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)
Kamis, 31 Januari 2008
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)
Health benefits of coffee hyped by research that ignores the rest of the story
Health benefits of coffee hyped by research that ignores the rest of the story
by Mike Adams
This research shows that regular coffee consumptions slightly lowers diabetes risk, but the researchers only seem capable of guessing at one ingredient as the cause: caffeine. The fact is, the coffee bean is a tropical plant and is loaded with a vast spectrum of phytonutrients that probably offers a protective effect to the pancreas. Caffeine very likely has nothing to do with it.
What the study doesn't say, by the way, is that coffee is one of the most expensive ways to get health-enhancing nutrients into your body. Typically coffee is mostly water. A much better way to improve your health using tropical plants is to take supplements of Amazon herbs, which can be purchased from a variety of online sources. Another way is to eat nutrient-dense superfoods such as chlorella, spirulina or wheat grass juice. Ounce per ounce, these superfoods are no more expensive than coffee, and yet they pack in probably tens of thousands of times as much nutrition at the molecular level.
Finally, the study doesn't mention that coffee has a variety of highly destructive effects on the human body, too, such as leeching minerals from bones due to coffee's high acidity. Nor does it mention that many people use extremely unhealthy creamers in their coffee: a product often made with hydrogenated oils that are well known to contribute to heart disease. The bottom line? Coffee in the real world, not the lab, is more like a junk food than a health food, and its addiction properties make it a poor choice for people seeking balance and health. And the way most people drink it, coffee probably promotes heart disease.
(from newstarget.com)
by Mike Adams
This research shows that regular coffee consumptions slightly lowers diabetes risk, but the researchers only seem capable of guessing at one ingredient as the cause: caffeine. The fact is, the coffee bean is a tropical plant and is loaded with a vast spectrum of phytonutrients that probably offers a protective effect to the pancreas. Caffeine very likely has nothing to do with it.
What the study doesn't say, by the way, is that coffee is one of the most expensive ways to get health-enhancing nutrients into your body. Typically coffee is mostly water. A much better way to improve your health using tropical plants is to take supplements of Amazon herbs, which can be purchased from a variety of online sources. Another way is to eat nutrient-dense superfoods such as chlorella, spirulina or wheat grass juice. Ounce per ounce, these superfoods are no more expensive than coffee, and yet they pack in probably tens of thousands of times as much nutrition at the molecular level.
Finally, the study doesn't mention that coffee has a variety of highly destructive effects on the human body, too, such as leeching minerals from bones due to coffee's high acidity. Nor does it mention that many people use extremely unhealthy creamers in their coffee: a product often made with hydrogenated oils that are well known to contribute to heart disease. The bottom line? Coffee in the real world, not the lab, is more like a junk food than a health food, and its addiction properties make it a poor choice for people seeking balance and health. And the way most people drink it, coffee probably promotes heart disease.
(from newstarget.com)
Getting the Kids Hooked on Starbucks
Getting the Kids Hooked on Starbucks
by NewsTarget
To help launch a line of sweet, creamy banana Frappuccinos last month, Starbucks Corp. sponsored a family-oriented community event—a free day at the Phoenix Zoo.
For adults, there were samples of espresso-infused Banana Coconut Frappuccino. But the coffee retailer also set out samples that the kids flocked to: tiny cups of Bananas & Crème Frappuccinos made with banana puree and whipped cream, no coffee.
What made the promotion surprising is that Starbucks, the Seattle-based coffee retailer with more than 11,000 stores, has a longstanding policy of avoiding marketing to kids. The company says it isn’t aiming its new noncoffee Frappuccinos at children. But the promotion shows the challenge Starbucks faces in capitalizing on its growing popularity among families without breaking its pledge. As Starbucks launches more drinks that could appeal to kids, it’s also raising concerns about the nutritional value of items on its menu, as well as the high prices.
Food makers have become increasingly cautious about marketing to kids amid growing concern about childhood obesity. Kraft Foods Inc. last year started limiting its marketing to kids under 12 and in May soda companies agreed to halt sales of sugared sodas in schools. Starbucks, for its part, says it hasn’t changed its position on marketing toward youth.
The coffee chain’s written policy says its “overall marketing, advertising and event sponsorship efforts are not directed at children or youth,” although some “community activities” end up reaching kids. The company reviews marketing materials to avoid distributing ones that could be “inadvertently appealing to youth,” the policy says.
But as Starbucks expands, it is attracting new demographics, from teens who hang out after school to young mothers chilling out with their toddlers. So the chain is adding more products that appeal to them. Last month Starbucks said it had signed an exclusive deal to sell audio versions of the books “The Velveteen Rabbit” and “The Night Before Christmas” read by actress Meryl Streep. Earlier this year, Starbucks started selling DVDs of children’s music performer Laurie Berkner.
“Starbucks itself is a gathering place,” says Brad Stevens, Starbucks vice president of U.S. marketing. “You can often go in and see a whole family.”
Starbucks started selling Frappuccinos in 1995 after one of its Southern California stores whipped up the drink while experimenting with a cold coffee beverage. Since then the Frappuccino has become one of the chain’s most popular drinks and has evolved to include noncoffee varieties like Strawberries & Crème and Double Chocolate Chip. The coffee chain is now adding more noncoffee flavors. Today it plans to roll out a new line of pomegranate and tangerine juice Frappuccinos.
Plenty of adults drink Frappuccinos. But the sweetness of the drinks, and the fact that they borrow characteristics from the milkshake and 7-Eleven’s Slurpee, make them particularly appealing to children. Nutrition experts have criticized coffee chains for using sweetened coffee drinks as so-called starter beverages that get children hooked on caffeine. The Center for Science in the Public Interest, a food-industry watchdog, recently complained that Frappuccinos are among the most fat- and calorie-packed items on the Starbucks menu. A 16 oz. grande-size Bananas & Crème has 550 calories and 15 grams of fat. By comparison, the same size chocolate shake at McDonald’s has 580 calories and 14 grams of fat.
“A child, if it’s a snack, does not need this number of calories,” says Barbara Rolls, a professor of nutritional sciences at Pennsylvania State University in State College, Pa., who is studying food-intake regulation in children.
Starbucks says that it offers lighter versions of many Frappuccinos and that the new juice line contains no fat and fewer calories than its traditional Frappuccinos. Some have caffeine because they contain tea, but they can be ordered without caffeine. The company says that for further information on caffeine, it refers customers to medical experts because that’s not Starbucks’ area of expertise.
Some parents who bring kids to Starbucks note that the drinks that appeal to young people are often the most costly—a reversal of restaurant menus where kids’ food is priced lower. However, Michelle Gass, Starbucks’ senior vice president of category management, says parents on the whole don’t seem deterred by the drink prices. The smallest size of Frappuccino sells for $3.20 to $3.70, depending on the city, and the largest sells for $4.15 to $4.90.
“It’s an expensive treat,” says Henry Kleeman, a Lake Forest, Ill., resident who recently took his 12-year-old daughter, Andrea, for a Frappuccino. Because Andrea likes hanging out at Starbucks with her friends, her grandparents gave her a Starbucks card loaded with money she can use to buy drinks. Mr. Kleeman says he isn’t concerned about the high fat and calorie content of the drinks for his daughter. “There’s a lot of things I worry about more,” he says.
The influx of young people in the stores also threatens to upset customers who rely on Starbucks for a quiet place to work, read or relax. Neighborhood Starbucks outlets attract so many middle- and high-school students that “on weekend nights it’s almost like a bar for teenagers,” says analyst Sharon Zackfia, who follows the coffee chain for investment bank and equity-research firm William Blair & Co. in Chicago.
Melissa Schwartz, a 38-year-old nursing student from Deerfield, Ill., complained to the manager of a Chicago Starbucks in March when about 40 teenagers flooded the store while she was trying to study for midterm exams. “They were over-the-top obnoxious,” says Ms. Schwartz. Some of them sat on the floor near her. “They just crawl all over you,” she says. The store manager asked the teenagers to quiet down and gave Ms. Schwartz drink coupons.
But the manager also told her there wasn’t much he could do because the kids are customers too, Ms. Schwartz recalls. Now she peeks inside the Starbucks to make sure there aren’t too many teenagers and, if there are, crosses the street to a quieter tea shop.
Some coffee chains say nutritional and other concerns shouldn’t stop them from trying to attract young customers. “Better they should get hooked on an ice-blended beverage than maybe something else,” says Michael Coles, president and chief executive of Caribou Coffee Co., a Minneapolis-based coffee chain with 410 stores. Parents have thanked him for giving their kids a place to do homework, he says.
Caribou has added a line of noncoffee ice-blended drinks called Snowdrifts in flavors like Oreo and Mint to appeal to children, Mr. Coles says. Caribou stocks about one-third of its locations with stuffed animals, trucks and other toys to attract families. “Hopefully these kids will grow up in Caribou and think of it as their place,” Mr. Coles says.
(from newstarget.com)
by NewsTarget
To help launch a line of sweet, creamy banana Frappuccinos last month, Starbucks Corp. sponsored a family-oriented community event—a free day at the Phoenix Zoo.
For adults, there were samples of espresso-infused Banana Coconut Frappuccino. But the coffee retailer also set out samples that the kids flocked to: tiny cups of Bananas & Crème Frappuccinos made with banana puree and whipped cream, no coffee.
What made the promotion surprising is that Starbucks, the Seattle-based coffee retailer with more than 11,000 stores, has a longstanding policy of avoiding marketing to kids. The company says it isn’t aiming its new noncoffee Frappuccinos at children. But the promotion shows the challenge Starbucks faces in capitalizing on its growing popularity among families without breaking its pledge. As Starbucks launches more drinks that could appeal to kids, it’s also raising concerns about the nutritional value of items on its menu, as well as the high prices.
Food makers have become increasingly cautious about marketing to kids amid growing concern about childhood obesity. Kraft Foods Inc. last year started limiting its marketing to kids under 12 and in May soda companies agreed to halt sales of sugared sodas in schools. Starbucks, for its part, says it hasn’t changed its position on marketing toward youth.
The coffee chain’s written policy says its “overall marketing, advertising and event sponsorship efforts are not directed at children or youth,” although some “community activities” end up reaching kids. The company reviews marketing materials to avoid distributing ones that could be “inadvertently appealing to youth,” the policy says.
But as Starbucks expands, it is attracting new demographics, from teens who hang out after school to young mothers chilling out with their toddlers. So the chain is adding more products that appeal to them. Last month Starbucks said it had signed an exclusive deal to sell audio versions of the books “The Velveteen Rabbit” and “The Night Before Christmas” read by actress Meryl Streep. Earlier this year, Starbucks started selling DVDs of children’s music performer Laurie Berkner.
“Starbucks itself is a gathering place,” says Brad Stevens, Starbucks vice president of U.S. marketing. “You can often go in and see a whole family.”
Starbucks started selling Frappuccinos in 1995 after one of its Southern California stores whipped up the drink while experimenting with a cold coffee beverage. Since then the Frappuccino has become one of the chain’s most popular drinks and has evolved to include noncoffee varieties like Strawberries & Crème and Double Chocolate Chip. The coffee chain is now adding more noncoffee flavors. Today it plans to roll out a new line of pomegranate and tangerine juice Frappuccinos.
Plenty of adults drink Frappuccinos. But the sweetness of the drinks, and the fact that they borrow characteristics from the milkshake and 7-Eleven’s Slurpee, make them particularly appealing to children. Nutrition experts have criticized coffee chains for using sweetened coffee drinks as so-called starter beverages that get children hooked on caffeine. The Center for Science in the Public Interest, a food-industry watchdog, recently complained that Frappuccinos are among the most fat- and calorie-packed items on the Starbucks menu. A 16 oz. grande-size Bananas & Crème has 550 calories and 15 grams of fat. By comparison, the same size chocolate shake at McDonald’s has 580 calories and 14 grams of fat.
“A child, if it’s a snack, does not need this number of calories,” says Barbara Rolls, a professor of nutritional sciences at Pennsylvania State University in State College, Pa., who is studying food-intake regulation in children.
Starbucks says that it offers lighter versions of many Frappuccinos and that the new juice line contains no fat and fewer calories than its traditional Frappuccinos. Some have caffeine because they contain tea, but they can be ordered without caffeine. The company says that for further information on caffeine, it refers customers to medical experts because that’s not Starbucks’ area of expertise.
Some parents who bring kids to Starbucks note that the drinks that appeal to young people are often the most costly—a reversal of restaurant menus where kids’ food is priced lower. However, Michelle Gass, Starbucks’ senior vice president of category management, says parents on the whole don’t seem deterred by the drink prices. The smallest size of Frappuccino sells for $3.20 to $3.70, depending on the city, and the largest sells for $4.15 to $4.90.
“It’s an expensive treat,” says Henry Kleeman, a Lake Forest, Ill., resident who recently took his 12-year-old daughter, Andrea, for a Frappuccino. Because Andrea likes hanging out at Starbucks with her friends, her grandparents gave her a Starbucks card loaded with money she can use to buy drinks. Mr. Kleeman says he isn’t concerned about the high fat and calorie content of the drinks for his daughter. “There’s a lot of things I worry about more,” he says.
The influx of young people in the stores also threatens to upset customers who rely on Starbucks for a quiet place to work, read or relax. Neighborhood Starbucks outlets attract so many middle- and high-school students that “on weekend nights it’s almost like a bar for teenagers,” says analyst Sharon Zackfia, who follows the coffee chain for investment bank and equity-research firm William Blair & Co. in Chicago.
Melissa Schwartz, a 38-year-old nursing student from Deerfield, Ill., complained to the manager of a Chicago Starbucks in March when about 40 teenagers flooded the store while she was trying to study for midterm exams. “They were over-the-top obnoxious,” says Ms. Schwartz. Some of them sat on the floor near her. “They just crawl all over you,” she says. The store manager asked the teenagers to quiet down and gave Ms. Schwartz drink coupons.
But the manager also told her there wasn’t much he could do because the kids are customers too, Ms. Schwartz recalls. Now she peeks inside the Starbucks to make sure there aren’t too many teenagers and, if there are, crosses the street to a quieter tea shop.
Some coffee chains say nutritional and other concerns shouldn’t stop them from trying to attract young customers. “Better they should get hooked on an ice-blended beverage than maybe something else,” says Michael Coles, president and chief executive of Caribou Coffee Co., a Minneapolis-based coffee chain with 410 stores. Parents have thanked him for giving their kids a place to do homework, he says.
Caribou has added a line of noncoffee ice-blended drinks called Snowdrifts in flavors like Oreo and Mint to appeal to children, Mr. Coles says. Caribou stocks about one-third of its locations with stuffed animals, trucks and other toys to attract families. “Hopefully these kids will grow up in Caribou and think of it as their place,” Mr. Coles says.
(from newstarget.com)
Gatorade, soft drinks, coffee and alcohol no substitute for body's health requirement for pure water, says doctor
Gatorade, soft drinks, coffee and alcohol no substitute for body's health requirement for pure water, says doctor
by Mike Adams
Mike: I have a question for you on water -- a lot of people think that they are hydrating themselves when they consume soft drinks or milk or Gatorade or all these other liquid beverages…
Dr. B: Gatorade is possibly okay, but Gatorade has sugar in it, and it's not particularly good for people who might even get hypoglycemic, or might induce insulin secretion, and that insulin secretion will produce more hunger and they overeat. But as a temporary sport drink, it's okay when you're in the middle of a golf game to drink a Gatorade. It immediately gives you a bit of the minerals that you probably will have lost sweating.
But nothing substitutes for water -- not a thing. No drink -- no coffee, no tea, no alcoholic beverages. Not even fruit juices. Each one of them has its own agenda. Your body is used to a fluid that has no agenda, because the body depends on the freedom of that fluid, water, because there are two kinds of water in the body. There is already occupied and engaged water, which is no good for new function. The body needs new water, or free water, to perform new functions. Now, when you give them sugar containing beverages, or caffeine containing beverages, both sugar and caffeine have their own chemical agenda in the body. They defeat the purpose of the need for water.
Mike: You're also talking about soft drinks here…
Dr. B: I'm talking about soft drinks, I'm talking about sodas, I'm talking about caffeine containing coffee or tea. I'm also talking about alcohol, because alcohol actually stops the emergency water supply systems to the important cells, such as the brain cells. In the reverse osmosis process your body filters and injects water into the cells, and this is what I call reverse osmosis. And it has to raise the blood pressure for that in order to overcome the osmotic pull of water out of the cells, and reinject water into the cells. That's why we develop high-blood pressure in dehydration. And this process of reverse osmosis is stopped by alcohol. It stops the filter system.
(from newstarget.com)
by Mike Adams
Mike: I have a question for you on water -- a lot of people think that they are hydrating themselves when they consume soft drinks or milk or Gatorade or all these other liquid beverages…
Dr. B: Gatorade is possibly okay, but Gatorade has sugar in it, and it's not particularly good for people who might even get hypoglycemic, or might induce insulin secretion, and that insulin secretion will produce more hunger and they overeat. But as a temporary sport drink, it's okay when you're in the middle of a golf game to drink a Gatorade. It immediately gives you a bit of the minerals that you probably will have lost sweating.
But nothing substitutes for water -- not a thing. No drink -- no coffee, no tea, no alcoholic beverages. Not even fruit juices. Each one of them has its own agenda. Your body is used to a fluid that has no agenda, because the body depends on the freedom of that fluid, water, because there are two kinds of water in the body. There is already occupied and engaged water, which is no good for new function. The body needs new water, or free water, to perform new functions. Now, when you give them sugar containing beverages, or caffeine containing beverages, both sugar and caffeine have their own chemical agenda in the body. They defeat the purpose of the need for water.
