Drinking Coffee Benefits

Coffee Makes Women More Invited Easy Love

2011-10-29T10:49:00.001-07:00

KQDCZN496YXKAn interesting study has been found by scientists from Australia and America, on the impact of coffee on human psychology. They claimed that coffee can make women more easily seduced to have sex by their husbands.

As quoted from Genius Beauty, a person will become more docile and easily wooed after drinking coffee. Results were written in the journal Science.

The researchers drew conclusions based on a simple research. For example, study participants were asked to express their opinions on certain issues. Then after that, they were divided into two equal groups, and one member of the coffee drinkers.

Participants who drank coffee more easily urged to change their views. But the participants who did not drink coffee very inflexible, and still maintain their opinion. Some of them are also involved an argument about dissent.

Other research has also been done with mice as an experimental object, which make the researchers come to the conclusion that coffee could facilitate the sensational sex. The rats that received more doses of caffeine, have physical contact with the opposite sex. And it happens most of the female sex in rats.

Given these findings, the coffee can be used as 'main weapon' of the husband to have sex with her without raising any objection. Even if there is resistance, it does not last long, because coffee can also make a person more easily seduced.

Drinking Coffee for Women's Breasts

2011-10-22T10:45:00.000-07:00

Coffee is one of the drinks are quite popular as a friend to relax and calm the mind. So, to the extent that there is the term coffee break to indicate a break during a meeting, seminar, and so on. But behind the pleasure of coffee, it turns out there are many dangers that drive it, especially for the health of our bodies. Moreover, does the caffeine content in it has the effect of 'opium' that could lead to someone addicted to coffee.

For women, consuming too much coffee can give a direct negative impact on their breasts. Here are a few:

1. Lump in breast
Caffeine can cause fibrocystic breast, which contains cells that collect the fluid in the cysts that often make a lump or lumps in the breast. The characters in the form of lumps that move freely round the breast. These lumps are often tender when touched. Can be permanent or temporary nature, but certainly, the symptoms will get worse before menstruation and early pregnancy. Fibrocystic breast because caffeine intake is usually not increase the risk of breast cancer and is also dependent on age and hormonal factors.

2. Pain in the breast
In addition to causing lumps, caffeine also causes discomfort and pain in the breast. Caffeine intake can aggravate the pain if you have previously suffered from fibrocystic breasts. According to the Georgetown University Department of Medicine, this pain can come continuously or only occasionally.

3. Breasts are solid
Research at the University of Rochester Medical Center showed that a high intake of caffeine that causes breast fibrocystic changes can also lead in certain areas in the breast becomes solid.

4. Breast size tends to shrink
Based on research, about half of the female population has a certain gene that makes fat tissue to shrink from too much coffee (three cups per day or more). As a result, their breast will tend to slack and shrinking. For those who are conducting exercises to enlarge the breasts of course this can be detrimental and is obligatory to be avoided.

Goodness Of Coffee For Women

2011-10-15T10:38:00.000-07:00

Coffee can reduce depression in women. Goodness of coffee in the morning was not limited to those who consume them awake alone. Another good store of coffee for health.

The results showed, 4 cups of coffee per day for women means reducing the risk of depression fifth time.

While consumption of 1-2 cups of coffee per day reduced the risk by 15 percent.

Research conducted at Harvard University this involves around 51 thousand women for 10 years.

It is estimated, the caffeine content to work as antidepressant drugs, which work by inhibiting the production of certain hormones, such as serotonin.

Caffeine also has the power to encourage the spirit of good and gives us the energy for a long time.

Researchers also noted the amount of the consumption of tea, chocolate, alcohol, and the time of exercise of the respondents. Found, coffee has the effect of reducing the depression that is strong enough, but variations of coffee without the caffeine does not work like that.

Not described in detail as to what kind of coffee that has this function.

"Still more research is needed to confirm these findings and to ascertain whether caffeinated coffee counter can indeed help prevent depression," said Dr. Michel Lucas of the Harvard School of Public Health in Boston.

Last year, a study conducted in Finland revealed that men who consumed at least 4 cups of coffee per day had lower risk of depression.

While 1 of 7 women, rumored to be suffering from depression at some point in his life.

Already known, the coffee can keep the body away from diseases, including prostate cancer, gout, and Alzheimer's, including helping brain health.

However, not all good, because the coffee, also known to be bad if consumed too much. Coffee is known is not good for people with high blood pressure, people with heart problems, and pregnant women.

How To Brew Coffee

2011-10-08T10:08:00.000-07:00

Probably most of you are not a coffee connoisseur who cares at this stage of manufacture. When you have served good coffee, it is enough for you. But not so with coffee lovers. They will observe and enjoy the various stages in the manufacture of coffee, from buying and storing coffee, brewing, inhaling the aroma before sipping, feel its warmth when it enters the body, to identify its flavor.

If you are a coffee lover, you will also know coffee is not brewed properly stored and will mess up the sensation. Here are some examples.

1. Refrigerator or freezer is the best place to store coffee. Roasted coffee beans are porous, and are able to absorb moisture and smell of food. So, a refrigerator is not a good place to store coffee. Keep it fresh coffee beans in an airtight box at room temperature, to be consumed for a maximum of 5-7 days.

2. Ground coffee taste as good as if you grind the beans themselves. Premium coffee outlets usually sell coffee beans in the form that you can grind your own. But if you do not intend to eat them immediately, you should not have to buy coffee beans like this. Coffee will usually start to lose quality as soon as the ground. Coffee flavor is best if the ground immediately before brewing.

3. It is best to brew coffee with distilled water. Distilled water is more hygienic, but the manufacturing process will eliminate the mineral content in water. In fact, the mineral content in water that is important to give the flavor of coffee. What also makes the coffee taste is not pleasant is the water faucet with a chlorine content. Coffee lovers generally use bottled water from springs.

4. Coffee is best brewed with boiling water. Indeed there is no bad effect on health, but the water is too hot will attract compound in coffee that makes it more bitter. The best temperature to brew coffee about 93 degrees Celsius, or about 45 sad before boiling total. In the coffee shop, baristas have their own tools to measure the accuracy of the temperature. If we, may be estimated only

Best Espresso Home Machine

2011-09-27T08:16:00.000-07:00

Most individuals, once they are becoming able to attend work, want caffeine to induce them moving and alert. plenty of those individuals tend to prevent at Starbucks or another low house to induce their shot of espresso. Doing this each single day of the week will be expensive, particularly if you purchase over one in a very day. the answer to the present, then, is to shop for your own espresso machine for your home. That method you'll build your own espresso whenever you wish, and you do not have to be compelled to wait in line.

What ought to I Know?

While creating your call to shop for an espresso machine, there are many belongings you ought to contemplate.

First, you wish to make a decision on that options are vital to you. does one wish it purely for creating espresso? Or does one wish it to be ready to build low as well? And does one wish it to possess a grinder, portafilter, or crema? Having a number of these options on your espresso machine will build them easier to use and improve the style of your espresso.

Types of Machines

The next issue to believe is what variety of machine you wish. There are four differing kinds of machines that go together with varying degrees of automation and costs.

