Is coffee good or bad for health? Simple question, complex answer.
I never developed a taste for coffee and don't get a buzz from caffeine, but I have been following the accumulating evidence on coffee's effects on health.
The most clear-cut findings about its benefits come from a 20-year study that followed some 84,000 women and 44,000 men. Published in the May 2, 2006, issue of Circulation, the study concluded that drinking coffee isn't harmful to cardiovascular health and may even be somewhat beneficial.
An even more recent study published in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition in August 2006 followed 676 healthy, older men from Finland, the Netherlands, and Italy for 10 years and measured their cognitive function. Those who drank coffee had lower rates of age-related cognitive decline than those who didn't, with maximum protection seen in men who drank three cups of coffee a day.
But few other studies of coffee's effects have been so unambiguously positive. For example, both coffee and decaf can raise your blood pressure temporarily, but we still don't know whether this can lead to hypertension, a heart disease risk factor. Drinking three to six cups of decaf daily (but not regular coffee) can increase levels of blood fats that affect your LDL ("bad") cholesterol.
Coffee may reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes, another heart disease risk factor. This finding emerged from a review of nine studies published in the July 6, 2005, issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association, but it conflicts with earlier evidence suggesting that coffee can reduce insulin sensitivity, which would increase the risk of diabetes.
To confuse matters further, a study published in the February 2006 issue of Diabetes Care found that decaf lowers the risk of diabetes, suggesting that something other than caffeine may be responsible for any protection coffee affords.
As far as cancer is concerned, coffee might offer some protection, but no one knows how much. A study published in the February 16, 2005, issue of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute found a 52 percent lower incidence of rectal cancer among people who regularly drank two or more cups of decaf a day. Coffee contains some antioxidants, which can protect against cancer, but not enough of them to make up for risks posed by a poor diet.
Other studies have suggested that coffee may protect against Parkinson's disease, but the evidence isn't strong enough to be certain. In the largest study, among Japanese-American men in Honolulu, the more coffee the men drank, the lower their risk. But no one can say whether those findings would hold true among women or even among men of other ethnic backgrounds. Some studies have suggested that coffee also may protect against Alzheimer's disease, but more research is needed before we can be certain.
On the down side are coffee's well-documented side effects: anxiety, insomnia, tremor, and irregular heartbeat. It can also irritate the digestive system, bladder, and prostate. If you experience any of these effects, you're better off avoiding coffee (and decaf, which contains substances that may contribute to the symptoms) no matter what potential health benefits it may have.
The way coffee affects you is your surest guide to whether or not you should be drinking it at all and, if so, how much.
(from yahoo health ; Dr. Weil's Healthy Living)
Jumat, 08 Februari 2008
Rabu, 06 Februari 2008
Roasting and Blending
After quality coffee beans are obtained, the most important phase of the production of gourmet coffee begins, the roasting and the blending.
Roasting
A good roaster must be part artist, and part scientist, to maintain quality and consistency. It is during the roasting process that the sugars and other carbohydrates within the bean become caramelized, creating a substance, which is known as the coffee oil. Technically, this fragile chemical is not actually oil, since it is water soluble, but it is what gives the coffee its flavor and aroma.
Specialty coffees are generally roasted in small batches. The two most common roasting methods are: drum roasting and hot air roasting.
• Drum-type roasting machines roast the coffee beans as they tumble in a rotating drum that is typically heated by gas or wood. When the desired roast is achieved, the beans are poured into a cooling hopper to keep them from overcooking.
• The hot-air roaster, also known as a fluid-bed roaster, roasts the coffee beans as they tumble on a current of hot air.
Most green coffee is roasted at approximately 400 degrees. The roasting process causes the coffee beans to swell and increase in size by over 50 percent, while at the same time greatly reducing their weight.
A lightly roasted bean may range in color from cinnamon to a light chocolate tan. Lighter roasts are generally not used for espresso since they produce a sharper, more acidic taste than do darker roasts.
Darker roasts, in contrast, have a fuller flavor approaching a bittersweet tang. The amount of oil drawn to the surface of the bean increases proportionately to the length of roasting time.
As the roast darkens, caffeine and acidity decrease proportionately. Dark roasts can range in color from a medium chocolate brown with a satin-like luster, to an almost black bean with an oily appearance. The darker the roast the more you will taste the char, rather than the flavor of the bean.
Extreme dark roasts will tend to have a smoky flavor, and are better suited for brewed coffee rather than espresso.
Many roasters refer to the following terms concerning the degree of roast, from light to dark: Cinnamon, Medium High, City, Full City, French, and finally, Espresso or Italian roast.
On the West coast of the U.S., French roast is the term generally used to describe the darkest roast. It is important for you to understand that these terms have no relationship to where the coffee is grown or roasted.
Blending
With more than 100 coffee-growing regions in the world, each producing beans with distinctive characteristics, we believe proper blending is essential to the balance of flavors necessary to create superior espresso.
A single coffee bean will generally not possess the complexity necessary for great espresso. Many espresso blends will contain three to seven different types of beans.
The experienced roaster, with his knowledge of each bean, artfully combines them to create the desired blend of flavors. The roaster's blending knowledge is usually a closely guarded secret.