Mike: You're also talking about soft drinks here…
Dr. B: I'm talking about soft drinks, I'm talking about sodas, I'm talking about caffeine containing coffee or tea. I'm also talking about alcohol, because alcohol actually stops the emergency water supply systems to the important cells, such as the brain cells. In the reverse osmosis process your body filters and injects water into the cells, and this is what I call reverse osmosis. And it has to raise the blood pressure for that in order to overcome the osmotic pull of water out of the cells, and reinject water into the cells. That's why we develop high-blood pressure in dehydration. And this process of reverse osmosis is stopped by alcohol. It stops the filter system.
(from newstarget.com)
Drinking coffee found to trigger heart attacks
Drinking coffee found to trigger heart attacks
by NewsTarget
(NewsTarget) Recent research appearing in the September issue of the journal Epidemiology shows that drinking coffee may trigger a heart attack, with the highest risk posed to light coffee drinkers.
A team of researchers from Brown University School of Medicine conducted a study of 503 non-fatal heart attack patients in Costa Rica, and found that coffee drinkers ran a higher risk of heart attack. Moderate coffee drinkers -- those who drink two or three cups a day -- ran a 60 percent higher risk of heart attack after drinking a cup of coffee, while little effect was noted among heavy coffee drinkers, who consume four or more cups per day.
The greatest risk of heart attack was for light drinkers -- those who drink up to one cup a day -- whose risk increased by four times with just one cup. In addition, coffee drinkers with three or more other heart disease risk factors, such as obesity and physical inactivity, more than doubled their risk of heart attack after a cup of coffee.
"I'm curious to see if, based on this research, the FDA will now ban coffee," asked Mike Adams, a consumer health advocate. "Because they banned the ephedra herb based on the same tiny risk increase in heart attacks. Both ephedra and caffeine are stimulants. If the FDA acts with consistency, it should now ban coffee and declare it to be 'unsafe at any dose.'"
Professor Ahmed El-Sohemy, Ph.D., an assistant professor of nutrition at the University of Toronto, says coffee drinkers with multiple risk factors for heart attack should try to engage in an active lifestyle and remove as many risk factors as possible, since just one cup of coffee "could be the final straw."
El-Sohemy explains, "For those people who are not regular consumers [of coffee] and have other risk factors, getting that jolt of caffeine is probably a jolt to their system. We know that caffeine causes transient increases in blood pressure, so those who are not regular [coffee] consumers are not used to it, and they get that surge and for a vulnerable heart, that could be the trigger."
(from newstarget.com)
by NewsTarget
(NewsTarget) Recent research appearing in the September issue of the journal Epidemiology shows that drinking coffee may trigger a heart attack, with the highest risk posed to light coffee drinkers.
A team of researchers from Brown University School of Medicine conducted a study of 503 non-fatal heart attack patients in Costa Rica, and found that coffee drinkers ran a higher risk of heart attack. Moderate coffee drinkers -- those who drink two or three cups a day -- ran a 60 percent higher risk of heart attack after drinking a cup of coffee, while little effect was noted among heavy coffee drinkers, who consume four or more cups per day.
The greatest risk of heart attack was for light drinkers -- those who drink up to one cup a day -- whose risk increased by four times with just one cup. In addition, coffee drinkers with three or more other heart disease risk factors, such as obesity and physical inactivity, more than doubled their risk of heart attack after a cup of coffee.
"I'm curious to see if, based on this research, the FDA will now ban coffee," asked Mike Adams, a consumer health advocate. "Because they banned the ephedra herb based on the same tiny risk increase in heart attacks. Both ephedra and caffeine are stimulants. If the FDA acts with consistency, it should now ban coffee and declare it to be 'unsafe at any dose.'"
Professor Ahmed El-Sohemy, Ph.D., an assistant professor of nutrition at the University of Toronto, says coffee drinkers with multiple risk factors for heart attack should try to engage in an active lifestyle and remove as many risk factors as possible, since just one cup of coffee "could be the final straw."
El-Sohemy explains, "For those people who are not regular consumers [of coffee] and have other risk factors, getting that jolt of caffeine is probably a jolt to their system. We know that caffeine causes transient increases in blood pressure, so those who are not regular [coffee] consumers are not used to it, and they get that surge and for a vulnerable heart, that could be the trigger."
(from newstarget.com)
Decaffeinated coffee still contains caffeine, researchers report
Decaffeinated coffee still contains caffeine, researchers report
by Jessica Fraser
(NewsTarget) Coffee drinkers who switch to decaf may still be consuming caffeine, according to new research published in this month's Journal of Analytical Toxicology.
Researchers from the University of Florida examined 10 16-ounce decaffeinated drip-brewed coffees from nine local coffee houses or national chains for caffeine content using gas chromatography. The researchers found that every serving of coffee but one -- instant decaffeinated Folgers Coffee Crystals -- contained caffeine.
While a regular 8-ounce cup of brewed coffee usually contains 85 milligrams of caffeine, the researchers found that the brands of caffeine-containing decaf had caffeine ranging from 8.6 milligrams to 13.9 milligrams.
During the second phase of the study, the researchers analyzed 12 samples of Starbucks decaffeinated espresso and brewed decaf coffee purchased from a single store. The decaf espresso drinks contained 3 to 15.8 milligrams of caffeine per shot, while the brewed decaf coffees contained 12 to 13.4 milligrams of caffeine per 16-ounce serving.
"If someone drank five to 10 cups of decaffeinated coffee, the dose of caffeine could easily reach the level present in a cup or two of caffeinated coffee," said the study's co-author Dr. Bruce Goldberger, director of UF's William R. Maples Center for Forensic Medicine. "This could be a concern for people who are advised to cut their caffeine intake, such as those with kidney disease or anxiety disorders."
Co-author Dr. Mark S. Gold, professor of psychiatry, neuroscience and community health and family medicine at the UF College of Medicine, said that although the concentrations of caffeine in decaf coffee drinks is relatively low, some people could develop a physical dependence on the beverages.
Consumer advocate Mike Adams, author of "Grocery Warning," called decaffeinated coffee beverage claims a "sham."
According to Adams, "Decaffeinated coffees are not decaffeinated beverages; they are actually reduced-caffeine beverages that still contain caffeine. In addition, they may also contain trace amounts of cancer-causing chemical solvents used in the decaffeination process."
"Carefully controlled studies show that caffeine doses as low as about 10 milligrams can produce reliable subjective and behavioral effects in sensitive individuals," said Dr. Roland Griffiths of Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. "The important point is that decaffeinated is not the same as caffeine-free."
(from newstarget.com)
by Jessica Fraser
(NewsTarget) Coffee drinkers who switch to decaf may still be consuming caffeine, according to new research published in this month's Journal of Analytical Toxicology.
Researchers from the University of Florida examined 10 16-ounce decaffeinated drip-brewed coffees from nine local coffee houses or national chains for caffeine content using gas chromatography. The researchers found that every serving of coffee but one -- instant decaffeinated Folgers Coffee Crystals -- contained caffeine.
While a regular 8-ounce cup of brewed coffee usually contains 85 milligrams of caffeine, the researchers found that the brands of caffeine-containing decaf had caffeine ranging from 8.6 milligrams to 13.9 milligrams.
During the second phase of the study, the researchers analyzed 12 samples of Starbucks decaffeinated espresso and brewed decaf coffee purchased from a single store. The decaf espresso drinks contained 3 to 15.8 milligrams of caffeine per shot, while the brewed decaf coffees contained 12 to 13.4 milligrams of caffeine per 16-ounce serving.
"If someone drank five to 10 cups of decaffeinated coffee, the dose of caffeine could easily reach the level present in a cup or two of caffeinated coffee," said the study's co-author Dr. Bruce Goldberger, director of UF's William R. Maples Center for Forensic Medicine. "This could be a concern for people who are advised to cut their caffeine intake, such as those with kidney disease or anxiety disorders."
Co-author Dr. Mark S. Gold, professor of psychiatry, neuroscience and community health and family medicine at the UF College of Medicine, said that although the concentrations of caffeine in decaf coffee drinks is relatively low, some people could develop a physical dependence on the beverages.
Consumer advocate Mike Adams, author of "Grocery Warning," called decaffeinated coffee beverage claims a "sham."
According to Adams, "Decaffeinated coffees are not decaffeinated beverages; they are actually reduced-caffeine beverages that still contain caffeine. In addition, they may also contain trace amounts of cancer-causing chemical solvents used in the decaffeination process."
"Carefully controlled studies show that caffeine doses as low as about 10 milligrams can produce reliable subjective and behavioral effects in sensitive individuals," said Dr. Roland Griffiths of Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. "The important point is that decaffeinated is not the same as caffeine-free."
(from newstarget.com)
Coffee myth busted: morning cups offer no boost in mental alertness
Coffee myth busted: morning cups offer no boost in mental alertness
by Christian Evans
New research presented to the British Nutrition Foundation shows that regular consumption of coffee does not affect a person’s alertness. University of Bristol researchers have carried out a review of previous studies into the effects of caffeine, and concluded that only those who have avoided coffee for a significant time get a buzz from caffeine.
Jump directly to: conventional view | alternative view | bottom line
What you need to know - Conventional View
• Most people who rely on their morning caffeine fix claim that it wakes them up and helps get them through the day.
• The research shows that those who drink a caffeinated beverage are no more alert than those who never consume one.
• The Bristol researchers believe that coffee only counteracts the mild caffeine withdrawal symptoms people experience after having gone without the stimulant overnight.
• Professor Peter Rogers, a biological psychologist who led the research, told the BBC: "That alertness you feel is you getting back to normal, rather than to an above normal level. The morning boost is what people think is useful about caffeine, but if that doesn't happen, maybe it's not that useful after all."
• Caffeine does have some benefits, such as preventing cognitive decline in the elderly.
• Zoe Wheeldon, of the British Coffee Association, disagrees with the research and states: "There are two sides to the debate and a wealth of scientific evidence suggests that moderate coffee consumption of four to five cups per day is perfectly safe for the general population and does have a beneficial effect on alertness and performance even in regular coffee drinkers."
What you need to know - Alternative View
Statements and opinions by Mike Adams, executive director of the Consumer Wellness Center
• Of course the British Coffee Association is going to claim that drinking many cups of coffee every day is both safe and beneficial. The group has a financial incentive to say such things.
• Long-term coffee consumption depleted the adrenal glands and leads to chronic depletion of energy. Caffeine is the No. 1 most abused psychoactive drug in modern civilization. It is highly addictive and has detrimental health consequences when consumed over a period of many years.
• Long-term caffeine consumption has been correlated with a loss of bone mineral density as well as hypoglycemia.
Bottom line
• Coffee does not affect alertness, according to a new study from the University of Bristol.
(from newstarget.com)
by Christian Evans
New research presented to the British Nutrition Foundation shows that regular consumption of coffee does not affect a person’s alertness. University of Bristol researchers have carried out a review of previous studies into the effects of caffeine, and concluded that only those who have avoided coffee for a significant time get a buzz from caffeine.
Jump directly to: conventional view | alternative view | bottom line
What you need to know - Conventional View
• Most people who rely on their morning caffeine fix claim that it wakes them up and helps get them through the day.
• The research shows that those who drink a caffeinated beverage are no more alert than those who never consume one.
• The Bristol researchers believe that coffee only counteracts the mild caffeine withdrawal symptoms people experience after having gone without the stimulant overnight.
• Professor Peter Rogers, a biological psychologist who led the research, told the BBC: "That alertness you feel is you getting back to normal, rather than to an above normal level. The morning boost is what people think is useful about caffeine, but if that doesn't happen, maybe it's not that useful after all."
• Caffeine does have some benefits, such as preventing cognitive decline in the elderly.
• Zoe Wheeldon, of the British Coffee Association, disagrees with the research and states: "There are two sides to the debate and a wealth of scientific evidence suggests that moderate coffee consumption of four to five cups per day is perfectly safe for the general population and does have a beneficial effect on alertness and performance even in regular coffee drinkers."
What you need to know - Alternative View
Statements and opinions by Mike Adams, executive director of the Consumer Wellness Center
• Of course the British Coffee Association is going to claim that drinking many cups of coffee every day is both safe and beneficial. The group has a financial incentive to say such things.
• Long-term coffee consumption depleted the adrenal glands and leads to chronic depletion of energy. Caffeine is the No. 1 most abused psychoactive drug in modern civilization. It is highly addictive and has detrimental health consequences when consumed over a period of many years.
• Long-term caffeine consumption has been correlated with a loss of bone mineral density as well as hypoglycemia.
Bottom line
• Coffee does not affect alertness, according to a new study from the University of Bristol.
(from newstarget.com)
Coffee intake linked to lower diabetes risk
Coffee intake linked to lower diabetes risk
by NewsTarget
Drinking coffee, especially when it is decaffeinated, may be associated with a reduced risk of type 2 diabetes, according to a report in the June 26 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.
Previous studies in the United States and Europe have linked coffee to a reduced risk of type 2 diabetes, according to background information in the article. The link between coffee and diabetes risk appears to be consistent across different ages and body weights; in addition, most research has found that the more coffee an individual generally drinks, the lower his or her risk for diabetes. However, it remains unclear whether it is the caffeine or another ingredient in coffee that may confer a protective effect.
Mark A. Pereira, Ph.D., and colleagues at the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, studied coffee intake and diabetes risk in 28,812 postmenopausal women in Iowa over an 11-year period. At the beginning of the study, in 1986, the women answered questions about their risk factors for diabetes, including age, body mass index, physical activity, alcohol consumption and smoking history. They also reported how often they consumed a variety of foods and beverages over the previous year, including regular and decaffeinated coffee.
Based on information reported in the initial questionnaire, about half of the women (14,224) drank one to three cups of coffee per day; 2,875 drank more than six cups; 5,554 four to five cups; 3,231 less than one cup; and 2,928 none. Over the following 11 years, 1,418 of the women reported on surveys that they had been newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. After adjusting the data for some of the other diabetes risk factors, women who drank more than six cups of any type of coffee per day were 22 percent less likely than those who drank no coffee to be diagnosed with diabetes; those who drank more than six cups of decaffeinated coffee per day had a 33 percent reduction in risk compared with those who drank none.
Overall caffeine intake did not appear to be related to diabetes risk, further suggesting that some other ingredient in coffee was responsible. "Magnesium, for which coffee is a good source, could explain some of the inverse association between coffee intake and risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus through known beneficial effects on carbohydrate metabolism," the authors write. However, the study found no association between this mineral and diabetes risk. Other minerals and nutrients found in the coffee bean--including compounds known as polyphenols that have also been shown to help the body process carbohydrates and antioxidants that may protect cells in the insulin-producing pancreas--may contribute to its beneficial effects and should be examined in future studies.
"In summary, we observed an inverse association between coffee consumption, especially decaffeinated coffee consumption, and the risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus over an 11-year period in postmenopausal women residing in the state of Iowa," the authors conclude. "Although the first line of prevention for diabetes is exercise and diet, in light of the popularity of coffee consumption and high rates of type 2 diabetes mellitus in older adults, these findings may carry high public health significance."
(from newstarget.com)
by NewsTarget
Drinking coffee, especially when it is decaffeinated, may be associated with a reduced risk of type 2 diabetes, according to a report in the June 26 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.
Previous studies in the United States and Europe have linked coffee to a reduced risk of type 2 diabetes, according to background information in the article. The link between coffee and diabetes risk appears to be consistent across different ages and body weights; in addition, most research has found that the more coffee an individual generally drinks, the lower his or her risk for diabetes. However, it remains unclear whether it is the caffeine or another ingredient in coffee that may confer a protective effect.
Mark A. Pereira, Ph.D., and colleagues at the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, studied coffee intake and diabetes risk in 28,812 postmenopausal women in Iowa over an 11-year period. At the beginning of the study, in 1986, the women answered questions about their risk factors for diabetes, including age, body mass index, physical activity, alcohol consumption and smoking history. They also reported how often they consumed a variety of foods and beverages over the previous year, including regular and decaffeinated coffee.
Based on information reported in the initial questionnaire, about half of the women (14,224) drank one to three cups of coffee per day; 2,875 drank more than six cups; 5,554 four to five cups; 3,231 less than one cup; and 2,928 none. Over the following 11 years, 1,418 of the women reported on surveys that they had been newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. After adjusting the data for some of the other diabetes risk factors, women who drank more than six cups of any type of coffee per day were 22 percent less likely than those who drank no coffee to be diagnosed with diabetes; those who drank more than six cups of decaffeinated coffee per day had a 33 percent reduction in risk compared with those who drank none.
Overall caffeine intake did not appear to be related to diabetes risk, further suggesting that some other ingredient in coffee was responsible. "Magnesium, for which coffee is a good source, could explain some of the inverse association between coffee intake and risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus through known beneficial effects on carbohydrate metabolism," the authors write. However, the study found no association between this mineral and diabetes risk. Other minerals and nutrients found in the coffee bean--including compounds known as polyphenols that have also been shown to help the body process carbohydrates and antioxidants that may protect cells in the insulin-producing pancreas--may contribute to its beneficial effects and should be examined in future studies.
"In summary, we observed an inverse association between coffee consumption, especially decaffeinated coffee consumption, and the risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus over an 11-year period in postmenopausal women residing in the state of Iowa," the authors conclude. "Although the first line of prevention for diabetes is exercise and diet, in light of the popularity of coffee consumption and high rates of type 2 diabetes mellitus in older adults, these findings may carry high public health significance."
(from newstarget.com)
Coffee drinking associated with lower risk for alcohol-related liver disease
Coffee drinking associated with lower risk for alcohol-related liver disease
by NewsTarget
Drinking coffee may be related to a reduced risk of developing the liver disease alcoholic cirrhosis, according to a report in the June 12 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.