The first sort is that the manual espresso machine. These aren't for novices since they need you use a lever that forces the water through the low grounds. Timing is crucial to induce an honest espresso.

The second sort is that the semi-automatic machine. These are the foremost common for home use as a result of you only add the low to the filter yourself and then the water pump is controlled by the brewer. you'll change the timing on it to induce a much better style.

The third sort is that the automatic machine. Automatics are programmable thus you'll tell it to create whichever variety of espresso you'd like. you're conjointly ready to use these simply as you'd a semi-automatic.

The final sort would be the super automatics. These are the expensive machines that may automate each step of the method. simply add the beans and therefore the machine grinds them and tamps the low into the filter and makes your espresso based mostly on a preset amount.

Which type you opt to induce can rely on what proportion management you wish to possess over the espresso creating processing. A semi-automatic or automatic espresso machine are typically the simplest selection for many folks that haven't created their own espresso before.

How Much will It Cost?

OK you're in all probability wondering what proportion this can be gonna value you. There are espresso machines that are but $100 and there are others that are over $1,000 however you wish to shop for a machine that you simply will afford, however conjointly one that may build an excellent tasting espresso. you'll typically style the distinction between the cheaper models and therefore the high finish machines. thus if style is incredibly vital to you, do not buy an excellent low-cost espresso machine otherwise you are disappointed along with your purchase.

But before you create your purchase, you wish to envision out some espresso machine reviews to seek out out if there's something wrong with the machine you're wanting to shop for. one amongst the additional common models without delay is that the Cuisinart EM-100. once reading some reviews you'll decide it there's a much better one for you.

Enjoy Writing And Drinking Coffee

2011-09-27T07:24:00.000-07:00

Why do folks get pleasure from writing and drinking coffee therefore much? It's going to merely be the pleasure derived from the private expertise of tasting a delicious beverage.

Coffee is like an past love. You prepare your pot of low and also the aroma fills the area. With friends and family, you sit around a table sharing soul, heart and life. every person sips the delicious liquid whereas others speak. The brew provides the flavour and zing to face what's in store for the day.

For writers, low may be a method of life to cherish in solitude with pen in hand. The bean that was discovered in Ethiopia centuries ago and unfold across the planet to become a hot staple to millions, is at the middle of literary treasures. Black low, hot, and daring helps writers keep their muse galvanized throughout spells of lacking inspiration or when the ink fills the paper and that they cannot stop writing.

The French author Honore de Balzac (May twenty, 1799-August eighteen, 1850) said it best "... as soon as low is in your abdomen, there's a general commotion. concepts begin to maneuver...the paper is roofed. low is your ally and writing ceases to be a struggle..." Balzac was a French novelist and playwright who wrote with unimaginable detail and realism concerning complicated multi-faceted characters. His writing schedule was very intensive. Balzac was known for not operating quick.

The writer often ate a lightweight supper and would sleep till midnight. Balzac would then get on my feet and write for hours, consuming an innumerably sizable amount of cups of black low. Balzac boasted concerning operating straight for over fifteen hours and even going straight for 2 days with simply a couple of hours of rest. you'll be able to say that sleep, to Balzac, was a sort of caffeine deprivation. The brew kept Balzac writing. The result: literary classics for any library and a really influential heritage enjoyed by modern writers and future generations.

Coffee in print covers a really wide selection of subjects:

Poetry may be a fun component of literature and a welcomed genre to low lovers.
Poems concerning love of low, low thoughts, low life, low personal experiences.
Low books, magazines, coaching materials, newsletters, analysis papers, clubs, reports, posters, calendars, publications.
Books concerning single origin beans, restricted edition ground low, home roasting techniques, Espresso low creating.
Barista techniques, low guides, low technology, history of low manufacturers, cuppers' handbooks, and occasional chemistry.
Shopper reviews and shopper reports. a way to brew low, tips & tricks concerning the brew, facts concerning organic and specialty low.
Low retailer magazines, blogs, and plenty of a lot of topics!

How To Choose Espresso Machine

2011-09-26T00:42:00.000-07:00

With so many Espresso machines available in the market today, choosing the best one to perfectly enhance your coffee drinking experience can be a tough task. These machines greatly vary in brands, types, features, sizes and prices. With these several factors to consider, you may tend to get confused as to which one to buy. Now to help you narrow down your choices, here are some important tips that you may follow to get the best Espresso machine just right for you.

Set a budget. Before you decide on what brand or type of coffee machine you like, you have to make sure to choose the one which will fit your budget first. If you just want to have a manual Espresso maker with a decent design, then you will be spending anywhere from $100. But if you want to purchase a top quality and high end Espresso maker, then you can go for a fully automatic or super automatic Espresso machine and expect to spend between $700 to $1,500.

Choose what type of Coffee machine you like. Whether you like a manual, semi-automatic, fully automatic or super automatic Espresso machine, choosing the right type of coffee machine will greatly depend on your needs. If you want to create your own flavor of Espresso, then you can manually brew one for yourself by customizing factors like the level of aroma strength and brewing time in a manual Espresso maker. But if you want the Espresso maker to do everything for you, then you can go for a super automatic Espresso maker and leave the task to it.

Take a look on the Espresso machine's features. For a convenient and much easier brewing of high quality and great tasting cup of Espresso, make sure to find the following features in an Espresso maker.

Large water reservoir (over 40 ounces capacity)
Dual heating elements feature (for latte, mocha and cappuccino lovers)
Adjustable coffee dose and water volume
High quality grinder
Ability to run add- ons ( built in tools like milk foaming device, water filters and temperature needles)
Heavy and wider portaholder basket
User friendly and requires less maintenance

Consider the size of Espresso maker. Make sure to allocate a specific area in your home where you can place your Espresso maker or it will be useless for you to spend money for a machine that won't even fit your kitchen.

After looking at these helpful tips, you may visit your local electronic shops and look for the Espresso machine of your choice. It is highly advised though that you should buy from reputable dealers or from major chains so you can be referred directly to the manufacturer to give you more information about their products. (ezine.com)

Three Types of Espresso Machines

2011-09-24T07:54:00.000-07:00

Espresso machines are widely used today. You can find these units in most coffee shops. They are even used by some households as well as apartment dwellers as they offer convenience and efficiency in making their favorite espresso or cappuccino. Such machines are available in different designs and they also have their distinctive functions and features to cater everyone's needs and demands. There are actually three types of espresso machines offered in both offline and online stores. These include the Standard or Manual, the Semi Automatic and the Automatic espresso machines.

Standard or Manual

This type of coffee machine requires you to make your own coffee. This is ideal for those seasoned coffee drinkers out there who usually make their own coffee without relying much on the machine. Yes, this is only great for those who really have ample know-how on how to make a good espresso or cappuccino. It requires thorough understanding with regard to the whole coffee making process and also takes more time than other types of espresso machines.

Semi Automatic

This type of coffee machine is far more convenient than the first type mentioned earlier. It consists of an automated pump and automated temperature controls which are exclusively designed for the boiler. Unlike the Standard coffee machine, you do not have to make your coffee manually which may take several minutes. All you have to do is to turn the pump on or off and the machine will do the rest for you.

