May 3
Who can resist the frosty goodness of a Frappuccino? While the taste may be to your liking, the cost might just have you sticking with a plain old cup–o-coffee. How about making your own concoction for just pennies on the dollar?
All it takes is coffee, sugar, milk, and a pinch of xanthan gum. Stick it in your blender with some ice and you’re good to go. And don’t forget to tip the barista.
Coffee Article: Make a Starbucks Frappuccino for $0.32
Apr 19
Not only does the Keurig coffee machine give you nearly-instantaneous gourmet coffee, it offers a dazzling and drool-worthy array of flavors and blends. Whether you’re a light-roast sipper or a dark roast caffeine junkie, there are so many blends out there that are worth a try. And most of these coffees are pretty fabulous! I’ve spent my share of time sampling different K-cup blends, and here are my faves so far.
Everyday Drinking: I’m partial to the Nantucket Blend from Green Mountain for everyday drinking. Green Mountain’s K-cup patents got this coffee giant in on the ground floor of Keurigs, so they’ve had some time to develop pretty amazing blends. This one has up-front fruit and berry notes reminiscent of African coffees, but the flavor is mellow and a bit citrus-y. Perfect for any time of day!
Extra Bold: If you want a rich, bold K-cup coffee, you may be hard-pressed to find one that doesn’t have a bitter element to it. For those who like their coffee strong without being bitter, or who consider themselves Starbucks loyalists, Coffee People’s Extra Bold Donut Shop and Emeril’s Big Easy Bold Coffee should go on your “must try” list. Both of these coffees have that full-bodied flavor without being too astringent. Emeril’s Big Easy Bold blend is thick, black and sludgy with a following all its own. Plus, the blend uses 50 percent Rainforest Alliance certified coffee, so you can feel good about drinking it.
Change of Pace: If you’re bored with your usual blend and looking to try something new, pick up the Timothy’s World Coffee, Kona Blend. With a mellow and relaxing blend of Kona and Arabica beans picked in Hawaii and roasted in Canada, this coffee serves up a relaxing, medium-bodied flavor burst.
Fair Trade: When it comes to Fair Trade, it might appear that your choices are limited. Here’s one that rises above the rest: Fair Trade Organic Sumatran Reserve Extra Bold K-Cup from Green Mountain. This blend has rich flavor, a thick, dark body and high notes of brown sugar, cherry and spice. A decadent treat for any time of day.
Flavored: Timothy’s World Coffee, German Chocolate Cake: Hands down, this is one of the best flavored coffees for K-cups. With a medium strength, full body and base of Arabica beans, this cake has all chocolate notes up front and a smooth, mellow drinking taste. Save this one for when you need a real treat; it is most definitely worth it. The only downside is this: actual cake not included.
Best for Icing: Summertime is all about cold coffee. For K-cups, you want a blend that can stand up to being poured over ice without diluting the flavor. For this, I recommend two Gloria Jean’s Coffees, hazelnut and Swiss chocolate almond. These are not the strongest coffees on the block, which is why they’re great iced. Too-strong coffee can just taste bitter when poured on ice. Both blends have a pleasing nutty flavor that makes iced coffee a real treat to savor.
These are my go-to blends when I’m looking for something new in the K-cup department. Do you have a favorite cup I’ve missed? As much as I love these guys, I’m always looking to try something new for my Keurig.
Image courtesy of Sears.com.
About the author: Lindsey is a professional writer living in the Indianapolis area and she writes on behalf of Sears and other deserving brands. Currently, Lindsey is completing work on her master’s degree.
Mar 22
With three cups of coffee already running through my veins, I begin referring to myself as “The Idea Factory” as I push down the On Switch to make another cup. And, because I’m pushing the On Switch of a Keurig, I know it won’t be long before I’m enjoying that delightful, energy-inspiring java.
I’ve tried about every way to brew coffee—French-press, drip, copper Turkish coffee pots—all in attempts to keep myself caffeinated and happy. After years of trial-and-error, I’m a Keurig fan. And I think you should be, too. Here are a few perks of using Keurigs and some ways you can get the most out of your K cups.