Cirrhosis progressively destroys healthy liver tissue and replaces it with scar tissue. Viruses such as hepatitis C can cause cirrhosis, but long-term, heavy alcohol use is the most common cause of the disease in developed countries, according to background information in the article. Most alcohol drinkers, however, never develop cirrhosis; other factors that may play a role include genetics, diet and nutrition, smoking and the interaction of alcohol with other toxins that damage the liver.
Arthur L. Klatsky, M.D., and colleagues at the Kaiser Permanente Medical Care Program, Oakland, Calif., analyzed data from 125,580 individuals (55,247 men and 70,333 women) who did not report liver disease when they had baseline examinations, between 1978 and 1985. Participants filled out a questionnaire to provide information about how much alcohol, coffee and tea they drank per day during the past year. Some of the individuals also had their blood tested for levels of certain liver enzymes; the enzymes are released into the bloodstream when the liver is diseased or damaged.
By the end of 2001, 330 participants had been diagnosed with cirrhosis, including 199 with alcoholic cirrhosis. For each cup of coffee they drank per day, participants were 22 percent less likely to develop alcoholic cirrhosis. Drinking coffee was also associated with a slight reduction in risk for other types of cirrhosis. Among those who had their blood drawn, liver enzyme levels were higher among individuals who drank more alcohol, indicating liver disease or damage; however, those who drank both alcohol and coffee had lower levels than those who drank alcohol but did not drink coffee, with the strongest link among the heaviest drinkers.
Tea drinking was not related to reduced risk in the study, suggesting that it is not caffeine that is responsible for the relationship between coffee and reduced cirrhosis risk. "Previous reports are disparate with respect to whether the apparently protective coffee ingredient is caffeine; in our opinion this issue is quite unresolved," the authors write.
The findings do not suggest that physicians prescribe coffee to prevent alcoholic cirrhosis, the authors continue. "Even if coffee is protective, the primary approach to reduction of alcoholic cirrhosis is avoidance or cessation of heavy alcohol drinking," they conclude. "Assuming causality, the data do suggest that coffee intake may partly explain the variability of cirrhosis risk in alcohol consumers. Basic research about hepatic coffee-ethanol interactions is warranted, but we should keep in mind that coffee might represent only one of a number of potential cirrhosis risk modulators."
(from newstarget.com)
by NewsTarget
Drinking coffee may be related to a reduced risk of developing the liver disease alcoholic cirrhosis, according to a report in the June 12 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.
Cirrhosis progressively destroys healthy liver tissue and replaces it with scar tissue. Viruses such as hepatitis C can cause cirrhosis, but long-term, heavy alcohol use is the most common cause of the disease in developed countries, according to background information in the article. Most alcohol drinkers, however, never develop cirrhosis; other factors that may play a role include genetics, diet and nutrition, smoking and the interaction of alcohol with other toxins that damage the liver.
Arthur L. Klatsky, M.D., and colleagues at the Kaiser Permanente Medical Care Program, Oakland, Calif., analyzed data from 125,580 individuals (55,247 men and 70,333 women) who did not report liver disease when they had baseline examinations, between 1978 and 1985. Participants filled out a questionnaire to provide information about how much alcohol, coffee and tea they drank per day during the past year. Some of the individuals also had their blood tested for levels of certain liver enzymes; the enzymes are released into the bloodstream when the liver is diseased or damaged.
By the end of 2001, 330 participants had been diagnosed with cirrhosis, including 199 with alcoholic cirrhosis. For each cup of coffee they drank per day, participants were 22 percent less likely to develop alcoholic cirrhosis. Drinking coffee was also associated with a slight reduction in risk for other types of cirrhosis. Among those who had their blood drawn, liver enzyme levels were higher among individuals who drank more alcohol, indicating liver disease or damage; however, those who drank both alcohol and coffee had lower levels than those who drank alcohol but did not drink coffee, with the strongest link among the heaviest drinkers.
Tea drinking was not related to reduced risk in the study, suggesting that it is not caffeine that is responsible for the relationship between coffee and reduced cirrhosis risk. "Previous reports are disparate with respect to whether the apparently protective coffee ingredient is caffeine; in our opinion this issue is quite unresolved," the authors write.
The findings do not suggest that physicians prescribe coffee to prevent alcoholic cirrhosis, the authors continue. "Even if coffee is protective, the primary approach to reduction of alcoholic cirrhosis is avoidance or cessation of heavy alcohol drinking," they conclude. "Assuming causality, the data do suggest that coffee intake may partly explain the variability of cirrhosis risk in alcohol consumers. Basic research about hepatic coffee-ethanol interactions is warranted, but we should keep in mind that coffee might represent only one of a number of potential cirrhosis risk modulators."
(from newstarget.com)
Coffee consumption linked with reduced diabetes risk (but watch out for added fat and sugar)
Coffee consumption linked with reduced diabetes risk (but watch out for added fat and sugar)
by NewsTarget
(NewsTarget) A new report in the Archives of Internal Medicine claims a morning cup of coffee may help prevent diabetes.
Researchers compared the coffee consumption habits of 28,812 women enrolled in the Iowa Women's Health Study and found that the women who drank the most coffee -- especially decaffeinated varieties -- were 22 percent less likely to develop diabetes than women who didn't consume coffee.
When the study began in 1986, none of the participants had diabetes. During follow-up tests, 1,418 of the women were found to have the disorder. The data also showed that decaffeinated coffee provided the greatest benefits. The connection was seen in all age and weight groups.
Researchers don't know which ingredients in coffee provide the protective benefit; although it is known that caffeine does not reduce diabetes risk. Two other components of coffee, magnesium and phytate, do not appear to affect risk either.
While coffee may help lower risk, experts agree that proper diet and exercise is still the first defense against metabolic disorders, including diabetes. Additionally, even though coffee itself may offer some protection against diabetes, caffeine is known to cause adrenal depletion and chronic exhaustion if consumed daily.
Ingredients commonly used in coffee drinks pose additional health hazards. Coffee creamer, typically made with partially-hydrogenated oil, may boost the risk of cardiovascular disease and promote gains in abdominal fat. Similarly, adding refined sugar to coffee actually promotes blood sugar disorders, possible nullifying any protective effect against diabetes. A typical Starbucks grande coffee (16 oz.) has a whopping 550mg of caffeine and can be juiced up with so much fat and sugar that it's more like a milkshake than coffee.
(from newstarget.com)
by NewsTarget
(NewsTarget) A new report in the Archives of Internal Medicine claims a morning cup of coffee may help prevent diabetes.
Researchers compared the coffee consumption habits of 28,812 women enrolled in the Iowa Women's Health Study and found that the women who drank the most coffee -- especially decaffeinated varieties -- were 22 percent less likely to develop diabetes than women who didn't consume coffee.
When the study began in 1986, none of the participants had diabetes. During follow-up tests, 1,418 of the women were found to have the disorder. The data also showed that decaffeinated coffee provided the greatest benefits. The connection was seen in all age and weight groups.
Researchers don't know which ingredients in coffee provide the protective benefit; although it is known that caffeine does not reduce diabetes risk. Two other components of coffee, magnesium and phytate, do not appear to affect risk either.
While coffee may help lower risk, experts agree that proper diet and exercise is still the first defense against metabolic disorders, including diabetes. Additionally, even though coffee itself may offer some protection against diabetes, caffeine is known to cause adrenal depletion and chronic exhaustion if consumed daily.
Ingredients commonly used in coffee drinks pose additional health hazards. Coffee creamer, typically made with partially-hydrogenated oil, may boost the risk of cardiovascular disease and promote gains in abdominal fat. Similarly, adding refined sugar to coffee actually promotes blood sugar disorders, possible nullifying any protective effect against diabetes. A typical Starbucks grande coffee (16 oz.) has a whopping 550mg of caffeine and can be juiced up with so much fat and sugar that it's more like a milkshake than coffee.
(from newstarget.com)
Coffee and tea can reduce the risk of chronic liver disease
Coffee and tea can reduce the risk of chronic liver disease
by NewsTarget
A study published today in the American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) journal Gastroenterology found that people at high risk for liver injury may be able to reduce their risk for developing chronic liver disease significantly by drinking more than two cups of coffee or tea daily. This preventative effect was only seen in people at higher risk for liver disease due to heavy alcohol intake, being overweight or having diabetes or iron overload. This is the first study to take a prospective look at the relationship between coffee and tea consumption and chronic liver disease in the general U.S. population.
"While it is too soon to encourage patients to increase their coffee and tea intake, the findings of our study potentially offer people at high-risk for developing chronic liver disease a practical way to decrease that risk," said Constance E. Ruhl, MD, PhD, who conducted the study with colleague, James E. Everhart, MD, MPH. "In addition, we hope the findings will offer guidance to researchers who are studying liver disease progression."
Chronic liver disease is an ongoing injury to the cells of the liver, resulting in inflammation that lasts longer than six months. Its causes are numerous, including viruses, obesity, alcohol, metabolic or immunologic abnormalities, and side effects from various medications. Chronic liver diseases include cirrhosis, fibrosis and hepatitis. According to the most recent estimates from the National Center for Health Statistics, nearly 28,000 people die of chronic liver disease each year and there are more than 5 million prevalent cases of chronic liver disease and cirrhosis in the United States.
Researchers at the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases and Social & Scientific Systems, Inc. conducted an analysis of patients using the first National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES I) and the NHANES I Epidemiologic Follow-Up Study. The study population included 9,849 participants whose coffee and tea intake was evaluated and who were followed for a median of 19 years. In this analysis, coffee and tea intake was measured in cups, ranging from 0 to 16 cups per day with a median of two cups per day. Findings showed that those who consumed more than two cups of coffee or tea per day developed chronic liver disease at half the rate of those who drank less than one cup each day.
Over the last few years, there has been a growing body of evidence that coffee decreases the risk of elevated liver enzymes, cirrhosis and liver cancer. This study provides support for a protective effect of coffee on chronic liver disease and cirrhosis, and extends these findings to the general U.S. population. However, the study does not provide evidence that coffee and tea protect against chronic liver disease from individual causes, such as fatty liver disease or viral hepatitis.
"In the analysis, we determined that caffeine was partly responsible for the protective effect found. We believe that investigations into the mechanism of action of caffeine for protecting the liver and its clinical application are needed," said Dr. Ruhl.
(from newstarget.com)
by NewsTarget
A study published today in the American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) journal Gastroenterology found that people at high risk for liver injury may be able to reduce their risk for developing chronic liver disease significantly by drinking more than two cups of coffee or tea daily. This preventative effect was only seen in people at higher risk for liver disease due to heavy alcohol intake, being overweight or having diabetes or iron overload. This is the first study to take a prospective look at the relationship between coffee and tea consumption and chronic liver disease in the general U.S. population.
"While it is too soon to encourage patients to increase their coffee and tea intake, the findings of our study potentially offer people at high-risk for developing chronic liver disease a practical way to decrease that risk," said Constance E. Ruhl, MD, PhD, who conducted the study with colleague, James E. Everhart, MD, MPH. "In addition, we hope the findings will offer guidance to researchers who are studying liver disease progression."
Chronic liver disease is an ongoing injury to the cells of the liver, resulting in inflammation that lasts longer than six months. Its causes are numerous, including viruses, obesity, alcohol, metabolic or immunologic abnormalities, and side effects from various medications. Chronic liver diseases include cirrhosis, fibrosis and hepatitis. According to the most recent estimates from the National Center for Health Statistics, nearly 28,000 people die of chronic liver disease each year and there are more than 5 million prevalent cases of chronic liver disease and cirrhosis in the United States.
Researchers at the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases and Social & Scientific Systems, Inc. conducted an analysis of patients using the first National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES I) and the NHANES I Epidemiologic Follow-Up Study. The study population included 9,849 participants whose coffee and tea intake was evaluated and who were followed for a median of 19 years. In this analysis, coffee and tea intake was measured in cups, ranging from 0 to 16 cups per day with a median of two cups per day. Findings showed that those who consumed more than two cups of coffee or tea per day developed chronic liver disease at half the rate of those who drank less than one cup each day.
Over the last few years, there has been a growing body of evidence that coffee decreases the risk of elevated liver enzymes, cirrhosis and liver cancer. This study provides support for a protective effect of coffee on chronic liver disease and cirrhosis, and extends these findings to the general U.S. population. However, the study does not provide evidence that coffee and tea protect against chronic liver disease from individual causes, such as fatty liver disease or viral hepatitis.
"In the analysis, we determined that caffeine was partly responsible for the protective effect found. We believe that investigations into the mechanism of action of caffeine for protecting the liver and its clinical application are needed," said Dr. Ruhl.
(from newstarget.com)
Caffeine limits blood flow to heart muscle during exercise
Caffeine limits blood flow to heart muscle during exercise
by NewsTarget
In healthy volunteers, the equivalent of two cups of coffee reduced the body's ability to boost blood flow to the heart muscle in response to exercise, and the effect was stronger when the participants were in a chamber simulating high altitude, according to a new study in the Jan. 17, 2006, issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
"Whenever we do a physical exercise, myocardial blood flow has to increase in order to match the increased need of oxygen. We found that caffeine may adversely affect this mechanism. It partly blunts the needed increase in flow," said Philipp A. Kaufmann, M.D., F.A.C.C., from the University Hospital Zurich and Center for Integrative Human Physiology CIHP in Zurich,.
The researchers, including lead author Mehdi Namdar, M.D., F.A.C.C., studied 18 young, healthy people who were regular coffee drinkers. The participants did not drink any coffee for 36 hours prior to the study testing. In one part of the study, PET scans that showed blood flow in the hearts of 10 participants were performed before and immediately after they rode a stationary exercise bicycle. In the second part of the study, the same type of myocardial blood-flow measurements were done in 8 participants who were in a chamber simulating the thin air at about 15,000 feet (4,500 meters) altitude. The high-altitude test was designed to mimic the way coronary artery disease deprives the heart muscle of sufficient oxygen. In both groups, the testing procedure was repeated 50 minutes after each participant swallowed a tablet containing 200 milligrams of caffeine, the equivalent of two cups of coffee.
The caffeine dose did not affect blood flow within the heart muscle while the participants were at rest. However, the blood flow measurements taken immediately after exercise were significantly lower after the participants had taken caffeine tablets. The effect was pronounced in the group in the high-altitude chamber.
Blood flow normally increases in response to exercise, and the results indicate that caffeine reduces the body's ability to boost blood flow to the muscle of the heart on demand. The ratio of exercise blood flow to resting blood flow, called the myocardial flow reserve, was 22 percent lower in the group at normal air pressure after ingesting caffeine and 39 percent lower in the group in the high-altitude chamber. Dr. Kaufmann said that caffeine may block certain receptors in the walls of blood vessels, interfering with the normal process by which adenosine signals blood vessels to dilate in response to the demands of physical activity.
"Although these findings seem not to have a clinical importance in healthy volunteers, they may raise safety questions in patients with reduced coronary flow reserve, as seen in coronary artery disease, particularly before physical exercise and at high-altitude exposure," the researchers wrote.
Although caffeine is a stimulant, these results also indicate that coffee may not necessarily boost athletic performance.
"We now have good evidence that, at the level of myocardial blood flow, caffeine is not a useful stimulant. It may be a stimulant at the cerebral level in terms of being more awake and alert, which may subjectively give the feeling of having better physical performance. But I now would not recommend that any athlete drink caffeine before sports. It may not be a physical stimulant, and may even adversely affect physical performance," Dr. Kaufmann said. "It may not be as harmless as we thought before, particularly if you suffer from coronary artery disease or if you are in the mountains."
Dr. Kaufmann noted that this study was not designed to measure athletic performance.
Although the participants were all healthy, Dr. Kaufmann said that the results raise concerns about possible effects of caffeine in people with heart disease.
"Any advice would be based on results of healthy volunteers and would be a bit speculative; nevertheless, my advice would be: do not drink coffee before doing physical activities. We hope to be able to provide data soon on the situation of patients with coronary artery disease," he said.
The researchers noted that other studies of coffee and heart disease have produced mixed results.
Although this study included only 18 participants, the researchers said that the differences they saw were large enough for them to be confident that the effect of caffeine on heart muscle blood flow is real. They pointed out that longer studies of people with heart disease will be needed in order to understand whether the blood flow effects have important health consequences.
Thomas H. Schindler, M.D. from the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA in Los Angeles, California, who was not connected with this study, said that if the results are confirmed, they could have important implications.
"In particular, this may play an important role in patients with obstructive coronary artery disease in the intermediate range between 50 percent and 85 percent narrowing of the epicardial luminal diameter. In this range of coronary artery disease-induced epicardial narrowing, the myocardial flow reserve (MFR) has been widely assumed to compensate for the epicardial narrowing and, thereby, to preserve the myocardial blood flow to the heart. A further reduction of the MFR, for example owing to caffeine intake, therefore could precipitate stress-induced myocardial ischemia, angina pectoris (reflecting an imbalance between myocardial oxygen supply and demand) or could also contribute to the manifestation of acute coronary syndromes. Consequently, as stated by Namdar et al., the current findings indeed raise safety questions in patients with already reduced MFR as seen in coronary artery disease, particularly before physical exercise and at high-altitude exposure," Dr. Schindler said.
Dr. Schindler said that further studies will be needed to answer the important questions raised by this study.
(from newstarget.com)
by NewsTarget
In healthy volunteers, the equivalent of two cups of coffee reduced the body's ability to boost blood flow to the heart muscle in response to exercise, and the effect was stronger when the participants were in a chamber simulating high altitude, according to a new study in the Jan. 17, 2006, issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
"Whenever we do a physical exercise, myocardial blood flow has to increase in order to match the increased need of oxygen. We found that caffeine may adversely affect this mechanism. It partly blunts the needed increase in flow," said Philipp A. Kaufmann, M.D., F.A.C.C., from the University Hospital Zurich and Center for Integrative Human Physiology CIHP in Zurich,.