Automatic

Last but not the least is the Automatic Espresso Machine. This is actually the most popular type of coffee machines. Most people prefer this type of machine because it is the most convenient and efficient among the three types of coffee machines. Like the Semi automatic machine, it also has an automated pump and automated temperature controls for the boiler. The only difference is that it includes automated preset water volumes. All you have to do is to place all the necessary ingredients and it will then produce a standard cup of espresso by just simply pressing a specific button. So of you want to save more time preparing your favorite espresso or cappuccino without dealing with any hassle, it is more reasonable to choose this type of machine than selecting the two espresso machines mentioned above.

If you want to read more in-depth information regarding the types of espresso machines, spend some time reading substantial reviews online. Doing this will help you determine the best type of espresso machine that will suit your needs. More so, if you want to save money, better place your order online because online stores offer more affordable espresso machines than retail stores or other big shopping malls.

Different Flavors Of Beans To Cup Coffee Machine

2011-09-24T07:49:00.001-07:00

Most people drink coffee made from either instant coffee granules or 'freshly ground' coffee. However the latter, 'freshly ground' is anything but freshly ground, and the former, instant coffee, is almost a criminal offence in this day and age. If you want real fresh coffee, then you have two choices. Firstly, you could have a grinder to grind fresh beans prior to brewing, or an all singing, all dancing bean to cup coffee machine. These are perfect for lovers of gadgets as you simply pour in your fresh roasted beans in, push a couple of buttons and within a minute, you've got the freshly ground coffee taste you've longed for.

Bean to cup coffee machines do require a little more care and attention than a traditional espresso machine (or a kettle and jar of instant for that matter), as they have more moving parts in the grinding mechanism and do need regular cleaning. If used on a daily basis than it will need cleaning on a daily basis. However once you've had your first bean to cup coffee, you'll not want to go back to pre ground or instant. Unlike espresso machines or the more common percolators, a bean to cup coffee machine will deliver the same perfect cup of coffee time after time.

Coffee beans can be purchased ready roasted or in some retailers, green beans can be purchased for roasting at home. If you want super fresh coffee and have the time and patience to roast your own, then buying green beans ready for roasting is the way to go. But if you want fresh ground coffee without the added hassle of roasting, then you may as well opt for the ready roasted variety. Coffee aficionados will argue until the cows come home about the benefits of home roasting green beans, however with today's foil packed coffee, beans are roasted and packed so quickly that virtually none of the flavour will be lost between roasting and opening the pack weeks or months later.

The main benefit of the bean to cup coffee machine is self explanatory, the time between the grinding of the bean and the coffee being poured is a matter of seconds and this is the sole reason for the growing popularity of bean to cup coffee machines. The fact that they deliver a perfect cup of coffee at the push of a button makes them perfect for both home and office use. Wake up and smell the coffee, then taste the difference with bean to cup coffee machines.

Good Espresso

2011-09-24T06:53:00.000-07:00

When you brew that reviving espresso in the morning, or have that pick-me-up Cafe Mocha in the afternoon, have you ever stopped to think what goes into getting that product to you?

Moreover if you work in the hospitality industry, are you aware of how important the correct procedures are for maintaining coffee beans and coffee machines to ensure your customers and clientele get the best quality drink possible? Following incorrect procedures in production of coffee-based drinks can be extremely detrimental to business and, surprisingly, so many coffee houses and hotels get it wrong.

I've visited a countless number of hotels and restaurants in my time in the food and beverage world and upon drinking that long-awaited espresso, I have experienced a full range of emotions, going from extreme disgust and almost being horrifically sick to "Wow, that was amazing, give me another, pronto!".

An espresso is the lifeblood of any coffee house and the base of all coffee drinks, as any coffee connoisseur will tell you - it is on first glace the easiest drink to make, but for a demanding Italian like yours-truly, one that can easily go wrong. Fortunately I've worked in the industry long enough now to know what the top reasons are for dispensing a bad espresso, and hopefully my thoughts will provoke you to try your own and test it.

WHAT IS A GOOD ESPRESSO

Before I even talk about what can go wrong, we must have a clear definition of what is generally become accepted as a what constitutes as a "good espresso"; a good espresso can be subjective to the person who is drinking but my years of training from industry experts have generally lead me to say that a good espresso generally has the following characteristics:

Has a crema that is both thick and dark reddish-brown - the crema on the top of an espresso is a clear sign of how fresh the beans are. With time, the naturally occurring oils that are present on the in beans oxidise (i.e. dry up) - and it's this oil that gives an espresso its beautiful crema. The "sugar test" should be good enough to determine how fresh the beans are - simply lightly pour some sugar on the top of the espresso, if the sugar stays afloat then the crema is sufficiently thick enough, even for the most discerning of Mediterranean coffee-lovers.

Should be at a temperature which would not burn your mouth! - In the UK certainly, I have a lot of people often tell me their drinks are "not hot enough" - but in truth, water above around 96 degrees Celsius will end up burning the coffee and impairing the flavour. A lot of research has been done on the "perfect espresso temperature," and most will allude to the temperature at point of brew to be between 92 and 96 degrees Celsius. Once it hits that all-important china cup (and yes, it has to be China!!!), the temperature will generally drop to around 80 degrees which, for me and many others, would be the perfect espresso temperature. Importantly though, this means the cup should be preheated from a source OTHER than the water from the coffee machine. Try getting a cup warmer, very inexpensive and does a world of wonders.

Have a potent aroma and a long-lasting aftertaste - far too often, I have drunk espressos that are watery, bland and very unappealing. The common causes? Overly roasted beans, the wrong blend or stale product. Coffee roasting is a wonderful art, and I have in the past organised trips around our local roasters in London for clients - seeing coffee being roasted and the smell that comes from it is just heavenly. Unfortunately, many people have decided to over-roast their beans, much like a company that would rhyme with "SchmarChucks," because they need a flavour that will penetrate 19 fl. oz of milk. An espresso should be slightly sweet, and have an aftertaste that lingers on the palate for long after.

Should take no longer than 30 seconds to produce - A good espresso should take approximately 25 to 30 seconds to extract from the point when you press that all important brew button. If it took longer than 30 seconds, your bean grind is far too fine. If it took less than 25 seconds, your bean grind is far too coarse.

Now you know what should constitute as a good espresso, in my experience there are four key reasons why drinks produced do not live up to their intentions.

Age of the bean and ground coffee - Beans start oxidising and going "stale" the minute they are let loose from their nitrogen-sealed containers. Oxygen, water and heat are the three forces of evil against these tiny little beans. As a rule of thumb, generally opened beans will last between one and two weeks before their flavour is lost, but this does depend a lot on when the beans were roasted - I have always used a local roaster so I know that at point of order, the beans I use are generally four days old. Grinding beans speeds up the process, and freshly ground coffee can generally only last a few days if not just 24 hours before the flavour begins to disappear. How old are the beans you are using?

