Resisting the Coffee Sensation can be Hazardous to Your Health!
By R.L. Fielding
Coffee consumption has rapidly increased in the U.S. in the past few years. Aside from its wonderful taste and the stimulating affect of caffeine, coffee’s rising popularity is now due in part to social factors as evidenced by coffeehouses springing up all over the country. Many Americans cannot get their day started without their first cup of coffee. The familiar morning routine that resonates in so many households across the country begins with the ringing of the alarm clock, and ends with that much anticipated cup of freshly brewed coffee. Coffee used to have a bad reputation, but recent research suggests that drinking moderate amounts of coffee provides a wide range of health benefits.
Health Benefits of Coffee
Ever thought that drinking your daily cup of coffee could actually improve your health? The tannins and antioxidants that appear naturally in coffee are well known to fight free radicals and other assaults on the body. From containing so many protective antioxidants to reducing the risk of asthma attacks, coffee may be the answer.
Antioxidants are chemical compounds that protect the body’s cells from the damaging effects of oxidation. They help support the immune system, and consequently, may lower the risk of both cancer and heart disease. It is believed that the caffeine in coffee helps to improve the blood circulation within the heart and arteries. One study shows that in a comparison among various food groups, coffee had 64% of the total antioxidant intake.
Coffee may also lower the risk of gallstones by 45% and cirrhosis of the liver by 80%. A recent study confirms the existence of an inverse relationship between coffee consumption and liver cirrhosis, although researchers have not determined which component in the coffee is responsible for producing the protective effect.
Another benefit of coffee is a 25% reduction in the onset of attacks among asthma sufferers. This chronic disease causes the airways to close up due to inflammation, resulting in coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath, and tightness in the chest. One of the compounds in coffee, called theophylline, acts as a bronchodilator, which lessens these dangerous symptoms. So asthma sufferers should make sure to always pack their coffee pods to be prepared in case of emergency.
Often find yourself with a headache lasting throughout the day? It could be caused by stress at work, unruly children, or not enough sleep. The caffeine in coffee has been known to help in treating those headaches. Forget about your typical painkillers; use the convenience of the K-cup coffee system to brew a single cup of fresh coffee and have relief in minutes.
Ideal Amount of Coffee
On average, doctors recommend drinking 2-4 cups of coffee a day, which is considered to be a reasonable and moderate amount. Of course, people are all different, and some may choose to drink more and some may prefer to drink less, depending on their individual lifestyles, habits, and health issues.
An 8oz cup of coffee contains approximately 75mg of caffeine. Since excessive amounts of caffeine in coffee can be detrimental to your health, it is important not to exceed the recommended 300mg of caffeine a day. Using a K-cup coffee maker to brew one cup of coffee at a time is one of the best ways to monitor your coffee consumption.
Do Specialty or “Gourmet” Coffees Confer the Same Health Benefits as Regular Coffee?
The answer is yes. Most of the specialty drinks people order at Starbucks, such as cappuccinos, lattes, etc., has espresso as their foundation. Espresso is thought to be even better for your health than regular coffee. The reason may be as simple as the method of brewing. Espresso is a concentrated form of coffee that is produced when water is forced under high pressure over finely ground coffee. The best of the coffee’s ingredients is “expressed” out in a quick method. Many scientists believe this keeps the positive elements intact longer (i.e. the powerful antioxidants) and with more integrity to maximize the health benefits. A professor at the University of Munster noted that in comparison to regular coffee, espresso has 2-3 times the amount of cancer-fighting agents.
Espresso is notoriously difficult to brew, and many people never master the art of creating the perfect espresso shot. As a result, coffee pod machines, with their ability to deliver a high quality cup of coffee consistently, have expanded into the espresso market. Now coffee lovers can enjoy a great cup of espresso, with all its health benefits, with just a push of a button!
Who Should Avoid Coffee
Although coffee may be the way to go, it may not be the best choice for everyone. Some people with particular health conditions should avoid coffee. Women who are pregnant should be extremely careful with their intake of coffee and caffeine. High levels of caffeine can result in babies having a low birth weight or even miscarriage. Other common effects of pregnancy and coffee, caffeine to be specific, include delayed conception, prematurity, and sometimes even sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).
The evidence regarding the affect of excessive consumption of coffee on the development of heart disease is inconclusive. But it still might be prudent for people who drink more than 3 cups of coffee a day to cut down, especially if they have high blood pressure or other risk factors for heart disease.