In the United States, 100% Arabica beans are generally used for gourmet espresso blends. As we mentioned earlier, in Italy, some Robusta beans will often times be added for the additional crema, caffeine, and complexity they contribute to the blend. The Italians possess generations of expertise in the art of blending coffees for espresso.
Argument still exists among roasters as to which should occur first, the roasting or the blending. Generally, roasting each varietal separately to maximize its flavor characteristics, and then blending, will produce the best result.
Freshly roasted beans will release hundreds of chemical substances in the form of vapors. A day or two will generally be required for these gases to dissipate before the beans will reveal their optimal flavor characteristics.
Today, many quality roasters are packaging their beans in airtight bags with a one-way valve, which allows the gases to escape, without the beans being exposed to the damaging air. This type of packaged should help retard flavor deterioration.
If beans are not packaged this way, or once beans packaged airtight are exposed to the air, they will begin to deteriorate. Roasts where oils are exposed on the surface of the bean are much more vulnerable.
Once exposed to the air, and if properly stored, beans will stay reasonable fresh for 7 to 10 days. We recommend storing beans in a clean, dry, airtight container, in a cool dark place.
We do not recommend storing beans in a refrigerator, because coffee tends to absorb flavors. Freezing coffee beans can also have a damaging effect, and is not recommended, unless the beans must be stored for a prolonged period of time.
Ideally, you should strive to purchase and use-up your supply of roasted beans on a weekly basis.
(from coffeeuniverse.com)
Roasting
A good roaster must be part artist, and part scientist, to maintain quality and consistency. It is during the roasting process that the sugars and other carbohydrates within the bean become caramelized, creating a substance, which is known as the coffee oil. Technically, this fragile chemical is not actually oil, since it is water soluble, but it is what gives the coffee its flavor and aroma.
Specialty coffees are generally roasted in small batches. The two most common roasting methods are: drum roasting and hot air roasting.
• Drum-type roasting machines roast the coffee beans as they tumble in a rotating drum that is typically heated by gas or wood. When the desired roast is achieved, the beans are poured into a cooling hopper to keep them from overcooking.
• The hot-air roaster, also known as a fluid-bed roaster, roasts the coffee beans as they tumble on a current of hot air.
Most green coffee is roasted at approximately 400 degrees. The roasting process causes the coffee beans to swell and increase in size by over 50 percent, while at the same time greatly reducing their weight.
A lightly roasted bean may range in color from cinnamon to a light chocolate tan. Lighter roasts are generally not used for espresso since they produce a sharper, more acidic taste than do darker roasts.
Darker roasts, in contrast, have a fuller flavor approaching a bittersweet tang. The amount of oil drawn to the surface of the bean increases proportionately to the length of roasting time.
As the roast darkens, caffeine and acidity decrease proportionately. Dark roasts can range in color from a medium chocolate brown with a satin-like luster, to an almost black bean with an oily appearance. The darker the roast the more you will taste the char, rather than the flavor of the bean.
Extreme dark roasts will tend to have a smoky flavor, and are better suited for brewed coffee rather than espresso.
Many roasters refer to the following terms concerning the degree of roast, from light to dark: Cinnamon, Medium High, City, Full City, French, and finally, Espresso or Italian roast.
On the West coast of the U.S., French roast is the term generally used to describe the darkest roast. It is important for you to understand that these terms have no relationship to where the coffee is grown or roasted.
Blending
With more than 100 coffee-growing regions in the world, each producing beans with distinctive characteristics, we believe proper blending is essential to the balance of flavors necessary to create superior espresso.
A single coffee bean will generally not possess the complexity necessary for great espresso. Many espresso blends will contain three to seven different types of beans.
The experienced roaster, with his knowledge of each bean, artfully combines them to create the desired blend of flavors. The roaster's blending knowledge is usually a closely guarded secret.
In the United States, 100% Arabica beans are generally used for gourmet espresso blends. As we mentioned earlier, in Italy, some Robusta beans will often times be added for the additional crema, caffeine, and complexity they contribute to the blend. The Italians possess generations of expertise in the art of blending coffees for espresso.
Argument still exists among roasters as to which should occur first, the roasting or the blending. Generally, roasting each varietal separately to maximize its flavor characteristics, and then blending, will produce the best result.
Freshly roasted beans will release hundreds of chemical substances in the form of vapors. A day or two will generally be required for these gases to dissipate before the beans will reveal their optimal flavor characteristics.
Today, many quality roasters are packaging their beans in airtight bags with a one-way valve, which allows the gases to escape, without the beans being exposed to the damaging air. This type of packaged should help retard flavor deterioration.
If beans are not packaged this way, or once beans packaged airtight are exposed to the air, they will begin to deteriorate. Roasts where oils are exposed on the surface of the bean are much more vulnerable.
Once exposed to the air, and if properly stored, beans will stay reasonable fresh for 7 to 10 days. We recommend storing beans in a clean, dry, airtight container, in a cool dark place.
We do not recommend storing beans in a refrigerator, because coffee tends to absorb flavors. Freezing coffee beans can also have a damaging effect, and is not recommended, unless the beans must be stored for a prolonged period of time.
Ideally, you should strive to purchase and use-up your supply of roasted beans on a weekly basis.
