Is Too Much Coffee Draining Your Energy?

Is too much coffee draining your energy?Do you need four to six cups of coffee each day just to stay awake? Is America on a collision course with low energy levels just as it is with obesity?The lack of energy can be traced to poor diet, stress, food allergies, liver problems, too much sugar, too much caffeine and adrenal exhaustion. The adrenal glands are the big energy regulators in the body. They are just like a bank. If you make a withdrawal, you need to recharge or make deposits before you go to the bank again. That is where coffee begins to become an energy depleter and not an energy builder. Caffeine forces your adrenals to secrete energy hormones even when your body does not have much to offer. Over the years it takes more and more coffee to get the same result. (Do you think Starbucks knows about this?) The adrenals are responsible for releasing more than 150 hormones into your body including adrenalin, testosterone and cortisol. Doctors know that constant high levels of cortisol shrink the part of the brain that is responsible for memory. Cortisol also interferes with the immune system making you less able to fight off infections. If you are drinking three or more cups of coffee a day your adrenals are depleted. Your body is in a constant state of "fight or flight." Coffee, the very substance you thought was giving you that little kick is actually, in the long run depleting your energy levels to almost zero. Over stimulating the adrenals leads to fatigue, insomnia, weight gain, depression and a weakened immune system. Caffeine has been shown to stay in people's systems for as long as eight and up to thirty hours. Like other herbs and drugs it affects each person in a different manner.Caffeine also forces the liver to release more glucose into the blood stream. This produces a blood sugar high that is often followed by a severe drop in blood sugar. (The need for a nap or another cup of coffee!) Extra coffee also puts added stress on your kidneys.So what is wrong with your coffee habit if it lures you out of bed every morning? The reason you may be craving that coffee every morning is that you are addicted to its effects. Coffee or caffeine withdrawal headaches can be terrible. They often come with the overwhelming feeling of fatigue as your body tries to recuperate from its former caffeine driven pace. If you skip your morning coffee you get a terrible headache. Caffeine acts as a vasoconstrictor in the brain. That means it actually constricts blood vessels in the brain and decreases circulation! When caffeine is not present the sudden increased circulation causes headaches.What is the answer if you are someone like me who loves the aroma of dark coffee and just can't say no? The good news is that you can wean yourself down from the several cups a day and eventually off coffee completely if you do it slowly over a two to three week period. You can also rebuild your adrenal glands with herbs and help from organic whole foods. I like to recommend superfood blends that are very dense in nutrients and minerals. Your diet should be a building diet and avoid or cut back on stimulants, sugar, sodium and alcohol. Foods rich in Potassium should be added to the diet This will help the adrenals by correcting the potassium/sodium balance in the body. You can also help rebuild the adrenals by adding several herbs to your diet. Some of the best adrenal builders are cayenne, licorice, ginseng, ginger and hawthorn. It is also a good idea to drink plenty of water and evaluate your sleep to make sure you are getting restful sleep and waking up energized. One final point on energy. One reason we as a society may feel we need more stimulants is because the main energy vitamin, B-12, is stored in the liver. As you know, the liver is bombarded with all types of toxins and pollutants on a daily basis and struggles to perform at a high level. Doing a regular cleansing routine will help keep the liver in good shape and hopefully help you store more B-12 for your energy needs.

Be A Specialty Coffee Specialist

You've decided to switch to specialty coffee. You've made a bold move to enter the realm of the tastiest, freshest coffee around. Specialty coffee typically has gone from the roaster to your cup as fast as humanly possible. After all, coffee is a perishable and delicate commodity. Its peak taste has a very short life span. It will weaken with time, air exposure, and exposure to moisture. Speed in the entire coffee process, from when the beans were picked right up to when your machine brews your pot, is essential.Because specialty coffee is an especially perishable item with a very limited shelf life, try to keep it as fresh as possible when you get it home. Store it in airtight containers or in a sealed coffee bag like the kind from the supermarket or gourmet store where you bought the coffee. Heat, light, air and moisture can all diminish your coffee's flavor. That's because all of these factors speed up the release of the coffee's aromatic gases over time. Refrigerating or freezing the coffee may slow this process, but only if the coffee hasnot yet been exposed to air. Opened coffee that is later frozen will build up condensation from the moisture in the air, and the coffee will end up tasting worse than if it had not been frozen at all.Also, make certain to grind your specialty coffee immediately before brewing. Coffee beans are like little containers that store the coffee oils and aromatic compounds. The flavor is exposed to air and moisture once a bean is ground. If brewing doesn't occur right away, the precious flavor and aroma can be lost. In other words, grinding coffee at home is the second most important step to getting the most out of your coffee.The third step is knowing exactly how long a time to allow your specialty coffee to brew. If you let water contact the grounds for too long, your coffee would end with an excessively bitter flavor. In contrast, if you let water contact the grounds for too short a time, your coffee may not reach its full flavor potential.The final step in delicious specialty coffee brewing comes after your coffee is finished brewing. Don't allow your coffee to sit on a burner or hotplate too long afterward. Any longer than 20 minutes is too long because the coffee's taste would start to become bitter. Your taste buds, and your stomach, will appreciate it.