People with stomach ulcers should also try to avoid coffee. Coffee, tea, colas, and foods that contain caffeine seem to stimulate acid secretion in the stomach, aggravating the pain of an existing ulcer. So, anyone with a stomach ulcer should cut out coffee to help alleviate symptoms.
As anything else, the coffee experience has its benefits and its drawbacks. The key word here seems to be moderation. As long as you don’t over do it, you can continue to indulge in your favorite brew everyday for the rest of your life and live healthily ever after!
About Coffeecow
This article was provided by Coffeecow.com which goes to great lengths to provide the highest quality products, the fastest service, and the deepest discount prices you will find on one cup coffee makers, regular, decaf, and flavored coffee and tea, and a full line of coffee supplies. Developed by coffee professionals with over 35 years of experience in fulfilling any coffee service need, Coffeecow offers all the coffee conveniences for your home or office.
http://www.coffeereview.com
http://www.positivelycoffee.org
http://www.foodnavigator.com
http://www.keopu.com
http://www.advancehealthplan.com/coffee.html
http://www.positivelycoffee.org
http://www.mothernature.com
http://www.diet-and-health.net
http://www.passionforcoffee.com
http://www.supermarket guru.com
http://www.ultimate-coffee-info.com
http://www.passionforcoffee.com
http://www.diet-and-health.net
http://www.cosic.org
http://www.diet-and-health.net
About the author:
R.L. Fielding has been a freelance writer for 10 years, offering her expertise and skills to a variety of major organizations in the education, pharmaceuticals and healthcare, financial services, and manufacturing industries. She lives in New Jersey with her dog and two cats and enjoys rock climbing and ornamental gardening.
Monday, November 19, 2007
Tuesday, November 6, 2007
A guide to gourmet coffee
A guide to gourmet coffee
by: Dakota Caudilla
Even a Coffee Bean or San Francisco Coffee outlet frequenter won’t be able to master the art of appreciating true gourmet coffee unless they know the history and info about gourmet coffee. Oh, of course, you don’t have to an EXPERT to enjoy and understand gourmet coffee, but knowing a little bit more than the grocery store owner who sells instant coffee would help you appreciate the taste, smell and absolute heaven that gourmet coffee fans know gourmet coffee is absolutely capable of.
Gourmet coffee is nothing like wine. With wine, the longer you leave (some wine, anyway), the better the taste, the higher the quality and the pricier it is. But with gourmet coffee, freshness says a lot. If possible, get coffee beans that have been roasted no more than 1 week before. And if you’re going to learn how to appreciate gourmet coffee, only buy 100% Arabica coffee.
It’s pretty hard to find freshly roasted coffee bean on the shelves of the local supermarket. Chances are, the coffee beans that you’re consuming today have been roasted at least 3 months back. One way to counter this problem is to buy the whole bean in batches and grind them with a home-coffee grinding machine as and when you need it. It’s really easy with the kind of machines they have today, so, if you want to learn how to appreciate gourmet coffee, grind it when you need it.
Once you’ve purchased the gourmet coffee beans, don’t just leave out there in room temperature. What you should do with gourmet coffee beans is to store them in an air-tight container in the fridge if you’re planning to use it soon. However, if you’re going to keep it, store the gourmet coffee beans in an air-tight container and keep it in the FREEZER.
You need the right grinder for the right brewer. Generally speaking, you can use about 2 tablespoons of gourmet coffee powder for 6 oz of water. Adjust the way you make your cup of gourmet coffee according to the way you like to drink your gourmet coffee.
With wine, the country where the grapes are grown makes a difference. With gourmet coffee, not only is the country of origin for the gourmet coffee bean makes a difference, the company that sells the gourmet coffee beans matters too. Buy only from reputable companies for gourmet coffee.
And one last thing about gourmet coffee is this – learn to enjoy it, appreciate the smell, love the taste, experiment with it and you’ll soon see the wonder of gourmet coffee. If you’re hurrying off for work in the morning, forget about gourmet coffee! During the morning rush, just stick to instant coffee.
