Favorite Reasons To Drink Coffee

Do you drink coffee? If you don't, you are in the minority. Coffee is one of the world's most popular drinks, whether it be hot, cold, bold, mild, flavored, full of caffeine, or decaffeinated. Why is it so popular? What is it about this drink that makes so many love to drink it?

I recently decided to take my own little survey from family and friends to see how many of us drink coffee, and why. I sent out 100 e-mails, and received 45 responses in return. In the e-mail, I asked them to share at least two reasons why they drink coffee (if they do), or share why they don't. Here are the results:

71%   drink coffee, even if only once in awhile (32 out of 45)
29%   do not drink it at all

For those who drink it, here are the main reasons:
56%   drink it for the caffeine / pick-me-up / energy
44%   like the taste
27%   drink it out of habit or routine
20%   drink it for the warmth
19%   enjoy coffee with friends (social drinkers)
13%   love the smell
13%   say it is comforting, gives them good feelings, coziness
6%     drink it for health reasons
3%     say they are addicted to it
3%     say it is a non caloric warm drink
3%     say it is more convenient than other hot drinks

Those who do NOT drink it give these reasons:
69%   Don’t like the taste 
23%   Don’t like the smell
15%   Say its not their preference, have no interest
15%   Say they can't drink it due to health issues
8%     Say it is too addictive and they don't want to get hooked

Personally, I don't remember the exact time when I started drinking coffee on a regular basis. But, I know it wasn't because I wanted the caffeine, since my coffee is usually decaffeinated. There are days when I am dragging and find I need a boost; so, occasionally, I will make coffee with half caffeine and half decaff - a sufficient amount to get me going without giving me the jitters - but it is not the main reason I began drinking it.

I also did not start drinking it for the taste (Although, now, I really do enjoy the taste, especially when it is doctored up with flavored creamers or some milk and flavored Stevia drops.)

As I think back, I realize the biggest reason I STARTED drinking coffee was for the smell (or, the  aroma), as well as it being a comforting beverage for me to start my day with.

What is it I like about the smell?  To answer that, let me ask you another question first:  What memories do you have of your childhood home? If you really think about it, you will notice that many of your favorite childhood memories are based on a smell - fresh bread being baked in the oven, cookies being made, a favorite meal, flowers in the garden, a lilac bush, wet hay, barn smells, the smell of rain, pine needles from a Christmas tree, a pipe or a cigar, maybe some stinky feet, and on and on. Our sense of smell can cause us to remember things from the past - whether they be good or bad smells - and, for me, one of the smells that reminds me of my childhood is a pot of fresh brewed coffee in the morning. I never liked the taste of coffee when I was growing up, and I didn't understand what was so good about it. But, I always saw my parents enjoying it, and I saw them being hospitable when they offered a cup to our guests. (Thanks, Mom and Dad, for letting me see your example of hospitality.)

1 Peter 4:9 - Be hospitable to one another without complaint.

Dad & Mom, 2008

For many years after I left home, I never made coffee unless my parents came for a visit. My husband didn't drink it either (and still doesn't). But, as the years passed, I think I started missing that smell because, one chilly Saturday morning, I decided to make a pot to help warm me up. I found out I enjoyed it, and it quickly became a Saturday morning ritual for me. Then, it eventually expanded to where I am now drinking it at least 4 or 5 times a week. I like the taste, I like the warmth, I like the smell, and I like the cozy feelings it gives me. It is a nice way to start my day. 

What about you? What scent-filled memories do you have from your childhood home? 

What memories are you now making for your own children to look back on one day?

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FYI:  According to Wikepedia, and The International Coffee Organization, TODAY (October 1st), is considered the FIRST OFFICIAL INTERNATIONAL COFFEE DAY! It is a day set aside to promote and celebrate coffee as a beverage, with various events now occurring in places across the globe.