Brew It Yourself With A Coffee Of The Month Club

A "coffee of the month club" membership is one the best gifts you can give to your favorite coffee lover. You can give and receive some of the best roasts that the world has to offer. First, you have beans that are produced in Africa, which are renowned for their wine-like undertones and their citrus tastes. Central America will ship you beans with a mild to medium taste and an even, well-balanced flavor. The beans from Brazil, which most Americans drink routinely without knowing, will be a top-notch quality not found often in a can, with the same familiar and reassuring flavor but more pronounced. Coffees produced in Asia have a more earthy flavor, with notes of mocha and citrus. However, whether it's you receiving the coffee of the month club or your dearest friends, you can't completely enjoy your 12 monthly gifts without the proper knowledge of how to make the coffee.The key to getting the most out of your "coffee of the month club" membership is outfitting your drip coffee machines with a gold, nylon, or other type of permanent filter. Such permanent filters guarantee that the essential flavor and oils of the coffee grinds make their way through the filter and into the water. In addition, these permanent filters accomplish this without adding unwanted, unappetizing tastes.Paper filters will do just that to your tasty blends from the coffee of the month club. Paper filters leave an aftertaste in your daily morning brew. Paper filters also soak up some of the aromatic oils and special flavor molecules from your coffee grinds. If you lose these sources of the coffee's flavor and you will lose the coffee's enticing taste. If you must use paper filters, first rinse them with hot water. If possible, use permanent filters. You may need to clean the permanent filters after each use, but such effort is worth it.Another important factor for brewing a proper cup of coffee is minding the proportion of grinds to water. As a quick rule of thumb, a properly brewed pot of coffee will use 2 tablespoons of coffee grinds per six ounces of water. If the resulting flavor is too strong, you can add more water to the brewed coffee to dillute the coffee. It is important that you do not aim for a weaker flavor by brewing more water or using less grinds, because doing so will prohibit the brew from achieving the right amount of oils and flavor molecules.The freshness of the coffee grinds can also affect the flavor of the coffee. Ideally, use grinds within 24 hours of grinding the whole beans. Whole beans can be stored for up to six months. To avoid weakening the flavor due to condesation, do not refrigerate or freeze coffee beans or grinds after the coffee has been exposed to air.Also, when brewing your "coffee of the month club" varieties in a drip coffee machine, grind them to a medium to fine grinds of coffee. Always begin brewing with cold water, and make sure that your coffee machine is fine tuned to bringing the water to the proper "brewing" temperature. The proper temperature for water is between 195 degrees and 205 degrees, which guarantees the best coffee ground extraction. After brewing, follow one last rule before you actually taste your delicious new coffees: dump the grounds from the filter before the last few drops of water drip through.

Delicious Choices For The Coffee Connoisseur

Coffee is a beverage, served hot or with ice, prepared from the roasted seeds of the coffee plant. These seeds are almost always called the coffee bean. It is one of the most popular beverages in adults today.The coffee bean, itself, contains chemicals which are mind-altering (in a way some find pleasing) to humans as a coincidental result of their defense mechanism; those chemicals are toxic in large doses, or even in their normal amount when consumed by many creatures which may otherwise have threatened the coffee beans in the wild.A coffee bean from two different places usually have distinctive characteristics such as flavor (flavor criteria includes terms such as "citrus-like" or "earthy"), caffeine content, body or mouthfeel, and acidity. These are dependent on the local environment where the coffee plants are grown, their method of process, and the genetic subspecies or varietal.Some well-known arabica coffee beans include:* Colombian - Coffee was first introduced to the country of Colombia in the early 1800's. Today Maragogype, Caturra, Typica and Bourbon cultivars are grown. When Colombian coffee is freshly roasted it has a bright acidity, is heavy in body and is intensely aromatic. Colombia produces about 12% of the coffee in the world, second only to Brazil.* Colombian Milds - Includes coffees from Colombia, Kenya, and Tanzania, all of which are washed arabicas.* Costa Rican Tarrazu - from the Tarrazu Valley in the highlands outside of San José, archetypal estate coffee is La Minita.* Guatemala Huehuetenango - Grown at over 5000 feet in the northern region, one of the most remote growing regions in Guatemala* Ethiopian Harrar — from the region of Harar, Ethiopia* Ethiopian Yirgacheffe — from the area of the town of Yirga Cheffe in the Sidamo (now Oromia) region of Ethiopia* Hawaiian Kona — grown on the slopes of Hualalai in the Kona District on the Big Island of Hawaii.* Jamaican Blue Mountain — From the Blue Mountain region of Jamaica. Due to its popularity, it fetches a high price in the market.* Java — from the island of Java, in Indonesia. This coffee was once so widely traded that "java" became a slang term for coffee... and more.Some coffee bean varieties are so well-known and so in-demand that they are far more expensive than others. Jamaican Blue Mountain and Hawaiian Kona coffees are perhaps the most prominent examples. Often these coffee beans are blended with other, less expensive coffee beans and the suffix "blend" added to the labelling, such as "Blue Mountain blend" or "Kona blend" even though they only contain a small amount of the coffee bean mentioned.One unusual and very expensive variety of robusta is the Indonesian Kopi Luwak and the Philippine Kape Alamid. The coffee bean is collected from the droppings of the Common Palm Civet, whose digestive processes give it a distinctive flavor.

Coffee Five Ways!