(from coffeeuniverse.com)
Coffee Tips
Buying Tip
When purchasing coffee, always ask when it was roasted. Many common misconceptions exist when it comes to judging the freshness and optimum time to experience a roasted coffee at its peak of perfection. Generally coffee is best if used a day or two after roasting, and if kept in an air tight container, flavor should not diminish significantly until after seven to ten days. Old coffee beans may appear very oily, will have little or no aroma, or will take on a somewhat unpleasant aroma.
Grinding Tip
Never grind more coffee than you will use for immediate brewing. Once the beans are ground, the flavorful oils are exposed to the damaging air. As these oils dissipate, so will the flavor of your coffee. Once ground, coffee will begin to lose its flavor almost immediately. Different methods of brewing will require different grind consistencies. Typically, coffee used for drip brewing should be ground to a consistency similar to granulated sugar. The complete drip cycle should occur within four to six minutes. If the drip cycle is completed in less than four minutes, grind your coffee finer. If the cycle takes longer than six minutes, grind your coffee coarser. When using a French press, the coffee will need to be ground extremely coarse. Espresso requires an extremely fine grind...almost powder-like with a slight grittiness. The key to the proper espresso grind is the extraction time. After the proper dose and tamp, one ounce of espresso should be extracted in approximately 25 to 30 seconds. Like drip coffee, if the one ounce extraction occurs in less than 25 seconds, grind your coffee finer. If the extraction occurs in longer than 30 seconds, grind your coffee coarser. Talk to you local coffee professional for additional information.
Storage Tip
Never store your coffee in the refrigerator. Coffee will absorb flavors and aromas from other food products in your refrigerator. Freezing coffee can also have a damaging effect, and we do not recommend this practice unless you will not use-up your supply of coffee for a prolonged period of time [two weeks or more]. Coffee should be stored in a clean, dry, airtight container, in a cool, dark place.
Dosage Tip
When making brewed coffee, allow 2 to 2 1/2 level tablespoons for each 6 ounces of water [3 tablespoons for 8 ounces]. For espresso, allow 7 to 8 grams for a single shot, and 14 to 16 grams for a double shot.
French Press Tip
You will want to grind or have your coffee ground to a very coarse consistency for this method. If your grind is too fine, you will over extract your coffee and a bitter flavor may result. It will also be difficult or impossible for you to push the plunger down in your pot if the grind is too fine. Now here is an application for your French press that you probably don't know about. Heat a cup of milk [non-fat works best] in a sauce pan on your stove or in a microwave. It should be heated just until it is too hot to put your finger in it. Don't overheat or you will scald the milk. Next, pour the milk into your clean, empty French press. Insert the plunger, and pump the plunger up and down like a butter churn for several minutes. The milk will expand and increase in volume by three or four times, creating beautiful frothed milk for cappuccinos and lattes.
Moka Pot Tip
It is an old Italian secret to mound the coffee grounds high in the filter basket of the Moka pot before screwing the two pieces together. Do not compact the coffee! To ensure a tight seal, be sure to wipe the rim of the bottom of the pot with your finger to remove any grounds. When the top half of the pot is screwed on, the grounds will be compacted by the filter screen. You should end up with a dry, compacted puck of coffee grounds at the end of brewing.
Filter Drip Tip
Be sure to use a filter, which is designed to fit your filter basket. Bleached white paper filters are most common, however unbleached brown filter papers are usually available. Permanent gold-plated wire mesh filters also work very well and are environmentally friendly.
Espresso at Home Tip
When selecting a machine for home, look for one that will drive the water through the coffee with the aid of a pump vs. a steam driven machine. A good pump machine will usually cost $200 to $1,000, but the investment is worth it if you are serious about enjoying tasty espresso. It is our opinion that a steam driven machine [the typical $49 model] will not produce a palatable product. We suggest you use a Moka pot if you have a limited budget to invest in equipment. Beautiful milk froth can be created for cappuccinos with a plunger pot [see French press].
Did you Know?
Coffee is a seed of a berry. A common myth alleges that coffee was originally discovered by a goat herder named Kaldi. After watching his heard of goats become frisky after eating berries from this unknown bush, he ate them himself, and found these berries gave him a renewed vigor.
Coffee + Health Issues
Coffee has been studied for more than a century. For every report that alleges a potential health risk, another may discredit or show benefits. It is generally agreed that pregnant women should limited their coffee consumption. Did you know that drinking a cup of coffee can help calm an acute attack of asthma? Coffee has many positive effects.
(from coffee universe.com)
When purchasing coffee, always ask when it was roasted. Many common misconceptions exist when it comes to judging the freshness and optimum time to experience a roasted coffee at its peak of perfection. Generally coffee is best if used a day or two after roasting, and if kept in an air tight container, flavor should not diminish significantly until after seven to ten days. Old coffee beans may appear very oily, will have little or no aroma, or will take on a somewhat unpleasant aroma.
Grinding Tip
Never grind more coffee than you will use for immediate brewing. Once the beans are ground, the flavorful oils are exposed to the damaging air. As these oils dissipate, so will the flavor of your coffee. Once ground, coffee will begin to lose its flavor almost immediately. Different methods of brewing will require different grind consistencies. Typically, coffee used for drip brewing should be ground to a consistency similar to granulated sugar. The complete drip cycle should occur within four to six minutes. If the drip cycle is completed in less than four minutes, grind your coffee finer. If the cycle takes longer than six minutes, grind your coffee coarser. When using a French press, the coffee will need to be ground extremely coarse. Espresso requires an extremely fine grind...almost powder-like with a slight grittiness. The key to the proper espresso grind is the extraction time. After the proper dose and tamp, one ounce of espresso should be extracted in approximately 25 to 30 seconds. Like drip coffee, if the one ounce extraction occurs in less than 25 seconds, grind your coffee finer. If the extraction occurs in longer than 30 seconds, grind your coffee coarser. Talk to you local coffee professional for additional information.