Fast and Delicious
The most common perk you’ll generally hear about using a Keurig coffee maker is that it brews coffee quickly. Which is true. But it also makes a great cup of coffee. You don’t lose quality with the portable and efficient K cups, whether at the office or at home. And you worry less about coffee going bad in the freezer after you’ve opened the bag, as K cups are individual and maintain freshness.
Save Coffee!
It’s tough to predict how much coffee you’ll want each morning. And that’s the problem with most drip-presses and French-presses—making too much or too little coffee. What’s fantastic about the Keurig is that you can make coffee quickly without going overboard, thereby wasting that precious caffeine. Have you ever wanted “one more cup” but didn’t want to take the time to make an entire pot? The Keurig can do that, no problem.
Variety On-The-Go
Are you the kind of person who gets tired of the kind of coffee you’re drinking before the bag of beans is finished? If so, the Keurig might be perfect for you because you can drink a different flavor of coffee every morning. Guests at your house really benefit from this, as they may prefer decaf or hot cider rather than the bold blend you enjoy.
Also, remember to shake each K cup before brewing to increase the flavor.
Other Tips and Tricks
Drink the best cup you can. In the case of the Keurig, you might want to use bottled or filtered water for your coffee. Or if your coffee is too strong, you can easily make a second, weaker cup by reusing a K cup.
You might be interested in more than coffee alone. The Keurig can give you quick boiled water for food like instant noodles.
Or maybe you just drink too much coffee. You have two options at this point: (1) get professional help, or (2) use the Keurig to limit your daily coffee intake. Regardless of whether you’re trying to tame your caffeine habit or kick it up a notch, the Keurig is designed to give you the coffee you want, when you want it.
Image courtesy of Sears.
Lindsey is a professional writer living in the Indianapolis area and she writes on behalf of Sears and other deserving brands. Currently, Lindsey is completing work on her master’s degree.
Mar 15
Have you ever tried to read the menu at your local coffee emporium? If you are in the habit of always ordering the same thing each and every time you go in, you can just recite its name from memory and go merrily on your way. But what if you want to try something different? How do you know what you’re going to get? And why is a Tall the shortest selection?
Debenhams, a department store in the UK has introduced a super simple menu, using such descriptive terms as “Simple coffee,” “Really really milky coffee, ” and “Frothy coffee.” No longer will you have to read the fine print to figure out what you’re getting, or have to parrot back a string of nonsense to the barista to get your morning cup.
Coffee Article: British Vendor Uses Plain English Coffee Menu
Feb 22
We’re always looking for a way to make our coffee lives better. One obvious choice for that, in terms of convenience, is to go for a single-serve K-Cup coffee maker. Just grab the little plastic capsule, slam it into your machine, press the button, and you’re on your way to coffee bliss—at least until you do the math. When you look at it on a price-per-pound basis, that fancy little pre-measured Keurig or Green Mountain Coffee packet is costing you something in the neighborhood of $50 dollars a pound. Yikes! And that’s on top of the $100 to $300 price tag for the hardware itself. Apparently there may be some hope, however: Keurig makes a reusable filter that you can fill with your own coffee and plunk it in the machine.
On the other hand, if you stop to calculate the cost per pound of your favorite cup of Starbucks or Dunkin Donuts best, you know it’s going to be more. Plus, you can use your K-Cup machine while you’re still in your jammies, which probably isn’t appropriate attire for your local coffee emporium.
Coffee Article: Single-serve Coffee: Easy! Convenient! Expensive!
Sep 7
Bongo Java
This quaint coffee shop features baristas that are highly skilled and friendly, making it a popular place for those who like to turn a coffee shop into an office. Along with tasty coffees of all varieties, this shop offers a selection of delectable breakfast treats on which to munch. This shop is located across the street from Belmont University, making it a convenient place for students to study and sip.
Ugly Mugs
For a quirky coffee stop, try Ugly Mugs, a Nashville exclusive. This local coffee shop offers your favorite coffees all served up in – you guessed it – ugly mugs. With a wide array of ugly mugs available, you never know which hideous coffee holder you will get each time you make your stop at this coffee shop.