Coffee has five primary ways of being brewed. Each method has brewing variables - introduction of water, brewing temperature, and separating the brewed liquor from the coffee grounds. These five methods are called Turkish brewing, concentrate brewing, percolating, drip brewing, and French Press brewing."Turkish" or "Greek" CoffeeTurkish coffee or kahve is the traditional name is made in small containers directly on the flame with water and finely ground kahve comes to a boil. Often times it is brewed up with sugar already introduced. In some traditions they will pour off a little into each cup and then bring it to a second boil, pouring the rest off into each cup insuring an even distribution of grounds. In some regions they serve the kahve with added spice which is usually cardamom. The coffee is not filtered from the liquor which leaves a thick pungent and muddy brew. The mud settles to the bottom of the tiny demitasse cups the coffee is served in. In many countries they read the coffee mud after you have drank your coffee and tell you your future.Concentrate BrewingConcentrate brewing is very popular in Latin America and other parts of the world. It is beginning to make a come back in the U.S.. Concentrate brewing takes large amounts of coffee that is brewed with small amounts of water to brew a concentrate. To make a cup of coffee you mix some of the concentrate with hot water. The concentrate is brewed either hot or cold. When it is brewed cold you must let the coffee sit for at least a day. This method creates a mild light-bodied coffee with little aroma and a little acidity with a muted flavor.PercolatingThis procedure involves a continuous brewing of the coffee grounds using boiling water which then turns to boiling coffee liquor brewing over the grounds. This method is practical but is an insult to the coffee bean. Brewing with boiling water is bad enough, then boiling the liquor is asking for a thin, bitter and tarry coffee.Though this produces an awful cup of coffee many people still prefer percolation. If its for you then more power to you!Auto dripThis is the most popular way to brew coffee in the U.S.A. Pouring hot water over grounds in a filter and letting the brew drip out the bottom, simple. Drip brewing can produce an excellent cup of coffee if the proper equipment is used. One of the biggest issues with auto drip machines is they don't brew at the right temperature. Bunn is one of the few companies which calibrate their machines to the proper temperature. If you have a good auto drip brewing machine then the next hurdle to tackle is the filter. Paper filters can deposit a flavor in the coffee and also do not allow a lot of the coffee oils and organic compounds through. A gold-plated reusable filter is the perfect option for drip brewing. It will not deposit a taste in the coffee and doesn't trap as much of the coffee's essence as paper filters do.French Press or Press PotFrench Pres brewing gives you complete control. It is more labor intensive than auto drip the brewing variables can be better controlled. Coarsely ground coffee is placed in a glass carafe. The hot water is then poured over the grounds. When the brewing is complete the top is placed on and a plunger that consists of a metal mesh plate is pressed down pushing the grounds to the bottom. The coffee liquor is on top ready to be poured off. The mesh filter allows the oils and fine coffee particles through without a problem. Also because a coarser grind is required a longer brewing time is required. A general rule of thumb is four minutes for a French press. This direct contact of the grounds to water allows a more complete, controllable, and even extraction. Even with the coarse grind though a coarse grind will still produce some fine particles. A cup of French-pressed coffee will be fuller, more body, and more flavor. It will also have sediment on the bottom of the cup.

4 Easy Steps To Better Coffee

After trying a few gourmet coffee recipes, you will find it’s not very hard to make great tasting coffee. But many people overlook 4 simple steps that will give them a significantly better cup every time. The following 4 steps will help every cup of coffee you make taste even better:Clean Your Coffee PotOld oils and soap scum can be left in your pot from previous batches. This causes a stale taste to your coffee. Clean your coffee pot with baking soda and water, rinsing well to avoid any residue.Use Clean WaterApproximately 98% of coffee is water, so it makes sense to use the best water possible. Starting with stale water will produce stale coffee. Likewise, if your tap water is heavily chlorinated, the coffee will not be at it’s best. You may want to try brewing your coffee with bottled water, or water that has been purified using either a filter jug or filter tap. The taste of your coffee will improve remarkably.Use Unbleached FiltersPaper coffee filters often release dye, chlorine and other nasties into your coffee. By using brown, unbleached filters you can minimise the amount of nasties in your cup. For the dedicated, stainless steel or gold filters can be purchased.Use Fresh CoffeeIf you can put up with the inconvenience of grinding coffee beans before each brew, you will notice a big difference in the taste of your cuppa. Store your beans in a clean ceramic container, not in plastic or in the fridge. If you insist on using pre-ground coffee, then purchase good quality drip ground coffee. Don’t reheat your coffee once the water heated, this will only introduce unpleasant flavours.By following these 4 easy steps, you are bound to notice an improvement in the taste of your coffee.

