What you could be doing wrong with your coffee drinking

You’re not drinking it at the right time

Sure, you probably already know you shouldn’t be having coffee late at night. Caffeine can stay in the body for around six hours, so even drinking it the late afternoon/evening might lead to a restless night. But those who drink coffee as soon as they get up are apparently also doing it wrong, according to science. By having your first coffee as soon as you wake up, or even in the first hour, you could actually be building your intolerance to it, making the caffeine hit less effective over time.

You’re not drinking the right amount

Too much caffeine can cause some serious health problems including insomnia, raised blood pressure, heart palpitations and increased urination. Harvard researchers though reckon that a certain number of cups of coffee a day can have seriously good health benefits.

Your drinking it too hot

Coffee has an optimum temperature for richness and comfort. Much above that and not only do you risk burning your mouth, but the taste might be affected. Studies into the matter have found the best temperature for drinking coffee to be around 57.8C.

Using tap water

Filling your coffee pot straight from the tap sound familiar? Municipal water is treated with chemicals in order to kill certain bacteria and microorganisms. It also can contain other undesirable contaminants like chlorine, toxic metal salts, hormones and pesticides. Simply put, unfiltered water doesn’t do the best job of bringing out the flavor in your beans. Some high-end coffeemakers come with a built-in filter, but if you are not using one of those invest in an inexpensive water filter to run your water through before you brew up a pot.