About the author:
Dakota Caudilla, journalist, and website builder Dakota Caudilla lives in Texas. He is the owner and co-editor of http://www.coffee-tea-and-more.net on which you will find a longer, more detailed version of this article
by: Dakota Caudilla
Even a Coffee Bean or San Francisco Coffee outlet frequenter won’t be able to master the art of appreciating true gourmet coffee unless they know the history and info about gourmet coffee. Oh, of course, you don’t have to an EXPERT to enjoy and understand gourmet coffee, but knowing a little bit more than the grocery store owner who sells instant coffee would help you appreciate the taste, smell and absolute heaven that gourmet coffee fans know gourmet coffee is absolutely capable of.
Gourmet coffee is nothing like wine. With wine, the longer you leave (some wine, anyway), the better the taste, the higher the quality and the pricier it is. But with gourmet coffee, freshness says a lot. If possible, get coffee beans that have been roasted no more than 1 week before. And if you’re going to learn how to appreciate gourmet coffee, only buy 100% Arabica coffee.
It’s pretty hard to find freshly roasted coffee bean on the shelves of the local supermarket. Chances are, the coffee beans that you’re consuming today have been roasted at least 3 months back. One way to counter this problem is to buy the whole bean in batches and grind them with a home-coffee grinding machine as and when you need it. It’s really easy with the kind of machines they have today, so, if you want to learn how to appreciate gourmet coffee, grind it when you need it.
Once you’ve purchased the gourmet coffee beans, don’t just leave out there in room temperature. What you should do with gourmet coffee beans is to store them in an air-tight container in the fridge if you’re planning to use it soon. However, if you’re going to keep it, store the gourmet coffee beans in an air-tight container and keep it in the FREEZER.
You need the right grinder for the right brewer. Generally speaking, you can use about 2 tablespoons of gourmet coffee powder for 6 oz of water. Adjust the way you make your cup of gourmet coffee according to the way you like to drink your gourmet coffee.
With wine, the country where the grapes are grown makes a difference. With gourmet coffee, not only is the country of origin for the gourmet coffee bean makes a difference, the company that sells the gourmet coffee beans matters too. Buy only from reputable companies for gourmet coffee.
And one last thing about gourmet coffee is this – learn to enjoy it, appreciate the smell, love the taste, experiment with it and you’ll soon see the wonder of gourmet coffee. If you’re hurrying off for work in the morning, forget about gourmet coffee! During the morning rush, just stick to instant coffee.
About the author:
Dakota Caudilla, journalist, and website builder Dakota Caudilla lives in Texas. He is the owner and co-editor of http://www.coffee-tea-and-more.net on which you will find a longer, more detailed version of this article
Sunday, November 4, 2007
Beef up your Coffee Collection with Braun 4 Cup Espresso Carafes
Beef up your Coffee Collection with Braun 4 Cup Espresso Carafes
by: Lorna Mclaren
If you love your coffee you are in the right site. If you are keen on having the best coffee accessories then this is the place to find out all about the Braun 4 Cup Espresso Carafe. If your coffee is as important to you as my coffee is to me then read on.
Braun 4 Cup Espresso Carafes pour one mean cup of coffee. Experts all rave about the added perks that the Braun 4 Cup Espresso Carafes have compared to your standard coffee pot drip and espresso machines. Most of these compliments are about coffee that blows their mind, or how they closed their eyes and could imagine themselves on a gondola in Venice, Italy. And that’s coming from the experts. Imagine what the espresso from the Braun carafe will do to your friends and to your social life.
Firstly, the Braun 4 cup espresso carafes get your espresso to the perfect temperature which is essential. Believe it or not, most coffee makers, even the espresso makers, fail to get the proper water and coffee temperature. This leaves your coffee lifeless, since proper liquid temperatures are essential for the optimal extraction of coffee bean oils. Why should you not enjoy the full flavor of the bean?
Expert tests on these Brauns, though, show that they get liquid temperatures more than 10 degree Fahrenheit higher than other machines. For those curious about exactly what level of heat we’re talking, the carafes should have upwards of 200 degrees by the end of brewing. Other lesser machines keep the temperatures down around 180 to 185 degrees.This is a big difference temp and consequently in the flavour of the coffee produced.
The Braun 4 cup espresso carafes also do an excellent job of making sure all of your grounds are used. The more ground that are used up then the more coffee flavor will filter through for you to enjoy. You want to make sure your machine has a proper dispersion pattern in the filter basket with its steam output. That way, as much as possible will be “spent grounds”. The Braun didn’t leave too many spent grounds, according to experts, though it did leave some. This, however, is no reason to pass on this mean coffee machine. For such great tasting coffee some things are forgivable.