Storage Tip
Never store your coffee in the refrigerator. Coffee will absorb flavors and aromas from other food products in your refrigerator. Freezing coffee can also have a damaging effect, and we do not recommend this practice unless you will not use-up your supply of coffee for a prolonged period of time [two weeks or more]. Coffee should be stored in a clean, dry, airtight container, in a cool, dark place.
Dosage Tip
When making brewed coffee, allow 2 to 2 1/2 level tablespoons for each 6 ounces of water [3 tablespoons for 8 ounces]. For espresso, allow 7 to 8 grams for a single shot, and 14 to 16 grams for a double shot.
French Press Tip
You will want to grind or have your coffee ground to a very coarse consistency for this method. If your grind is too fine, you will over extract your coffee and a bitter flavor may result. It will also be difficult or impossible for you to push the plunger down in your pot if the grind is too fine. Now here is an application for your French press that you probably don't know about. Heat a cup of milk [non-fat works best] in a sauce pan on your stove or in a microwave. It should be heated just until it is too hot to put your finger in it. Don't overheat or you will scald the milk. Next, pour the milk into your clean, empty French press. Insert the plunger, and pump the plunger up and down like a butter churn for several minutes. The milk will expand and increase in volume by three or four times, creating beautiful frothed milk for cappuccinos and lattes.
Moka Pot Tip
It is an old Italian secret to mound the coffee grounds high in the filter basket of the Moka pot before screwing the two pieces together. Do not compact the coffee! To ensure a tight seal, be sure to wipe the rim of the bottom of the pot with your finger to remove any grounds. When the top half of the pot is screwed on, the grounds will be compacted by the filter screen. You should end up with a dry, compacted puck of coffee grounds at the end of brewing.
Filter Drip Tip
Be sure to use a filter, which is designed to fit your filter basket. Bleached white paper filters are most common, however unbleached brown filter papers are usually available. Permanent gold-plated wire mesh filters also work very well and are environmentally friendly.
Espresso at Home Tip
When selecting a machine for home, look for one that will drive the water through the coffee with the aid of a pump vs. a steam driven machine. A good pump machine will usually cost $200 to $1,000, but the investment is worth it if you are serious about enjoying tasty espresso. It is our opinion that a steam driven machine [the typical $49 model] will not produce a palatable product. We suggest you use a Moka pot if you have a limited budget to invest in equipment. Beautiful milk froth can be created for cappuccinos with a plunger pot [see French press].
Did you Know?
Coffee is a seed of a berry. A common myth alleges that coffee was originally discovered by a goat herder named Kaldi. After watching his heard of goats become frisky after eating berries from this unknown bush, he ate them himself, and found these berries gave him a renewed vigor.
Coffee + Health Issues
Coffee has been studied for more than a century. For every report that alleges a potential health risk, another may discredit or show benefits. It is generally agreed that pregnant women should limited their coffee consumption. Did you know that drinking a cup of coffee can help calm an acute attack of asthma? Coffee has many positive effects.
(from coffee universe.com)
Coffee Nation : Indonesia and New Guinea
Indonesia is the world's third largest producer of coffee. However, only 10% of the crop is Arabica, and the number of quality beans available for the specialty coffee industry is limited. Even though they are a small percentage of total production, arabica coffees from this region are considered some of the best in the world, and are prized for their richness, full body, long finish, earthiness and gentle acidity.
Celebes or Sulawesi
Once known as Celebes, the island of Sulawesi in the Indonesian archipelago produces some of the world's finest coffee. Celebes Toraja, grown in the mountainous area near the center of the island, is one of the most famous. Coffees from Sulawesi are processed using the dry method and possess an intriguing combination of sweetness and earthiness. They are low in acidity with a deep body resembling maple syrup. These coffees are more expensive than Sumatran coffees because of small yields and the fierce demand for this coffee in Japan.
Hawaii
Hawaiian coffee is grown primarily on the the islands of Hawaii and Kauai, with the coffees of the Kona region of the island of Hawaii being the most highly prized. Kona possesses the perfect environment for growing Arabicas. The best estates grow beautiful, large, flat beans, which produce a medium-bodied brew, with buttery, spicy characteristics. Consumers should beware that many coffees being sold as Kona blends may contain only 10% Hawaiian coffee, typically blended with Latin American coffees. Kona coffees demand a premium price, and the flavor characteristics of many lower priced Latin American coffees are considered superior.
Java
Early Dutch explorers brought Arabica trees to Java, which became the world's leading producer of coffee until rust wiped out the industry. The acreage was replanted with disease-resistant and less desirable Robusta stock. With the support of the Indonesian government, Arabica is once again being grown on some of the original Dutch estates. Estate Java is a wet-processed coffee that is more acidic, lighter in body and quicker to finish than other coffees in the region. Smoke and spice are flavors often associated with this coffee's acidity.