Café Cocoa
If you find yourself jonesin’ for java in the middle of the night, Café Cocoa is your only option. This coffee shop is the only 24 hour coffee spot in Nashville. Frequenters note that it offers a diverse atmosphere full of interesting people and uncommon coffee house fare, including French fries. If you venture to this coffee house late, however, be prepared for sit in a noisy environment as many late night partiers stop off for some caffeine before returning home for the evening.
Frothy Monkey
This coffee shop is the ideal one for families, as it is highly kid friendly. Because it is often filled with kids, it isn’t the ideal place for studying. It does offer the typical collection of coffee treats, along with some breakfast, lunch and dinner food options, making it the ideal stop if you need caffeine and sustenance at the same time.
Coffee In
While Nashville is loaded with a collection of coffee houses from which to select, if you don’t want to leave the comforts of home, you don’t have to. Instead pick up all the odds and ends you need to make your favorite coffee-containing concoction at home. Buy an espresso maker, syrups and milk and whip up the drink of your choice. If you don’t want to invest in a potentially pricey espresso maker – or are just stopping by and spending your time in a hotel room – make some instant espresso with the aid of a time and energy efficient microwave. Turning you kitchen into the newest-up-and-coming Nashville coffee hot spot is a particularly wise choice if you don’t want to have to venture out in the morning, but find it hard to start your day without coffee.
Urban Nashville is home to many coffee shops, each featuring a distinctive feel. Whether Nashville is your home or you’re just passing through, you should make it a point to stop by at least a few of the java houses distinctive to this city.
Image courtesy of compassioninpolitics.wordpress.com.
About the author: Kristine is a fan of Nashville. She enjoys a good cup of coffee and spending time at the best coffee shops.
Aug 31
You may enjoy a delicious cup of coffee each day, but how much do you really know about this popular drink? You may be surprised at some of these little-known facts about coffee beans and the drink people around the world crave daily.
Why Coffee is Addictive
There’s a reason why you hunger after a cup of coffee each and every day; the caffeine in coffee beans attaches to your brain’s receptors, preventing the chemical adenosine from doing so. This causes the pituitary gland to send an urgent message to the adrenal glands to produce adrenaline, the body’s response to danger. Not only does caffeine make your adrenaline levels rise, but it also raises dopamine levels. This makes your brain crave more of the same. Adrenaline junkies are probably also caffeine junkies!
Roasting Coffee Beans
Did you know that coffee beans, just like fine wine, are better aged? Some coffee aficionados believe that storing the green beans at a certain temperature and humidity level allows the flavour to develop more fully. There are actually some varieties of coffee beans that are stored for years before being roasted.
After roasting, coffee beans release a whopping 700 chemical substances that provide the enticing aroma we all love. No wonder we can’t resist the smell of brewing coffee!
Italians and Their Espresso
When it comes to a love of espresso, Italians are tops. They actually make a celebration out of drinking a good cup of espresso and reserve this drink for special occasions, not for enjoying with an everyday meal. In fact, the Italian government regulates the production and sale of espresso because this one hot drink is considered essential to the quality of life in that country.
Although Italians obviously love their strong coffee drinks, the first espresso machine was created in France in 1822. Italy, however, was the birthplace of the first commercial machine in 1906.
International Acclaim
Did you know? Coffee as a global commodity is second only to oil in terms of trading.
Who drinks the most coffee? The United States. Japan ranks as third in the world for number of coffee drinkers per capita, where they indulge their passion in kissaten (Japanese coffee houses). Brits, on the other hand, still prefer tea to coffee and when they do drink coffee, it’s usually the instant variety.
Africans don’t drink their coffee, they chew it. Raw coffee beans are soaked in water and spices, then chewed on like candy for an instant caffeine buzz.
In ancient Arabic countries, one of the few reasons women could legally separate from their spouses was if the husband refused to produce coffee for his wife.
There are many interesting facts about coffee in addition to these bits of trivia. How well do you know your coffee beans? It’s an interesting topic to research while enjoying your daily cup of coffee!