Savoring The Scandinavian Flavor Of Gevalia Coffee

It all began in the year 1853, one man, Victor Engwall, decided he needed to create the tastiest cup of coffee around. He was dedicated to coffee and had a very peculiar skill of detecting the finest coffee in his experiments. Therefore, after many different combinations of coffee beans, roasted to perfection, and ground in many different ways, along with drinking the coffee day in and out, he finally created a gourmet premium coffee that is perfectly blended and unique.Now after 140 years of business, Gevalia coffee creates in excess of thirty different types of coffee and fifteen different types of teas. Their selection of fine, gourmet coffees that have been built on the traditions started with Victor Engwall and continued which makes Gevalia coffees the perfect coffee for any coffee fan, no matter what mood they are in, what they may desire at that particular moment, or what their personal tastes are in coffee.No matter what your tastes are, Gevalia coffee has you covered. Perhaps you are in the mood for something a little closer to nature and purity. Something that is natural, smooth, and light. Then Peruvian Organic Coffee from Gevalia may be the way for you to go. No? Well, then perhaps roasted Gevalia coffee is more your taste, there are eight different varieties of roasted Gevalia coffee from the new invention of French Roasted which is dark roasted and smooth, available in regular or decaffeinated, to Breakfast Blend which is smooth and silky to the taste buds, a perfect way to start your day.If your mouth is not watering yet, why not consider some of your favorite flavored coffees. Flavored Gevalia coffees are available in amaretto, cinnamon, Irish crème, hazelnut, mocha, French vanilla, chocolate raspberry, and vanilla nut coffees for any flavorful taste. That is definitely not all, when it comes to convenience and busy schedules Gevalia coffee has you covered with the introduction of coffee pods. Coffee pods are perfect for the one cup, in a hurry, coffee lover. No more having to waste cup after cup of your favorite coffee. Simply pop the sealed coffee pod into the machine and you have fast, hot, tea or coffee ready in minutes.Sure, we have talked a lot about Gevalia coffee in this article, but Gevalia offers so much more than just coffee. Tea lovers can enjoy fresh Scandinavian flavor too. If hot cocoa is the beverage you are looking for, for those long, cold winter nights look no further than Bellagio Italian hot chocolate available in caramel praline, french vanilla, raspberry parfait, chocolate truffle, orange pecan, or white chocolate.As you can see, Gevalia is the perfect choice for anyone in the mood for a hot and flavorful beverage.

Coffee Maker - Cleaning

Your coffee maker could be killing you. Well it is if your morning cup of coffee is a matter of life and death and you have a filthy coffee maker. When was the last time you thoroughly cleaned your coffee maker? Washing the pot is important but getting the internal components of a coffee maker clean is a task that shouldn’t be skipped. Did you even know that you were supposed to clean it? A clean coffee maker can be the difference between a good cup of coffee and a nasty cup of sludge.A clean coffee maker really makes a big difference in how your coffee tastes. Left over coffee oils can accumulate inside your coffee maker. Also mineral deposits can form especially in areas with hard water. These deposits are called “scale”. There are two kinds of scale, lime scale and mineral scale and you don’t want either one. Scale can affect the heating unit and the water flow of your coffee maker and reduce it’s efficiency. How quickly scale forms depends on the quality of your drinking water. If you use bottled water to make your coffee, scale probably won’t form as fast but you still have to worry about accumulated coffee oils. Better to play it safe and clean your coffee maker regularly.Cleaning your coffee maker is not a hard task to accomplish and in fact it’s as easy as making coffee. All you have to do is pour a pot of half vinegar and half water into the coffee maker’s water reservoir. It goes without saying that white vinegar should be used. Steer clear of the red wine or apple cider vinegar varieties. Then just turn on the regular brew cycle. You’re kitchen will probably have a nice salad smell while it’s brewing which you may even like. If you’re not a salad fan though, just remember that it’s a small price to pay for a good cup of coffee.Now rinse the coffee maker out by using only water this time in the water reservoir and running the brew cycle again. You may have to do this a few more times if you still smell vinegar.Another easy way to keep the coffee maker clean is to put a glass marble in the water chamber. All the mineral deposits that would usually accumulate inside the coffee maker will instead accumulate on the marble. Every once in a while just remove the marble, wash it and then place it back in the chamber. How much easier could that be?The best solution would be to clean your coffee maker with vinegar monthly while also using the marble method. Change the marble once a week and you’re coffee maker will be in great shape.If you have an old coffee maker and you aren’t happy with the taste of it’s brew, why not try cleaning it. A clean coffee maker will brew better tasting coffee.

Guide To Bunn Coffee Makers

Are you one of those people who can’t get moving in the morning without that morning cup of coffee? If you are, you aren’t alone. Homes across the country are home to Bunn coffee makers, espresso or cappuccino makers to get people up and ready to face the day. Bunn is one of the best known names in home coffee machines and has a solid reputation for quality.Features of Coffee MakersThe company makes seven different machines, with features for every need. Models come in single servings all the way up to a ten-cup machine. The number of coffee drinkers in your house and the number of cups each drinks will help determine the size of the machine you need. You can choose other features for convenience.Timers are a great feature to have in a coffee maker. You can get everything ready before you go to bed and wake to a deliciously brewed pot. Fill the machine with water and coffee grounds and set the timer for just a few minutes before your alarm clock will go off. The machine will do the rest.The machines made by this company have a smaller footprint than other machines of the same size. This helps save space in your kitchen. They will fit either under your cabinets or in the corner of your kitchen counter, without taking up too much space in your cooking area. A variety of colors and styles are available to match your décor.The History of Coffee MakersBunn has a long history as a pioneer in home coffee making. The company developed the first paper coffee filter. These were initially created for use in commercial machines and later for home use. They also developed the first pour over machine and the first automatic drip machine.The cost of these machines is slightly higher than those made by other companies. You are paying for quality in this price difference. They are better quality and more durable than any other machine. The Bunn o Matic is the machine chosen most by restaurants and coffee houses. In the home market, this company also has the best reputation. NHB Bunn Coffee MakersThe company continues to improve their products with the new NHB machine. The NHB has a pour over system to brew a great cup and also makes hot water for tea or hot chocolate. The thermostat ensures the perfect temperature and the water distribution system helps the water flow evenly over the grounds. Other great features of this machine include:The showerhead water dispersion system gently diffuses the water over the grounds. This helps extract the maximum flavour. The pour over heating system stays on and ready to brew. If you are going away for more than a few days, turn off the vacation switch in the back of the machine. The commercial thermostat maintains the perfect temperature. A descaling rod is included to clean out build up from the spray head. Directions are included to clean the machine properly. A ceramic warming plate keeps the drink at the perfect temperature. This is controlled with a switch. o The water reservoir funnels water into the broiling system, where the water is heated. o The machine comes with special filters, a user’s manual and the descaler tool.