The researchers, including lead author Mehdi Namdar, M.D., F.A.C.C., studied 18 young, healthy people who were regular coffee drinkers. The participants did not drink any coffee for 36 hours prior to the study testing. In one part of the study, PET scans that showed blood flow in the hearts of 10 participants were performed before and immediately after they rode a stationary exercise bicycle. In the second part of the study, the same type of myocardial blood-flow measurements were done in 8 participants who were in a chamber simulating the thin air at about 15,000 feet (4,500 meters) altitude. The high-altitude test was designed to mimic the way coronary artery disease deprives the heart muscle of sufficient oxygen. In both groups, the testing procedure was repeated 50 minutes after each participant swallowed a tablet containing 200 milligrams of caffeine, the equivalent of two cups of coffee.
The caffeine dose did not affect blood flow within the heart muscle while the participants were at rest. However, the blood flow measurements taken immediately after exercise were significantly lower after the participants had taken caffeine tablets. The effect was pronounced in the group in the high-altitude chamber.
Blood flow normally increases in response to exercise, and the results indicate that caffeine reduces the body's ability to boost blood flow to the muscle of the heart on demand. The ratio of exercise blood flow to resting blood flow, called the myocardial flow reserve, was 22 percent lower in the group at normal air pressure after ingesting caffeine and 39 percent lower in the group in the high-altitude chamber. Dr. Kaufmann said that caffeine may block certain receptors in the walls of blood vessels, interfering with the normal process by which adenosine signals blood vessels to dilate in response to the demands of physical activity.
"Although these findings seem not to have a clinical importance in healthy volunteers, they may raise safety questions in patients with reduced coronary flow reserve, as seen in coronary artery disease, particularly before physical exercise and at high-altitude exposure," the researchers wrote.
Although caffeine is a stimulant, these results also indicate that coffee may not necessarily boost athletic performance.
"We now have good evidence that, at the level of myocardial blood flow, caffeine is not a useful stimulant. It may be a stimulant at the cerebral level in terms of being more awake and alert, which may subjectively give the feeling of having better physical performance. But I now would not recommend that any athlete drink caffeine before sports. It may not be a physical stimulant, and may even adversely affect physical performance," Dr. Kaufmann said. "It may not be as harmless as we thought before, particularly if you suffer from coronary artery disease or if you are in the mountains."
Dr. Kaufmann noted that this study was not designed to measure athletic performance.
Although the participants were all healthy, Dr. Kaufmann said that the results raise concerns about possible effects of caffeine in people with heart disease.
"Any advice would be based on results of healthy volunteers and would be a bit speculative; nevertheless, my advice would be: do not drink coffee before doing physical activities. We hope to be able to provide data soon on the situation of patients with coronary artery disease," he said.
The researchers noted that other studies of coffee and heart disease have produced mixed results.
Although this study included only 18 participants, the researchers said that the differences they saw were large enough for them to be confident that the effect of caffeine on heart muscle blood flow is real. They pointed out that longer studies of people with heart disease will be needed in order to understand whether the blood flow effects have important health consequences.
Thomas H. Schindler, M.D. from the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA in Los Angeles, California, who was not connected with this study, said that if the results are confirmed, they could have important implications.
"In particular, this may play an important role in patients with obstructive coronary artery disease in the intermediate range between 50 percent and 85 percent narrowing of the epicardial luminal diameter. In this range of coronary artery disease-induced epicardial narrowing, the myocardial flow reserve (MFR) has been widely assumed to compensate for the epicardial narrowing and, thereby, to preserve the myocardial blood flow to the heart. A further reduction of the MFR, for example owing to caffeine intake, therefore could precipitate stress-induced myocardial ischemia, angina pectoris (reflecting an imbalance between myocardial oxygen supply and demand) or could also contribute to the manifestation of acute coronary syndromes. Consequently, as stated by Namdar et al., the current findings indeed raise safety questions in patients with already reduced MFR as seen in coronary artery disease, particularly before physical exercise and at high-altitude exposure," Dr. Schindler said.
Dr. Schindler said that further studies will be needed to answer the important questions raised by this study.
(from newstarget.com)
Rabu, 30 Januari 2008
Coffee Recipes
Cafétière Coffee
For the perfect Cafétière coffee, use water that has just come off the boil - boiling water will scald the coffee and impair its flavour.
Add two teaspoons of ground coffee per cup - moisten the grounds with a little of the water first to release the flavour before topping up to the desired level.
Brew for one to two minutes before pushing down the plunger.
Add milk and sugar to taste.
Caffè Latte
A Caffe Latte is a single shot of espresso with steamed milk. The milk is steamed, not frothed to produce a smooth texture. There is no frothed milk in this drink. A latte is the perfect coffee for those who like a milky coffee that still has plenty of flavour. It is the ideal breakfast coffee but is great any time of day.
The basics of a caffè latte is espresso.
A Caffe Latte should have approximately 120 - 150 ml of milk in it.
Serve in tall, heatproof glasses.
Cappuccino
One-third coffee, one-third milk and one-third foam - the classic recipe for a coffee that is great to drink at breakfast or anytime of day. It's an unwritten rule you order your cappuccino before your meal.
The perfect cappuccino has just as much coffee flavour as a neat espresso, but is softened by adding frothy milk.
You can froth the milk in a cappuccino creamer or simply heat it gently in a pan and whisk with a fork or hand whisk.
Pour the frothy milk onto your hot black coffee and add the foam on the top with a spoon.
Sprinkle with chocolate powder or ground cinnamon.
Caribbean
For 8 servings you need:
• 1 coconut
• 2 cups milk
• 4 cups strong coffee
• 1 tablespoon sugar
For preparation follow these 9 easy steps.
1. Punch two holes in to coconut, pour liquid into saucepan
2. Bake coconut for 30 minutes at 300 F degrees
3. Break open coconut, remove meat, and grate
4. Mix coconut meat, coconut liquid, and milk in a sauce panv
5. Heat over low heat until creamy
6. Strain
7. Toast grated coconut under broiler
8. Mix milk mixture, coffee, and sugar
9. Pour into mugs, garnish with toasted coconut
European coffee
This unusual coffee taste will make your day. Unique combination of coffee with vanilla creates a new aroma and unforgettable pleasure.
Beat egg white until forms soft peaks. Gently add vanilla, and continue to beat to stiff peaks are formed. Place into 2 coffee mugs. Pour coffee over egg white. Top with half and half.
• 1 cup strong coffee
• 1 egg white
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons half and half
Espresso
The classic, dark Italian coffee is the perfect pick-me-up and the ideal after-dinner coffee. A good espresso is the Rolls Royce of coffee and has a pure, rich flavour and irresistible smoky aroma. Espresso is a superb dark after-dinner coffee, but may be enjoyed at any time of day.
The perfect cappuccino has just as much coffee flavour as a neat espresso, but is softened by adding frothy milk.
The perfect espresso is a dark, robust coffee and can be made in any coffee maker.
Pour your coffee into small cups, add sugar if preferred, and if you want to drink it Italian style, allow to cool a little and knock it back in one or two gulps!
Espresso Con Panna
The classic, dark Italian coffee is the perfect pick-me-up and the ideal after-dinner coffee. A good espresso is the Rolls Royce of coffee and has a pure, rich flavour and irresistible smoky aroma. Espresso is a superb dark after-dinner coffee, but may be enjoyed at any time of day.
The perfect cappuccino has just as much coffee flavour as a neat espresso, but is softened by adding frothy milk.
For the perfect Espresso Con Panna brew espresso - a dark, robust coffee - in an espresso machine or coffee maker.
Meanwhile, whip 2 tablespoons of double cream per cup.
Pour coffee into cups and top each with enough whipped cream to cover.
Drink immediately before the cream melts!
Grog
That is not the recipe of real grog, it is just another delicous coffee beverage. Taste and the world will smile to you.
Peel of one large orange, broken into 6 pieces. Peel of one large lemon, broken into 6 pieces. Place one piece of each peel into cups. Mix butter, sugar, cloves, nutmeg and cinnamon. Mix coffee and cream. Pour both mixtures into cups and stir.
• 3 cups coffee
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons softened butter
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
Instant Coffee
Instant coffee was launched onto the market in the 1950's. A cup of instant coffee can be prepared quickly and easily, without brewing, since this has already been done in the factory.
Next time you make a cup of instant coffee, keep these tips in mind.
• Always use fresh water in your kettle. Don't let water sit for too long.
• Try using mineral water instead of tap water.
• Use water just off the boil.
• Add one rounded teaspoon of coffee per cup - more or less, according to taste.
• Milk may be added before or after the water.
• Coffee should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator to preserve the aroma. Instant coffee will keep much longer than roast or ground coffee.
Irish Coffee
• 1 Measure (3 cl) of Irish Whiskey
• 1 teaspoon of raw sugar
• 1 heaped desertspoon of whipped cream
• Hot strong coffee to fill the glass
Pre-warm a stemmed glass. Add the whiskey. Add the sugar and stir in the coffee. Float the whipped cream on top. Drink the coffee through the cream (ie do not stir after adding the cream).
Orange Coffee
This fragrant coffee has refreshing taste thanks to orange slices. Chocolate and cinnamon makes the taste rish and bright.
Mix coffee and hot chocolate. Place one orange slice into each cup. Pour coffee mixture into cups. Top with whipped cream, and garnish with cinnamon.
• 1 cup strong coffee
• 1 cup hot chocolate r
• 2 orange slices
• Whipped cream
• Dash of cinnamon
Viennese Coffee
Coffee has been at the center of political and social interaction, for both men and women. Women socialized with each other over coffee and sweets. Men socialized in coffee houses to discuss politics and to play backgammon. Let's follow wonderful traditions of the past!
Melt chocolate in saucepan. Stir in light cream. Slowly add coffee, beating until frothy. In a cold bowl whip heavy cream and sugar. Pour coffee mixture into cups. Top off with heavy cream. Garnish with sprinkle of cinnamon and cocoa.
• 1/2 cup chocolate
• 2 1/2 cups strong coffee
• 4 tablespoons light cream
• 2/3 cup heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• dash of cinnamon
• dash of cocoa
(from justaboutcoffee.com)
For the perfect Cafétière coffee, use water that has just come off the boil - boiling water will scald the coffee and impair its flavour.
Add two teaspoons of ground coffee per cup - moisten the grounds with a little of the water first to release the flavour before topping up to the desired level.
Brew for one to two minutes before pushing down the plunger.
Add milk and sugar to taste.
Caffè Latte
A Caffe Latte is a single shot of espresso with steamed milk. The milk is steamed, not frothed to produce a smooth texture. There is no frothed milk in this drink. A latte is the perfect coffee for those who like a milky coffee that still has plenty of flavour. It is the ideal breakfast coffee but is great any time of day.
The basics of a caffè latte is espresso.
A Caffe Latte should have approximately 120 - 150 ml of milk in it.
Serve in tall, heatproof glasses.
Cappuccino
One-third coffee, one-third milk and one-third foam - the classic recipe for a coffee that is great to drink at breakfast or anytime of day. It's an unwritten rule you order your cappuccino before your meal.
The perfect cappuccino has just as much coffee flavour as a neat espresso, but is softened by adding frothy milk.
You can froth the milk in a cappuccino creamer or simply heat it gently in a pan and whisk with a fork or hand whisk.
Pour the frothy milk onto your hot black coffee and add the foam on the top with a spoon.
Sprinkle with chocolate powder or ground cinnamon.
Caribbean
For 8 servings you need:
• 1 coconut
• 2 cups milk
• 4 cups strong coffee
• 1 tablespoon sugar
For preparation follow these 9 easy steps.
1. Punch two holes in to coconut, pour liquid into saucepan
2. Bake coconut for 30 minutes at 300 F degrees
3. Break open coconut, remove meat, and grate
4. Mix coconut meat, coconut liquid, and milk in a sauce panv
5. Heat over low heat until creamy
6. Strain
7. Toast grated coconut under broiler
8. Mix milk mixture, coffee, and sugar
9. Pour into mugs, garnish with toasted coconut
European coffee
This unusual coffee taste will make your day. Unique combination of coffee with vanilla creates a new aroma and unforgettable pleasure.
Beat egg white until forms soft peaks. Gently add vanilla, and continue to beat to stiff peaks are formed. Place into 2 coffee mugs. Pour coffee over egg white. Top with half and half.
• 1 cup strong coffee
• 1 egg white
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons half and half
Espresso
The classic, dark Italian coffee is the perfect pick-me-up and the ideal after-dinner coffee. A good espresso is the Rolls Royce of coffee and has a pure, rich flavour and irresistible smoky aroma. Espresso is a superb dark after-dinner coffee, but may be enjoyed at any time of day.
The perfect cappuccino has just as much coffee flavour as a neat espresso, but is softened by adding frothy milk.
The perfect espresso is a dark, robust coffee and can be made in any coffee maker.
Pour your coffee into small cups, add sugar if preferred, and if you want to drink it Italian style, allow to cool a little and knock it back in one or two gulps!
Espresso Con Panna
The classic, dark Italian coffee is the perfect pick-me-up and the ideal after-dinner coffee. A good espresso is the Rolls Royce of coffee and has a pure, rich flavour and irresistible smoky aroma. Espresso is a superb dark after-dinner coffee, but may be enjoyed at any time of day.
The perfect cappuccino has just as much coffee flavour as a neat espresso, but is softened by adding frothy milk.
For the perfect Espresso Con Panna brew espresso - a dark, robust coffee - in an espresso machine or coffee maker.
Meanwhile, whip 2 tablespoons of double cream per cup.
Pour coffee into cups and top each with enough whipped cream to cover.
Drink immediately before the cream melts!
Grog
That is not the recipe of real grog, it is just another delicous coffee beverage. Taste and the world will smile to you.
Peel of one large orange, broken into 6 pieces. Peel of one large lemon, broken into 6 pieces. Place one piece of each peel into cups. Mix butter, sugar, cloves, nutmeg and cinnamon. Mix coffee and cream. Pour both mixtures into cups and stir.
• 3 cups coffee
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons softened butter
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
Instant Coffee
Instant coffee was launched onto the market in the 1950's. A cup of instant coffee can be prepared quickly and easily, without brewing, since this has already been done in the factory.
Next time you make a cup of instant coffee, keep these tips in mind.
• Always use fresh water in your kettle. Don't let water sit for too long.
• Try using mineral water instead of tap water.
• Use water just off the boil.
• Add one rounded teaspoon of coffee per cup - more or less, according to taste.
• Milk may be added before or after the water.
• Coffee should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator to preserve the aroma. Instant coffee will keep much longer than roast or ground coffee.
Irish Coffee
• 1 Measure (3 cl) of Irish Whiskey
• 1 teaspoon of raw sugar
• 1 heaped desertspoon of whipped cream
• Hot strong coffee to fill the glass
Pre-warm a stemmed glass. Add the whiskey. Add the sugar and stir in the coffee. Float the whipped cream on top. Drink the coffee through the cream (ie do not stir after adding the cream).
Orange Coffee
This fragrant coffee has refreshing taste thanks to orange slices. Chocolate and cinnamon makes the taste rish and bright.
Mix coffee and hot chocolate. Place one orange slice into each cup. Pour coffee mixture into cups. Top with whipped cream, and garnish with cinnamon.
• 1 cup strong coffee
• 1 cup hot chocolate r
• 2 orange slices
• Whipped cream
• Dash of cinnamon
Viennese Coffee
Coffee has been at the center of political and social interaction, for both men and women. Women socialized with each other over coffee and sweets. Men socialized in coffee houses to discuss politics and to play backgammon. Let's follow wonderful traditions of the past!
Melt chocolate in saucepan. Stir in light cream. Slowly add coffee, beating until frothy. In a cold bowl whip heavy cream and sugar. Pour coffee mixture into cups. Top off with heavy cream. Garnish with sprinkle of cinnamon and cocoa.
• 1/2 cup chocolate
• 2 1/2 cups strong coffee
• 4 tablespoons light cream
• 2/3 cup heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• dash of cinnamon
• dash of cocoa
(from justaboutcoffee.com)
Moderate coffee consumption may be associated with a reduction in the risk of certain diseases
“Moderate coffee consumption may be associated with a reduction in the risk of certain diseases,” food scientist says.
New York, NY – The good news about coffee and health keeps getting better, according to a food science expert who spoke at a symposium here. According to James Coughlin Ph.D., toxicologist and consultant in food safety, “The preponderance of scientific evidence suggests that moderate coffee consumption – that is three to five cups a day – may be associated with a reduction in the risk of certain diseases.”
The symposium, Nutrigenomics: The New Science of Genes, Nutrition, and Health, was held here to introduce science writers to nutrigenomics, the new study of how foods affect our genes and how individual genetic differences affect the way we respond to nutrients in foods.
Dr. Coughlin told the group that habitual consumption of five or more cups of coffee a day has been associated with improved glucose regulation and a marked lower risk of acquiring type 2 diabetes. That means that there is a 35% to 75% lower risk of developing the disease as shown in studies in the United States, Japan and Europe. Even drinking three to four cups of coffee a day will lower an individual’s diabetes risk. The protection afforded by coffee exists whether one drinks caffeine-containing or decaffeinated coffees; this positive effect may be the result of coffee’s natural polyphenolic antioxidants, magnesium and lignans.
Liver disease is also affected positively by drinking coffee. The toxicologist said, “Coffee consumption has been associated with a clinically significant reduced risk of liver cancer and cirrhosis.” He said there are data that suggest the reduced risk of alcohol cirrhosis could be associated with the phenolics and related substances in coffee.