Some Javanese coffee is stored in warehouses for two or three years and is referred to as Old Java. This aging process causes the coffee to lose acidity and gain body and sweetness.
New Guinea
Papua New Guinea, which occupies the eastern half of the island of New Guinea, is usually where coffee labeled New Guinea is grown. Coffee is cultivated by peasants on small plantations in the mountain highlands, and processed using the wet method. Two of New Guinea's most famous coffees are Sigri and Arona. These coffees are less acidic and aromatic than the best coffees of Sulawesi and less full-bodied than the best Sumatrans, but nonetheless they are well balanced with a fruity aroma and earthy body.
Sumatra
Two of the world's best and most famous coffees come from Sumatra: Mandheling and Ankola. Both are dry-processed coffees grown in west-central Sumatra near the port of Pandang at altitudes of 2,500 to 5,000 feet. Mandheling is known for its herbal aroma, full body, low acidity and rich and smooth flavor. Though these coffees are difficult to find, they remain moderate in price.
(article and picture from coffeeuniverse.com)
Kamis, 31 Januari 2008
Starbucks serves up fattening, high-calorie drinks called coffee
Starbucks serves up fattening, high-calorie drinks called coffee
by Mike Adams
Did you know that a vanilla bean frappuccino with whipped cream delivers over 500 calories to your body? It's astonishing: many of the coffee drinks served at Starbucks and other coffee joints are little more than coffee-flavored sugar and fat potions that will cause you to rapidly gain weight. They're candy. Nutritionally speaking, they're not that different from ice cream.
Now, I know this will offend many readers of this site, since many of you are coffee drinkers. But I've nothing against Starbucks. You can order straight coffee without all the cream and sugar, if you want, and have yourself a drink that won't pack on the pounds. But that's not the way most people order their coffee. They want it sweetened up, fattened up, and whipped up to create the most extreme taste experience possible.
In this way, their daily cup of coffee is actually a significant cause of obesity.
Just to remind everyone: that's not really coffee. That's just dessert in a cup. And the combination of caffeine, refined white sugar, and liquid cream is one of the quickest ways to give yourself a lifelong case of diabetes or, at the least, hypoglycemia. But don't blame Starbucks. I like the way their little coffee shops make the bookstores smell delicious (even though I'd never touch a cup of coffee myself...)
(from newstarget.com)
by Mike Adams
Did you know that a vanilla bean frappuccino with whipped cream delivers over 500 calories to your body? It's astonishing: many of the coffee drinks served at Starbucks and other coffee joints are little more than coffee-flavored sugar and fat potions that will cause you to rapidly gain weight. They're candy. Nutritionally speaking, they're not that different from ice cream.
Now, I know this will offend many readers of this site, since many of you are coffee drinkers. But I've nothing against Starbucks. You can order straight coffee without all the cream and sugar, if you want, and have yourself a drink that won't pack on the pounds. But that's not the way most people order their coffee. They want it sweetened up, fattened up, and whipped up to create the most extreme taste experience possible.
In this way, their daily cup of coffee is actually a significant cause of obesity.
Just to remind everyone: that's not really coffee. That's just dessert in a cup. And the combination of caffeine, refined white sugar, and liquid cream is one of the quickest ways to give yourself a lifelong case of diabetes or, at the least, hypoglycemia. But don't blame Starbucks. I like the way their little coffee shops make the bookstores smell delicious (even though I'd never touch a cup of coffee myself...)
(from newstarget.com)
Starbucks dumps milk made with rBGH bovine growth hormone
Starbucks dumps milk made with rBGH bovine growth hormone
by Jessica Fraser
(NewsTarget) Starbucks Coffee -- the world's largest retailer of specialty coffee -- announced last week that it was switching many of its stores in western states and New England to milk free of the controversial artificial hormone rBGH, a move experts say will further harm Monsanto's declining sales of the hormone.
The coffee giant announced on Jan. 17 that it had decided to make 37 percent of its dairy products rBGH-free in a number of its stores in Oregon, Washington, Alaska, Montana, New Mexico, Northern California and New England.
The artificial hormone -- created by Monsanto and sold as Posilac -- is given to roughly one-third of America's 9 million dairy cows to increase milk production and boost farmers' per-cow revenues. However, consumer advocacy groups have opposed rBGH since the FDA approved it in 1993, claiming its full effects on humans are unknown, and it can boost the risk of developing cancer.
Monsanto was aware in late 2006 that increasing consumer demand for hormone-free milk could lead to lower profits. In November, the company issued a warning to investors: "We believe some processor requests for 'r-BST-free' milk, coupled with rising feed costs, could limit our future sales."
However, higher demand for dairy products free of rBGH (recombinant bovine growth hormone) could mean higher profits for companies that produce organic dairy products, such as Dean Foods' "Horizon" brand organic milk. According to Dean Foods spokesperson Marguerite Copel, Starbucks' switch to hormone-free milk in many locations could mean booming business.
"We see it as an opportunity -- we don't see it as a negative -- to provide more choices to consumers," Copel said.
According to consumer health advocate Mike Adams, author of "Grocery Warning," grassroots journalism and internet activism helped bring about Starbucks' change.
