For years I was addicted to Diet Coke. While others woke up to their morning cup of coffee, I indulged in a few sips of Diet Coke, because I hate the taste of coffee. I just could not understand why anyone would indulge in such an awful tasting substance. But, I must admit I needed my caffeine fix by 11 am or my body started to scream for it. I never guzzled Diet Coke. Instead, I would just sip a bottle throughout the day when my energy level would start to drag. Somehow over the years this nasty habit increased to two small bottles of Diet Coke a day. That is until this past February when for some reason I decided to look up the effects of aspartine.
When I Googled (decades ago no one would have predicted that to Google would become a verb) aspartine the first article that came up was headlined, "Aspartine is, by Far, the Most Dangerous Substance on the Market that is Added to Foods". I then went on to read an article that outlined 92, yes 92, different health side effects associated with aspartine. 30 minutes of Googling was enough to convince me to never drink Diet Coke again.
After three days of excruciating headaches detoxing from the aspartine, I realized I had a problem. What was I going to do when my body started to drag in the day? Suddenly I began to see the benefit of the Italian coffee culture. There are a few things that Italians embrace with such passion that really it is part of their being; these things being their love of wine, delicious food and coffee. (Okay Italian men would include beautiful women on their list) Until I gave up Diet Coke I never really understood the ritual of Italians stepping up to a coffee bar, ordering an espresso, it coming in really what is the equivalent of a shot glass with a handle, shooting back the espresso with the same power that one shoots back a shot of tequila, and then quickly going on their way to continue their day. This ritual taking all of about 2 minutes, at the most. For Italians there is no relaxing and reading the newspaper as you sip a large cup of steaming coffee. There is no lingering to enjoy the taste and the smell of the coffee. Instead, it is literally slam that stuff back and carry on. I have Italian friends who will do this ritual up to 6 times a day.
Now that I do not drink Diet Coke I frequently find myself doing as the Italians do and quickly popping into a coffee bar for a quick fix of caffeine. The process taking such little time that really I don't have to taste what I am drinking. I get all the benefits of the caffeine without subjecting myself to the gross taste of coffee. I learned the hard way never to do this on an empty stomach as the caffeine is so strong that I had the shakes, felt impaired and then crashed 2 hours later having to lay down. Clearly a rookie mistake. Now I have the fine art of shooting back a shot of espresso down pat, although I also learned the hard way that if I do so after 2 pm I am up all night. I do not know how Italians can do up to 6 shots a day. Even after a late night meal they will order their cafe. It leaves me wondering if their bodies are wired different in the way that they process their cultural treasure, coffee.
Giving up aspartine has resulted in me embracing another part of Italian culture. No I am not going to Google the side effects of caffeine. I am sure there are plenty. Instead, I am just going to let myself embrace this part of Italian culture 3 or 4 times a week. I recognize that there is a limit to how healthy I can be, and surely enjoying this vice 3 or 4 times a week is better than 2 bottles of Diet Coke a day.
I have come to learn in studying the art of cafe drinking that Italians often counteract the effects of a late night cafe by having what they call an "anti-cafe". This being a shot of limoncello or grappa. That part of the Italian culture I will never embrace. I know my limit when it comes to vices. I don't understand why one would consume caffeine to then drown the effects with alcohol. This leads to another aspect of Italian culture that I have come to learn about - sometimes Italians do things that make absolutely no sense, but there is no point in questioning it as you will not get an answer that makes sense. Sometimes it simply it what it is.
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