About the author: Damien Higgins writes for Eden Springs. Eden Springs coffee machines provide a delicious brew at the office.
Aug 3
According to Annie Brones’ recent EcoSalon.com article, “coffee is the world’s second most valuable traded commodity.” The first is oil. That fits: my car needs products derived from oil to operate, and I require coffee derived from coffee beans to navigate my daily life.
Coffee Cliques
It’s no longer sufficient to order an Americano or a double espresso. For the exclusive coffee clique members, one is now expected to specify the type of bean, in some cases the degree of roast and in other shops, the method of preparation. “Pour overs” are now the hot fad with aficionados swearing that it provides the imbiber with a greater degree of flavor from volatile oils.
Chicago Coffee
As with everything Chicago, my choices of places to grab a cuppa Joe are huge. Even the requirement of a superior version of a cup of coffee leaves me with a list too long for this limited article. The cream of the crop—so to speak—would be those places validly proclaimed as both coffee and Chicago attractions and compiled with the help of David Tamarkin and Julia Kramer’s Yahoo blog. Make time to check out these offerings of steamy beverage the next time you’re in town.
Five Recommended Chicago Coffee Cafes
• Bridgeport Coffee House, 3101 S. Morgan Street, 773-247-9950
According to Tamarkin and Kramer’s blog, this coffee house both carefully roasts and serves—via a pour-over—in a “comfortable” atmosphere with “expert staff.” The business is said to be the pride of the neighborhood and a point of envy for every other Chicago district that lacks it.
• Ch’ava, Ravenswood, 4656 N. Clark Street, 773-942-6763
Evaluated as a shop of “serious distinction”—a term of evaluation usually reserved for Nobel Prize winners—Ch’ava is outstanding for its service and its excellent use of a now-antiquarian coffee technology, the Clover machine. The characteristics of coffee prepared by a Clover Machine are beyond my coffee IQ, but the excellent staff at Ch’ava will be more than willing to educate you.
• Intelligentsia Broadway Coffeebar, Lakeview; 3123 N. Broadway, 773-348-8058
This coffeebar is one of three, the original location, in a Chicago mini-chain. According to Tamarkin and Kramer, it remains the only one of the three inviting enough to order a cup in house. Besides carrying the burden of a slightly pompous name, the Intelligentsia is said to use only single-origin beans, ground and placed gently into filters, whereupon water warmed only in Japanese kettles is gradually saturated, drop-by-drop. Aside from the dramatics of the preparation, the resulting cup of coffee is said to be pretty darn good.
• Star Lounge Coffee Bar, Humboldt Park; 2521 W. Chicago Avenue, 773-384-7827
To individuals who remember older family members using aluminum, then harvest orange, percolators with little glass bulbs atop the “coffeepot” where one could watch the clear water turn brown as the coffee literally boiled upon the stove, this might be the only establishment on the list who might allow you entrance if you relate such a memory. Star Lounge’s owner, Jesse Diaz, appears to enjoy both his coffee and life beyond coffee. They use both single-origin beans and blends, name their blends with humor and avoid faddish coffee preparation procedures that haven’t yet proven to Diaz that they improve the flavor of the result.
• Asado Coffee Company, Lakeview; 1432 W. Irving Park, 773-661-6530
Owner Kevin Ashtari’s coffee house was the first establishment to offer the pour-over style “from Japanese ceramic drippers.” He continues the tradition as well as roasting his own beans daily. The emphasis here is on the coffee quality, not the decor or food. Recommendations include grabbing a cup to go and a bag of beans.
Quality Coffee, Quality Town
A multitude of other coffee shops remain for you to explore wherever your adventures might lead you in the city. Keep looking and make a list of your own.
About the author: Kristine is a fan of Chicago. She enjoys a good cup of coffee and spending time at the best coffee shops.
Jul 20
Yes ladies and gents it is official and fully supported by the latest International Coffee Organisation (ICO) report… Like in the beloved Hans Christian Andersen story “The Emperor’s New Clothes”, things in the world of coffee are not necessarily what they seem. You have indeed been drinking lower grade coffees these last few years!