The scientist told the science writers that coffee might play a role in cancer protection, also due to its naturally occurring polyphenolic antioxidants as well as heat-produced antioxidants. He said that there are studies from a number of countries that have shown that coffee is the major single source of dietary antioxidants – far more than tea, wine, chocolate, and individual fruits and vegetables. Furthermore, some coffee components can induce the expression of carcinogen-detoxifying enzymes, he noted.
Coffee seems to reduce the risk of Parkinson’s disease, according to epidemiological studies. Dr. Coughlin said, “Some research in neuropharmacology suggests that only one cup of coffee a day – that amounts to 80 to 140 mg of caffeine – can halve the risk of getting Parkinson’s disease. This might be because caffeine’s adenosine-blocking power may be one mechanism through which the brain cells in Parkinson’s disease are protected or conserved.”
Dr. Coughlin told the attendees, “Numerous other studies have shown that drinking coffee increases your mental alertness, cognitive functions, physical stamina and wakefulness. It has also been shown to reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease, gallstones, kidney stones, depression and suicide.
“There is a long established history of the safe use of coffee, and the newest detailed studies and re-examinations of old issues have been quite reassuring,” Dr. Coughlin noted. “Coffee and caffeine should already be recognized for their positive health benefits and potential functional food attributes. You can forget about coffee being bad for you, it’s actually good for you.”
***
“Coffee is the number one antioxidant molecule in the American diet,” expert on polyphenols tells science writers
New York, NY – “The leading causes of death in four out of 10 cases in the United States are diet related,” said Joe A. Vinson, Ph.D. “It’s well known that an increased consumption of fruits and beverages leads to a decreased risk of chronic disease such as heart disease, stroke, diabetes and cancer.”
Dr. Vinson is Professor in the Department of Chemistry at the University of Scranton in Pennsylvania. He spoke at a symposium, Nutrigenomics: The New Science of Genes, Nutrition, and Health. The educational event was held here to introduce science writers to nutrigenomics, the new study of how foods affect our genes and how individual genetic differences affect the way we respond to nutrients in foods.
The chemist said that chronic diseases cost our society over $200 billion per year in medical costs and lost productivity. He explained, “These diseases have a pathology that is initiated by free radicals. Recent epidemiology has shown that polyphenols consumed in foods may be the major agents responsible for their health benefits – not the antioxidant vitamins C and E as we’d all originally assumed. Unfortunately, measuring individual phenolic compounds is a difficult if not impossible task, due to the very large number – it’s 8000 and growing – of these compounds in plants. And that’s just one of the obstacles we encounter.
“We accepted the challenge,” Dr. Vinson said. “Our research group used market samples of common fruits, vegetables, spices, nuts, grains, oils and beverages to determine the total amount of phenols in foods and beverages using an analysis that measures the extract’s antioxidant activity. We also measured the quality of antioxidants in foods and beverages by means of an in vitro ‘heart disease in a test tube’ model.”
Dr. Vinson told the group that foods and beverages are better antioxidants than are antioxidant vitamins. He noted, “With the polyphenol content data and the USDA database of per capita food consumption, the contribution of each type of food to the average estimated intake of phenolic antioxidants was calculated for 2003. Total per capita phenolic antioxidants in the United States diet was 2.2 g. Polyphenols are the major antioxidants in foods and beverages, with the vitamins primarily being minor contributors. The beverage group produced the largest percentage of the total per capita intake of phenolic antioxidants – totaling 49%.
“Coffee was the largest single contributor on a daily basis for the average American, contributing 31% of the total daily antioxidants. Coffee is high in phenolic acids and chlorogenic acid, and is the number one antioxidant molecule in the American diet,” the professor explained.
“But do high polyphenol foods and beverages act as antioxidants in the body?” he asked. “Coffee given to humans increases plasma antioxidant capacity, and the polyphenol metabolites act as antioxidants at the level of low density lipoprotein (LDL), decreasing its oxidizability, a possible benefit for slowing down the atherosclerosis process and lowering the risk of heart disease. Recent studies have shown that milk drunk in coffee does not inhibit the absorption of polyphenols in a cell and animal experiment, although recent research suggests that milk in tea interferes with biological effect and presumably antioxidant absorption. Other high polyphenol foods such as tea, chocolate and red wine have the same effects on plasma antioxidant capacity and LDL oxidation.”
Dr. Vinson said that polyphenols, including those in coffee, can also affect oxidative stress by acting both directly as antioxidants and indirectly by affecting cell signaling and gene expression. He concluded, “Polyphenols have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antiproliferative, anti-angiogenic, antithrombic and vasorelaxive properties, which can affect disease and its pathology.”
***
People who avoid eating some vegetables and fruits may have no choice:
Such food preferences are genetically determined, says expert.
New York, NY. February 13, 2006 – So you say you can’t bear broccoli? You’d rather not grapple with a grapefruit at breakfast? Do people think it’s silly that you don’t like cilantro? Well, it’s not. It’s all in your genes, according to Dr. Ahmed El-Sohemy, who studies genetic determinants of food preferences.
Dr. El-Sohemy spoke at symposium, Nutrigenomics: The New Science of Genes, Nutrition, and Health. The educational event was held here to introduce science writers to nutrigenomics, the new study of how foods affect our genes and how individual genetic differences affect the way we respond to nutrients in foods.
“As a result of the Human Genome Project we know that certain genes exist in different forms, and that the various forms might explain why some people report the bitter taste of a particular food such as grapefruit as intense, mild, or not bitter at all. These genes code for receptors on the surface of the tongue and are responsible for detecting bitter compounds,” Dr. El-Sohemy told the group. The scientist is Assistant Professor and Canada Research Chair in Nutrigenomics in the Department of Nutritional Sciences at the University of Toronto. He is also Theme Leader of Functional Foods & Nutriceuticals for the Advanced Foods and Materials Network Center of Excellence, which is funding this aspect of his research.
It is one of Dr. El-Sohemy’s many interests to determine why some people don’t like grapefruit or vegetables such as broccoli, Brussels sprouts, radicchio and cilantro. He explained, “What we found is that a taste receptor coded by one of the TAS2R genes, which exists essentially in two different forms -- one called T, the other G -- is strongly related to grapefruit preference. If you have a T at a particular position in this gene you don’t mind grapefruit. But if you have the G version, you’re most likely to perceive grapefruit as bitter and not like it at all. There are over two dozen genes which code for taste receptors that detect bitterness alone. There are also genes that code for olfactory receptors, responsible for the sense of smell. Some people are more sensitive to the smell of certain foods, and that clearly affects their desire to consume those foods since flavor is affected by smell as well as taste.”
However, this research isn’t just about who likes what food. The approach that scientists such as Dr. El-Sohemy are taking is to ascertain whether those individuals who like certain foods have particular genetic differences. This information will help them better understand the link between the consumption of certain foods and various health outcomes.
According to the Canadian researcher, “When we find associations in studies that show that those who like broccoli have a lower incidence of colon cancer, for example, we need to ask ourselves whether there are any specific genetic differences between those who like broccoli and those who do not. Then we have to make sure that any association between the food and disease is not because of this genetic difference.”
Many bitter tasting foods also contain antioxidants and various phytochemicals, which may play a role in the prevention of certain chronic diseases. Over the years, the individuals who were able to thrive and flourish were those who weren’t sensitive to the bitterness of those foods. For such people broccoli and Brussels sprouts, for example, were rich sources of nutrients. For individuals who don’t like such foods, an additional problem is what they eat instead, since they may eat fewer nutrient-dense foods, which have been associated with an increased risk of a variety of chronic diseases.
***
Polyphenols, enriched in grapes, berries, and coffee: scientists are learning just how beneficial these food chemicals can be
New York, NY – How can we learn about preventing Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias? Helen Kim, Ph.D. is working on the answer by using new technologies to study the actions of polyphenols in the brain. Complex chemicals related to estrogens, polyphenols are different in that they’re also excellent antioxidants. Antioxidants are the chemicals that give flowers, fruits, and vegetables their color and protect them against oxidation from the sun. These same antioxidant activities are among the reasons why grapes, berries, coffee and other foods are so good for us.
Dr. Kim is Associate Professor at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, and Co-Director of the UAB Comprehensive Cancer Center Proteomics/Mass Spectrometry Shared Facility. She spoke at a symposium, Nutrigenomics: The New Science of Genes, Nutrition, and Health. The educational event was held here to introduce science writers to nutrigenomics, the new study of how foods affect our genes and how individual genetic differences affect the way we respond to nutrients in foods.
“We are interested in how dietary elements can help us understand aging-related processes in the brain that lead to dementias such as Alzheimer’s disease,” Dr. Kim told the group. “I believe that we can learn about chronic diseases such as cancer and cognitive impairment by supplementing the experimental diet with chemicals such as polyphenols that we think will attenuate or delay onset of a disease. Once we introduce the potentially protective dietary element, we then analyze the proteins in the affected organs -- brain, breast, prostate -- compared to the controls, to determine what the protein differences are and what they mean.”
Dr. Kim’s group works with over-the-counter dietary supplements, which she explains, “are important to understand with regard to several issues. Their ready availability means that the consumer can buy and take them without knowing which, if any, brands and doses are beneficial and effective.” These issues, and the potential for synergistic actions of these supplements with prescription drugs, were the basis of the NIH mandate nearly a decade ago that set up a handful of Botanicals Centers across the country, whose purpose is to understand the molecular basis of action of different classes of dietary supplements, and to determine effective doses, potential toxicities, and other important clinical issues.
The researcher told the science writers, “As part of the NIH-funded Purdue/UAB Botanicals Center for Age-Related Diseases, we decided to study grape seed extract for potential neuroprotective properties. It is enriched in proanthocyanidins, complex polyphenols that can exert antioxidant activity once they are ingested. We used 2D gel proteomics -- a technology that separates proteins based on molecular parameters intrinsic to each protein -- to identify brain proteins in vivo that were changed in response to grape seed extract. The majority of the proteins identified with this approach had already been implicated in earlier studies in Alzheimer’s disease and in transgenic models of dementia. Of importance was that a protein that was less abundant in response to grape seed was more abundant in Alzheimer’s disease (AD) brain, suggesting that grape seed protected against changes that lead to AD.
To what extent do these findings demonstrate that polyphenol-rich foods are beneficial for health? According to the Alabama scientist, behavioral studies have shown that grape seed extract enhanced learning and memory-formation, consistent with the proteomic results. Additional studies in her lab also showed that grape seed extract had chemopreventive activity in an in vivo model of chemically-induced breast cancer, again consistent with its health-sustaining properties.
Dr. Kim told the group, “The proteomic findings suggest that in addition to directly protecting proteins from oxidation, polyphenols may have health-protective actions by affecting gene expression of groups of proteins.”
She concluded, “Such multiple effects have also been suggested as part of the chemopreventive activity for caffeic acid, the dominant chemical in coffee. All these results indicate that risk for serious disease can be influenced by environmental factors, including diet, and that certain classes of food chemicals like the polyphenols may be very important in sustaining health, if not preventing disease.”
***
The way we respond to specific nutrients in certain foods can actually change the messages in our DNA, according to a new field of science.
New York, NY. February 13, 2007 -- “Nutrigenomics is about the interaction of foods we eat leading to key changes in the way DNA is used -- how each of us responds to specific nutrients,” Dr. Stephen Barnes told a group of science writers here.
Dr. Barnes is Director of the UAB Center for Nutrient-Gene Interaction and Associate Director of Purdue-UAB Botanicals Centers for Age-Related Disease at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. He spoke here at a symposium, Nutrigenomics: The New Science of Genes, Nutrition, and Health. Its purpose was to introduce this new scientific discipline, which utilizes what we now know about the genome to enhance nutrition.
“Take a photograph of a moment in a soccer or any other game,” the scientist suggested. “Suppose you have to determine from that photograph what happens next. The possible answers may seem completely random except for one or two. A wise person, a knowledgeable fan or a good coach, may have seen that play in a game 10 years prior and would recognize that photographed pattern and be able to predict the play. Well, nutrigenomics is like this because there are many variations. The genetic code appears to be static, but the code can get changed due to signals coming from the foods we eat - this can be good (we live longer) or bad (the risk of disease is higher).
Nutrigenomics is about recognizing the patterns of how genes are used and changed by the foods we eat.”
The researcher told the journalists, “In any given population, different groups respond to diet differently. There is presumably an optimal diet for each group. We’re
really like an animal or plant; there is no rational reason why we should be in all the parts of the world. Animals grow and survive where there is food and water; they don’t normally go to other places. Our diverse ancestors grew around a particular food source. Some were richer than others, some were plant based, some had a lot of animals and you could survive just by eating those animals. So, I think that in the times before we started moving around the world, diet-sensitive genes were optimized for each particular location. When we moved from that location, that is when we ran into trouble. It may be that early life diet exposures have an imprint on gene expression in ways that alter cancer risk over time. That is what we hope to find out.”
Genes may have specific roles at different times in our lives, starting with growth in the womb when “we’re growing like fury,” the speaker said. For example, in studying breast cancer colleagues of Dr. Barnes at UAB observed that events in mid-puberty seem to be “absolutely crucial” in determining risk. And by studying identical twins who grew up in different environments, other researchers were able to find out what differences the twins experienced at specific stages in their lives. They determined that, on average, two girls in a set of twins could be as much as one year apart in their onsets of puberty – despite having identical genes. So something in their diets or environments had an impact on the way in which the genes that promote puberty are switched on.
Dr. Barnes noted that the twin who began puberty second had a fivefold lower risk of breast cancer – despite having the same genes as her sister – suggesting that habits, athletics, foods, and other environmental factors we are exposed to “are quite big players in breast cancer risk, for a cancer that is not going to occur for another 30 to 40 years. In breast cancer you really have to look at what’s going on in the formative years of ages 12 to 20, when the breast is going through rapid development and certain genes are expressed. This is when the external influences like the diet can effect real change. This is how diet alters the course of genetic development. I believe that this field, nutrigenomics, will determine the health of nations.”
***
Would you like a nutritional plan that’s tailored to your genes?
That’s not as far-fetched as it seems, says renowned scientist.
New York, NY – Can the new science of nutrigenomics provide an understanding for the way common nutrition affects health, by altering the expression and/or structure of an individual’s genetic makeup? Ask Jim Kaput Ph.D., a leading figure in nutritional genomics, which says that we all respond to foods according to our individual DNA patterns.
Dr. Kaput is Senior Scientist and Science Coordinator, NCMHD Center of Excellence in Nutritional Genomics (CENG), University of California at Davis, Director of the Laboratory of Nutrigenomic Medicine at the University of Illinois Chicago, and Scientific Advisor to NuGO (the European Nutrigenomics Organisation). He spoke at a symposium, Nutrigenomics: The New Science of Genes, Nutrition, and Health. The educational event was held here to introduce science writers to nutrigenomics, the new study of how foods affect our genes and how individual genetic differences affect the way we respond to nutrients in foods.
According to Dr. Kaput, “The conceptual basis for this new branch of genomic research can best be summarized by what I call the Five Tenets of Nutrigenomics:
1. Improper diets are risk factors for diseases
2. Dietary chemicals alter gene expression and/or genome structure
3. Influence of diet on health depends upon an individual’s genetic makeup
4. Genes regulated by diet play a role in chronic diseases
5. “Individualized nutrition” – diets based upon genotype, nutritional requirements and status - prevents and mitigates chronic disease.”
The scientist told the science writers, “Applying the concepts of nutrigenomics to individuals is challenging because of the diversity of genetic makeup and individual responses to the complexity of foods. The latest research in genetics has demonstrated that gene–gene interactions, called epistasis, alter SNP (single nucleotide polymorphism) associations with chronic disease outcomes and may alter responses to food.
“While this field is being applied first to health care for the diagnoses and treatments of chronic diseases, and to personal nutrition for maintaining health and preventing chronic diseases,” Dr. Kaput said, “we foresee that the application of nutrigenomics to the consumer food market will be occurring over the next five to 10 years. The applications may appear to segment the consumer market, but the products that will be developed will be of high value; they will be capable of delivering the right nutrients to the right person at each stage of the life cycle.”
The scientist assured the attendees that the potential increased cost of such products will likely be offset by reduced costs for health care for the individual and for society. The common factors in these different applications are genetic testing to assess needs and the matching of genetic makeup to foods or food supplements.
Dr. Kaput said that although the promise of nutritional genomics, “has been well accepted by many scientists and business people, converting the science to medical and food products for consumers remains a significant challenge. While individual genes and their variants have been linked to specific foods or nutrients, an individual dietary chemical may interact with many other gene products in the course of absorption, transport, and metabolism. Gene–gene and gene–environment interactions that alter biological processes may change gene variant–nutrient associations differently among persons of different ancestral backgrounds.”
We still don’t know how much of a nutrient is needed for a biological effect in an individual, Dr. Kaput said, since many nutrigenomic and nutrigenetic experiments aren’t testing doses yet. However, answers will be forthcoming, since researchers around the world have initiated an international Nutrigenomics Society that will enable collaborations among various research groups in the near future.
New York, NY – The good news about coffee and health keeps getting better, according to a food science expert who spoke at a symposium here. According to James Coughlin Ph.D., toxicologist and consultant in food safety, “The preponderance of scientific evidence suggests that moderate coffee consumption – that is three to five cups a day – may be associated with a reduction in the risk of certain diseases.”
The symposium, Nutrigenomics: The New Science of Genes, Nutrition, and Health, was held here to introduce science writers to nutrigenomics, the new study of how foods affect our genes and how individual genetic differences affect the way we respond to nutrients in foods.
