Short Answer: Milk and Coffee change the chemistry of both, and how your body reacts to them Is also different. On a physical level, the fat globules coat your tongue, masking any bitterness and contributing to texture. From a chemical standpoint, the proteins in milk can latch on to coffee’s antioxidants and inhibit their absorption by the body, says Peter Martin, a biophysicist from UC Irvine who studies...

Short Answer: If you never drink milk, your body will operate as usual granted that you get calcium, Vitamin D, and protein elsewhere. You might feel dramatic differences in your digestion (less bloating), complexion (a reduction in acne) and inflammatory levels throughout the body. Milk is the necessary food of all mammals when young few adult creatures need it and no portion of them demands milk after...

Direct Answer: Yes, it’s physically safe for your partner to drink your breast milk if you are healthy, and have no issues that would affect your milk. Technically, human milk is not only suitable for adults but also has healing properties. But (insert) Yes there are hygiene/bacterial transfer/relationship dynamic nuances you’ll want to think about before doing this being a regular. Here’s a close look...

Quick Answer: It all comes down to measurements of “drunk.” If you define it by who drinks the most often and spends the most on drink, there is only one answer: Baby Boomers. If you define it in terms of who is currently binge drinking the most, however — well, glee may be premature, but that’s still going to be Millennials and they are hitting...

Short answer: depending whether you mean molecular structure or acute effects, caffeine resembles one of two drugs. Chemically speaking, Paraxanthine is the most related; so much in fact, that your liver metabolizes 84% of what you actually drink into Paraxanthine. If we’re being functional, Theacrine (a compound in Kucha tea) is probably the closest “feel-alike” substitute; it increases energy levels by binding to the same receptors as...

Straight Dope: The "Most" Addictive Is All in How It's Measured There’s no one winner because “addictive” can be defined in three different ways: dependence (how hard it is to quit), tolerance (how much of the substance you need), and how much harm the substance does. If you go by the “Capture Rate” (The % of people who will try a drug and become hooked by it),...

Bonus Straightforward Response: The Perfect Routine Before That First Cup of Coffee And to the keep jitters, stomach acids and glucose spikes at bay there’s A) The best possible task for your gut is not just grain of “eating food”, but in a specific order of operations: Rehydrate then Buffer. Before drinking your first cup of coffee, drink 16 oz with a pinch of real...

Direct Answer: Coffee is a complicated chemical cocktail. We tend to think about the caffeine “buzz,” but the drink also includes polyphenols, tannins and acids that actually influence how your body absorbs nutrients and drugs. Here is the general rule for maximizing your cup without undermining your health: Don’t consume high-iron foods, calcium supplements or certain medications (including some for thyroid and high blood pressure)...

Direct Answer: To make sure your coffee stays tasting the way you intended, you have to fight off Oxygen, Moisture, Heat and Light. These four elements prompt chemical reactions—mainly oxidation and hydrolysis—that remove aromatic oils and replace them with flat or rancid flavors. For the Home Brew Novice: The "Kitchen Guard" Technique If you are just embarking on your coffee journey, the main threat is...

Quick Answer: Mixing cocoa powder into your coffee is better than a flavor hack; it’s a functional enhancement that alters how your body processes caffeine. Although coffee gives a quick burst of alertness, it can cause “jitters” and an afternoon crash. Raw cocoa has theobromine in it, a chemical that is a mild vasodilator (widens blood vessels) – so can help out with part of...