The coffee trade knows, to its chagrin, that the past 18 months have been a ‘heckuva’ roller coaster ride, with $3 a pound breached on the NYC and differentials going inter planetary! The result of this was not only retail price increases, but also—wait for it—the joy of lower grade coffee to boot! How can this be? Where are the ‘yin’ and the ‘yang’ to this equation?
Well, unfortunately there is no natural balance to this story, because as Arabica traded on NYC became ‘gold dust’ Robusta traded on LIFFE suddenly became ‘cheap as chips’! The resulting arbitrage between the two indexes suddenly made industry skulduggery, such as Robusta and steamed Robusta, an interesting and economic buy! As a result, your good old friendly corporate roaster rushed out and bought tons of Robusta and fiddled about with the blend, to make it a tad cheaper and maintain their margins
Nothing new really for the big boys, who focus much effort not blending to achieve a better roast, but to achieve the technical ‘nirvana’ of flavour families, where different, inevitably cheaper original coffees are interchangeable with their more expensive brethren. Reuters reports that in the US marketplace, for example, there was a jump in Robusta imports in Q1 2012 of 80% over the preceding year, whilst Arabica imports dropped by knocking on for 40%; this on top of a tripling of Robusta purchases throughout 2011!
Similarly, Volcafe reported earlier this month that European inventories of green coffee had seen 2 m bags of new Robusta demand emerge recently. Such recipe component substitution smacks of big corporate brands maintaining their secret recipes only to enable margin maintenance at the expense of quality and consistency of performance
As the market now eases back I doubt we will see the brands rushing to reinstate their original recipes—why should they? We have got accustomed to the cheaper stuff, so enjoy! Only one major brand has had the strength of character to admit to flavour family engineering and increased Robusta usage: Massimo Zanetti, who supply Hills Brothers and Chock Full o’ Nuts, and is known in Europe as Segafredo, owned up to increasing Robusta in their blends to keep prices down. Well done for being honest, Mr Zanetti! The truth will out…
Guru (Andy Grelak) writes for Aromo Coffee. They are coffee experts focussed on providing convenient and tasty ways for the caffeine addict to take their medicine. Aromo supplies excellent ESE Coffee pods and superlative Senseo pods, both of which offer the espresso and filter connoisseur a no mess, no fuss, super fresh and environmentally conscious method to make stunning coffee. The guys at Aromo also have a range of Dualit branded capsules which make a brilliant and economic alternative to Nespresso capsules.
Jun 1
How can we rationalise the cost of Nespresso, Tassimo, Cafissimo and most other single serve espresso and filter formats?
The reality is we can't…but we are!
The beautiful dichotomy which is the human psyche allows us to not necessarily hold two divergent opinions at one time…but certainly to rapidly change our minds according to our environment.
Ask Mum how 20 years ago she would have calculated the cost of coffee and it would have been a simple task, along the lines of a jar of her favourite instant was £1 and a packet of the special roast and ground for high days and holidays was £1-50….
Now go on to any high street and ask the average under 30 year old dude and ladette about the price of coffee and suddenly its priced in 'magic and very profitable' cups… £1-50 a cup McDonald's £2 a cup Costa, or even £2-50 a cup Nero.
It's a marketers dream…!!There has been a gigantic shift in the market place in just the last 10 – 15 years. Let's not forget that in the mid 1990's coffee consumption amongst the 15 – 24 year age group was in a seemingly terminal decline—what to do…? Much wailing and gnashing of teeth!
The truth is that the big brands unable to grasp the purple cow stampeding all around themselves did nothing and carried on blithely marketing ATL, BTL and anywhere else TL… it was the gourmet coffee bar chains which changed the game plan.
Meantime, the corporate machines, intent on driving more revenue and delivering loyalty whatever the method, focussed on lock and key domestic coffee systems…Nespresso and Senseo were the first serious entrants into this arena…
Today the two approaches have collided and suddenly we have the corporate lock and key systems benefitting from the 'nirvanic' price inflation and value assessment which the gourmet espresso chains have cleverly foisted upon the market place.