Grind levels - The correct grind for the type of coffee you have is very important - when water is forced through the coffee and 9 bar pressure, a fine grind will cause the particles to compact and produce a very slow extraction, impairing the flavour. A coarse grind will allow water through quickly, and the taste will not be as profound as intended. Do some testing on your drinks to find the perfect grind level for your coffee blend and equipment.

Inefficient tamping - Tamping is an art of the espresso production that is often ignored. Any scientist will tell you water only travels from areas of high pressure to areas of low pressure, so inefficient tamping creates inefficient paths of extraction and a badly extracted espresso. When tamping, it's important you create an even, smooth and polished surface on top - generally this is produced after about 5 pounds of pressure is applied to compact the coffee grounds. Always remember that all-important 720 turn of the tamper at the end.

The wrong bean blend/profile - An espresso blend of coffee can be vastly different from that needed for a 20oz tall cappuccino; an espresso does not need much body, therefore espresso blends are best with only a small amount of Robusta beans, if at all any. A tall drink will need a blend with a fuller body to penetrate the taste of milk - in these cases, a higher percentage of Robusta is generally flavoured. If possible, have two different grinders set up - one for espresso, one for long drinks.

This is not an exhaustive list, and there are other factors which go into the art of making a good espresso - cup quality, water hardness, machines used, the water mineral content, water pressure...the ordinary punter rarely has any idea how much effort goes into making their drink.

A "perfect espresso" is more of a theory rather than a tangible product. I have never personally seen or been able to produce a "perfect" espresso, but practice certainly does make perfect. Espresso production is an art that requires a very slight scientific aspect - it's a volatile and difficult drink to effectively produce for the discerning customers, but for those passionate about coffee and its history, it's a beautiful thing to create.

Benefit From A Bean

2011-09-21T06:38:00.000-07:00

Once you have owned a bean to cup coffee machine you will realize that the cup of coffee that is produced can be far superior to any made in a regular coffee machine or percolator.

They are just as easy to operate instead of pouring in scoops of ground coffee, fresh whole coffee beans are added to a hopper, and then ground when you want them. If you like your coffee weak or super-strong, a good bean to cup coffee machine should be adjustable to your exact taste. The freshly ground coffee is then dispensed into a brewing chamber and the process is much like a normal coffee machine.

The most basic machines will grind, then brew. Some of the most sophisticated top-of-the-line machines can do much more. They offer you the option of making some very sophisticated brews, plus some machines offer the option of making cappuccinos or espresso.

There are some arguments against these machines, as a very important part of the process is grinding the beans, and many bean to cup coffee machines do not have adequate or efficient grinders that will get the best out of your coffee beans. Indeed, the best coffee made by a barista will be ground separately and then he will "pull a shot" to make one single cup of coffee.

Despite the detractors, there are hundreds of bean to cup coffee makers to choose from and the best ones are not cheap, especially if you want the additional capability of making cappuccinos and espresso. Of course, the other major consideration is the coffee beans you use; it may take some experimenting to find the exact brand for you.

If you are looking to buy a bean to cup coffee machine there are a number of things you should look at before you purchase.

Do you want a manual machine where you are the barista and pull each shot? Or will an automatic or semi-automatic machine suffice?
Do you need a hot water dispenser in it too, so you can make tea or other hot drinks with it?
Is it stainless steel? These are the most durable and easiest to clean.
Look at the capacity. Will it make small or large cups of coffee? Decide which you need, especially if it is for an office or hospitality situation.
How large is the water tank? Can it be plumbed in for convenience?

Do you really intend to make cappuccino and espresso coffee as well?

The best machines are expensive and it is a good idea to do your research first. Check the points above to make sure you are getting all the features you want.

If you only drink one cup of coffee in the morning, the cost may be too high when averaged over a year of coffee drinking, and you could help to keep your local coffee shop in business and people employed.

Do you want to enjoy a solitary coffee each morning from a bean to cup coffee machine, or is it more enjoyable from a coffee shop, where you can sit and eat a pastry and enjoy a cheerful "Good Morning" from your local barista?

Hawaiian Coffee

2011-09-21T04:26:00.000-07:00

Coffee plays an integral part of our social culture.

In the late 20th century, particularly within the Western world and urbanized centers all over the world, coffee is appreciated for its different flavors and aromas as wine is to wine lovers. The 'coffee shop' has evolved into a trendy meeting place for friends and social events and also a preferred venue for business meetings. Another important aspect of the rise of coffee shops as a part of our coffee culture, will be the presence of free wireless Internet access for clientele, a lot of whom do business in these locations for hours on a regular basis. In coffee culture circles folks that frequent coffee shops are also known as "cafe au laiters" and "espressonites".

Coffee is really a brewed beverage with a dark, bitter flavor prepared from the roasted seeds of the coffee plant, colloquially called coffee beans. The beans are located in coffee cherries, which grow on trees cultivated in over 70 countries, like Hawaiian Kona Gold grown in the Kona Region of Hawaii.

Green (unroasted) coffee is one of the most traded agricultural commodities in the world. The high caffeine content of coffee is known to create a stimulating effect on people. Coffee is undoubtedly one of the best liked beverages consumed around the world today. A necessary export commodity, coffee was the very best agricultural export for twelve countries in 2004 and it was the world's seventh-largest legal agricultural export by value in 2005. Some controversy is involved in coffee cultivation and its impact on the environment. Many studies have examined the relationship between coffee consumption and certain health conditions, and whether the general effects of coffee are ultimately positive or negative have been widely disputed, but makes for interesting debate.

The history of the "coffee shop" dates back to the 14th century. Coffeehouses in Western Europe and the Eastern Mediterranean were traditionally social hubs, as well as artistic and intellectual places of gathering. In the late 17th and 18th centuries, coffeehouses in London became trendy meeting places for the likes of artists and writers.

Many social aspects of coffee are seen inside the modern-day lifestyle. By absolute volume, the United States is the largest market for coffee. In the United States specifically, the term is usually used to designate the ever present presence of numerous espresso stands and coffee shops in a metropolitan area and the spread of franchises like Starbucks and their clones across the United States.

Making Coffee With A French Press

2011-09-21T04:22:00.000-07:00

This is for brewing a cup of coffee, not espresso. To truly brew the best coffee you have to start with the best beans. Buy only whole beans and make sure the beans have been roasted in the last 3-5 days. When storing your coffee beans, keep them in the fridge. They will last about 2 weeks in there before they go stale.

Next, you are going to need a French press. You can get one at Marshalls or similar stores like the Home Goods Store for cheap. Usually they cost about 10 bucks.

A French press or press pot uses a wire mesh or nylon filter rather than a paper filter. This allows the natural oils in the coffee to stay in the coffee and not be removed by the paper filter. These oils add tremendous flavor and complexity to coffee.

Next you are going to need a grinder. Specifically you need a burr grinder. If you grinder has big blades on it, it is not ideal for coffee but will work for the time being. A burr grinder, however, gives a very consistent grind, while one with big blades gives you a grind of all different sizes. This leads to a sludge of small particles at the bottom of the coffee. Not very appetizing!

