As the saying goes nothing in excess is good for you. So is Coffee.

High amounts of caffeine (the stimulant found in coffee) can lead to prolonged elevated stress levels. However, small to medium amounts of coffee can lift your mood and give you a lift. Caffeine helps the brain release dopamine into the prefrontal cortex, a brain area that controls mood regulation. Caffeine may also help the storage of dopamine in another part of the brain important for stress regulation (read amygdala). It might sound ibberish but in simple words, small amounts of coffee are good as it keeps you happy, stress-free and your brain activated.

‌Not only can your daily cup of coffee help you feel more invigorated, burn fat and improve physical performance, it may also lower your risk of numerous conditions, including type 2 diabetes, cancer, and Parkinson's disease, and Alzheimer's. Coffee may even boost longevity.

However, coffee in ancient times was only found and grown in the Middle East. They guarded it the way petroleum is controlled in modern times. And it was extremely forbidden to take coffee outside Arabia.  It is said an Indian Sufi saint named Baba Budan got hold of seven coffee beans from Yemen which he almost smuggled to India. He planted those in the hill of Chikmangalure situated in  Karnataka in 1670. The Dutch helped in the cultivation of coffee. Later coffee was commercialized by the East India Company. Then gradually it spread to other parts of the world. And became popular.

Coffee is one of the three most popularly consumed beverages of the world besides tea and water. There are mainly four variants of coffee beans (which are roasted and ground to process the coffee for use). However, Robusta and Arabica are the most usually found and used variants all over the world. Now people are crazed about flavor-infused coffee. And there are currently so many variants to choose from.

So why not drink up a cup or two when you need to feel energized. However, remember to use fewer sweeteners if you are a regular coffee drinker. And who said you need to have it hot. You can add it to your cakes, chocolates, cookies, or any desserts you fancy. I am always a sucker for iced coffees. Nothing can beat a tall glass of sweetened frothy iced coffee while sitting in the breezy shade and lazily gazing at the world go by!t.