There doesn't seem to be any link between medications like Adderall and Ritalin and coffee, but there is! The two drugs above are used to treat ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder), and serve to "stay in the bubble."
It may be a coincidence, but since these two drugs began to be in short supply in the United States, the country's workplace productivity has suffered a setback.
Correlation is not causation , that is, two phenomena can happen together without one being the cause of the other, but in any case it made us think.
Isn't coffee the Adderall and Ritalin of the 1700s?
In our opinion yes. When it was introduced into English coffee houses , this Arabic drink, produced from the seed of an Ethiopian berry, turbocharged people's brains. Coffee shops became hip hangouts, full of people and great ideas.
They were known as “penny universities,” where a penny could buy a cup of knowledge. As people gathered to drink their coffee, they developed theories that would forever change our view of the world—think thermodynamics and its intimate relationship with coffee.
Legend has it, in fact, that James Watt invented the first steam engine by observing the tea kettle. Tea?! Absolutely false, and for two reasons:
1. James Watt himself admitted that this story was indeed a legend
2. The Frenchman Denis Papin invented the steam engine, together with the pressure cooker and... the Moka for coffee! (well yes, Bialetti has only improved, a lot, engineered, well, and patented...) [^]
Therefore we can assume that, having invented the Moka, Papin was also an avid coffee drinker, and that therefore coffee produced a virtuous circle: by exciting the synapses of the French physicist he, in the end, himself produced a rapid and efficient.
Well yes, just like for Café 124, where liters and liters of coffee allowed us to come up with a new extraction method!
Caffeine
Caffeine, coffee's not-so-secret weapon, is a wonderful substance. It's like a superpower for our brains, helping us focus and stay alert.
Best of all, unlike some stimulants that can lead to problems, a balanced cup can actually improve our mood, cognitive function, and physical performance.
In the Age of Enlightenment, when Europe was transitioning from rural fields to urban factories, coffee was like a comforting friend, helping people adjust to new clock-driven routines. Not only did coffee give a boost to individuals, but it also blended social change and economic growth.
Coffee and Cash
In fact, coffee is excellent not only for our brain, but also for the global economy: it is indeed the superstar of global trade, second only to oil. Oil gives us thermal energy, coffee mental energy that helped us understand how to use thermal energy...
Coffee is a cornerstone of the economy of many countries, especially those in the tropical zone. But since it is also consumed where it is cold, let's not forget the thriving business of cozy local coffee shops or multinational chains like Starbucks. In short, millions of people who work as farmers, bartenders and more. Furthermore, the demand for coffee also fuels other activities: think of machinery, packaging, transport.
Coffee is constantly brewing new ideas, such as new production methods and sustainable agricultural practices. Given Homo sapiens' love for this tropical berry, innovation linked to coffee production increasingly stimulates economic growth.
So, next time you have your coffee drink, whether it's a 124 Best Cold Brew Coffee or an espresso, remember, you're not only enjoying a tasty beverage, you're also supporting an industry that's helping the world go round.
[^] Faure. Introduction to Operations Research. United Kingdom: Elsevier Science, 1968. Page 213