"This decision shows the reach of the internet in educating consumers about the dangers of food additives and factory farming practices that powerful corporations would rather keep silent," Adams said. "Corporations may continue to try to shove frankenfoods down the throats of American consumers, but their efforts to hoodwink consumers and bribe government regulators are being exposed by grassroots journalism and passionate reporting from honest consumer groups."
While smaller coffee chains have been in contact with Starbucks to determine where they can purchase rBST-free dairy products for their consumers, larger retailers have also jumped on the hormone-free milk bandwagon.
Earlier this week, Safeway announced that its milk suppliers in Washington and Oregon would no longer be using rBGH to increase milk production.
(from newstarget.com)
by Jessica Fraser
(NewsTarget) Starbucks Coffee -- the world's largest retailer of specialty coffee -- announced last week that it was switching many of its stores in western states and New England to milk free of the controversial artificial hormone rBGH, a move experts say will further harm Monsanto's declining sales of the hormone.
The coffee giant announced on Jan. 17 that it had decided to make 37 percent of its dairy products rBGH-free in a number of its stores in Oregon, Washington, Alaska, Montana, New Mexico, Northern California and New England.
The artificial hormone -- created by Monsanto and sold as Posilac -- is given to roughly one-third of America's 9 million dairy cows to increase milk production and boost farmers' per-cow revenues. However, consumer advocacy groups have opposed rBGH since the FDA approved it in 1993, claiming its full effects on humans are unknown, and it can boost the risk of developing cancer.
Monsanto was aware in late 2006 that increasing consumer demand for hormone-free milk could lead to lower profits. In November, the company issued a warning to investors: "We believe some processor requests for 'r-BST-free' milk, coupled with rising feed costs, could limit our future sales."
However, higher demand for dairy products free of rBGH (recombinant bovine growth hormone) could mean higher profits for companies that produce organic dairy products, such as Dean Foods' "Horizon" brand organic milk. According to Dean Foods spokesperson Marguerite Copel, Starbucks' switch to hormone-free milk in many locations could mean booming business.
"We see it as an opportunity -- we don't see it as a negative -- to provide more choices to consumers," Copel said.
According to consumer health advocate Mike Adams, author of "Grocery Warning," grassroots journalism and internet activism helped bring about Starbucks' change.
"This decision shows the reach of the internet in educating consumers about the dangers of food additives and factory farming practices that powerful corporations would rather keep silent," Adams said. "Corporations may continue to try to shove frankenfoods down the throats of American consumers, but their efforts to hoodwink consumers and bribe government regulators are being exposed by grassroots journalism and passionate reporting from honest consumer groups."
While smaller coffee chains have been in contact with Starbucks to determine where they can purchase rBST-free dairy products for their consumers, larger retailers have also jumped on the hormone-free milk bandwagon.
Earlier this week, Safeway announced that its milk suppliers in Washington and Oregon would no longer be using rBGH to increase milk production.
(from newstarget.com)
Introducing Healthy Coffee That Boosts Immunity
Introducing Healthy Coffee That Boosts Immunity
by Polly A. Wise
(NewsTarget) Coffee is one of the most widely consumed beverages around the world and one of the most controversial among scientists and health experts. Coffee is so controversial that the American Society for Nutrition, at its Experimental Biology 2007 conference, focused on the health effects of coffee drinking in a popular event called the “controversy session.”
Among the health-conscious, the major concerns with coffee consumption are caffeine and its acidic quality. However, there is a coffee available that addresses these health concerns and actually boosts your immune system. It is called, in fact, Healthy Coffee.
This article is not intended to promote coffee drinking, but rather to introduce a healthy alternative for those who will not give up their coffee, my husband being one of them.
New Research
Due to ongoing research, the controversy over coffee is diminishing. New evidence is revealing positive results.
On Dr. Weil’s Healthy Living website, he references a study that concluded, “. . . drinking coffee isn't harmful to cardiovascular health and may even be somewhat beneficial.” In answering a question of whether coffee is good or bad for your health, Dr. Weil responds, “The way coffee affects you is your surest guide to whether or not you should be drinking it at all and, if so, how much.”
In a Medical News Today article, Dr. James Coughlin says, “recent advances in epidemiologic and experimental knowledge have transformed many of the negative health myths about coffee drinking into validated health benefits.” Dr. Lenore Arab states, “More thorough analysis and the accumulation of evidence suggest no negative effect on the incidence of colon cancer, and possible protective effects for adenomas of the colon as well as for rectal cancer and liver cancer.”
The article also suggests that in the future, particular coffee types may be developed which provide improved health effects. Little do they know that this Healthy Coffee has already been developed by the alternative health community.
Personal Experience
I discovered this Healthy Coffee a little over a month ago. My husband is a coffee drinker and, while he has changed his diet drastically in all areas, he is not willing to give up coffee. I was very excited when I found this product because I thought it would be a way for him to have his coffee, with the added health benefits.
I have never been able to drink coffee, or tea for that matter, because of the effects of caffeine. My husband teases me often, stating that I don’t need caffeine because I am caffeine. I literally run circles around him before and after he has his coffee. What I discovered is that this is a coffee I could drink as well.
We have been drinking the Healthy Coffee for several weeks now. First, I want to say that this is real coffee and tastes like coffee. I have tried it so that I could report the benefits for myself as someone who could not previously drink coffee.
The results have been very encouraging for both of us. My husband says that he experiences the same positive effects from Healthy Coffee as he did from regular coffee.