Dr. Coughlin told the group that habitual consumption of five or more cups of coffee a day has been associated with improved glucose regulation and a marked lower risk of acquiring type 2 diabetes. That means that there is a 35% to 75% lower risk of developing the disease as shown in studies in the United States, Japan and Europe. Even drinking three to four cups of coffee a day will lower an individual’s diabetes risk. The protection afforded by coffee exists whether one drinks caffeine-containing or decaffeinated coffees; this positive effect may be the result of coffee’s natural polyphenolic antioxidants, magnesium and lignans.
Liver disease is also affected positively by drinking coffee. The toxicologist said, “Coffee consumption has been associated with a clinically significant reduced risk of liver cancer and cirrhosis.” He said there are data that suggest the reduced risk of alcohol cirrhosis could be associated with the phenolics and related substances in coffee.
The scientist told the science writers that coffee might play a role in cancer protection, also due to its naturally occurring polyphenolic antioxidants as well as heat-produced antioxidants. He said that there are studies from a number of countries that have shown that coffee is the major single source of dietary antioxidants – far more than tea, wine, chocolate, and individual fruits and vegetables. Furthermore, some coffee components can induce the expression of carcinogen-detoxifying enzymes, he noted.
Coffee seems to reduce the risk of Parkinson’s disease, according to epidemiological studies. Dr. Coughlin said, “Some research in neuropharmacology suggests that only one cup of coffee a day – that amounts to 80 to 140 mg of caffeine – can halve the risk of getting Parkinson’s disease. This might be because caffeine’s adenosine-blocking power may be one mechanism through which the brain cells in Parkinson’s disease are protected or conserved.”
Dr. Coughlin told the attendees, “Numerous other studies have shown that drinking coffee increases your mental alertness, cognitive functions, physical stamina and wakefulness. It has also been shown to reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease, gallstones, kidney stones, depression and suicide.
“There is a long established history of the safe use of coffee, and the newest detailed studies and re-examinations of old issues have been quite reassuring,” Dr. Coughlin noted. “Coffee and caffeine should already be recognized for their positive health benefits and potential functional food attributes. You can forget about coffee being bad for you, it’s actually good for you.”
***
“Coffee is the number one antioxidant molecule in the American diet,” expert on polyphenols tells science writers
New York, NY – “The leading causes of death in four out of 10 cases in the United States are diet related,” said Joe A. Vinson, Ph.D. “It’s well known that an increased consumption of fruits and beverages leads to a decreased risk of chronic disease such as heart disease, stroke, diabetes and cancer.”
Dr. Vinson is Professor in the Department of Chemistry at the University of Scranton in Pennsylvania. He spoke at a symposium, Nutrigenomics: The New Science of Genes, Nutrition, and Health. The educational event was held here to introduce science writers to nutrigenomics, the new study of how foods affect our genes and how individual genetic differences affect the way we respond to nutrients in foods.
The chemist said that chronic diseases cost our society over $200 billion per year in medical costs and lost productivity. He explained, “These diseases have a pathology that is initiated by free radicals. Recent epidemiology has shown that polyphenols consumed in foods may be the major agents responsible for their health benefits – not the antioxidant vitamins C and E as we’d all originally assumed. Unfortunately, measuring individual phenolic compounds is a difficult if not impossible task, due to the very large number – it’s 8000 and growing – of these compounds in plants. And that’s just one of the obstacles we encounter.
“We accepted the challenge,” Dr. Vinson said. “Our research group used market samples of common fruits, vegetables, spices, nuts, grains, oils and beverages to determine the total amount of phenols in foods and beverages using an analysis that measures the extract’s antioxidant activity. We also measured the quality of antioxidants in foods and beverages by means of an in vitro ‘heart disease in a test tube’ model.”
Dr. Vinson told the group that foods and beverages are better antioxidants than are antioxidant vitamins. He noted, “With the polyphenol content data and the USDA database of per capita food consumption, the contribution of each type of food to the average estimated intake of phenolic antioxidants was calculated for 2003. Total per capita phenolic antioxidants in the United States diet was 2.2 g. Polyphenols are the major antioxidants in foods and beverages, with the vitamins primarily being minor contributors. The beverage group produced the largest percentage of the total per capita intake of phenolic antioxidants – totaling 49%.
“Coffee was the largest single contributor on a daily basis for the average American, contributing 31% of the total daily antioxidants. Coffee is high in phenolic acids and chlorogenic acid, and is the number one antioxidant molecule in the American diet,” the professor explained.
“But do high polyphenol foods and beverages act as antioxidants in the body?” he asked. “Coffee given to humans increases plasma antioxidant capacity, and the polyphenol metabolites act as antioxidants at the level of low density lipoprotein (LDL), decreasing its oxidizability, a possible benefit for slowing down the atherosclerosis process and lowering the risk of heart disease. Recent studies have shown that milk drunk in coffee does not inhibit the absorption of polyphenols in a cell and animal experiment, although recent research suggests that milk in tea interferes with biological effect and presumably antioxidant absorption. Other high polyphenol foods such as tea, chocolate and red wine have the same effects on plasma antioxidant capacity and LDL oxidation.”
Dr. Vinson said that polyphenols, including those in coffee, can also affect oxidative stress by acting both directly as antioxidants and indirectly by affecting cell signaling and gene expression. He concluded, “Polyphenols have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antiproliferative, anti-angiogenic, antithrombic and vasorelaxive properties, which can affect disease and its pathology.”
***
People who avoid eating some vegetables and fruits may have no choice:
Such food preferences are genetically determined, says expert.
New York, NY. February 13, 2006 – So you say you can’t bear broccoli? You’d rather not grapple with a grapefruit at breakfast? Do people think it’s silly that you don’t like cilantro? Well, it’s not. It’s all in your genes, according to Dr. Ahmed El-Sohemy, who studies genetic determinants of food preferences.
Dr. El-Sohemy spoke at symposium, Nutrigenomics: The New Science of Genes, Nutrition, and Health. The educational event was held here to introduce science writers to nutrigenomics, the new study of how foods affect our genes and how individual genetic differences affect the way we respond to nutrients in foods.
“As a result of the Human Genome Project we know that certain genes exist in different forms, and that the various forms might explain why some people report the bitter taste of a particular food such as grapefruit as intense, mild, or not bitter at all. These genes code for receptors on the surface of the tongue and are responsible for detecting bitter compounds,” Dr. El-Sohemy told the group. The scientist is Assistant Professor and Canada Research Chair in Nutrigenomics in the Department of Nutritional Sciences at the University of Toronto. He is also Theme Leader of Functional Foods & Nutriceuticals for the Advanced Foods and Materials Network Center of Excellence, which is funding this aspect of his research.
It is one of Dr. El-Sohemy’s many interests to determine why some people don’t like grapefruit or vegetables such as broccoli, Brussels sprouts, radicchio and cilantro. He explained, “What we found is that a taste receptor coded by one of the TAS2R genes, which exists essentially in two different forms -- one called T, the other G -- is strongly related to grapefruit preference. If you have a T at a particular position in this gene you don’t mind grapefruit. But if you have the G version, you’re most likely to perceive grapefruit as bitter and not like it at all. There are over two dozen genes which code for taste receptors that detect bitterness alone. There are also genes that code for olfactory receptors, responsible for the sense of smell. Some people are more sensitive to the smell of certain foods, and that clearly affects their desire to consume those foods since flavor is affected by smell as well as taste.”
However, this research isn’t just about who likes what food. The approach that scientists such as Dr. El-Sohemy are taking is to ascertain whether those individuals who like certain foods have particular genetic differences. This information will help them better understand the link between the consumption of certain foods and various health outcomes.
According to the Canadian researcher, “When we find associations in studies that show that those who like broccoli have a lower incidence of colon cancer, for example, we need to ask ourselves whether there are any specific genetic differences between those who like broccoli and those who do not. Then we have to make sure that any association between the food and disease is not because of this genetic difference.”
Many bitter tasting foods also contain antioxidants and various phytochemicals, which may play a role in the prevention of certain chronic diseases. Over the years, the individuals who were able to thrive and flourish were those who weren’t sensitive to the bitterness of those foods. For such people broccoli and Brussels sprouts, for example, were rich sources of nutrients. For individuals who don’t like such foods, an additional problem is what they eat instead, since they may eat fewer nutrient-dense foods, which have been associated with an increased risk of a variety of chronic diseases.
***
Polyphenols, enriched in grapes, berries, and coffee: scientists are learning just how beneficial these food chemicals can be
New York, NY – How can we learn about preventing Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias? Helen Kim, Ph.D. is working on the answer by using new technologies to study the actions of polyphenols in the brain. Complex chemicals related to estrogens, polyphenols are different in that they’re also excellent antioxidants. Antioxidants are the chemicals that give flowers, fruits, and vegetables their color and protect them against oxidation from the sun. These same antioxidant activities are among the reasons why grapes, berries, coffee and other foods are so good for us.
Dr. Kim is Associate Professor at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, and Co-Director of the UAB Comprehensive Cancer Center Proteomics/Mass Spectrometry Shared Facility. She spoke at a symposium, Nutrigenomics: The New Science of Genes, Nutrition, and Health. The educational event was held here to introduce science writers to nutrigenomics, the new study of how foods affect our genes and how individual genetic differences affect the way we respond to nutrients in foods.
“We are interested in how dietary elements can help us understand aging-related processes in the brain that lead to dementias such as Alzheimer’s disease,” Dr. Kim told the group. “I believe that we can learn about chronic diseases such as cancer and cognitive impairment by supplementing the experimental diet with chemicals such as polyphenols that we think will attenuate or delay onset of a disease. Once we introduce the potentially protective dietary element, we then analyze the proteins in the affected organs -- brain, breast, prostate -- compared to the controls, to determine what the protein differences are and what they mean.”
Dr. Kim’s group works with over-the-counter dietary supplements, which she explains, “are important to understand with regard to several issues. Their ready availability means that the consumer can buy and take them without knowing which, if any, brands and doses are beneficial and effective.” These issues, and the potential for synergistic actions of these supplements with prescription drugs, were the basis of the NIH mandate nearly a decade ago that set up a handful of Botanicals Centers across the country, whose purpose is to understand the molecular basis of action of different classes of dietary supplements, and to determine effective doses, potential toxicities, and other important clinical issues.
The researcher told the science writers, “As part of the NIH-funded Purdue/UAB Botanicals Center for Age-Related Diseases, we decided to study grape seed extract for potential neuroprotective properties. It is enriched in proanthocyanidins, complex polyphenols that can exert antioxidant activity once they are ingested. We used 2D gel proteomics -- a technology that separates proteins based on molecular parameters intrinsic to each protein -- to identify brain proteins in vivo that were changed in response to grape seed extract. The majority of the proteins identified with this approach had already been implicated in earlier studies in Alzheimer’s disease and in transgenic models of dementia. Of importance was that a protein that was less abundant in response to grape seed was more abundant in Alzheimer’s disease (AD) brain, suggesting that grape seed protected against changes that lead to AD.
To what extent do these findings demonstrate that polyphenol-rich foods are beneficial for health? According to the Alabama scientist, behavioral studies have shown that grape seed extract enhanced learning and memory-formation, consistent with the proteomic results. Additional studies in her lab also showed that grape seed extract had chemopreventive activity in an in vivo model of chemically-induced breast cancer, again consistent with its health-sustaining properties.
Dr. Kim told the group, “The proteomic findings suggest that in addition to directly protecting proteins from oxidation, polyphenols may have health-protective actions by affecting gene expression of groups of proteins.”
She concluded, “Such multiple effects have also been suggested as part of the chemopreventive activity for caffeic acid, the dominant chemical in coffee. All these results indicate that risk for serious disease can be influenced by environmental factors, including diet, and that certain classes of food chemicals like the polyphenols may be very important in sustaining health, if not preventing disease.”
***
The way we respond to specific nutrients in certain foods can actually change the messages in our DNA, according to a new field of science.
New York, NY. February 13, 2007 -- “Nutrigenomics is about the interaction of foods we eat leading to key changes in the way DNA is used -- how each of us responds to specific nutrients,” Dr. Stephen Barnes told a group of science writers here.
Dr. Barnes is Director of the UAB Center for Nutrient-Gene Interaction and Associate Director of Purdue-UAB Botanicals Centers for Age-Related Disease at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. He spoke here at a symposium, Nutrigenomics: The New Science of Genes, Nutrition, and Health. Its purpose was to introduce this new scientific discipline, which utilizes what we now know about the genome to enhance nutrition.
“Take a photograph of a moment in a soccer or any other game,” the scientist suggested. “Suppose you have to determine from that photograph what happens next. The possible answers may seem completely random except for one or two. A wise person, a knowledgeable fan or a good coach, may have seen that play in a game 10 years prior and would recognize that photographed pattern and be able to predict the play. Well, nutrigenomics is like this because there are many variations. The genetic code appears to be static, but the code can get changed due to signals coming from the foods we eat - this can be good (we live longer) or bad (the risk of disease is higher).
Nutrigenomics is about recognizing the patterns of how genes are used and changed by the foods we eat.”
The researcher told the journalists, “In any given population, different groups respond to diet differently. There is presumably an optimal diet for each group. We’re
really like an animal or plant; there is no rational reason why we should be in all the parts of the world. Animals grow and survive where there is food and water; they don’t normally go to other places. Our diverse ancestors grew around a particular food source. Some were richer than others, some were plant based, some had a lot of animals and you could survive just by eating those animals. So, I think that in the times before we started moving around the world, diet-sensitive genes were optimized for each particular location. When we moved from that location, that is when we ran into trouble. It may be that early life diet exposures have an imprint on gene expression in ways that alter cancer risk over time. That is what we hope to find out.”
Genes may have specific roles at different times in our lives, starting with growth in the womb when “we’re growing like fury,” the speaker said. For example, in studying breast cancer colleagues of Dr. Barnes at UAB observed that events in mid-puberty seem to be “absolutely crucial” in determining risk. And by studying identical twins who grew up in different environments, other researchers were able to find out what differences the twins experienced at specific stages in their lives. They determined that, on average, two girls in a set of twins could be as much as one year apart in their onsets of puberty – despite having identical genes. So something in their diets or environments had an impact on the way in which the genes that promote puberty are switched on.
Dr. Barnes noted that the twin who began puberty second had a fivefold lower risk of breast cancer – despite having the same genes as her sister – suggesting that habits, athletics, foods, and other environmental factors we are exposed to “are quite big players in breast cancer risk, for a cancer that is not going to occur for another 30 to 40 years. In breast cancer you really have to look at what’s going on in the formative years of ages 12 to 20, when the breast is going through rapid development and certain genes are expressed. This is when the external influences like the diet can effect real change. This is how diet alters the course of genetic development. I believe that this field, nutrigenomics, will determine the health of nations.”
***
Would you like a nutritional plan that’s tailored to your genes?
That’s not as far-fetched as it seems, says renowned scientist.
New York, NY – Can the new science of nutrigenomics provide an understanding for the way common nutrition affects health, by altering the expression and/or structure of an individual’s genetic makeup? Ask Jim Kaput Ph.D., a leading figure in nutritional genomics, which says that we all respond to foods according to our individual DNA patterns.
Dr. Kaput is Senior Scientist and Science Coordinator, NCMHD Center of Excellence in Nutritional Genomics (CENG), University of California at Davis, Director of the Laboratory of Nutrigenomic Medicine at the University of Illinois Chicago, and Scientific Advisor to NuGO (the European Nutrigenomics Organisation). He spoke at a symposium, Nutrigenomics: The New Science of Genes, Nutrition, and Health. The educational event was held here to introduce science writers to nutrigenomics, the new study of how foods affect our genes and how individual genetic differences affect the way we respond to nutrients in foods.
According to Dr. Kaput, “The conceptual basis for this new branch of genomic research can best be summarized by what I call the Five Tenets of Nutrigenomics:
1. Improper diets are risk factors for diseases
2. Dietary chemicals alter gene expression and/or genome structure
3. Influence of diet on health depends upon an individual’s genetic makeup
4. Genes regulated by diet play a role in chronic diseases
5. “Individualized nutrition” – diets based upon genotype, nutritional requirements and status - prevents and mitigates chronic disease.”
The scientist told the science writers, “Applying the concepts of nutrigenomics to individuals is challenging because of the diversity of genetic makeup and individual responses to the complexity of foods. The latest research in genetics has demonstrated that gene–gene interactions, called epistasis, alter SNP (single nucleotide polymorphism) associations with chronic disease outcomes and may alter responses to food.
“While this field is being applied first to health care for the diagnoses and treatments of chronic diseases, and to personal nutrition for maintaining health and preventing chronic diseases,” Dr. Kaput said, “we foresee that the application of nutrigenomics to the consumer food market will be occurring over the next five to 10 years. The applications may appear to segment the consumer market, but the products that will be developed will be of high value; they will be capable of delivering the right nutrients to the right person at each stage of the life cycle.”
The scientist assured the attendees that the potential increased cost of such products will likely be offset by reduced costs for health care for the individual and for society. The common factors in these different applications are genetic testing to assess needs and the matching of genetic makeup to foods or food supplements.
Dr. Kaput said that although the promise of nutritional genomics, “has been well accepted by many scientists and business people, converting the science to medical and food products for consumers remains a significant challenge. While individual genes and their variants have been linked to specific foods or nutrients, an individual dietary chemical may interact with many other gene products in the course of absorption, transport, and metabolism. Gene–gene and gene–environment interactions that alter biological processes may change gene variant–nutrient associations differently among persons of different ancestral backgrounds.”
We still don’t know how much of a nutrient is needed for a biological effect in an individual, Dr. Kaput said, since many nutrigenomic and nutrigenetic experiments aren’t testing doses yet. However, answers will be forthcoming, since researchers around the world have initiated an international Nutrigenomics Society that will enable collaborations among various research groups in the near future.