Before you grind, get your water heated. The ideal temperature is about 200 degrees. If you don't have a thermometer, simply bring the water to slight boil and then take it off the heat. Leave it there until you have ground your beans.You can get a French press in all different sizes so keep in mind you want two rounded tablespoons of grounds per 1 cup of coffee (8oz).

Once the water is heated, put the coffee beans in the grinder and grind until you have the beans down to the size of a half-a-grain of rice or just slightly smaller. Add the grounds to the press right after grinding. The longer they sit out, the staler they will become. Add the water. All the grounds should rise to the top. Use chopsticks or a wooden spoon to stir the grounds a couple of times. This brings out the bloom or the foam at the top. Place the top of the French press on but do not push the plunger down yet.

Start your timer. My French press is about 3 cups and I give it four minutes. If yours is smaller you only need about 3 and a half minutes. While your coffee is steeping, put your coffee cups in the microwave (if they are microwave safe) for about 30 seconds to a minute just to warm them up. Pouring coffee into a cold cup can produce a sour note in the coffee. If your cups are not microwave safe, use a warming drawer or run them under warm water for a few seconds and dry.

Once the time is up, push the plunger down slowly and evenly. Do not let the rod move sideways at all or some of the grounds will escape above the filter and you will have grounds in your coffee.

Make sure to hold on to the lid as you pour, as it is not secure on a French press. Walla...you have a perfect cup of coffee. Enjoy a much more flavorful coffee than your coffee maker could ever hope to produce.

Get The Most From Your Coffee Machine

2011-09-17T06:36:00.000-07:00

Coffee machines come in all shapes and sizes and the choice can be somewhat overwhelming for many consumers who more often than not drink instant. One knows that all coffee machines simply make coffee, so why are there so many different types? The truth is there's only really two types of machines; being pressure brewed as in espresso makers and the classic Moka pot, or drip brewed as in percolators which can be gravity fed or electrically pumped. A few variations on these two methods are available, such as the vacuum brewer or the 'bean to cup' machines, but essentially they are either pressure or drip brewed.

For versatility the best bet is looking at the pressure brewing method, favoured by espresso coffee makers. And with espresso being the base ingredient for many coffee recipes, these machines offer a wide variety of coffees to be made. Dating back to 1884, the espresso machine has seen its own fair share of design changes such as steam driven, piston driven and pump driven. These days, most domestic coffee machines are pump driven, some of which feature a milk frothing arm, which is used for frothing milk, another common ingredient in many recipes.

Making exciting and adventurous cups of coffee will require a few ingredients in addition to finely ground (espresso) coffee powder, milk and sugar. A selection of syrups such as chocolate, vanilla and hazelnut syrup, and chocolate & cocoa powder give any coffee recipe a nice tasty topping. Coffee doesn't have to be served piping hot either; try serving espresso coffee cold with cream, a little amaretto and vanilla flavouring for a wonderfully refreshing after dinner drink. For long winter nights, nothing is more warming than a classic mocha coffee. This is basically just coffee and hot chocolate, but can be spiced up with the addition of little chilli (try it!) a sprinkling of nutmeg and grated dark chocolate (which grates better straight out of the fridge).

New coffee recipes are emerging seemingly on a daily basis so don't be afraid to be adventurous. If it doesn't work all you've lost is a cup of coffee and with an espresso coffee machine, there's plenty more coffee on tap. Ginger biscuits and coffee are perfect together, so try adding a little ginger to an Irish coffee; I'm sure you'll be suitably impressed. You don't need a book full of coffee recipes to get the most out of your espresso machine, just get a few ideas off the internet and then try making some recipes of your own. Imagine how impressed your friends will be when you proudly announce "this is my own coffee recipe".

Decaf Coffee

2011-09-14T06:24:00.000-07:00

Drinking coffee can give you much health benefits. You can get antioxidants that can help your body relieve itself from damage, or even lessen your chances to have a heart disease. But as it is ideal to drink coffee for the benefits it can give you, there are still some drawbacks that can be associated to the consumption of this beverage. Decaffeinated coffee, or decaf coffee, is said to be prepared in order to lessen these drawbacks, but the question still remains-should you drink decaf coffee?

Decaffeinated coffee, as the name suggests, is coffee that is freed from caffeine. Many people pinpoint the health problems to this caffeine. The health problems that are said to be caused by this substance are high blood pressure, anxiety and irritability, trouble in sleeping, and even insomnia. So by consuming decaf coffee, you may be able to prevent these from occurring.

Now that we have stated the probable health benefits that can be derived from decaf coffee, we should now answer the question if you really should drink this kind of coffee. This question is not easily answered because there are still no concrete studies that will point that caffeine is indeed the cause of the health problems. Also, the fact that the coffee is decaffeinated will not ensure that it is safe as there are ways of taking out caffeine from coffee that can turn out to be harmful.

The first few instances of extracting caffeine came around at early 20th century. By that time, caffeine extraction was done by using chemicals that could be potentially harmful to the body. Even though the utilization of these harmful chemicals were ceased in this age, there could still be few instances that a hazardous solvent would be accidentally used in the process. When planning to drink decaf coffee, you should make sure that the process it has undergone was approved by the different health organizations. Also, If you are a pregnant woman, then it is ideal that you do not drink decaffeinated coffee especially if you do not know what kind of substance was used to eliminate the caffeine. The substance used may turn out to be harmful to you and your baby. As they say, it's better to be safe than sorry.

Health is wealth. This saying cannot be any less true each time you look upon it. So if you are truly concerned about your health, it is best to confer with your doctor if you should switch to decaf coffee. After verifying the safety of the decaf coffee, go ahead and indulge. Also, upon drinking it for the first few times, check if your body has some abnormal reaction to the beverage. If violent reactions arise, stop taking it for your well being.

Buying Cheap Espresso Makers

2011-09-11T07:39:00.000-07:00

Espresso makers are indeed a valuable asset in every kitchen. The pleasure of drinking a strong shot of a well blended Espresso adds an incredible excitement every time you wake up in the morning. With these machines offered at an affordable price, you no longer have to leave your house and fall in line in coffee shops anymore just to buy a cup of your favorite Espresso since you can now already make your own cup of Espresso under your very own roof.

As the price of this machines get cheaper and cheaper these days due to the strong competition between Espresso machine manufacturers, more and more consumers have decided to purchase one for their home use. Your friends, neighbors, and officemates may already have their own Espresso machines at home too. So whether you want to upgrade your kitchen experience to a different level or whether you just want to be "in", buying an Espresso machine will never be a disappointing decision you will ever make.

If you are in search for a cheap coffee machine for home use you might consider reading some helpful tips below to guide you in choosing the best Espresso maker perfect for your kitchen.

