. On the other side of the coin, we have a large majority of the population that not only still embraces their caffeine fix, but have increased the amount and added other ways to get it. Many coffee drinkers are also tea drinkers. Then you have the cola and soft drink aficionados who can’t fathom being without their super-sized sodas.
It’s safe to say we will never totally give up our need for caffeine. Though I have friends who say they are getting their allotment from dark chocolate, I know they can’t possibly eat as much chocolate as their previous servings of double lattes or espressos that they downed at least twice a day. Calories aside, there is something so comforting in the lovely aroma of a good cup of coffee. Though the caffeine is what keeps us alert, the smell of it starts our day with a boost of energy and a smile. Isn’t that why we’re still addicted?
