How to drink coffee mindfully

How to drink coffee mindfully with KARVE

When you think about mindfulness, you probably don't think about coffee. Herbal teas, sparkling waters or even mocktails might be the first drinks to come to mind.

But alongside our friends at KARVE, we want to challenge the perception that coffee can't be used as a tool for calmness and peace, and explain how you can drink coffee mindfully.

The coffee itself

First of all, you need to look at the coffee that you're drinking. If you're drinking a lot of coffee, it might be a good idea to switch one or two of those to a decaf drink.

Trust us when we say that there are good decaffeinated coffees! (You can find ours here!)

Decaf will give you the taste of coffee that you love, without the racing heart and thoughts. However, coffee doesn't have to be decaffeinated to be drunk mindfully! Yulia from KARVE explains:

"I have always loved a good cup of coffee: lates, cappuccinos, Americanos...you name it! I used to drink them all.

But I did a detox once and stayed without caffeine for a few months. It did feel great for a while but my love for coffee was stronger than that.

When I introduced it back into my morning routine I did start getting jitters though which I really didn't like."

However, that all changed when she discovered bulletproof coffee.

Learn how to drink coffee mindfully with bulletproof coffee - How to drink coffee mindfully Learn how to drink coffee mindfully with bulletproof coffee

"The caffeine has a slow release when mixed with fats thus preventing you from having jitters. So I have been drinking my variation of a bulletproof coffee for almost a year now.

And what a difference it has made!" Here is her recipe:

Ingredients:

  • 1 shot of espresso (you can see what espresso blends we currently have available here)
  • 15g of grass-fed organic butter or coconut ghee
  • 1 tbsp MCT oil
  • Optional additions: cinnamon, collagen peptides, cardamom

Method:

  1. Pull a long shot of espresso
  2. Add the espresso, butter/coconut ghee, MCT oil and any additional ingredients into a mixer
  3. Mix and froth for a couple of seconds
  4. Enjoy!

Change your mindset

One of the best ways that you can change your relationship coffee is changing the way that you make it. Do you tend to drink a cup of coffee as you're rushing out the door in the morning? Or do you give yourself time to relax and enjoy every single sip? There are lots of ways to increase your mindful enjoyment of a cup of coffee. Take a look at how you make your coffee. Our founder James tends to use a Hario V60: “It takes a little longer to make my afternoon cup but it’s a nice break from work and it really is a ritual. I think it has something to do with the gentle pouring in ‘concentric circles’ which is quite a relaxing experience.” Coffee isn't just about caffeine, but about the ritual of making it!
Use the Hario V60 to drink coffee mindfully - Use the Hario V60 to drink coffee mindfully
Another thing to look at is when you make your cups of coffee. If you tend to drink coffee right when you wake up or when you're facing that dreaded afternoon slump, then you're probably not taking the time to fully enjoy the flavour and coffee-making ritual. Why not delay your morning cup by half an hour or so? That way, you'll be more awake and able to enjoy the sweet richness of your cup of joe. Finally, if you find yourself downing cup after cup of coffee, you may be drinking too much. (Yes, there is such a thing! We've written a blog post all about caffeine consumption.) If you cut down to one or two cups a day, this might help you savour every sip, rather than drinking coffee just for the caffeine alone.

Incorporate mindfulness into every day

Looking for more ways to be healthy and mindful? Our friends at KARVE offer "a new style of workout with Pilates at its core. Sweat and sculpt with considered and conscious movements for a high-intensity, low-impact workout." We love how KARVE emphasises the connection between mind and body. This evokes and unites the senses, allowing us all to tackle busy modern lives.
Drinking coffee mindfully with KARVE - How to drink coffee mindfully Drinking coffee mindfully with KARVE
Every one of KARVE's workouts ends with five minutes of mindful breath work to bring you back to the present and maximise your transformation in both body and mind. We should definitely all bring these mindfulness techniques into our everyday lives. As you can see, there are ways to drink coffee in a way that creates calm thoughts rather than anxious ones! We hope that with KARVE, we've been able to help you learn how to drink coffee mindfully.
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