Tips in Buying Cheap Home Espresso Makers

Before looking at the price, make sure to decide first on the type of Espresso machine you want. There are several options that you can choose from: manual machines, semi automatic, fully automatic and super automatic Espresso maker. Manual espresso machines have very impressive interior designs but you will need to manually fill the portafilter handle and operate the pump yourself for you to brew your own cup of Espresso. For semi automatic and fully automatic Espresso makers, you can just choose your own aroma strength level and leave the electronic pump system installed in the machine brew a real good Espresso for you. On the other hand, if you really want a high end Espresso machine at home, then you can go for a super automatic Espresso maker. This machine offers great and amazing features to give you the best tasting Espresso brewed to make you want for more. It is very easy and convenient to use and requires less maintenance.
Once you choose the type of Espresso machine you want, you can start looking around in electronic shops in your area and look for discounted machines. The internet is also a very good source of information. You will find a large collection of coffee machines in just a few clicks and start reading product reviews to compare the features and prices of each Espresso maker.
Always make sure to choose a cheap Espresso machine with sufficiently large water reservoir, heavy and wider portafilter basket, and a good steaming device for a much higher quality cup of Espresso.

These are just a few tips that you can follow in buying cheap Espresso makers. If you don't want to go out and visit your local electronic shops, then you can order and purchase your own Espresso machine on the internet. So shop online now and buy your own coffee machine at great deals!

Pump and Steam Espresso Machines

2011-09-11T07:27:00.000-07:00

Having a cup of espresso in the morning is indeed a great way to start your day. Drinking your favorite smooth and creamy espresso energizes your body and keeps you active throughout the day. If you are tired waking early in the morning to fall in line at your favorite coffee house, then you may probably consider getting your own espresso machine. But before anything else, you need to determine and decide first whether a steam or pump espresso machine is suitable for your needs.

This article will tell you the difference between pump and steam espresso machines. So if you are interested to know more about such machines, continue to read on.

The Pump espresso machine works by heating the water up to its optimum temperature to effectively extract the coffee from the grounds. The water is then forced through the ground through the use of a pump which then results to a cup of espresso. On the other hand, the Steam driven machine works by heating the water to generate steam. The accumulated pressure from the heat forces the generated steam through the grounds which then produces a cup of your favorite espresso.

With regard to durability and functionality, majority of baristas prefer to use the pump driven espresso machine than the steam ones. This machine is fabricated using high quality and heavy duty materials which make it sturdier as compared to the steam machine. More so, the coffee produced by Steam machine is hotter than the pump machine. Due to the high intensity of temperature being applied on the coffee, it may result to a slightly bitter taste. Though the steam machine produces hotter coffee, the pump machine on the other hand produces a moderately hot coffee but with better taste as compared to the coffee produced by the other type of machine.

Even more, in terms of cost, pump espresso machine is more expensive than the steam coffee machine as it produces better espresso than the latter. Moreover, pump machine also has more features to offer which further maximize the functionality of the unit. So if you have the right budget, picking a pump coffee machine will really make a great investment you will never regret. However, if you only have limited budget, getting a steam driven coffee machine is more reasonable and practical.

Both pump and steam espresso machines are available in both offline and online stores. But if you want to save money, shop wise and place your order online. You can find numerous models of espresso machines in the internet. Online shops also offer more affordable coffee machines than retail stores which will surely help you save more money.

Types of Moka Pot

2011-09-11T06:23:00.000-07:00

The design and construction of different pots tend to produce a coffee with slightly different taste and characteristics. In addition, some pot designs are more adapted to more modern, electric and induction stovetops where traditional aluminum materials won't work with.

In this article, we'll list down the most common types of moka stovetop pots and each of their unique characteristics.

Aluminum Type Traditional Moka Pots

The traditional aluminum moka pots offer the most authentic experience especially when the original design called Moka Express can still be bought brand new.

Many moka pot coffee aficionados claim that a cup brewed from an aluminum pot has a better taste than any other pots because of the way aluminum allows layers of accumulated coffee oil collects to add flavor to every cup of coffee you make over time.

Stainless steel Stovetop Coffee Makers

Stainless steel pots tend to be more durable and easier to maintain than aluminum pots. In addition, stainless steel allows the pot to work on induction stoves and cookers, which is a great convenience as many modern household and apartments no longer have traditional gas stoves.

Ceramic Stovetop Coffee Makers

These types of pots have the upper section (where the coffee brew finally sits) made of ceramic instead of metal. Ceramic allows less heat to transfer to the outer areas of the pot as well as add a less industrial look to the appearance of the pot.

Stove Top Percolator Pot Add-On

These aren't exactly variants of moka pots, but more of an add-on accessory. Instead of a coffee pot upper chamber, these have one or two drip pipes that allow freshly brewed coffee from the pot to dispense directly into a cup.

Electric Moka Pots

Modern technology catches on to the moka pot. Instead of using a stovetop, electrical moka pots have an thermally-regulated electrical plate at the base to heat up the water. The advantages of these electrical models are mainly convenience and ease-of-use. Most models offer automatic shut-off and regulated brewing, so the odds of burnt and bitter coffee is minimized.

Suggestions

An electric pot really offers quite a few advantages these days, one major advantage, as mentioned, would be the automation aspect of brewing consistent coffee, you don't have to worry about burnt coffee or reheating coffee since most electric pots have a keep-warm feature. There's still a different charm when it comes to traditional aluminum pots though, so my advice would still be to start off with a classic Bialetti if you want to go through the "initiation" of brewing your own stovetop espresso coffee from a moka pot.

Lastly, if you only drink or prepare 1-2 cups of coffee at a time, it's best to invest in a smaller 3-cup variant rather than going straight to a 6-9 cup size as the larger pot takes longer to brew and harder to monitor unless it's full. You'll waste less coffee grind as well.

The Evolution Espresso Coffee Makers

2011-09-08T11:21:00.000-07:00

It has taken over one hundred and twenty five years and the efforts of many brilliant minds to develop the state of the art espresso coffee makers we enjoy today. Today we look at espresso making machine types and their evolution.

The first espresso machine was invented in the late 1800's and was steam operated. It was merely a closed vessel with a flame beneath it, a few valves to let water in and coffee out and a chamber where the coffee grounds were contained. When the water in the vessel boils the steam is created and the pressure within the vessel increases. Upon opening the valve, water and some steam is released and pushed through the coffee grounds brewing a cup of espresso much faster and also much stronger than normally brewed coffee. Today we will discuss the three types of espresso coffee makers that have evolved from those early years; they are steam, piston and pump operated.

The steam operated espresso coffee maker:
While the original patent for the first espresso machine was granted in May of 1884 it was not until 1905 that the manufacturing process began. Desiderio Pavoni purchased one of the original versions of the patent and founded his company LaPavoni and production started at the rate of one machine a day.

As mentioned earlier the steam type espresso coffee maker is very basic in its operation. Still in use today, it has been improved upon substantially over time now using electricity instead a flame for heating the water. The machines produced today are attractive, easy to use and very inexpensive. The downside, due to less engineering and features is a lack of quality in the shot.

The piston/lever operated espresso coffee maker:
Achille Gaggia developed the piston operated machine in 1945. It was later introduced as a lever type; piston operated espresso coffee maker by La Cimbali. LaPavoni became for the first to produce this machine for home use.

Although not for everyone this machine is the absolute classic. It is blessed with that throw back look of old Italy and can be a conversational piece as much as an exceptional espresso coffee maker. These are machines that require some study and some practice if you are not already accomplished in what is considered by many a true art form. The end result can be amazing but can also be botched if not taken somewhat seriously.