Coffee Healthy Recipes
Did you know that coffee has benefits besides just tasting great? Coffee, your ‘best friend’ from college days when you pulled those all-nighters, really does enhance alertness, improve memory and reasoning skills and even helps put you in a better mood. And physically active individuals should know that coffee can improve physical stamina, reduce muscle pain and improve reaction time.
Try these tasty treats which are also good for you. Here are three
great recipes to start your collection. How’s that for using your bean!?
“The Power Lift”
Makes four 8-ounce servings
This coffee banana smoothie is a smart snack before a workout. Yogurt is a stellar source of calcium, the banana adds potassium, wheat germ kicks in extra vitamin E, and coffee contributes some vigor. All the way around, this is a healthful snack. Remember, research shows that caffeine improves physical stamina and may even reduce muscle pain. So enjoy it and then get moo-ving.
1 1/2 cups brewed coffee, cold or at room temperature
2 6-ounce containers plain low-fat yogurt (1 1/2 cups)
2 medium ripe bananas, peeled and sliced
3 to 4 ice cubes
2 tablespoons toasted wheat germ
2 tablespoons honey, or to taste*
* (Use more or less honey depending on the ripeness of the bananas.)
Place all ingredients in a blender container. Cover, and blend on high speed for 1 minute, or until smooth. Pour into 4 glasses. Serve immediately.
Per serving: Calories: 154; Protein: 6 grams; Carbohydrate: 30 grams; Fat: 2 grams; Cholesterol: 5 mg.; Sodium: 63 mg.
***************
Smart Start Milkshake
Makes two 12-ounce servings
This luscious Coffee Choco-Mint Milkshake is a great breakfast-in-a-glass to start your day. Research shows that the coffee in it enhances alertness, improves memory and can even help put you in a better mood and you get a calcium boost from the milk and ice cream.
Note: If you’re on a low-carb diet, just make the substitutions in parentheses.
1 cup brewed coffee, cold or at room temperature
1 cup chocolate ice cream, slightly softened (substitute low-carb ice cream)
1/2 cup low-fat (1%) milk (substitute low-carb milk)
1 packet Splenda™
1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
Place all ingredients in a blender container. Cover, and blend on high speed for 1 minute, or until smooth. Pour into 2 tall glasses. Serve immediately.
Per serving: Calories: 258; Protein: 6 grams; Carbohydrate: 25 grams; Fat: 18 grams; Cholesterol: 98 mg.; Sodium: 153 mg.
*************************
Seize the Day Café au Lait
Makes 1 serving
This mocha almond low-fat treat offers a perfect afternoon pick-me-up; the coffee will wake-you-up and the milk offers a calcium bonus!
2/3 cup low-fat (2%) milk
2 teaspoons chocolate-flavored syrup
1/8 teaspoon almond extract
2/3 cup hot, brewed French (or other dark roast) coffee
Grated chocolate, or freshly ground nutmeg, optional
In a small saucepan combine the milk, chocolate syrup, and almond extract until blended. Bring just to a boil over medium-low heat.
Pour the milk mixture and coffee simultaneously into a French café au lait bowl, or large coffee cup. Top with grated chocolate or freshly ground nutmeg, if desired. Serve immediately.
Per serving: Calories: 115; Protein: 5 grams; Carbohydrate: 16 grams; Fat: 3 grams; Cholesterol: 12 mg.; Sodium: 102 mg.
***************
Cappuccino Biscotti
Makes about 40 biscotti
These low-fat cookies are enhanced by the strong coffee that gives them great flavor. Enjoy one of these crispy confections with a cup ‘o joe or a low-fat latte for a guilt-free afternoon treat.
2 cups flour 5 tbl. brewed espresso, cooled
1 cup sugar 4 tsp milk
1/2 tsp. baking soda 1 large egg yolk
1/2 tsp baking powder 1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. salt 3/4 cup pecans chopped coarse
1/2 tsp. cinnamon 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
Stir together in a large bowl: the flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon till mixed well. In a small bowl, whisk together the espresso, milk, egg yolk and vanilla. Add liquid mixture to flour mixture and beat till dough forms. Stir in nuts and chips.
Knead the dough on a floured surface till no longer sticky, then halve the dough. Flour your hands and shape each piece into a flattened log 12 inches x 2 inches and arrange the logs at least 3 inches apart on a greased cookie sheet. Bake 350° for 35 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes, then cut biscotti on the diagonal into 3/4” slices. Arrange biscotti cut side down on the sheets and bake 5-6 minutes on each side till they are pale golden.
*********************
Heavenly Coffee Angel Food Cake
Makes 12 servings
There used to be a commercial for Choc Full O Nuts coffee that called it “that heavenly coffee.” You’ll find this coffee angel food cake heavenly—it is low in calories and low in fat, so you can splurge and top it with some low fat frozen yogurt. Coffee gives the traditional angel food cake a little extra zip.
1 cup sifted cake flour
2 tbl instant coffee, ground to a fine powder 1 tsp. cream of tartar
in a coffee grinder 1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups sugar 1 tsp. coffee extract (or
1/2 tsp. salt substitute almond extract)
1 1/2 cups egg whites (10-12 large eggs)
at room temperature
Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat it to 325o.
Sift the flour and ground instant coffee together onto a sheet of wax paper, then resift it with the sugar and salt onto a second sheet of wax paper.
In a large grease-free bowl of an electric mixer, add the egg whites and cream of tartar and mix on low speed till foamy. Increase speed gradually to medium and beat until whites are stiff and shiny, but not dry. Stop the mixer and add the vanilla and coffee extracts, whisking in once or twice by hand.
Carefully lift the wax paper holding the dry ingredients and sprinkle the flour mixture gently into the egg whites. Using a spatula, carefully fold the dry ingredients into the whites till just incorporated. Do not stir hard or the batter will deflate.
Very gently turn the batter into an ungreased tube pan and smooth the top lightly. Place immediately in the oven and bake for 45 minutes or till well risen and golden on top.
As soon as the cake is done baking, invert it (if your tube pan doesn’t have ‘feet”, hang the pan upside down over the neck of a bottle.) Allow the pan to hang upside down for several hours until completely cool. (If it cools right side up, gravity will make it sink and become dense.)
To remove from pan, slide a long thin knife around the edge of the pan and the center tube to loosen it. Top the cake with a plate, invert and lift off the pan.
Per Serving: 113 calories, 4 g protein, 24 mg carbs, 0 g fat, 0 mg cholesterol
(from coffeescience.org)
Try these tasty treats which are also good for you. Here are three
great recipes to start your collection. How’s that for using your bean!?
“The Power Lift”
Makes four 8-ounce servings
This coffee banana smoothie is a smart snack before a workout. Yogurt is a stellar source of calcium, the banana adds potassium, wheat germ kicks in extra vitamin E, and coffee contributes some vigor. All the way around, this is a healthful snack. Remember, research shows that caffeine improves physical stamina and may even reduce muscle pain. So enjoy it and then get moo-ving.
1 1/2 cups brewed coffee, cold or at room temperature
2 6-ounce containers plain low-fat yogurt (1 1/2 cups)
2 medium ripe bananas, peeled and sliced
3 to 4 ice cubes
2 tablespoons toasted wheat germ
2 tablespoons honey, or to taste*
* (Use more or less honey depending on the ripeness of the bananas.)
Place all ingredients in a blender container. Cover, and blend on high speed for 1 minute, or until smooth. Pour into 4 glasses. Serve immediately.
Per serving: Calories: 154; Protein: 6 grams; Carbohydrate: 30 grams; Fat: 2 grams; Cholesterol: 5 mg.; Sodium: 63 mg.
***************
Smart Start Milkshake
Makes two 12-ounce servings
This luscious Coffee Choco-Mint Milkshake is a great breakfast-in-a-glass to start your day. Research shows that the coffee in it enhances alertness, improves memory and can even help put you in a better mood and you get a calcium boost from the milk and ice cream.
Note: If you’re on a low-carb diet, just make the substitutions in parentheses.
1 cup brewed coffee, cold or at room temperature
1 cup chocolate ice cream, slightly softened (substitute low-carb ice cream)
1/2 cup low-fat (1%) milk (substitute low-carb milk)
1 packet Splenda™
1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
Place all ingredients in a blender container. Cover, and blend on high speed for 1 minute, or until smooth. Pour into 2 tall glasses. Serve immediately.
Per serving: Calories: 258; Protein: 6 grams; Carbohydrate: 25 grams; Fat: 18 grams; Cholesterol: 98 mg.; Sodium: 153 mg.
*************************
Seize the Day Café au Lait
Makes 1 serving
This mocha almond low-fat treat offers a perfect afternoon pick-me-up; the coffee will wake-you-up and the milk offers a calcium bonus!
2/3 cup low-fat (2%) milk
2 teaspoons chocolate-flavored syrup
1/8 teaspoon almond extract
2/3 cup hot, brewed French (or other dark roast) coffee
Grated chocolate, or freshly ground nutmeg, optional
In a small saucepan combine the milk, chocolate syrup, and almond extract until blended. Bring just to a boil over medium-low heat.
Pour the milk mixture and coffee simultaneously into a French café au lait bowl, or large coffee cup. Top with grated chocolate or freshly ground nutmeg, if desired. Serve immediately.
Per serving: Calories: 115; Protein: 5 grams; Carbohydrate: 16 grams; Fat: 3 grams; Cholesterol: 12 mg.; Sodium: 102 mg.
***************
Cappuccino Biscotti
Makes about 40 biscotti
These low-fat cookies are enhanced by the strong coffee that gives them great flavor. Enjoy one of these crispy confections with a cup ‘o joe or a low-fat latte for a guilt-free afternoon treat.
2 cups flour 5 tbl. brewed espresso, cooled
1 cup sugar 4 tsp milk
1/2 tsp. baking soda 1 large egg yolk
1/2 tsp baking powder 1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. salt 3/4 cup pecans chopped coarse
1/2 tsp. cinnamon 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
Stir together in a large bowl: the flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon till mixed well. In a small bowl, whisk together the espresso, milk, egg yolk and vanilla. Add liquid mixture to flour mixture and beat till dough forms. Stir in nuts and chips.
Knead the dough on a floured surface till no longer sticky, then halve the dough. Flour your hands and shape each piece into a flattened log 12 inches x 2 inches and arrange the logs at least 3 inches apart on a greased cookie sheet. Bake 350° for 35 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes, then cut biscotti on the diagonal into 3/4” slices. Arrange biscotti cut side down on the sheets and bake 5-6 minutes on each side till they are pale golden.
*********************
Heavenly Coffee Angel Food Cake
Makes 12 servings
There used to be a commercial for Choc Full O Nuts coffee that called it “that heavenly coffee.” You’ll find this coffee angel food cake heavenly—it is low in calories and low in fat, so you can splurge and top it with some low fat frozen yogurt. Coffee gives the traditional angel food cake a little extra zip.
1 cup sifted cake flour
2 tbl instant coffee, ground to a fine powder 1 tsp. cream of tartar
in a coffee grinder 1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups sugar 1 tsp. coffee extract (or
1/2 tsp. salt substitute almond extract)
1 1/2 cups egg whites (10-12 large eggs)
at room temperature
Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat it to 325o.
Sift the flour and ground instant coffee together onto a sheet of wax paper, then resift it with the sugar and salt onto a second sheet of wax paper.
In a large grease-free bowl of an electric mixer, add the egg whites and cream of tartar and mix on low speed till foamy. Increase speed gradually to medium and beat until whites are stiff and shiny, but not dry. Stop the mixer and add the vanilla and coffee extracts, whisking in once or twice by hand.
Carefully lift the wax paper holding the dry ingredients and sprinkle the flour mixture gently into the egg whites. Using a spatula, carefully fold the dry ingredients into the whites till just incorporated. Do not stir hard or the batter will deflate.
Very gently turn the batter into an ungreased tube pan and smooth the top lightly. Place immediately in the oven and bake for 45 minutes or till well risen and golden on top.
As soon as the cake is done baking, invert it (if your tube pan doesn’t have ‘feet”, hang the pan upside down over the neck of a bottle.) Allow the pan to hang upside down for several hours until completely cool. (If it cools right side up, gravity will make it sink and become dense.)
To remove from pan, slide a long thin knife around the edge of the pan and the center tube to loosen it. Top the cake with a plate, invert and lift off the pan.
Per Serving: 113 calories, 4 g protein, 24 mg carbs, 0 g fat, 0 mg cholesterol
(from coffeescience.org)
Coffee - Good for Your Liver?
Coffee : Healthy Tonic for the Liver?
People who drink more than a cup of coffee a day are less likely to develop liver cancer than those who do not, Japanese researchers say.
A team at Tohoku University, a state-run university in Sendai, in north-east Japan, compiled the data based on a study of about 61,000 adults. Professor Ichiro Tsuji, who led the study, said the team has yet to pinpoint the substance in coffee which appeared to curb liver cancer. But he said coffee helped lower the risk of cirrhosis, and that chlorogenic acid, present in coffee beans, had proven in an animal study to reduce the risk of liver cancer.
The team studied 61,000 people aged 40 years or over for seven to nine years between 1984 and 1997. It found 117 people developed liver cancer during the survey period. The team analyzed data based on the subjects' age, sex, and other factors, and concluded that the chances of developing liver cancer were 0.58 for those who drink more than a cup of coffee per day and 0.71 for those who drink less than a cup of coffee a day, compared with the base figure of one for non-coffee drinkers.
The tendency to develop liver cancer was particularly prevalent among those who had had some type of liver ailment other than cancer in the past, who were 60 or older, and who had smoked in the past. "The tendency not to develop liver cancer among coffee drinkers was consistent even if we analyzed their age, sex, and drinking habits," Tsuji said.
Tsuji presented the findings to a meeting of the Japan Epidemiological Association in Otsu January 22.
People who drink more than a cup of coffee a day are less likely to develop liver cancer than those who do not, Japanese researchers say.
A team at Tohoku University, a state-run university in Sendai, in north-east Japan, compiled the data based on a study of about 61,000 adults. Professor Ichiro Tsuji, who led the study, said the team has yet to pinpoint the substance in coffee which appeared to curb liver cancer. But he said coffee helped lower the risk of cirrhosis, and that chlorogenic acid, present in coffee beans, had proven in an animal study to reduce the risk of liver cancer.
The team studied 61,000 people aged 40 years or over for seven to nine years between 1984 and 1997. It found 117 people developed liver cancer during the survey period. The team analyzed data based on the subjects' age, sex, and other factors, and concluded that the chances of developing liver cancer were 0.58 for those who drink more than a cup of coffee per day and 0.71 for those who drink less than a cup of coffee a day, compared with the base figure of one for non-coffee drinkers.
The tendency to develop liver cancer was particularly prevalent among those who had had some type of liver ailment other than cancer in the past, who were 60 or older, and who had smoked in the past. "The tendency not to develop liver cancer among coffee drinkers was consistent even if we analyzed their age, sex, and drinking habits," Tsuji said.
Tsuji presented the findings to a meeting of the Japan Epidemiological Association in Otsu January 22.
Mental Alertness
Low-dose repeated caffeine administration for circadian-phase-dependent performance degradation during extended wakefulness. Wyatt JK, Cajochen C, Ritz-De Cecco A, Czeisler CA, Dijk DJ. Sleep. 2004 May 1;27(3):374-81.
Division of Sleep Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA.
OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether the effectiveness of a novel high-frequency low-dose caffeine regimen in counteracting the deterioration of performance during extended wakefulness is related to its interaction with homeostatic or circadian signals modulating performance and sleep propensity. DESIGN: Double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group design in a 29-day forced desynchrony paradigm in which the period of the sleep-wake cycle was scheduled to be 42.85 hours, i.e., far removed from the circadian range. This design allowed for separate estimation of the sleep homeostatic, circadian, and caffeine contributions to performance deficits or improvements. SETTING: Private suite of a general clinical research center, in the absence of time of day information. PARTICIPANTS: Sixteen healthy normal-sleeping men (aged 18-30 years) INTERVENTIONS: Caffeine (0.3 mg per kg per hour) or placebo was administered hourly during the 28.57-hour wake episodes. RESULTS: Plasma caffeine concentrations rose in an exponential saturating manner during wakefulness. Rising caffeine levels markedly attenuated wake-dependent deterioration of a number of measures of cognitive performance, particularly at the circadian performance nadir. Moreover, caffeine enhanced the ability of subjects to remain consistently awake for extended periods, holding subjects back from completing the full transition to sleep, but at the expense of increasing subjective sleepiness. CONCLUSIONS: High-frequency low-dose caffeine administration is effective in countering the detrimental performance effects of extended wakefulness. These data are in accordance with the hypothesis that adenosine is a mediator of performance decrements associated with extended wakefulness and may lead to new strategies to use caffeine in situations in which neurobehavioral functioning is affected by sleep loss.
Caffeine strengthens action monitoring: evidence from the error-related negativity.
Tieges Z, Richard Ridderinkhof K, Snel J, Kok A. Brain Res Cogn Brain Res. 2004 Sep;21(1):87-93.
Department of Psychology, University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
The medial frontal cortex, especially the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), is involved in action monitoring. We studied the role of moderate amounts of caffeine in action monitoring as expressed by the error-related negativity (ERN), an event-related brain component that reflects ACC activity. In a double-blind, placebo-controlled, within-subjects experiment, two caffeine doses (3 and 5 mg/kg body weight) and a placebo were administered to habitual coffee drinkers. Compared with placebo, both caffeine doses enlarged the ERN. Amplitudes of the P2 and P3 components were not affected by caffeine. Thus, the enlarged ERN after caffeine reflects a specific effect on action monitoring. We conclude that consumption of a few cups of coffee strengthens central information processing, specifically the monitoring of ongoing cognitive processes for signs of erroneous outcomes. Brain areas related to action monitoring such as the ACC presumably mediate these caffeine effects.
