Interesting history of caffeine, and the science behind what it does to our brains.

Raised in a higher-law mormon family, I’ve never had coffee, black tea, caffeinated soda, or any type of energy drink. A grown-ass lady in my forties, I am completely lost in a Starbucks. After going through a faith crisis and subsequent faith transition, I wondered if I ought to reevaluate my relationship with caffeine. Turns out my body doesn’t like it much. I get sick and jittery from a dose of Excedrin Migraine, but tolerate the very occasional green tea okay (I did drink green tea as a mormon, because I felt the health benefits outweighed any ‘word of wisdom’ concerns, but this is maybe atypical). Neither my migraine medication or green tea gives me a boost of wild productivity like Pollan’s morning espresso, but both can ruin a night of sleep.

I remain a coffee virgin with no interest in exploring further, but I do like the smell of it brewing.