It is worth noting that there are two types of piston machines, the non-spring-loaded and the spring-loaded. The non-spring-loaded type requires the operator to exert and maintain the pressure on the lever. This leaves room for inconsistency and varying quality of shots. The spring-operated machine uses a spring to control the pressure once the lever has been pulled and eliminates that human element. The shots now become more consistent.

The pump operated espresso coffee maker:
The advent of the piston driven lever type machine only opened the door for more technology and hence the pump operated machine arrives. This machine was introduced in 1961 by Faema and is the model E61.

The primary difference when it was first introduced was that the pressure of the water through the coffee was provided by an electrical pump instead of a lever. As years have passed there have been innovations and improvements leading to three new categories of pump driven machines. These are the semi-automatic, fully automatic and super automatic espresso makers.

The most distinct differences between these three categories are:

The semi automatic must be started and stopped manually and does not have as much programmability as the others. Grinding and tamping are done externally.

The fully automatic can be programmed to start and stop the process and has a much broader range of program options including drink programming. Grinding and tamping are done externally in this machine as well.

The super automatic espresso coffee maker will basically do it all. It measures, grinds, tamps and brews the espresso and will create many of your favorite drinks with the push of a button or touch of a screen. There are even machines that will read finger prints and program the users drink selection accordingly. These machines are also mostly self cleaning.

The pump operated machines are now the consumers favorite with many choices of very high quality manufactures such as Gaggia, LaPavoni, Rancilio, Pasquini and Saeco.

As you can see from the original steam machine first patented in 1884 to the super automatic espresso coffee makers of today there has been a true evolution.

Buying Coffee Beans

2011-09-08T11:17:00.000-07:00

Coffee is one of those elements that are part of our daily routine. Especially if we go out with friends, as we read our morning paper and even while watching the news. A good cup of coffee is imbibed while talking with a family member or friend or a co-worker. Just recently, the trend for coffee drinking as a social activity has recently gone up. With the mushrooming of coffee shops everywhere, people find it a better place to spend time and relax, time to en a great cup of coffee with friends and family. Even teenagers nowadays are already getting comfy inside cafes, instead of wrapping it up inside a restobar. This only goes to say that coffee drinking is much loved and welcomed by society.

In any workday and even relaxing while watching television programs we have a freshly brewed coffee by our side.

The coffee bean is typically used for its stimulating effect but now a new study says furthermore, their consumption may also help prevent gout. Thus, the large aromatic liquid, that has varied taste and potency which is dependent on how the coffee bean was roasted, has garnered a lot of supporters and detractors in equal proportions. But now no one doubts that coffee drinking is part of our life, more like a daily ritual that is a part of our diet.

In fact, many times we hear people saying that "no one wakes up until he actually had good cup of gourmet coffee." Apparently, its effects are varied for our health. The incidence of liver disease, colon cancer, Parkinson's, as well as addiction to alcohol and drugs are as contrasting as their contraindications, if ingested in excess.

On the other hand, pregnant women and more especially during lactation, there should be more extreme precautions when drinking coffee. It is recommended that no more than two or three cups a day is imbibed.

This whole collection of properties of coffee should be added a new one: the prevention of gout. Apparently, a study in the United States on more than 46,000 male patients has shown that a daily intake of between one and four cups of coffee helps to reduce a 40 percent chance of developing gout, accentuated this trend over the age of forty years.

Gout is a disease caused by a joint order excess uric acid in the body that often occurs in association with other diseases such as obesity, diabetes and certain kidney disorders. To find the beneficial effect of coffee in the prevention and treatment of gout, one must look beyond the caffeine, as other foods with high concentrations of caffeine produces no effect.

Satisfying the most extreme coffee connoisseurs and tantalizing exquisite tastebuds should be an easy task right? Absolutely. With the right coffee beans sourced from a supplier who is seriously passionate about roasting premium coffee beans from Costa Rica, Guatemala, Brazil, Columbia, Peru and Ethiopia-you will most certainly gratify even the fussiest of pots with a fresh modern coffee, roasted in Australia just the way Aussies like it.

Instant Coffee Revolution

2011-09-07T06:08:00.000-07:00

For coffee lovers, having that first morning cup in minutes is a valuable feature of any brewing machine. Keurig makes a variety of models, designed for providing instant coffee in single servings.

The way these brands work is by using k-cups or coffee pods, or single serving packets, placed in the top of the machine. Water is added to the reservoir and the brew is ready in a few minutes. The advantages of using this type of machine are endless.

First, the K-cups come in a wide range of brands, brews and flavors. Mixed packages of different brands or flavors are offered. This is a great feature for couples who have different tastes in flavors or types of brews.

Though the machine only makes one cup at a time, it can allow the user to make many varieties. This is a good idea for giving guests a choice of their favorite brews or brands. It gives the user the ability to try different brews in the same day. An individual may prefer one type of brew in the morning and another later in the day.

The use of instant pods makes clean up simpler. There is no basket or filter to wash out. The pods are enclosed and are simply removed, when the machine is done brewing. The only cleaning the machine may require is the occasional cycle of water or cleaner, especially if your water is prone to deposits or hard water scales.

The machine makes one cup at a time and does it very quickly. A few minutes is faster than the typical ten minutes other devices take, to brew an entire pot. In addition, there is left over coffee from a pot, to be poured down the drain. This makes the device very cost effective. Imagine the money wasted when unused brew gets poured down the drain on a daily basis.

They come in a wide range of styles, shapes and finishes. There are many models with a stainless steel finish, for the modern kitchen. Others come in a black finish or a combination of black with steel trim. They are typically well made and dependable for daily use.

Espresso Machine Advice

2011-09-06T06:05:00.000-07:00

I absolutely love espresso! I'm guessing that if you're reading this article then you also probably share my love affair with this sweet nectar of the coffee bean. While drip coffee is just OK to me, there is nothing like the hearty and slightly sweet taste of an awesome espresso. In fact, I should qualify that statement a bit further in that it definitely makes a difference in how an espresso is made - and why settle for less than awesome? A bad espresso to me is not really worth the cost, and you'd be better off just getting a cheaper daily drip.

So since we're talking about making great espresso, this question presents itself: can I make it myself with my own espresso machine, or do I need to go to a "pro" barista? It's a question I used to avoid myself, since I just figured I'd let my local coffee shop take care of that for me. But in the days of rising prices for everything (including the gas I burned driving to get there), I started thinking about becoming my own best friend and making my espresso at home. Since I spent a lot of time researching home espresso machines, I think it best that I share my experiences with a few articles and give my readers a few tips to get the right espresso machine for their needs.

The first tip I'd suggest is to decide in advance how much control you want over the espresso-making process. Not everyone is hardcore, so to speak, about espresso and that's definitely ok! If you just want to load the grind and press a button, then consider getting a fully automatic or semi-automatic machine. Bear in mind though that the quality of the machine absolutely effects the quality of the espresso. Cheaper mass-market models under a hundred bucks will not produce the best results. Sometimes they might look like an espresso machine, but often they are just a drip coffee machine with a steam nozzle strapped on. I'd suggest you up your price range a bit and look for a true semi-automatic - only slightly more work but you'll be pleased!