Caffeine and central noradrenaline: effects on mood, cognitive performance, eye movements and cardiovascular function. Smith A, Brice C, Nash J, Rich N, Nutt DJ. J Psychopharmacol. 2003 Sep;17(3):283-92.
Centre for Occupational and Health Psychology, School of Psychology, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK.
There have been numerous studies on the effects of caffeine on behaviour and cardiovascular function. It is now important to clarify the mechanisms that underlie such effects, and the main objective of the present study was to investigate whether changes in central noradrenaline underlie some of the behavioural and cardiovascular effects of caffeine. This was examined using a clonidine challenge paradigm. Twenty-four healthy volunteers were assigned to one of four conditions: (i) clonidine/caffeine; (ii) clonidine/placebo; (iii) placebo/caffeine: (iv) placebo/placebo. Baseline measurements of mood, cognitive performance, saccadic eye movements and cardiovascular function were recorded. Subsequently, volunteers were given either clonidine (200 microg) or placebo and consumed coffee containing caffeine (1.5 mg/kg) or placebo. The test battery was then repeated 30 min, 150 min and 270 min later. A second cup of coffee (with the same amount of caffeine as the first) was consumed 120 min after the first cup. The results showed that clonidine reduced alertness, impaired many aspects of performance and slowed saccadic eye movements; caffeine removed many of these impairments. Both clonidine and caffeine influenced blood pressure (clonidine reduced it, caffeine raised it) but the effects appeared to be independent, suggesting that separate mechanisms were involved. In addition, there were some behavioural effects of caffeine that were independent of the clonidine effect (e.g. effects on speed of encoding of new information) and these may reflect other neurotransmitter systems (e.g cholinergic effects). Overall, the results suggest that caffeine counteracts reductions in the turnover of central noradrenaline. This mechanism may underlie the beneficial effects of caffeine seen in low alertness states.
Effects of breakfast and caffeine on performance and mood in the late morning and after lunch. Smith AP, Kendrick AM, Maben AL. Neuropsychobiology. 1992;26(4):198-204.
Health Psychology Research Unit, School of Psychology, University of Wales College of Cardiff, UK.
The aim of the present study was to examine the effects of breakfast and caffeine on performance, mood and cardiovascular functioning in the late morning and after lunch. Forty-eight subjects were tested at 07.45 and subjects then assigned to one of the four conditions formed by combining caffeine and breakfast conditions. Subjects in the caffeine condition were given a dose of 4 mg/kg, the caffeine manipulation being double blind. At 11.15 subjects were given another coffee (subjects remained in the same caffeine condition) and had lunch at 12.30. Performance was examined prior to lunch (11.30) and after lunch (14.00). Effects of breakfast on recognition memory (lower false alarm rate) and logical reasoning (reduced accuracy) were found in the late morning but not after lunch. However, a semantic processing task was performed more slowly by the breakfast group after lunch. Caffeine improved performance on a sustained attention task, the logical reasoning task and semantic memory task. Subjects given caffeine also reported greater alertness and feelings of well-being, whereas the effects of breakfast on mood changed from the late morning to early afternoon. Few interactions between breakfast and caffeine conditions were obtained.
(from coffeescience.org)
Division of Sleep Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA.
OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether the effectiveness of a novel high-frequency low-dose caffeine regimen in counteracting the deterioration of performance during extended wakefulness is related to its interaction with homeostatic or circadian signals modulating performance and sleep propensity. DESIGN: Double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group design in a 29-day forced desynchrony paradigm in which the period of the sleep-wake cycle was scheduled to be 42.85 hours, i.e., far removed from the circadian range. This design allowed for separate estimation of the sleep homeostatic, circadian, and caffeine contributions to performance deficits or improvements. SETTING: Private suite of a general clinical research center, in the absence of time of day information. PARTICIPANTS: Sixteen healthy normal-sleeping men (aged 18-30 years) INTERVENTIONS: Caffeine (0.3 mg per kg per hour) or placebo was administered hourly during the 28.57-hour wake episodes. RESULTS: Plasma caffeine concentrations rose in an exponential saturating manner during wakefulness. Rising caffeine levels markedly attenuated wake-dependent deterioration of a number of measures of cognitive performance, particularly at the circadian performance nadir. Moreover, caffeine enhanced the ability of subjects to remain consistently awake for extended periods, holding subjects back from completing the full transition to sleep, but at the expense of increasing subjective sleepiness. CONCLUSIONS: High-frequency low-dose caffeine administration is effective in countering the detrimental performance effects of extended wakefulness. These data are in accordance with the hypothesis that adenosine is a mediator of performance decrements associated with extended wakefulness and may lead to new strategies to use caffeine in situations in which neurobehavioral functioning is affected by sleep loss.
Caffeine strengthens action monitoring: evidence from the error-related negativity.
Tieges Z, Richard Ridderinkhof K, Snel J, Kok A. Brain Res Cogn Brain Res. 2004 Sep;21(1):87-93.
Department of Psychology, University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
The medial frontal cortex, especially the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), is involved in action monitoring. We studied the role of moderate amounts of caffeine in action monitoring as expressed by the error-related negativity (ERN), an event-related brain component that reflects ACC activity. In a double-blind, placebo-controlled, within-subjects experiment, two caffeine doses (3 and 5 mg/kg body weight) and a placebo were administered to habitual coffee drinkers. Compared with placebo, both caffeine doses enlarged the ERN. Amplitudes of the P2 and P3 components were not affected by caffeine. Thus, the enlarged ERN after caffeine reflects a specific effect on action monitoring. We conclude that consumption of a few cups of coffee strengthens central information processing, specifically the monitoring of ongoing cognitive processes for signs of erroneous outcomes. Brain areas related to action monitoring such as the ACC presumably mediate these caffeine effects.
Caffeine and central noradrenaline: effects on mood, cognitive performance, eye movements and cardiovascular function. Smith A, Brice C, Nash J, Rich N, Nutt DJ. J Psychopharmacol. 2003 Sep;17(3):283-92.
Centre for Occupational and Health Psychology, School of Psychology, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK.
There have been numerous studies on the effects of caffeine on behaviour and cardiovascular function. It is now important to clarify the mechanisms that underlie such effects, and the main objective of the present study was to investigate whether changes in central noradrenaline underlie some of the behavioural and cardiovascular effects of caffeine. This was examined using a clonidine challenge paradigm. Twenty-four healthy volunteers were assigned to one of four conditions: (i) clonidine/caffeine; (ii) clonidine/placebo; (iii) placebo/caffeine: (iv) placebo/placebo. Baseline measurements of mood, cognitive performance, saccadic eye movements and cardiovascular function were recorded. Subsequently, volunteers were given either clonidine (200 microg) or placebo and consumed coffee containing caffeine (1.5 mg/kg) or placebo. The test battery was then repeated 30 min, 150 min and 270 min later. A second cup of coffee (with the same amount of caffeine as the first) was consumed 120 min after the first cup. The results showed that clonidine reduced alertness, impaired many aspects of performance and slowed saccadic eye movements; caffeine removed many of these impairments. Both clonidine and caffeine influenced blood pressure (clonidine reduced it, caffeine raised it) but the effects appeared to be independent, suggesting that separate mechanisms were involved. In addition, there were some behavioural effects of caffeine that were independent of the clonidine effect (e.g. effects on speed of encoding of new information) and these may reflect other neurotransmitter systems (e.g cholinergic effects). Overall, the results suggest that caffeine counteracts reductions in the turnover of central noradrenaline. This mechanism may underlie the beneficial effects of caffeine seen in low alertness states.
Effects of breakfast and caffeine on performance and mood in the late morning and after lunch. Smith AP, Kendrick AM, Maben AL. Neuropsychobiology. 1992;26(4):198-204.
Health Psychology Research Unit, School of Psychology, University of Wales College of Cardiff, UK.
The aim of the present study was to examine the effects of breakfast and caffeine on performance, mood and cardiovascular functioning in the late morning and after lunch. Forty-eight subjects were tested at 07.45 and subjects then assigned to one of the four conditions formed by combining caffeine and breakfast conditions. Subjects in the caffeine condition were given a dose of 4 mg/kg, the caffeine manipulation being double blind. At 11.15 subjects were given another coffee (subjects remained in the same caffeine condition) and had lunch at 12.30. Performance was examined prior to lunch (11.30) and after lunch (14.00). Effects of breakfast on recognition memory (lower false alarm rate) and logical reasoning (reduced accuracy) were found in the late morning but not after lunch. However, a semantic processing task was performed more slowly by the breakfast group after lunch. Caffeine improved performance on a sustained attention task, the logical reasoning task and semantic memory task. Subjects given caffeine also reported greater alertness and feelings of well-being, whereas the effects of breakfast on mood changed from the late morning to early afternoon. Few interactions between breakfast and caffeine conditions were obtained.
(from coffeescience.org)
Glossary of Term
Adrenalin : See ‘Epinephrine’
Apnoea : Cessation of breathing
Arrhythmia : Any variation from the normal rhythm of the Heart beat
(also cardiac arrhythmia, ventricular, arrhythmia)
Arteriosclerosis: Hardening of the arteries (see Atherosclerosis)
Atheroma : Arteriosclerosis with degenerative associations
Atherosclerosis : Build-up of cholesterol causing blockage of the Larger arteries
Benign : Not malignant (see below), not recurrent
Caffeine-naïve : Individuals who have not been consuming caffeine for a certain
period of time
Carcinogen : A substance which produces cancer
Carcinoma : A malignant new growth (see below)
Cardiac : Pertaining to the heart
Cardiovascular : Pertaining to the heart and blood vessels
Catecholamines : A family of hormones produced by the human body (see ‘Epinephrine’)
Cholesterol : A fat-like substance found in animal fats and oils
Chromosome : Structures present in each cell in higher organisms which comprise
genes (see below). The number of chromosomes in each cell is
predetermined for each species or organism
Confounding factors : Factors which may influence experimental results but which are
not necessarily themselves key factors or being studied
Congenital : Existing at — and sometimes before birth
DNA : Deoxyribonucleic acid — a molecular double helix, composed of
specifically arranged individual molecules. DNA represents the basic
"building blocks" of genes
Dose-related response : Either the respective greater, or reduced response to a
substance given in increasing or decreasing amounts
Duodenum : The initial length of the small intestine below the stomach
Duration-related response : The longer an individual is exposed to a test substance,
the greater the increase in response to it (or, for example — the
risk of disease)
Epidemiology : The study of disease occurrence in humans, and its relationship with
associated factors
Epinephrine : A hormone produced by the adrenal glands. Epinephrine is one of a
family of hormones known as catecholamines. Epinephrine is also
known as adrenalin
Ergogenic : A substance with ergogenic effects improves work or exercise
performance
Fibrocystic breast disease : A thickening of glandular tissue in the structure of the
breast
Gastrin : A hormone which increases the flow of gastric juices
Gastritis : Inflammation of the stomach
Gene : The self-replicating biological unit of heredity, comprised on DNA
(see above)
Genotoxicity : The effect of a substance on cellular genetic structure, leading to
possible abnormalities
Glycogen : A carbohydrate energy source which is stored in the liver and
muscles
High density lipoprotein(HDL) : The fraction of cholesterol believed to protect
against the development of cardiovascular disease
Hypertension : Pertaining to high, or raising of, blood pressure
In vitro : Carried out in a test tube or on cultures (for example, an
experiment may be carried out in vitro)
In vivo : Carried out in a living body (for example an experiment)
Ischaemia : Local and temporary blood deficiency (primarily due to contraction
of a blood vessel)
Lipid : A fat substance
Lipolysis : The breakdown of fats, or lipids
Low density lipoprotein (LDL) : The fraction of cholesterol believed to be important
in the development of adverse cardiovascular effects
Lower Oesophageal Sphincter : A short length of the oesophagus just above the
stomach. Muscular control of this region by the diaphragm prevents
stomach contents from moving back into the oesophagus
Malignant : A condition which tends to deteriorate
Metabolism : Bodily processes and chemical reactions by which an organism
converts food to energy
Methylxanthines : The group of chemical compounds which includes caffeine
Motility : Pertaining to movement
Mutagen : A substance which includes genetic mutation
Mutation : A permanent change in form or genetic characteristic
Myocardial infarction : Heart attack
Oesophagitis (Esophagitis) : Inflammation of the oesophagus
Oesophagus (Esophagus) : The gullet, or food canal, through which food passes
after swallowing, and which joins the stomach
Osteoporosis : A bone disease, primarily due to calcium depletion, which can lead
to an increased likelihood of bone fracture
Peptic : Pertaining to digestion
Placebo : An inactive substance given as a control to study participants to
compare with the effects of the substance under investigation
Reflux : A backward, or return flow
Relative risk (RR) : A measurement of risk for which 1 represents normal. RR less
than 1 suggests no risk. RR greater than 1 indicates some level of
risk. Only an RR of greater than 2 is generally considered to be
relevant to real human risk
Theophylline : A body breakdown product of caffeine, only produced in very small
amounts in humans
Thermogenesis : Literally, the production of heat. For example, fuel, or food
burning by the human body
Ulcer : A type of sore, or tissue disintegration
(from cosic.com)
Apnoea : Cessation of breathing
Arrhythmia : Any variation from the normal rhythm of the Heart beat
(also cardiac arrhythmia, ventricular, arrhythmia)
Arteriosclerosis: Hardening of the arteries (see Atherosclerosis)
Atheroma : Arteriosclerosis with degenerative associations
Atherosclerosis : Build-up of cholesterol causing blockage of the Larger arteries
Benign : Not malignant (see below), not recurrent
Caffeine-naïve : Individuals who have not been consuming caffeine for a certain
period of time
Carcinogen : A substance which produces cancer
Carcinoma : A malignant new growth (see below)
Cardiac : Pertaining to the heart
Cardiovascular : Pertaining to the heart and blood vessels
Catecholamines : A family of hormones produced by the human body (see ‘Epinephrine’)
Cholesterol : A fat-like substance found in animal fats and oils
Chromosome : Structures present in each cell in higher organisms which comprise
genes (see below). The number of chromosomes in each cell is
predetermined for each species or organism
Confounding factors : Factors which may influence experimental results but which are
not necessarily themselves key factors or being studied
Congenital : Existing at — and sometimes before birth
DNA : Deoxyribonucleic acid — a molecular double helix, composed of
specifically arranged individual molecules. DNA represents the basic
"building blocks" of genes
Dose-related response : Either the respective greater, or reduced response to a
substance given in increasing or decreasing amounts
Duodenum : The initial length of the small intestine below the stomach
Duration-related response : The longer an individual is exposed to a test substance,
the greater the increase in response to it (or, for example — the
risk of disease)
Epidemiology : The study of disease occurrence in humans, and its relationship with
associated factors
Epinephrine : A hormone produced by the adrenal glands. Epinephrine is one of a
family of hormones known as catecholamines. Epinephrine is also
known as adrenalin
Ergogenic : A substance with ergogenic effects improves work or exercise
performance
Fibrocystic breast disease : A thickening of glandular tissue in the structure of the
breast
Gastrin : A hormone which increases the flow of gastric juices
Gastritis : Inflammation of the stomach
Gene : The self-replicating biological unit of heredity, comprised on DNA
(see above)
Genotoxicity : The effect of a substance on cellular genetic structure, leading to
possible abnormalities
Glycogen : A carbohydrate energy source which is stored in the liver and
muscles
High density lipoprotein(HDL) : The fraction of cholesterol believed to protect
against the development of cardiovascular disease
Hypertension : Pertaining to high, or raising of, blood pressure
In vitro : Carried out in a test tube or on cultures (for example, an
experiment may be carried out in vitro)
In vivo : Carried out in a living body (for example an experiment)
Ischaemia : Local and temporary blood deficiency (primarily due to contraction
of a blood vessel)
Lipid : A fat substance
Lipolysis : The breakdown of fats, or lipids
Low density lipoprotein (LDL) : The fraction of cholesterol believed to be important
in the development of adverse cardiovascular effects
Lower Oesophageal Sphincter : A short length of the oesophagus just above the
stomach. Muscular control of this region by the diaphragm prevents
stomach contents from moving back into the oesophagus
Malignant : A condition which tends to deteriorate
Metabolism : Bodily processes and chemical reactions by which an organism
converts food to energy
Methylxanthines : The group of chemical compounds which includes caffeine
Motility : Pertaining to movement
Mutagen : A substance which includes genetic mutation
Mutation : A permanent change in form or genetic characteristic
Myocardial infarction : Heart attack
Oesophagitis (Esophagitis) : Inflammation of the oesophagus
Oesophagus (Esophagus) : The gullet, or food canal, through which food passes
after swallowing, and which joins the stomach
Osteoporosis : A bone disease, primarily due to calcium depletion, which can lead
to an increased likelihood of bone fracture
Peptic : Pertaining to digestion
Placebo : An inactive substance given as a control to study participants to
compare with the effects of the substance under investigation
Reflux : A backward, or return flow
Relative risk (RR) : A measurement of risk for which 1 represents normal. RR less
than 1 suggests no risk. RR greater than 1 indicates some level of
risk. Only an RR of greater than 2 is generally considered to be
relevant to real human risk
Theophylline : A body breakdown product of caffeine, only produced in very small
amounts in humans
Thermogenesis : Literally, the production of heat. For example, fuel, or food
burning by the human body
Ulcer : A type of sore, or tissue disintegration
(from cosic.com)
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