How else can you explain a population now willing to pay upwards of £60 for a kilo of coffee?
And the result of this? Well, would you believe that in 2011, 7% of ALL coffees consumed in the USA were made using a single serve system? Almost doubling from 2010's showing at 4%.
Single serve coffee accounts for 25% of the US coffee market value.
And quite unbelievably 26 Billion Nespresso capsules have been sold since it was introduced in 1986.
In the 13 week run up to Christmas 2011 Keurig sold 4m of its K Cup closed system brewers and Green Mountain Coffee Roasters sold more than $715 million in K-Cup packs…!
It's mind boggling, it's ludicrous…it is the marketing beast at work in its own uncontrollable and beautiful way and we, dear coffee drinker and consumer, are of course being subjected to just the smallest tad, the slightest chink of being ripped off…And do we mind…well the simple truths are do we know and do we care?
About the author: This article was written by Guru (Andy Grelak) who writes for aromocoffee.co.uk, the UK’s leading online retailer of 44mm E.S.E espresso coffee pods, Senseo Coffee pods and Dualit Nespresso capsules.
Image courtesy Openclipart.org
May 18
A recent article suggests that the average American worker spends something like $1100 a year on coffee—that’s over $20 a week! When you compare that to the commute costs for that same worker, you’d be tempted to think that drilling for coffee might be at least as important as drilling for more oil. You know you’ve got to have that coffee, so how do you propose to make it more affordable? Maybe it’s time to try a cup from one of the other chains, or even a local coffee vendor. Joining affinity programs can get you a free cup after buying a bunch. And then there’s always the possibility that you could drink it black, instead of adding all the various flavorings and dairy concoctions that jack the price up. Or how about making it at home? You can grab a home drip coffee maker for a couple of bucks, or pick up a French press pot for not much more than pocket change. And just think: if you can score your cup of coffee for a cheaper price, you can drink even more of it!
Image courtesy Openclipart.org
May 11
As soon as coffee beans are roasted, they start getting stale and losing some of their flavor and depth. Therefore, keeping it fresh should be one of your main focuses after you’ve selected your roast and flavor. There are several ways to ensure your coffee holds flavor throughout its whole use. The best solution depends on how much coffee you have and how quickly you can use it up.
In the Freezer
If you buy coffee in huge batches, you’ll probably want to store some of it in the freezer. Although freezing is not ideal for coffee, it is better than leaving it sitting on the counter for months. When you’re preparing coffee to store in the freezer, put it in airtight packaging and make sure each package contains no more coffee than you can use in two weeks. Then put it as far back in the freezer as you can manage to keep it away from light and fluctuations in temperature. Many “Whirlpool refrigerators” have freezer drawers which are perfect for this sort of situation. Lastly, remember that you should never refreeze coffee. Think of it like ice cream: you cannot let it melt and pop it back in the freezer expecting it to still be the right texture after it freezes again.
In an Airtight Canister
The ideal coffee storage solution is an airtight canister. You should really go out and buy a new canister for this purpose to make sure you get one that’s suited for coffee. In addition to having an airtight seal that will last a long time, you want your canister to be opaque so the beans aren’t exposed to light. Purchase a canister slightly larger than the typical bag of coffee, so you can be sure to fit all of the coffee in the canister whenever you open a new bag.
Additional Considerations
The type of coffee you purchase also affects its freshness before it even gets into your home. Pay attention to the following freshness factors when you are at the store.
First, whole beans are better than ground ones because you get to grind them right before you use them which preserves more of their flavor. Second, valve-sealed bags tend to contain fresher coffee beans than vacuum-sealed bags because the beans let off carbon dioxide for several days after they’re roasted. The roaster has to let the beans sit until they’re done with that process before they can go into vacuum-sealed bags; whereas, the valve-sealed bags can have freshly roasted beans. But if you do have to buy pre-ground beans, vacuum-sealed bags are better because they keep ground beans fresher for longer.
Now that you’re an expert on keeping your coffee fresh, go out and get some freshly roasted beans, grind them at home, and start sipping. Chances are, you’ll taste some subtle flavors you never noticed before, and you’ll never go back to stale coffee.