The Amazing Discovery Of The Stimulating Influence Of Coffee.

Coffee is a drink produced from the coffee grains. It is stimulating, because it contains caffeine. The use of the drink of the coffee had its origin in Kaffa, Abyssinia, today Ethiopia, when a shepherd called Kaldi observed that his goats were smarter and hopping around when eating the leaves and fruits of the coffee tree. He tried the fruits himself and he felt happier and with bigger vivacity. A monk of the region discovered this and started to use an infusion of the fruits to resist sleeping during his prayers. The effect of the drink was spread, and in the16th century coffee was used in the east, being toasted for the first time in Persia. The coffee had enemies even between the Arabs who considered that the effects of the drink of coffee were against the laws of the Prophet Mahmed. However, as soon as the coffee won these obstacles, even the Arabian doctors adhered to the drink to help the digestion, to cheer the spirit and to stay awake, according to writers of that time. In Arabia, the infusion of the coffee received the name of "Kahwah" or "Cahue", meaning in Arab "force". The classification - Arabian Coffea was given by the scholar Lineu. In 1675, the coffee was taken to Turkey and Italy, but the drink considered Arabian was forbidden to the Christians and it only was allowed after the Pope Clement VIII tried it. In its travel around the world, the coffee arrived Java later, reaching Holland and, thanks to the dynamism of the Dutch maritime commerce executed by the company of Occidental India, the coffee was introduced in the new world, spreading itself through the Guyanas, Martinique, Santo Domingo, Puerto Rico and Cuba. The commercial establishments in Europe made solid the use of the drink of the coffee, and diverse houses of coffee had been world-wide known, as "Virginia Coffea House", in London, and the "Coffee of La Régence" in Paris, where famous names as Rousseau, Voltaire, Richelieu and Diderot congregated. Here goes a tip: if you’re a guy, don’t think that you are the only one that is going to be more vivacious and have more energy when you take a cup of coffee. Beyond you – believe it or not – your spermatozoa will obtain the same effects. This is what a Brazilian urologist concluded after coordinating a research, which turned international notice after being presented by him in a conference in San Antonio, United States. The results show that the men who take at least one cup of coffee on a daily basis present greater movement of the sperm. In other words, the spermatozoa have more energy and are quicker, increasing the possibility of making a woman pregnant. "The caffeine can increase the use of energy of the sperm, as if it were a stimulant. It is as if the spermatozoon took an energetic", explains the researcher.To affirm this, the semen of 750 fertile men and with active sexual life was tested by him. "Who takes coffee does not produce more sperm. The only alteration observed was in its quality of movement, independently of the amount of coffee ingested daily", explains the urologist. In numbers, between the men who take coffee, 67% of the spermatozoa had mobility enough to arrive at the ovule, against 54% that did not take it. Now, the doctor will test men with fertility problems. "Depending on the results, we can suggest to the patient with little movement of the spermatozoa to take a cup of coffee”.

Coffee - A Healthy Blend

Coffee has joined the ranks of red wine and chocolate as a guilty pleasure that may actually be good for you. As much as it is a great way to get that “fix” in the morning, recent studies have shown that coffee has been found to be rich in antioxidants and contains hundreds of pain-relieving and anti-bacterial compounds. Although one should not drink coffee with wild abandon, it’s comforting to know that maybe that cup or two in the morning may be good for you.Recent studies have shown that moderate coffee drinking can reduce the risk of colon cancer (due to it’s ability to keep you regular), gallstones, cirrhosis of the liver and more, due to the fact the it is loaded with healthy antioxidants. So loaded, that studies have implied that coffee contains higher levels of antioxidants compared to other commonly consumed beverages, such as tea and fruit juice.Several studies are also being conducted on Parkinson’s and diabetic Patients. Research has shown that just one cup of coffee per day can halve your risk of Parkinson’s, the brain disease that causes tremors and affects movement. Caffeine may protect the brain cells typically lost to Parkinson’s disease. However, it has been noted that women on hormone therapy do not seem to benefit. It is felt that Estrogen may dilute the effectiveness of caffeine. It has also been found that if a woman drinks three cups of coffee a day, she can reduce her risk of Type 2 Diabetes by twenty to thirty percent. Coffee may help promote the delivery of insulin to the tissues. Experts believe that coffee’s antioxidants, such as chlorogenic acid and caffeine acid, deserve the credit. There are also on going studies that are producing favorable reports on coffee helping to fight Alzheimer’s due to the caffeine stimulating the cognitive area of the brain.This is just the tip of the ice berg...People with asthma who drink coffee can have up to 25 percent fewer symptoms because one of the compounds in coffee - theophylline - acts as a bronchodilator.A recent Brazilian study showed that consumption of coffee promotes better sperm mobility - and now studies are in progress to determine whether caffeine can help infertile men.Coffee contains polyphenols, substances that may reduce the risk of cancer and coronary artery disease.The list goes on, and on…Caffeinated coffee, as opposed to decaffeinated coffee, makes you a better thinker. Studies have shown that coffee keeps you focused, particularly when you are doing not-so-pleasant work. A researcher with the U.S. Army stated caffeine improved scores on a range of cognitive tasks, such as decision making, learning, and attention in the sleep-deprived. Coffee can also boost your mood, probably by making you feel more energetic.Although coffee is showing more favorable benefits in researcher’s eye, there are still people that although they love to drink coffee dread the indigestion, heartburn and upset stomach that regular coffee can cause, due to the high level of acid is some types of coffees. Some coffee merchants are figuring this out and finding new ways to promote a healthy blend. At Hotcoffeepress.com you can find a coffee blend appropriately named, “Mind Your Tummy Blend,” that is a custom blend of the finest low acid coffee beans, perfect for those with sensitive stomachs and perfectly balanced for all. It is worth a try at $9.75 for a full one-pound bag if you would love to bring your morning coffee back in your life.