I can drink this coffee without the negative effects from caffeine even though it is not decaffeinated. We both have been drinking a cup of coffee every night before we go to bed, and amazingly it does help us sleep. Healthy Coffee keeps you alert and also has a relaxing effect that helps promote peaceful sleep.
About the Coffee
Healthy Coffee is an organic, fair trade, Brazilian coffee. The health benefits of this coffee come from the infusion of four mushroom extracts. These mushrooms, Ganoderma Lucidum (Reishi), Cordyceps Sinensis, Agaricus Blazei, and Coriolus Versicolor are all well known for their immune enhancing qualities.
CancerFightingStrategies.com recommends Healthy Coffee for those who are diagnosed with cancer, but still want to drink coffee. In their list of 11 effective, natural strategies to kill cancer, they promote Healthy Coffee because of its ability to improve the body’s pH levels. This is due to the fact that the mushrooms reduce acidity. They list the reported benefits as improving sleep, raising pH, increasing oxygen to your brain, normalizing weight, enhancing health, and removing toxins from the body.
While there are several brands of Healthy Coffee, the two I am familiar with are Farmacy and Ganocafe. I have ordered both brands, and there are some distinct differences between the two. The Farmacy brand is the one I have been drinking for several weeks. I just recently tried the Ganocafe.
The Farmacy brand is a whole bean coffee that you grind yourself. It has all four mushroom extracts infused into the beans and is very effective. They also have available a whole bean decaffeinated coffee called Royal Select Decaf. It is decaffeinated using an all natural water process without any chemicals, which allows them to retain organic certification.
Ganocafe, on the other hand, is an instant coffee that comes in individual packets. It only has the Ganoderma Lucidum (Reishi) mushroom extract infused in the coffee. It tastes very much like instant coffee, and I don’t care for it as much as the Farmacy brand. If you don’t mind instant coffee, or that it only has one of the mushroom extracts added, you may enjoy it. They also offer tea, hot chocolate, and mocha instant coffee all infused with the Reishi mushroom extract.
About the Mushrooms
Ganoderma Lucidum (Reishi)
Reishi contains 200 vitamins and minerals, including over 150 antioxidants. Reishi contains a high concentration of alkaloids which naturally help improve pH levels in the body. Instead of being acidic, this Healthy Coffee actually balances the body’s pH.
NewsTarget has a very in depth article on the health benefits of Reishi.
Cordyceps Sinensis
Nutritionalreviews.org says, “Anyone looking to enhance fatigue resistance, improve stress tolerance, enhance immune function, and improve general health and well-being may benefit from CS [Cordyceps Sinensis] supplements.” They list the following benefits:
- Potent antioxidant with powerful anti-ageing properties
- Anti-tumor properties
- Immune stimulating properties
- Lowers the level of "BAD" LDL cholesterol
- Increases the level of "GOOD" HDL cholesterol
- May prevent furring of the arteries
- Has remarkable anti-stress effects
Agaricus Blazei
According to Garuda International, this mushroom “contains beta glucans, a group of polysaccharides (complex sugars) believed to be the compounds responsible for its immune boosting effects. In addition, research has shown that Agaricus blazei has anti-tumor and anti-viral activity, as well as moderating effects on blood sugar and cholesterol.”
Coriolus Versicolor
The University of California Medical Center reports, “The coriolus versicolor mushroom has shown antimicrobial, antiviral and anti-tumor properties, which have been attributed to a protein-bound polysaccharide called Polysaccharide K (PSK), also known as Krestin.”
Conclusion
Again, this article is not about promoting the use of coffee, but is being presented as a healthy alternative for those who have not, or will not give up their coffee.
Healthy Coffee is a beverage that gives you all the benefits of coffee, while also stimulating your immune system. It is a coffee that truly is healthy for you.
While the controversy over coffee may be decreasing, there still is valid concern over the acidity of regular coffee. Healthy Coffee eliminates this concern by actually balancing pH levels in the body. You can now drink a coffee that uses mushroom extracts to keep you alert while also boosting your immune system.
Enjoy!
(from newstarget.com)
by Polly A. Wise
(NewsTarget) Coffee is one of the most widely consumed beverages around the world and one of the most controversial among scientists and health experts. Coffee is so controversial that the American Society for Nutrition, at its Experimental Biology 2007 conference, focused on the health effects of coffee drinking in a popular event called the “controversy session.”
Among the health-conscious, the major concerns with coffee consumption are caffeine and its acidic quality. However, there is a coffee available that addresses these health concerns and actually boosts your immune system. It is called, in fact, Healthy Coffee.
This article is not intended to promote coffee drinking, but rather to introduce a healthy alternative for those who will not give up their coffee, my husband being one of them.
New Research
Due to ongoing research, the controversy over coffee is diminishing. New evidence is revealing positive results.
On Dr. Weil’s Healthy Living website, he references a study that concluded, “. . . drinking coffee isn't harmful to cardiovascular health and may even be somewhat beneficial.” In answering a question of whether coffee is good or bad for your health, Dr. Weil responds, “The way coffee affects you is your surest guide to whether or not you should be drinking it at all and, if so, how much.”
