People say that it’s the thought that counts, but certain kind gestures are better left as a thought and not an action.

For the redditor u/sadbeanwithdreams, it was her husband’s thoughtful birthday gift she would likely rather not have received. Knowing how much his wife loves peppermint mocha lattes, he decided to make one for her himself, but the things he added to the drink did not kick the birthday off on the right note.

Not all ideas that seem good in theory are actually good

Image credits: Chevanon Photography / pexels (not the actual photo)

The OP’s husband came up with a thoughtful surprise for her birthday, but unfortunately, the execution was poor

Image credits: Prostock-studio / envato (not the actual photo)

Image credits: sadbeanwithdreams

Ingesting essential oils can lead to serious health problems

Image credit: Pixabay / pexels (not the actual photo)

The OP’s husband likely had the best of intentions at heart when he came up with the surprise for her birthday; but little did he know that the essential oils that he used to make it were not suitable for consumption.

People often consider such oils harmless because they are natural, made from plants. However, that in itself doesn’t mean they’re safe to put into food and beverages (with certain exemptions in minuscule quantities), because of how concentrated they are.

“It takes a lot of plant material to get a little bit of oil. Because of that, essential oils are really concentrated and can affect us in powerful ways,” family medicine doctor and the medical director for the Integrative Health Clinic at University of Wisconsin, David S. Kiefer, MD, told Everyday Health.

Another expert, the director of education and an associate professor at the Earl E. Bakken Center for Spirituality and Healing, Megan Voss, DNP, RN, pointed out that in addition to numerous health hazards, essential oils can also affect the way our body reacts to medication.

“Some essential oils use the same receptor sites that medications use, which can make our medications less effective,” Voss told Everyday Health. “They can also increase amounts of medication circulating in our body and lead to toxicity.”

Quite a few people seem to enjoy flavored coffee, with vanilla being the go-to option

Image credits: Jason Villanueva / pexels (not the actual photo)

Luckily, the OP’s husband’s good intentions seemingly didn’t cause irreversible damage, but fellow redditors in the comments suggested opting for a candy cane or syrups next time. As a matter of fact, quite a few coffee lovers use syrups to enhance their beverages.

According to National Coffee Association’s 2023 National Coffee Data Trends Report, nearly a third of Americans enjoy a flavored coffee here and there, with vanilla being the go-to flavor (leaving caramel and hazelnut fighting for second on the list, followed by mocha).

The report found that the vast majority of coffee drinkers in the US (81% of them) tend to enjoy a cup of joe with breakfast or some time in the morning (38%), rather than in the afternoon (19%) or in the evening (10%). Data also revealed that out of all the espresso-based drinks, lattes seem to be the most popular option, with espressos and cappuccinos at second and third places respectively.

The OP’s love for peppermint mocha lattes shows that a latte is an option that can be customized to personal preferences; but that shouldn’t be done with the help of essential oils. That’s why, after learning from his mistakes, the husband seemingly bought some safe-to-consume peppermint flavoring for similar surprise gestures in the future.

Fellow redditors didn’t think the OP was a jerk in the situation, they shared their thoughts in the comments

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