Coffee Jelly

Note: Makes 4 servings, Total Carbohydrates: 8Ingredients:2 Tbsp. water2 1/2 tsp. gelatin1 1/2 cups water1 1/2 tsp. liquid sweetener1 Tbsp. Splenda1/2 cup brewed espresso1/2 cup whipping creamOptional whipped cream and whole coffee beans for garnishingPlace the 2 Tbsp. water in a small bowl and sprinkle the gelatin over the surface. Let stand until the gelatin softens. Heat 1/2 cup of the 1 1/2 cups water in a small saucepan. Do not let it boil. Add the gelatin and stir until it dissolves. Add the sweetener, Splenda, remaining water and espresso. Stir well. Measure out 3/4 cup of the espresso mixture into a small bowl. Add the cream to the remaining mixture. Stir well and pour into 4 small dessert dishes. Place both mixtures into the fridge to chill for at least 4 hours.Remove the plain jelly from the bowl and cut into 1/2-inch cubes and pile onto the jelly in the dishes. Garnish with more whipped cream if you like and a coffee bean or two.

Coffee, A Brief Overview

The coffee plant has two main species. There is the Coffea Arabica, which is the more traditional coffee and considered to be superior in flavor, and the Coffea Canephora known more commonly as Robusta. Robusta tends to be higher in caffeine and can be grown in climates and environments were Arabica would not be profitable. Robusta is also typically more bitter and acidic in flavor. Because of this Robusta tends to be less expensive. High quality Robusta is also used to blend espresso for more bite, and to lower costs.A little known fact is that some coffee beans improve their flavor with age. It is the green unroasted beans which are aged; the typical length of time is 3 years, though there are some houses which sell beans aged to 7 years. Aged beans have a fuller flavor and are less acidic.Growing conditions, soil types and weather patterns during the growing season all contribute to the flavor of the bean, creating the differences in flavor from points of origin, such as Kenya or Brazil. However, roasting adds its own flavor, sometimes to the point that it is difficult to tell where the beans originated from, even by experienced cuppers.The lighter the roast the more the natural flavor of the bean remains. This is why beans from regions such as Kenya or Java are normally roasted lightly, retaining their regional characteristics and dominate flavors. There is a method of roasting in Malaysia which adds butter during the roasting producing a variety called Ipoh White Coffee.Beans roasted to darker browns begin to taste more like the method of roasting than the original flavors. Dark roasts such as French or Vienna Roasts tend to completely eclipse the original flavor. Roasting to whatever degree, while adding stronger flavor does not effect the amount of caffeine of the bean.Fry pan roasting was popular in the 19th century, since the beans were normally shipped and purchased still in their green state. You simply poured the green coffee beans in a frying pan and roasted them in the kitchen. This process took a great deal of skill to do in a consistent manner. Fry pan roasting became much less popular when vacuum sealing pre-roasted coffee was perfected. However, in order to vacuum seal roasted beans, you had to wait for them to stop emitting CO2, as roasted beans do for several days after the roasting process. What this meant was that vacuum sealed coffee was always just a little stale as the flavors begin to turn bitter and deteriorate in just about a week after roasting.Home roasting is once again becoming popular with the creation of computerized drum roasters which help simplify the process. There are some people who have found methods of effectively roasting beans using their hot air pop corn makers.The region the bean is from as discussed before is a primary factor to the type of flavor you can expect from the brew, though it is very true that 'new' or unexpected tastes come from every region.Arabia and Africa grow their coffee beans in high altitudes in the rich black soils of Kenya, Zimbabwe, Ethiopia and Tanzania. The flavors of these beans are distinct and of legendary status.The Americas coffees are grown in near rainforest conditions in areas such as Colombia, Costa Rica and Guatemala. Coffees of the Americas tend to be very well balanced and aromatic.The Pacifics includes coffees from Sumatra, Java, New Guinea and Sulawesi, which are as various in flavor as the islands they come from.Then there are the exotics such as certified Jamaica Blue Mountain and certified Hawaiian Kona. These are rare indeed and can go for as much as $60.00 per pound.

