Putting Coffee in a Freezer Keeps It Fresh Longer

This is not necessarily a myth, It's more like a half-truth. If you are talking about keeping your bag in the freezer section of your fridge, by all means no! The constant open and closing of the freezer door, combined with much warmer temperatures and neighboring food results in moisture build up on your coffee wich can make it go rancid as well as attach all sorts of unpleasant flavors to your beans. However, if you have chest freezer that can stay around -15°F, you can store sealed portions of whole beans and get around a 2 month shelf life (compared to the standard 14-28 days stored at room temperature). This can be helpful if you want to order several pounds at a time to save on shipping.

Storing Coffee in a Sealed Container Keeps It Fresh for Many Months

The 2-4 week limit is taking for granted that your whole beans are stored airtight and away from heat and light. The coffee has already been exposed to oxygen right after the roasting process is over, and oxygen break down flavors. If the variables of whole bean, cool, dry, and dark are not in place, you can expect a much quicker stale time. A good test if your coffee is fresh or not is to see if the grinds "bloom" when they first come in contact with hot water.

Coffee Stunts Your Growth

This was a theory that arose many years ago when it was thought that there was a link between osteoporosis and caffeine intake. Caffeine has been shown to reduce calcium in a minor way, but if you are already living an overall healthy life in regards to your nutrient intake, the effects will be negligible. It still might not be a good idea to give your 2 year old a shot of espresso if you cherish your sanity ;)

Microwaving Coffee Is a Good Way to Reheat It

Besides the highly probable, yet currently untested affects on the radiation on the various fragile chemical compounds in a cup of coffee, there is the fact that microwaving by definition heats unevenly at extreme temperatures, causing bitterness to become the prominent character of your once delicious cup. If your coffee has cooled significantly, your best bet is to throw it over some ice and call it a day. Using a thermos or thermal carafe to store your coffee before you get a chance to drink it is a good way to hold onto the great flavors and heat longer.

Coffee Dehydrates You

The fact that caffeine (and any stimulant) acts as a diuretic has caused much controversy over the question of coffee being a dehydrating drink. The actual science of the matter is that coffee is 98% water and it has been proven that the amount of water alone overtakes the dehydrating effects of the caffeine. 

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