In a Medical News Today article, Dr. James Coughlin says, “recent advances in epidemiologic and experimental knowledge have transformed many of the negative health myths about coffee drinking into validated health benefits.” Dr. Lenore Arab states, “More thorough analysis and the accumulation of evidence suggest no negative effect on the incidence of colon cancer, and possible protective effects for adenomas of the colon as well as for rectal cancer and liver cancer.”
The article also suggests that in the future, particular coffee types may be developed which provide improved health effects. Little do they know that this Healthy Coffee has already been developed by the alternative health community.
Personal Experience
I discovered this Healthy Coffee a little over a month ago. My husband is a coffee drinker and, while he has changed his diet drastically in all areas, he is not willing to give up coffee. I was very excited when I found this product because I thought it would be a way for him to have his coffee, with the added health benefits.
I have never been able to drink coffee, or tea for that matter, because of the effects of caffeine. My husband teases me often, stating that I don’t need caffeine because I am caffeine. I literally run circles around him before and after he has his coffee. What I discovered is that this is a coffee I could drink as well.
We have been drinking the Healthy Coffee for several weeks now. First, I want to say that this is real coffee and tastes like coffee. I have tried it so that I could report the benefits for myself as someone who could not previously drink coffee.
The results have been very encouraging for both of us. My husband says that he experiences the same positive effects from Healthy Coffee as he did from regular coffee.
I can drink this coffee without the negative effects from caffeine even though it is not decaffeinated. We both have been drinking a cup of coffee every night before we go to bed, and amazingly it does help us sleep. Healthy Coffee keeps you alert and also has a relaxing effect that helps promote peaceful sleep.
About the Coffee
Healthy Coffee is an organic, fair trade, Brazilian coffee. The health benefits of this coffee come from the infusion of four mushroom extracts. These mushrooms, Ganoderma Lucidum (Reishi), Cordyceps Sinensis, Agaricus Blazei, and Coriolus Versicolor are all well known for their immune enhancing qualities.
CancerFightingStrategies.com recommends Healthy Coffee for those who are diagnosed with cancer, but still want to drink coffee. In their list of 11 effective, natural strategies to kill cancer, they promote Healthy Coffee because of its ability to improve the body’s pH levels. This is due to the fact that the mushrooms reduce acidity. They list the reported benefits as improving sleep, raising pH, increasing oxygen to your brain, normalizing weight, enhancing health, and removing toxins from the body.
While there are several brands of Healthy Coffee, the two I am familiar with are Farmacy and Ganocafe. I have ordered both brands, and there are some distinct differences between the two. The Farmacy brand is the one I have been drinking for several weeks. I just recently tried the Ganocafe.
The Farmacy brand is a whole bean coffee that you grind yourself. It has all four mushroom extracts infused into the beans and is very effective. They also have available a whole bean decaffeinated coffee called Royal Select Decaf. It is decaffeinated using an all natural water process without any chemicals, which allows them to retain organic certification.
Ganocafe, on the other hand, is an instant coffee that comes in individual packets. It only has the Ganoderma Lucidum (Reishi) mushroom extract infused in the coffee. It tastes very much like instant coffee, and I don’t care for it as much as the Farmacy brand. If you don’t mind instant coffee, or that it only has one of the mushroom extracts added, you may enjoy it. They also offer tea, hot chocolate, and mocha instant coffee all infused with the Reishi mushroom extract.
About the Mushrooms
Ganoderma Lucidum (Reishi)
Reishi contains 200 vitamins and minerals, including over 150 antioxidants. Reishi contains a high concentration of alkaloids which naturally help improve pH levels in the body. Instead of being acidic, this Healthy Coffee actually balances the body’s pH.
NewsTarget has a very in depth article on the health benefits of Reishi.
Cordyceps Sinensis
Nutritionalreviews.org says, “Anyone looking to enhance fatigue resistance, improve stress tolerance, enhance immune function, and improve general health and well-being may benefit from CS [Cordyceps Sinensis] supplements.” They list the following benefits:
- Potent antioxidant with powerful anti-ageing properties
- Anti-tumor properties
- Immune stimulating properties
- Lowers the level of "BAD" LDL cholesterol
- Increases the level of "GOOD" HDL cholesterol
- May prevent furring of the arteries
- Has remarkable anti-stress effects
Agaricus Blazei
According to Garuda International, this mushroom “contains beta glucans, a group of polysaccharides (complex sugars) believed to be the compounds responsible for its immune boosting effects. In addition, research has shown that Agaricus blazei has anti-tumor and anti-viral activity, as well as moderating effects on blood sugar and cholesterol.”
Coriolus Versicolor
The University of California Medical Center reports, “The coriolus versicolor mushroom has shown antimicrobial, antiviral and anti-tumor properties, which have been attributed to a protein-bound polysaccharide called Polysaccharide K (PSK), also known as Krestin.”
Conclusion
Again, this article is not about promoting the use of coffee, but is being presented as a healthy alternative for those who have not, or will not give up their coffee.
Healthy Coffee is a beverage that gives you all the benefits of coffee, while also stimulating your immune system. It is a coffee that truly is healthy for you.
While the controversy over coffee may be decreasing, there still is valid concern over the acidity of regular coffee. Healthy Coffee eliminates this concern by actually balancing pH levels in the body. You can now drink a coffee that uses mushroom extracts to keep you alert while also boosting your immune system.
Enjoy!
(from newstarget.com)
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