The 5 Most Common Coffee Myths, Debunked.

We’re breaking down the most common misconceptions about coffee, because it’s a world riddled with myths and misinformation. It’s tough out there, and sometimes coffee gets unnecessarily slandered. Let’s set the record straight. 

You’re going to impress SO many people with your newfound coffee knowledge. They’re going to be really, really impressed. We’d recommend whacking out this knowledge during a first date. 100% success rate. 

1. Dark Roast Coffee Has More Caffeine

Probably the world’s most widespread myth, a bit like Napoleon being tiny (he wasn’t that short). Because darker roasts are higher on the intensity scale, they’re often believed to be higher in caffeine content. This isn’t true: the intensity of a coffee has nothing to do with caffeine, and everything to do with flavour. 

The difference between light, medium, and dark roast coffee is not in caffeine content but in flavour and roasting time. The lighter the roast, the less time the coffee beans have spent roasting. This means that they retain their natural flavours and floral, fruity aroma, resulting in a bright, clean coffee that often tastes a little lighter, but is by no means lower in caffeine. 

Dark roast coffee beans have been roasted until they’re dark in colour. The roast gives the beans a richer, heavier, and stronger flavour profile, which is why they’re ranked higher on the intensity scale, but it doesn’t mean that their caffeine levels increase. 

The takeaway: the difference in caffeine levels between light, medium, and dark roasts is pretty negligible. 

2. Coffee Stunts Your Growth

Decades ago, a study suggested that there might be a link between coffee consumption and osteoporosis. This has since been disproved. Sadly or gladly, your height is almost always dependent on your genes, not your coffee intake. 

3. Coffee Sobers You Up

Whilst the caffeine in coffee can perk you up and make you feel a bit more alert, especially when you’re sloppy-wine-drunk, it unfortunately cannot counteract the effects of alcohol. It’s best to enjoy your espresso martini with a glass of water, rather than hoping the coffee and the vodka will balance each other out. 

4. Coffee Dehydrates You

Coffee and tea are both mild diuretics, but your brewed coffee is 98% water, so it can actually contribute to your recommended daily water intake. You're not losing more fluids than you are taking in when you drink coffee. That doesn’t mean you should exclusively drink coffee and not water—in fact, please do not do this—but it does mean that you don’t need to compensate for your coffee intake by drinking even more water. 

5. Storing coffee in the fridge keeps it fresh for longer

PLEASE DON’T DO THIS. IT’S AWFUL. 

Coffee is porous and will take on flavours of other strong foods in the fridge (think onions, garlic and cheese) while its natural flavours and aroma will diminish. The cold temperature and humidity mean that the beans will partially brew and lose their potency, and you could end up with a cheesy coffee. If you’re into that, then please ignore this advice. 

Now you’re armed with this incredible information, you should probably buy some coffee…

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