jittery after coffee? (it’s not the caffeine)
Caffeine has built its bad reputation of being addictive, and keeping millions of eyes shut but minds monkeying during wee hours. What I hate the most with coffee was the incontrollable jitters, skipping heartbeats, coldness of hands and feet.
And what fascinates me is it doesn’t happen all the time. Sometimes, I get jittery sometimes not. I decided it’s the caffeine doing this to me. So for a long time, I ordered decaf whenever it’s available.
Funny thing is I still get the jitters even with decaf! What’s wrong with me?! If it’s not the caffeine, what’s causing me to feel uneasy after a cup of joe? Or is it psychological (yes, I kinda believed that too)?
In this article, I will share with you what’s causing the jitters. And what’s the quality of your coffee beans got to do with it.
first, is caffeine bad for you?
Zero in to what caffeine does to your brain. Why do you feel awake when you have your coffee dose?
Caffeine blocks the adenosine receptors in your brain (where adenosine shoot themselves in). I mentioned in this article about adenosine and how they make you sleepy.
So blocking these receptors means blocking sleepiness for a while. Which results to more focus, and who doesn’t love that? If I have to write 5 articles in a day, I’d be happy to boost my focus with caffeine!
It’s also important to note different people have different caffeine sensitivity. Experiment how much caffeine you need to operate at your best. I’m good with one coffee after I wake up and that’s it.
Use it according to your needs. Having coffee after lunch (or 8 hours before sleeping) might not be a good idea if you want to sleep blissfully.
if it’s not caffeine, what causes the jitters?
Now that we have cleared that out of the way. All caffeine does is block the adenosine receptors. And not make you jittery and feel nervous for hours.
Mycotoxins (sounds bad from its name, right?) might be seeping into your system without you knowing it. Mold creates mycotoxins. Sad truth is today the coffee you are consuming is probably moldy.
And yes, these are messing up your system causing jitters, anxiety, and even joint pains! Why? That’s your body telling you it’s toxic.
The probability of moldy coffee goes higher with:
Cheap Coffee
I always picked the cheapest coffee at grocery stores. And no question, jitters and anxiety comes after a few minutes. Even good quality coffee is prone to molds, so you might want to skip cheap coffee.
Blends
I just did this mistake weeks ago. And it’s kinda superior than cheap coffee but it gave me the jitters too. Blends might sound appealing as different flavors are combined with different coffee beans.
However, blends are usually a mix of cheap coffee beans from different places. Thus, increasing the risk of mold presence in the blend.
Decaf
*face palm* Yep, it appears caffeine acts as a defense mechanism for the plant. Removing it will leave the beans defenseless, thus more mold in your coffee!
What’s in it for you?
Now you know it’s the mycotoxins ruining your mood and nervous system, here are hacks you can implement to enjoy coffee and its benefits without poisoning your body.
#1 Quality Coffee
Local coffee shops usually source their coffee beans from local farmers (which is safer than big-scale coffee factories). Start scouring local coffee shops near you. Have some coffee and record how you feel after!
#2 Arabica Single Origin Coffee
Opt for 100% Arabica Single Origin coffee beans when chilling out in coffee shops. Robusta beans are more prone to mold than Arabica beans. And yes, ditch the blends, ’cause it increases the probability of molds.
#3 Bulletproof Coffee
Dave Asprey is keen about coffee (his drug of choice) but he can’t enjoy its benefits when molds are everywhere. This inspired him to grow his own coffee beans (without the molds) and Bulletproof Coffee was born.
My heart is happy when I found out I don’t have to avoid coffee altogether. Because I love coffee. Today I always dose with a cup of butter coffee (sibling of Bulletproof coffee) first thing in the morning.
I became attuned to these toxins. For instance, being emotional after consuming bad coffee 😂. Yes, I’m affected that way. And it’s zapping out energy from me which could go to other useful tasks like creating this content.
Do yourself a favor and commit yourself to drinking the best tasting and toxic-free coffee you could ever find. You and people around you would benefit, as you won’t be cranky towards them!
Thanks for reading!