Possibly the finest feature of the machine is its high-quality stainless steel carafe. A stylish addition to any kitchen decor. Many Braun 4 cup espresso carafes come with a “brew-through” design. This means that you don't need to place a lid on it after brewing, or clamp down a lid for that matter. Even after letting it sit around for a couple of hours, the carafe still should retain a lot of those high temperatures we talked about earlier. As for cleaning, the stainless steel should not be much more of a bother compared with glass pots.
All you need now is to make the calls, gather the friends and sit an enjoy the scents and tastes of Italy from the comfort of your own kitchen all through the tantalizing aroma of coffee expertly brewed. Salute!
About the author:
Lorna Mclaren has an information and resources website at Beef up your Coffee Collection with Braun 4 Cup Espresso Carafes
by: Lorna Mclaren
If you love your coffee you are in the right site. If you are keen on having the best coffee accessories then this is the place to find out all about the Braun 4 Cup Espresso Carafe. If your coffee is as important to you as my coffee is to me then read on.
Braun 4 Cup Espresso Carafes pour one mean cup of coffee. Experts all rave about the added perks that the Braun 4 Cup Espresso Carafes have compared to your standard coffee pot drip and espresso machines. Most of these compliments are about coffee that blows their mind, or how they closed their eyes and could imagine themselves on a gondola in Venice, Italy. And that’s coming from the experts. Imagine what the espresso from the Braun carafe will do to your friends and to your social life.
Firstly, the Braun 4 cup espresso carafes get your espresso to the perfect temperature which is essential. Believe it or not, most coffee makers, even the espresso makers, fail to get the proper water and coffee temperature. This leaves your coffee lifeless, since proper liquid temperatures are essential for the optimal extraction of coffee bean oils. Why should you not enjoy the full flavor of the bean?
Expert tests on these Brauns, though, show that they get liquid temperatures more than 10 degree Fahrenheit higher than other machines. For those curious about exactly what level of heat we’re talking, the carafes should have upwards of 200 degrees by the end of brewing. Other lesser machines keep the temperatures down around 180 to 185 degrees.This is a big difference temp and consequently in the flavour of the coffee produced.
The Braun 4 cup espresso carafes also do an excellent job of making sure all of your grounds are used. The more ground that are used up then the more coffee flavor will filter through for you to enjoy. You want to make sure your machine has a proper dispersion pattern in the filter basket with its steam output. That way, as much as possible will be “spent grounds”. The Braun didn’t leave too many spent grounds, according to experts, though it did leave some. This, however, is no reason to pass on this mean coffee machine. For such great tasting coffee some things are forgivable.
Possibly the finest feature of the machine is its high-quality stainless steel carafe. A stylish addition to any kitchen decor. Many Braun 4 cup espresso carafes come with a “brew-through” design. This means that you don't need to place a lid on it after brewing, or clamp down a lid for that matter. Even after letting it sit around for a couple of hours, the carafe still should retain a lot of those high temperatures we talked about earlier. As for cleaning, the stainless steel should not be much more of a bother compared with glass pots.
All you need now is to make the calls, gather the friends and sit an enjoy the scents and tastes of Italy from the comfort of your own kitchen all through the tantalizing aroma of coffee expertly brewed. Salute!
About the author:
Lorna Mclaren has an information and resources website at www.alove4coffee.com where you can find out everything you need to know aboutCirculated by Article Emporium
where you can find out everything you need to know aboutCirculated by Article Emporium
by: Lorna Mclaren
If you love your coffee you are in the right site. If you are keen on having the best coffee accessories then this is the place to find out all about the Braun 4 Cup Espresso Carafe. If your coffee is as important to you as my coffee is to me then read on.
Braun 4 Cup Espresso Carafes pour one mean cup of coffee. Experts all rave about the added perks that the Braun 4 Cup Espresso Carafes have compared to your standard coffee pot drip and espresso machines. Most of these compliments are about coffee that blows their mind, or how they closed their eyes and could imagine themselves on a gondola in Venice, Italy. And that’s coming from the experts. Imagine what the espresso from the Braun carafe will do to your friends and to your social life.
Firstly, the Braun 4 cup espresso carafes get your espresso to the perfect temperature which is essential. Believe it or not, most coffee makers, even the espresso makers, fail to get the proper water and coffee temperature. This leaves your coffee lifeless, since proper liquid temperatures are essential for the optimal extraction of coffee bean oils. Why should you not enjoy the full flavor of the bean?
