New JAMA study: Your daily NJ coffee may lower dementia risk

My name is EJ and I am addicted to caffeine. I woke up moments ago, slid out of bed, and felt a real sense of purpose because just before I got up I heard my wife grinding coffee. In our house, that sound is the starter pistol. We buy whole beans from Honduras at Aldi and grind them fresh every morning. The grinder is louder than it needs to be, but I wouldn’t change it. That noise beats any alarm tone on my phone. It gets me vertical and headed toward the kitchen.

New Jersey coffee culture: why mornings here start with a grinder

My wife and I both drink our coffee black. No sugar, no cream. Just straight, strong coffee that does what it’s supposed to do. I’ll usually have two cups before leaving for work. Then I’ll have at least a few more while I’m on the air with Judi Franco and Kyle Forcini. Judi drinks coffee during the show too. It’s part of the rhythm. The microphones go live, the cups are nearby, and the conversation moves.

What made all of this feel more interesting recently was news about research published in JAMA. Researchers followed more than 130,000 adults over time, looking at their coffee and tea consumption and tracking cognitive health. People who regularly drank caffeinated coffee or tea, especially around two to three cups of coffee a day, tended to have a lower risk of developing dementia and performed slightly better on cognitive tests compared with those who rarely drank it. Decaf did not show the same association.

SEE ALSO:  New Jersey coffee wars heat up as Tom Hortons moves in 

Coffee and dementia risk: what the new JAMA study actually says

It’s not proof that coffee prevents dementia. It’s an association, not a guarantee. But it’s notable. Something as ordinary as a couple of cups a day showing up in long-term brain health data is worth paying attention to, especially in a state like New Jersey where coffee is practically a utility. Mornings here run through Dunkin, Wawa, QuickChek, Starbucks, Tim Hortons, or local favorites like Rook, The Fine Grind, Boho, Turtle Beans, 787, and the corner café that knows exactly how regulars take it.

Caffeine use disorder: am I addicted or just a typical New Jersey coffee drinker?

Now about that word addicted. There’s loving coffee, and then there’s what researchers call caffeine use disorder. The definition is fairly simple. Trouble cutting back. Feeling lousy without it. Headaches, fatigue, irritability if a day starts without caffeine. Continuing to lean on it even when it causes problems. Surveys suggest roughly 8 percent of adults might meet those criteria.

That number makes me pause. If I skip my morning coffee, I’m not pleasant. The headache shows up fast, and the energy drops just as quickly. That’s not dramatic, it’s just honest. At the same time, most caffeine use is moderate. More than 90 percent of American adults consume caffeine regularly, usually without major health consequences.

Black coffee, talk radio and the Garden State morning routine

So yes, I take my coffee seriously. I love the grinder kicking on before sunrise. I love the first sip. I love the way it sharpens my focus before a show and keeps me steady through it. And if the research suggests that a couple of cups of caffeinated coffee or tea may be associated with better cognitive health over time, that’s a solid bonus.

Here’s to black coffee, early mornings in New Jersey, and the simple routines that keep us thinking clearly and moving forward.