The inexplicable myths we hear as kids tend to stick with us as adults.
- Are you secretly convinced that bread crusts will make your hair curly?
- Do you avoid making goofy faces in windy weather?
- Does your brain tell you that too much coffee might stunt your growth?
We laugh, but it's a common misconception that's repeated in a stack of Hollywood movies, so surely there's some basis behind it - right...?
Let's work out whether coffee really does have some secret powers that impact our height or whether it's a crock of - anti-barista nonsense.
Can Coffee Stunt Your Growth?
Hoxton Coffee can burst a bubble right here; there is no way, in any world, coffee makes you shorter.
We know of several serious coffee fans that have reached lofty heights, and while that might not be proof-positive, we thought we'd dive into some research to back up our opinions.
Our trusty NHS recommends that we don't go over four cups of coffee a day, primarily due to potential blood pressure problems.
Looking between the digits, that's somewhere around 160 mg of caffeine, five cans of a standard energy drink, or about five Cokes.
You're golden if you're not hard lining super high caffeine products - or can switch out to a weaker brew once you've gotten over the midday bump.
It's also important to review whether there is any data to suggest that as caffeine becomes more concentrated, there have been any correlating indications that people are getting smaller.
On the contrary, we're all getting bigger, sooner, with the average height climbing 3.9 inches in the last 100 years in Britain and 7.8 inches globally.
Is there any reason to think that our consumption of craft brews and hyper energy drinks is creating a more petite nation? We think not.
Where Did Myths About Coffee Consumption Start?
Let's get real - the beautiful, bizarre and generational myths we grow up with often have little basis in the truth, but that doesn't mean they aren't ideas we hold dear!
Whether you're in the black-cat-lucky or black-cat-bad tribe, you don't need us to explain that, like so many tales of old, there's no real way to ascertain when (or why!) the story about coffee and height was first spun.
Some historians think it dates back to concerns that coffee could cause side effects such as reduced bone mass or even osteoporosis - because a study some years back thought that passionate coffee drinkers had a notable calcium deficiency.
That study has since been recognised as horribly flawed (the participants were elderly with a tendency towards such conditions).
Still, we did find a curious snippet of information that puts it all into a new perspective.
Back in 1933, a company called Postum created a caffeine-free coffee alternative. Nothing groundbreaking today, but pretty big news 90 years ago.
Anyhow, this brand poured its efforts into advertising, negating the benefits of caffeine, and making headlines about dangers to children, which we're all well-versed with today.
The outcome? A generation who truly believe that caffeine carries hidden dangers.
While we're confident that a quality cup of coffee isn't going to be anything to worry about, it's cool to see where the concept may have originated!
Check out this report from Smithsonian Magazine if you'd like to delve a little deeper.
Is Caffeine Safe For All Ages?
If you're a parent, we're sure you won't be setting out cans of energy drinks or espressos for the little ones with their breakfast toast - an abundance of vitality is something small people don't need any help with!
Over-consumption of caffeine can, of course, be a bad idea, particularly for people with diabetes who like to ramp up the sugars or youngsters with underlying heart issues.
We love coffee in many ways, but it's for grownups (particularly our Proper Strong blend, which isn't crafted for the faint-hearted!).
That aside, pure black coffee is an innocent bystander, and although we all respond to caffeine differently, it is fine to consume if you don't have health issues that make it a no-go, and you aren't overdoing it.
Conclusion: Is There Evidence That Coffee Might Stunt Your Growth?
Nope, not a jot. Pregnant women who suffer from coffee cravings might find that it increases the potential for a newborn to have a lower birth weight.
Still, researchers in Brazil (who know a thing or two about a fine brew) found no links between reasonable caffeine consumption and side effects in babies - have a glimpse at the report on NPR.
If your family tends to be a little on the smaller side, a coffee isn't going to make any difference whatsoever - but it might make your day that bit more lively if you're lucky.