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Coffee: A Historic Beverage And A Great Holiday Gift
Ah, coffee... a fantastic dark beverage that wakes us up in
the morning. For some of us, it keeps us up during the day,
or for late night study sessions. We drink it out of habit,
we drink it from addiction, we drink it for flavor; whatever
the...
Coffee Bean Roaster
The coffee bean roaster is fast becoming a “must have” in today’s kitchens. The flavor and freshness of coffee is at its best when it is roasted in small batches at home. Roasted coffee is very susceptible to oxygen damage when it sits on store...
Coffee Soap: Unique combination of Coffee and Cleaning!
Have you ever thought of buying a Coffee Soap? What an ingenious
way to make use of coffee! Coffee soaps have become quite the
rage among coffee fanatics. People who just want to experience
the rich aroma of coffee even while cleansing and...
Espresso Coffee Maker: For that smooth and tempting cup of frothy espresso!
The espresso coffee maker is a unique coffee-making machine. It specializes in serving just the perfect cup of rich, creamy and frothy Italian coffee drink named espresso that is just so irresistible! The brewing technique implemented to make...
Espresso Machines: Not For The Coffee Shop Anymore!
Instead of going to the local coffee shop, use your espresso
machines instead. There are some excellent opportunities out
there for you in these new, must have options for your kitchen.
Once only used in coffee shops and in restaurants that were...
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Coffee Benefits - Move Over Green Tea
Green coffee beans have supplied a new player in the antioxidant
arena. An extract of green coffee beans has been found to have a
stronger antioxidant effect than established antioxidants like
green tea and grape seed extract.
The active constituent in coffee that is responsible for its
many health benefits is a compound called chlorogenic acid. It
neutralizes free radicals, and addresses the problem of hydroxyl
radicals, both of which can lead to cellular degeneration if
left unchecked. Chlorogenic acid also helps regulate metabolism.
Compared to green tea and grape seed extract, green coffee bean
extract is twice as effective in absorbing oxygen free radicals.
One of the advantages of using the green coffee bean extract is
that the negative effects of coffee are avoided. The chlorogenic
acid is thought to boost metabolism by changing the way glucose
is taken up by the body. And it does contain caffeic acids,
which give a boost to energy levels like regular coffee does.
But unlike boiled coffee, green coffee bean extract contains no
cafestol, which is a diterpene. Along with its diterpene
relative kahweol, cafestol increases concentrations of the 'bad'
cholesterol, LDL, to levels that over a lifetime might increase
the risk of coronary heart disease by as much as 20% These
diterpenes also had an effect on the levels of liver enzymes
measured. When these are elevated it is an indicator of stress
on the liver. However the study that measured this found this
was a transient effect, and also that the levels of liver
enzymes were much lower than those with liver disease.
As a side note on the health effect of the diterpenes found in
regular coffee, it was found that by simply drinking filter
coffee, none of these effects on cholesterol levels or the liver
took place. The coffee filter removed the offending diterpenes.
And levels of these diterpenes in instant coffee are low.
Other benefits of green coffee bean extract include an increase
in the effectiveness of pain killers, especially for migraine
medications; a reduction in the risk of diabetes; and assisting
the body burn a higher proportion of lipids (fats) compared to
carbohydrates, which could help with muscle fatigue for athletes
and
bodybuilders.
Interestingly, on the subject of caffeine and liver disease,
further studies have indicated it may in fact support liver
health for some people. Those who were at high risk of
developing liver disease due to drinking too much alcohol were
found less likely to suffer liver damage if they drank more than
two cups of coffee or tea a day. This was a population based
study, not a clinical trial, and so is not conclusive on the
subject. But it does offer some promising information. Those
drinking in excess of two cups or more a day were half as likely
to develop liver disease compared to those drinking less than
one cup a day. Researchers do not know what caused this
protective effect.
One of the criticisms of coffee in regards to health is that it
leaches calcium from the bones. But this effect has been found
to be overemphasized, at least in children. And adults who
consume a diet with sufficient levels of calcium will be
protected from the small amount of calcium that is lost due to
coffee consumption.
So the old axiom that caffeine can stunt a child's growth is a
myth. It was based on the fact that in older studies, caffeine
was associated with low bone mass because those studies were
done on elderly people who both drank a lot of coffee and had
diets that were low in calcium. Recent studies in the US
followed 80 teenagers over 6 years, and found no difference in
the bone density of those with a high level of caffeine in their
diet, compared to those teenagers who had little caffeine. Other
studies determined that the amount of calcium lost from bones is
small and can be balanced by having sufficient calcium in your
diet.
References: Australian Healthy Food Magazine, January.
http://www.nutraingredients.com/news/ng.asp?n=643516&m=1FSND06&id
P=2&c=qgtqmovbyiaxdub
http://www.sciencenews.org/pages/sn_arch/11_30_96/food.htm
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