Is Survival Coffee Really Important?

Is coffee part of your survival stash?

When people answer that question with, “No, why should it be?” I wonder if they’ve really thought this through.

OK, I get that non-perishable food, clean water and shelter are probably the three most important things you can have following a disaster.

But there are plenty of other items that will make surviving an emergency much more pleasant, and coffee is one of them.

For one thing, it will be a hot commodity, no pun intended. It will disappear rapidly from stores and will be very much in demand.

So even if you don’t drink coffee, it will be a very valuable bartering item. If you’re one of the few people who has coffee during a crisis, you’ll become popular very quickly.

But I’m assuming you do drink coffee because a vast majority of us do. And the reasons we drink coffee are ones that will make even more sense in a survival situation.

I’m talking about enhanced energy and alertness, for one. The caffeine in coffee increases adrenaline levels in the bloodstream. That’s going to be very important, especially in night-watch situations.

Coffee also improves performance, boosts mental clarity and has other health benefits. It’s rich in flavonoids, a group of antioxidant compounds. Plus, it’s good for one’s emotional health. It helps fight depression, which could easily crop up when you’re trying to survive.

And when you’re finished with your coffee grinds, you can always use them for fertilizer in a garden. The grounds add organic material to the soil, which improves both water retention and drainage.

Speaking of grounds… There’s a way to grind coffee if you don’t have a grinder, according to someone who commented on a blog post.

You just take a handful of whole coffee beans, place them in a rag or bag, make sure the beans can’t fall out and then put the rag or bag on a rock. Then pound it with a twisting motion.

If you want to store whole beans or ground coffee, here are a few tips:

• Whole beans are easier to store long-term than ground coffee.
• Buy vacuum-sealed coffee.
• Keep bags of coffee in an airtight container.
• The container should be kept away from light, heat and moisture.
• Consider unroasted canned green coffee beans.

Here’s what the National Coffee Association says about coffee bean storage:

“To preserve your beans’ fresh roasted flavor as long as possible, store them in an opaque, airtight container at room temperature. Coffee beans can be beautiful, but avoid clear canisters, which will allow light to compromise the taste of your coffee.

“Keep your beans in a cool and dark location. A cabinet near the oven is often too warm, and so is a spot on the kitchen counter that gets strong afternoon sun.”

When it comes to your survival stash, don’t say no to joe.