Mr. Coffee Versus Bunn-o-Matic - The Coffee Maker Battle Heats Up

For coffee lovers, there are few things more appealing than being met in the early a.m. hours by a perfectly brewed pot of coffee. That first cup sets the mood for your entire day, doesn't it? If it's brewed up right, you'll feel that extra zing in your step from morning till night. However, if that first cup is too strong or too weak, too hot or not hot enough, you quickly find yourself spiraling into a first-class coffee crisis.So, how do you avoid a coffee catastrophe? It's simple, buy the best coffee maker on the market made especially for your coffee-drinking needs! Sounds simple enough, right? But, who makes the best coffee maker today? In other words, who is the All-Time Champion of Coffee Makers?Ladies and gentlemen, we'd like to welcome you to our title bout of the day where two mighty coffee making titans - Mr. Coffee and Bunn-o-Matic - will meet in the kitchen to crown the undisputed coffee making champion of the world.Introducing The Coffee Maker ContendersIn the green corner, we have Mr. Coffee - long-recognized as the undisputed champion of home coffee makers. Affordable with many models to choose from, Mr. Coffee currently has over a dozen models on the market retailing from between $24.99 to $89.99. With makers serving up between one and twelve cups, he'll be hard to beat. In fact, Mr. Coffee is in great shape with an amazing array of features and settings, including single serve, speed brew, switch, programmable, and thermal models.In the red corner, we have the Bunn-o-Matic - king of the commercial coffee making market. Found in restaurants and chosen by baristas around the world, Bunn-o-Matic is known for his professional-grade machines. With a limited variety (e.g., currently seven models, with one single serve and 6-10 cup models), judges will need to pay close attention to the details to see what kind of punch the Bunn-o-Matic packs. One thing is for sure: with a starting price of $89.95, Bunn-o-Matic definitely tips the scales as a higher-priced option for home consumers.For those of you who are new to the clash of the coffee makers, here's what the judges will be looking for during the brew-off:Cup sizeHow many cups can your coffee maker cook up (say that five times fast)? Most brands today have single-serve and multiple cup models, with 10-12 cups being the upper limit for most home coffee makers.TimerIf having your coffee pre-made for you when you wake up is important, then a timer is going to be key! Timers allow you to set the time when your coffee maker will start doing its thing and brewing you up your beloved coffee.SpaceIf you have unlimited counter space, then this criterion might not matter much to you. But, for those of you for whom counter space is at a premium, deciding upon a model that fits your space as well as your décor might be an important consideration.But, to truly separate the two competitors, our judges will also be looking closely at the following four areas:Ease of UseThis is self-explanatory - at 6 a.m., you want a machine that is easy to use!DurabilityAs you know, coffee makers aren't the most pampered of home appliances. They can get pretty banged up with daily use. Choosing a hardy model is essential.Ease of CleaningStarting with a well-maintained and cleaned pot is one of the best ways to assure yourself of a great cup of coffee day after day.StyleYes, in the end, many of us like our coffee makers to look cool. Sure, while it's true that they are simply functional machines, we want these machines to represent our love for coffee.The fight is on between the top coffee makers in the world. So, who wins the home coffee maker battle? Bunn-o-Matic definitely has significantly higher priced models and less of a home-based selection, but is known for superior performance and durability. Mr. Coffee has a wider range of home models to choose from and most of their machines are significantly less expensive than even the lowest priced Bunn-o-Matic.In the end, it's a personal choice for you to decide. Remember, a great cup of coffee ends up being more than your coffee maker. Quality water, beans, and the proper grind for your machine all make a big difference in whether your coffee maker and first cup of coffee are winners. Good luck!

Is Coffee The Most Popular Drink In History?

As far back as 850 A.D it is said that a lonely sheep herder and hischarge stumbled across a strange and mysterious berrygrowing on a secluded and forgotten hillside. Before hecould stop them, some of his sheep had already began tosample this strange fruit. After about ten minutes or so theshepherd began to notice something unusual about his sheep.They no longer looked tired after their long trek that day.In fact they appeared to be wide awake and very alert. Theshepherd had never seen them behave this way and he wascurious. Now being a little tired and weary himself theshepherd decided to try the berries for himself. Just as hadhappened with his flock he too became wide awake and pardonthe pun, extremely "full of beans". Just then a monkhappened by and after hearing what had happened proceeded toscold the poor shepherd and lecture him on his foolishindulgence. Having had his say the monk continued on hisjourney but before he set off he made absolutely sure that aplant was secured amongst his belongings.Back at the abbey the monks decided to try this new magicalstimulant. Soon the endless hours of praying became easy toendure. Coffee the beverage had been unleashed. Itswidespread use first took hold in the Ethiopian regionsbefore then moving on to the Arabian empire. Here it was tobe held for many years as a sacred substance until it wasillegally exported to the outside world by an Arab calledBaba Budan. Word of its effects then began to spread and ina short while coffee was to become one of the most treasuredcommodities in our history. Today we drink a staggering 4billion cups each and every year and there are many among uswho would simply refuse to start our day without it.Although coffee is well known for keeping us awake there arealso health benefits associated with the drinking of coffee.It is said that those who suffer from asthma and partake ofthe drink have 25% less symptoms due to a substance calledtheophylline. This is what is known as a bronchodilator andquite simply it is claimed to help those who suffer from thedisease to breathe a little easier. Drinking Coffee on aregular basis is also meant to help lower your risk of coloncancer by a figure also in the region of around 25%. It isthought to do this simply by helping to keep you regularwhich in turn helps fend off disease and illness.Apart from the benefits that have just been mentioned it hasto be said that simply drinking coffee as a beverage is adelight that cannot easily be surpassed. The amazing thingis that the average person has no idea of the varied tastesthat this hallowed bean has to offer. One of the growingtrends of recent years has to be the rising popularity ofordering coffee via the wonder we call the internet. Neverbefore have we been able to sample such a wide variety oftastes, blends and aromas without having to endure thetedious trials of hiking around the city. I myself tend toplace small orders but I always make a point to record thename, blend and of course exactly from whom I purchased.Now you know the story of the magic beans I hope that nexttimeyou are considering popping into the local coffee shopyou recall the story of the wandering sheep herder andconsider just what you might be drinking were he not to havewandered with his flock onto that lonely hillside. Take thetime to try the many different varieties available and Ipromise you the joys of coffee will be sure to tantalizeyour senses,tease your tastebuds and delight your friendsand associates.Cappuccino or mocha?