Expert tests on these Brauns, though, show that they get liquid temperatures more than 10 degree Fahrenheit higher than other machines. For those curious about exactly what level of heat we’re talking, the carafes should have upwards of 200 degrees by the end of brewing. Other lesser machines keep the temperatures down around 180 to 185 degrees.This is a big difference temp and consequently in the flavour of the coffee produced.
The Braun 4 cup espresso carafes also do an excellent job of making sure all of your grounds are used. The more ground that are used up then the more coffee flavor will filter through for you to enjoy. You want to make sure your machine has a proper dispersion pattern in the filter basket with its steam output. That way, as much as possible will be “spent grounds”. The Braun didn’t leave too many spent grounds, according to experts, though it did leave some. This, however, is no reason to pass on this mean coffee machine. For such great tasting coffee some things are forgivable.
Possibly the finest feature of the machine is its high-quality stainless steel carafe. A stylish addition to any kitchen decor. Many Braun 4 cup espresso carafes come with a “brew-through” design. This means that you don't need to place a lid on it after brewing, or clamp down a lid for that matter. Even after letting it sit around for a couple of hours, the carafe still should retain a lot of those high temperatures we talked about earlier. As for cleaning, the stainless steel should not be much more of a bother compared with glass pots.
All you need now is to make the calls, gather the friends and sit an enjoy the scents and tastes of Italy from the comfort of your own kitchen all through the tantalizing aroma of coffee expertly brewed. Salute!
About the author:
Lorna Mclaren has an information and resources website at Beef up your Coffee Collection with Braun 4 Cup Espresso Carafes
by: Lorna Mclaren
If you love your coffee you are in the right site. If you are keen on having the best coffee accessories then this is the place to find out all about the Braun 4 Cup Espresso Carafe. If your coffee is as important to you as my coffee is to me then read on.
Braun 4 Cup Espresso Carafes pour one mean cup of coffee. Experts all rave about the added perks that the Braun 4 Cup Espresso Carafes have compared to your standard coffee pot drip and espresso machines. Most of these compliments are about coffee that blows their mind, or how they closed their eyes and could imagine themselves on a gondola in Venice, Italy. And that’s coming from the experts. Imagine what the espresso from the Braun carafe will do to your friends and to your social life.
Firstly, the Braun 4 cup espresso carafes get your espresso to the perfect temperature which is essential. Believe it or not, most coffee makers, even the espresso makers, fail to get the proper water and coffee temperature. This leaves your coffee lifeless, since proper liquid temperatures are essential for the optimal extraction of coffee bean oils. Why should you not enjoy the full flavor of the bean?
Expert tests on these Brauns, though, show that they get liquid temperatures more than 10 degree Fahrenheit higher than other machines. For those curious about exactly what level of heat we’re talking, the carafes should have upwards of 200 degrees by the end of brewing. Other lesser machines keep the temperatures down around 180 to 185 degrees.This is a big difference temp and consequently in the flavour of the coffee produced.
The Braun 4 cup espresso carafes also do an excellent job of making sure all of your grounds are used. The more ground that are used up then the more coffee flavor will filter through for you to enjoy. You want to make sure your machine has a proper dispersion pattern in the filter basket with its steam output. That way, as much as possible will be “spent grounds”. The Braun didn’t leave too many spent grounds, according to experts, though it did leave some. This, however, is no reason to pass on this mean coffee machine. For such great tasting coffee some things are forgivable.
Possibly the finest feature of the machine is its high-quality stainless steel carafe. A stylish addition to any kitchen decor. Many Braun 4 cup espresso carafes come with a “brew-through” design. This means that you don't need to place a lid on it after brewing, or clamp down a lid for that matter. Even after letting it sit around for a couple of hours, the carafe still should retain a lot of those high temperatures we talked about earlier. As for cleaning, the stainless steel should not be much more of a bother compared with glass pots.
All you need now is to make the calls, gather the friends and sit an enjoy the scents and tastes of Italy from the comfort of your own kitchen all through the tantalizing aroma of coffee expertly brewed. Salute!
About the author:
Lorna Mclaren has an information and resources website at www.alove4coffee.com where you can find out everything you need to know aboutCirculated by Article Emporium
where you can find out everything you need to know aboutCirculated by Article Emporium
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