Costa Coffee

[loobieloo123]

Hi All! I have noticed on two very recent occasions now, that when I have a black Americano from Costa Coffee, I start to feel a little odd. I have been on decaffeinated coffee at home for a couple of months now, together with being gluten free. I used to love and enjoy my Costa - it was a nice treat, now I am wondering if they do a decaf, I think I will have to change. I feel a little light headed and swimmy, never did, how odd. The first time it happened, I thought it was my own fault because I took my Armour at lunchtime, shortly after drinking my coffee, I was already late taking my tablet that day so had to take it although I knew it wasn't good after coffee/food!! The second time, I was on Thyroid S and I had taken my grains at 6.15am and had my coffee at about 1.00pm. Anyone else get any sensations like these after coffee?

[Helena877]

Costa coffee is the only coffee that gives me a caffeine rush. Makes me feel hyperactive and a few hours later I literally come down off it and feel lousy. I think their large cup has something like 3 shots of coffee in it.

I had these experiences prior to being on any thyroid medication.

With De-caffeinated coffee some nasty chemical processes exist to remove the caffeine from it.

It may just be Costa coffee. May just have been a one off. Plus it's the only place that doesn't do semi-skimmed milk.

I ❤️ My coffee too.

[loobieloo123 in reply to Helena877]

Hi Helena877, it has aggrieved me to start drinking decaf as I loved to drink my black Alta Rica, it has a lovely smell that makes you swoon and it has a lovely drinking flavour too. Perhaps I will have to try another coffee house as like you, I do love my coffee and when it's "proper" there is nothing like it. I am ok on M&S but it doesn't have quite the same depth of flavour! I have never experienced anything like it before. I am not sure if it was a caffiene rush or not - I don't rule it out but I felt more like sitting down with my swimmy head than running a marathon - ha ha!! It is only the last 2 visits to Costa that I have experienced it, one was Taunton and the other Exeter so not even the same cafe. Oh well, I will see what happens next time!! Thank you for your reply xx

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK]

As I understand, Costa use a blend with more Robusta (so, obviously, less Arabica) than some of the other coffee companies. Robusta tends to be high in caffeine.

It just might be worth trying one of the high Arabica, or pure Arabica, coffees. Sorry - I don't know how they all stack up one against another! But I think coffee#1 do a pure Arabica "special" coffee each month.

[Treepie in reply to helvella]

I believe Robusta is cheaper than Arabica.

[loobieloo123 in reply to Treepie]

Ahhhh, so Costa isn't such a marvellous cup of coffee then!! I have learned alot today, thank you Treepie xx

[Treepie in reply to loobieloo123]

It has been good for Whitbread share price!

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK in reply to Treepie]

Arabica has historically been more expensive than Robusta - but it would be wrong to assume it was, is and always will be...

agrimoney.com/news/robusta-...

[Treepie in reply to helvella]

Drought and El Nino creating shortage of robusta from Brazil, arabica has been falling in price presumably from increasing production. Commodity prices are always fluctuating. I think Robusta is mechanically havested and arabica picked by hand.

Arabica is generally accepted to be superior so maybe Costa will change if it becomes cheaper.

[loobieloo123]

Ooh, thank you helvella, that really is interesting!!! That really is knowledge I must say! xx

[dina7 in reply to loobieloo123]

Yes, thank you indeed Helvella and Treepie, I always wondered why Costa's coffee tastes so .... coffeeless really! And it's the only coffee shop where you can't smell the coffee, so I never drink it there. But I do occasionally get the 'caffeine jitters' from other coffee and didn't realise it was because of the adrenals so thank you beingjoy too.

[Treepie in reply to dina7]

I always buy arabica but I quite like costa coffee. Best coffee I had recently was at the Cley bird reserve centre in Norfolk,closely followed by Minsmere RSPB in Suffolk.

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK in reply to dina7]

I work over an excellent coffee shop (independent - not part of a chain). If I go out, my usual choice out of all the chains would be coffee#1.

Costa is not too bad as a motorway gasper!

Starbucks is close to undrinkable.

[beingjoy]

I don't like black coffee so always have a latte. However, after experiencing the 'caffeine jitters' which is not a pleasant experience, on more than one occasion, I started asking for weak coffee. Now I know if it smells strong then it usually is too strong for me. Interestingly I find, Costa coffee is so weak it's the only place I don't ask for half the normal dose.

The symptoms are because caffeine affects the adrenals.

[loobieloo123]

A further thank you to all the wonderful people that have commented on the Costa Coffee question regarding "the jitters". Such a fascinating, interesting and informative response from you all!! Wow!! xx

[SimonA87]

I am starting to think decaffeinated coffee is very bad stuff, I developed a whole host of problems like hives and burning mouth syndrome after drinking the stuff for a while.

Holland and Barrett sell a coffee alternative which I've gotten used to:

hollandandbarrett.com/shop/...