Coffee: A Historic Beverage And A Great Holiday Gift

Ah, coffee... a fantastic dark beverage that wakes us up inthe 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; whateverthe reason, it is surely a popular beverage. So where didthis famed drink come from?Coffee, for Americans, is three hundred years old. In theEast it was widespread at every level of society, since theearlier era. The most notable dates point to around800b.c. However, Homer, and according to Arabian tales speakof a mysterious bitter black beverage with powers ofstimulation that could have been this drink.About the year 1000, coffee was being used for medicinalpurposes. In 1400 a Yemeni goat herder observed his flockeating reddish berries, then becoming excited and restless.After relating his observations to a monk, they boiledthe berries and made a beverage that could dispersesleep and weariness. No matter how it actually wascreated, the fact remains that the coffee plantstarted in Africa, in an Ethiopian region known as Kaffa.From there it spread to Egypt, Yemen, and Arabia, where itbecame a part of daily life.In the late 1500s coffee was a commodity, being sold inEurope. However, due to an increasing demand for the newbeverage, and high taxes on shipping, there wasexperimentation with growing the crops in various othercountries. Much later, around 1727 coffee growing started inNorthern Brazil. By the 20th century, various forms ofcoffee were developed for the public.Decaffeinated coffee was first founded in 1903 when Ludwig Roselius, a German coffee importer, gave a batch ofdamaged coffee beans to researchers. They developed theprocess of taking the caffeine out of the beans withoutlosing any flavor. This was marketed in the 1920s.Instant coffee was first mass produced from the invention ofGeorge Constant Washington, an English chemist living inGuatemala. While waiting for his wife one day to join himoutside for coffee, he observed on the spout of the silvercoffee urn, a fine powder, which looked to be thecondensation of the coffee vapors. This excited him andled to his founding of soluble coffee.In 1906 he started experiments and put his invention, Red ECoffee, in the markets in 1909. Nestle', in 1938, trying toaid Brazil with their coffee surpluses created freeze-driedcoffee. Nescafe was started and first introduced intoSwitzerland. Instant coffee became a fad after 1956 whencommercial television was the new craze.And now in the US alone, 400 billion cups of coffee a yearare consumed. Coffee is one of the world's largestcommodities, second only to oil. From a remote area inAfrica, to millions of shelves and homes worldwide, coffeehas became a fixture everywhere.

The Many Different Styles Of Coffee Tables

Every fan of the show "Seinfeld" will remember the episode where Kramer decided to write a coffee table book about coffee tables. The fact that a whole type of literature is devoted to the coffee table shows just how popular this piece of furniture is.A coffee table is the practical place for someone to place their drinks. Anyone who has been in a living room where there was no coffee table realizes the importance of the coffee table. A coffee table can be placed in front of a sofa. A smaller coffee table, or what some refer to as an end table, is usually located next to chairs or on the ends of a sofa.A coffee table will reflect the owner's style of decoration. The traditional coffee table is rectangular, with four legs and sits about two feet from the ground. Traditional end tables are more square, but some stores offer low costs end tables that are round in shape and are covered in a cloth.Many coffee tables are made of wood. You find these traditional coffee tables in many homes. Some of these coffee tables have variations and some will include ornamentation either on the legs or the corners. Some coffee tables will have drawers for storing, while other coffee tables will have a shelf underneath the table to hold magazines, books, children's toys or the television remote.Some coffee tables are more "art deco." These coffee tables are often made of other materials such as metal and may be in different shapes such as round or oval. Some coffee tables have a plate of glass inside its structure. One type of coffee table recently featured on an online auction site is made entirely of glass.Many craftsmen make coffee tables in their shops from wood or metal. Arts and crafts shows across the nation feature the hand-made items. While the traditional coffee table is still found in many homes, there are many unusual types of coffee tables. One online auction company recently featured an inflatable Dallas Cowboys coffee table. Another coffee table was an aquarium, featuring fish swimming in the tank with a top perfect for holding drinks. You can purchase a coffee table in a set or alone. A coffee table set will have the traditional coffee table that sits in front of a sofa or couch and two end tables. Online auction sites feature several versions of the coffee table at a variety of prices. While furniture stores carry an assortment of coffee tables, many discount retailers offer coffee tables. Some of these coffee tables require assembly and often are not made of a durable wood or metal. However, these coffee tables are great for people on a budget such as college students.Whatever your style, budget or taste is, a local retailer, online auction or furniture store is certain to have a coffee table to meet your needs, whether it is exotic, traditional or ornamental. The centerpiece to your living room is the coffee table.