Brew Full of Denial?

For all of my adult life I have not been a tea or coffee fan. I have been told by my mother that as a child I used to like dipping my toast in her tea but ever since tasting both as a teenager I was pretty certain that an addiction to either was never going to be a problem.

Now as many of you are aware this doesn’t mean that I only consume beverages that are good for me as I do tend to over-indulge on diet coke. I’ve always managed to excuse putting this toxin in my body by explaining to people that I at least don’t drink coffee or tea; that water and diet coke were mostly my beverage of choice. (Let’s not mention alcohol at this point in time)

A few months ago my mate Sarah and I happened to be on a training course together and as it was a bit chilly in the large room that the presentations were being conducted in, I thought I would try and drink a hot coffee loaded up with milk and sugar to warm up a bit. (I’d done this in the past in emergencies as I find that a lot of milk at least makes it like a latte; well sort of. And lattes I love – especially Hazelnut or Vanilla flavour). By mid afternoon I had drank two more coffees and had decreased the milk and sugar allotment by at least half.

I can now drink a coffee with just a bit of milk and only one sugar. My goal is to get it down to no sugar even though I love it milky and sweet; and to think I once scoffed at my husband, his family and even mine (I found out this past spring how much sugar my mom and Aunt take in their tea) for having such a sweet tooth. I do however not want that much sugar and as I have managed to reduce my sugar/milk intake over the last few weeks, I believe I can reach a point when I actually enjoy a coffee without sugar. Maybe. I’m still trying to figure out how I even let this happen, how I’ve actually come to enjoy a nice, hot cuppa coffee. I know my friend Sharon was floored the morning we had breakfast at the hotel after the Lincoln Christmas Market and she saw me drink a coffee. It's the norm to see me crack open a can of diet coke at the breakfast table.

But I’m not a coffee junky, no way; and like my diet coke, I drink it decaffeinated whenever possible. I drink these things because I like them… not because I have to. Ok when it comes to diet coke I will concede, I’m definitely addicted to that.

But I am not addicted to coffee.

I can think of the few good reasons to enjoy coffee besides its taste:

It’s way less fattening then a latte; it costs a fraction of the price of a latte; its sociable to meet friends for a coffee, or enjoy a coffee after a good meal out.

The not so great reasons for enjoying coffee:

It’s yet one more negative substance to put into your body; I have to think of the extra calories it adds to may daily caloric intake; it stains teeth (I know, so do diet coke and red wine); its just one more craving I did not need; it goes so nicely with chocolate.

If you can think of any more pro’s or cons, feel free to offer them up.