That morning cup of coffee or lunchtime soda might serve a purpose beyond giving you a jolt of energy. According to by researchers at Johns Hopkins University, caffeine enhances memory.
Participants in the study took placebos or 200-milligram caffeine tablets—the same amount of the chemical found in a strong cup of coffee—after studying images. The next day, those who took the caffeine remembered the images better, indicating an improvement in a type of cognition known as pattern separation. The study emphasized the effects of consuming the caffeine after, rather than before, studying.
The John Hopkins findings come hot on the heels of , which concluded that moderate coffee consumption does not cause dehydration.
Now that your coffee habit is scientifically sanctioned, check out this nifty grinder for backcountry brewing.