Your foolish food choices may be caffeine’s fault

In a 1994 interview, David Letterman admitted that if it weren’t for the excessive amount of coffee he consumes, he’d have “no identifiable personality whatsoever.” Funny, but new research out of Europe shows he may be right. Turns out caffeine stimulates release of the neurotransmitter dopamine, which can cause increased impulsivity and lack of self-control. Researchers set up a free coffee station at the entrance of a retail store and offered some incoming customers free decaf or water and others a free caffeinated brew. The result? Shoppers who drank the caffeinated coffee ended up spending about 50% more money and bought nearly 30% more items than shoppers who drank decaf or water. And when the researchers tested caffeine’s effect in a lab with online shopping, they found the same results: Caffeine drinkers bought self-indulgent items instead of practical ones.

Clearly, before you head to the grocery store, skip the caffeine, or you may end up with a shopping cart full of sweet treats instead of fresh produce. And I wonder: Is your morning cuppa Joe to blame for your order of syrupy pancakes?

Since we know coffee bestows health benefits (better heart health, increased longevity, reduced risk of dementia), I don’t want to discourage you from drinking it (paper-filtered and black). Instead, consciously redirect the impulsivity it can cause so you indulge in the good feelings that come from eating a plantbased diet that’s free of ultraprocessed food and the knowledge that you are doing what it takes to live younger longer.

Health pioneer Michael Roizen, M.D., is chief wellness officer emeritus at the Cleveland Clinic and author of four No. 1 New York Times bestsellers. His next book is “The Great Age Reboot: Cracking the Longevity Code for a Younger Tomorrow.” Do you have a topic Dr. Mike should cover in a future column? If so, please email questions@GreatAgeReboot.com.