About the author: Kristine greatly enjoys coffee, yoga and writing on behalf of Sears and other quality products.
Apr 27
So what is it about Seattle and coffee? You already know that the ubiquitous Starbucks chain is headquartered there, but it turns out that’s also where a bunch of coffee-related hardware comes from as well. Three of the biggest names in serious espresso machines (sorry, Mr Coffee) either assemble or refurbish their machines in that Pacific Northwest location. These aren’t machines that you’re likely to pick up at your local Target, though, since some of them can retail for upwards of $20,000, depending on how pimped out they are. But why Seattle? Maybe it’s all the cold and dreary, or perhaps all those caffeine-fueled nerds at Microsoft.
Image Source: Wikimedia Commons
Apr 20
For many, who are addicted to coffee and particularly espresso, there is something dark, indulgent and seductive about coffee and caffeine.
Recent articles in the press have announced that a seemingly modest gourmet coffee habit of one cappuccino each and every day of your commute, could cost more than £700 a year (or $1,116.36 U.S. dollars) and pile on, wait for it, a colossal 60,000 calories!!
However, the calories are in the milk! Often full fat is used, so a skinny option is always an advisable optional extra in your latte or cappuccino …
The coffee part of your indulgence is, if recent research is anything to go by, good for you!
Many research studies over the past 10 or so years have indicated that consumption of 3 to 5 cups of coffee a day can:
1. Reduce the incidence of certain cancers such as prostrate and oral cancer
2. Reduce cholesterol levels
3. Reduce the likelihood of dying from cardiovascular disease
4. Prevent plaque and therefore tooth decay
5. Protect against gout
6. Reduce systolic and diastolic blood pressure
7. Positively aid digestion, especially as moderate coffee consumption is not diuretic and will assist with constipation
8. Reduce the incidence of cirrhosis of the liver
9. May reduce the onset of type 2 diabetes
10. May aid pain management and actively boosts the properties of many pain killers – hence why many over the counter preparations now contain caffeine
11. Increase cognitive performance and particularly short term recall ability
12. Reduce the risk of Parkinson’s disease
13. Reduce the risk of dementia
14. Result in a lower incidence of gallstones and gallbladders diseases
15. Reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s
WOW!
Seems we should be bathing in espresso … which, when you hear that alternative medicine now recommends coffee enemas, is perhaps not such a stupid suggestion as it sounds!!
Similarly, a big trend in Continental Europe, which we here at Aromo Coffee believe is set to take the UK market by storm, is stomach friendly, or mild coffees.
These are coffees where the green, unroasted bean is washed with saturated steam under humid pressure, for an hour or so.
The original system was patented in 1933 and produces a coffee which is more easily digestible for those with sensitive stomachs … because the steaming removes irritants which may cause, or exacerbate stomach ache, heart burn and acid indigestion.
Various reports – such as Albanese 1964 and Rahn 1979 – have concluded that there is a genuine change in the chemistry of steamed coffee with reductions in:
Tannin (24%)
Chlorogenic Acid (3%)
Mercaptomethane (11%)
So coffee should be a moderate part of a healthy diet and as Kenneth Williams would have said in those wonderful British 1970’s cream cake adverts … a cappuccino is ‘naughty but nice’ especially after a good workout … Go on treat yourself!
About the author: This article was written by Guru (Andy Grelak) who writes for aromocoffee.co.uk, the UK’s leading online retailer of 44mm E.S.E espresso coffee pods.
Apr 13
While that observation may be the punchline of a bad joke you heard once upon a time, it turns out that if you frequent a certain Seattle-based coffee chain you may indeed have bugs in your cup of Joe. Starbucks has released a statement letting everybody know that some of their drinks—specifically their Strawberry Frappuccinos—get their lovely color from an extract of dead, dried-up bugs. Now as luck would have it, they’re not the only outfit to use the mortal remains of cochineal insects to color their wares, if that makes you feel any better. Nevertheless, if you’re trying to go vegan, you’ll want to order something other than the pink Frapp.
Image courtesy Wikipedia