The next tip is to start with a fine quality espresso, freshly roasted if possible. These days there are lots of small roasters popping up locally who will sell you fresh roasted beans. If you've never had freshly roasted coffee before, you may be in for a shock because the difference in taste and scent is immediately apparent. In case you're wondering, the stuff you get in the big chains (including the one that ends in "bucks") are NOT freshly roasted at the store because they must ship it in. Please take my advise on this one and do a search in your local area. A great espresso plus a great machine will always have you clamoring for more!

Thanks for reading the first article in my series! In the future we'll talk more about the different types of espresso machines and well as making better cups of coffee. Until then, good luck and enjoy a fine cup of coffee every morning. Last piece of advice - invite your friends over too and share the joy of great espresso!

Cups and Espresso Grinds

2011-09-06T06:00:00.000-07:00

Being something of a raconteur - and a connoisseur of espresso - it was an arduous task bringing myself to buy a single cup coffee maker. I was struck low by the constraints of my yacht cabin and so I opted for a teal-tinted machine to make the most of it. This does not mean that I wholeheartedly endorse the device, but I must admit, it does come in handy. Yes, I'm certain Luigi Bezzera, the father of the modern espresso machine, is turning over in his grave. Or is he?

The merits of the machine speak for themselves. Bezzera would have appreciated a single cup coffee machine that expresses espresso so methodically. One no longer needs to grind the beans or measure the shots. No, this machine eliminates the guesswork - or hard-earned science for those who have dedicated themselves to espresso. Based on the merits of the machine alone, Bezzera would have gladly ponied up to the bar at a local CBTL or Starbucks and ordered a cappuccino.

To be sure, espresso is not in any danger of losing its worldwide appeal thanks to single serve coffee. When McDonald's is slinging lattes from the drive-thru window, you can be sure the demand for espresso is only going to increase. As the supply of baristas can't possibly keep up with this demand, the layman's only hope is a single serve maker.

All this talk of espresso naturally leads us to talk of grinds. Yes, although my new machine can squeeze out a single serve cup of rather decent coffee, it cannot compare to a cup of finely ground espresso. You will notice I differentiated between a drip grind, which my machine does so well, and an espresso grind, which it does not. The next time you buy a package of conventional drip coffee, do yourself a favor and buy a package of espresso grind. Pour the two side by side and you will notice how incredibly course drip grind is.

Compared to drip grind, espresso grind is like fine silt from the Nile. This powdery quality is what makes espresso so heavenly. When the grind is shot through with nearly boiled water, it creates a fine, malty elixir that cannot be challenged in terms of taste and texture. Granted, we all cannot have true espresso luxuriance every morning. This is where the single serve coffee machine comes into play.

Growing Coffee

2011-08-30T01:12:00.000-07:00

Coffee is a favorite drink of millions of people around the globe. Many of us wake up to the invigorating taste of espresso at morning. Indeed, this is a great way to start the day. The ardent coffee lovers simply can’t miss their coffee drink at various times of the day- during breaks in between work. A cup of piping hot coffee not only awakens us but also helps keep us energetic throughout the day.

Coffee drinks of all types, be it plain coffee or espresso or latte or cappuccino or some other specialty coffee beverage, are prepared from the beans of the coffee plant. The coffee plants, the seeds (beans) of which yield coffee, are grown on a large scale in various parts of the world. Over seventy countries from Indonesia to Brazil cultivate coffee. Usually, the regions of the world that lie between the Tropic of Capricorn and the Tropic of Cancer are the suitable coffee growing areas. The coffee growing belt includes the region around the Equator- Central America, Northern South America, Africa, India, Indonesia, the Middle East and the Hawaii.

Cultivation of varieties of the coffee plant The coffee plant is a small and evergreen tree. Cultivation of coffee takes place in plantations. This involves a labor intensive process that depends more on farming. That is why the cultivation of coffee is more suited for the developing nations lying in and around the equatorial regions.

Important commercially grown varieties of coffee are the Arabica and the Robusta. The Arabica coffee beans approximately make up seventy percent of the total coffee produced while the Robusta coffee beans make up the rest. The Arabica is usually looked upon as the best coffee. However, there can be a range (from excellent to poor) with regards to the quality of the Arabica coffees. That is the reason why Robusta beans may be preferred over Arabica beans in some cases. Finally, of course, it is expert opinion that is needed to decide what would be the right beans that would go into your coffee makers and espresso machines to produce the perfect espresso, latte and cappuccino coffee beverages.

Some coffee growing facts:

The equatorial climate best suits coffee cultivation. Temperature range of 15-24 degrees Celsius without severe fluctuations is ideal for coffee.
It is the well drained, well aerated and deep soils that are the right field soils for coffee growing. The coffee plants need a large supply of oxygen for their root systems. This is why aerated soils are especially suitable for coffee growing purpose.
Rainfall required is in the range of 1500mm to 2000 mm annually. If the annual rainfall of the coffee growing region lies below this then the deficit has to be taken care of by providing for irrigation means.
The superior coffee varieties are better cultivated at higher altitudes (over 3000 ft) where there is an abundance of mist and cloud. With oxygen content in the air at the higher altitudes being less the coffee plants take longer to mature thus helping in development of better flavor in the beans (seeds) lying within its fruits (cherries or berries). The diffuse light produced by mists and moderate winds blowing at the altitudes prove to be advantageous in promoting the desirable developments in the coffee.
The Robusta or Coffee Canephora that produces the majority of coffee grown at lower altitudes is also considered to be more resistant to diseases of the coffee crop. However, it is the Coffee Arabica growing at higher elevations that are valued for preparing a befitting gourmet coffee drink.

The coffee growing process It might be difficult to imagine that the espresso, latte, cappuccino or other special coffee drink that may be dispensed piping hot from coffee makers or espresso machines have been sourced from the coffee plant that has gone throwing a number of stages of the coffee growing process. Indeed, the process of coffee growing involves an intensive farming process.

Propagation of the coffee plant is by using of seeds or cuttings. These are planted in special nursery beds. When the seedlings become between 8 and 12 months old they are transplanted to fields. Here, in the fields, the cuttings or seedlings are planted in wet, fertilized holes.

The coffee trees require constant special care especially the younger ones. The exact right amount of shaded sunlight (or diffuse light) needs to be ensured as also regular watering and fertilizing. Protection from pests and weeds also need to be provided.

Upon planting the coffee tree takes around five years to mature and produce the first crop. The trees with broad, dark green leaves bear flowers that resemble the jasmine. These coffee flowers blossom over a six to eight week period and the blossom to harvest period may extend to some nine months or so depending on a number of environmental and other factors. Ripening of the red coffee fruits (or cherries or berries, as they are also called) takes place within 6 to 8 months after the tree begins to bear fruit. Regular harvesting needs to be carried out since the coffee fruits become over ripe after some 10 to 14 days. Hand plucking is usually resorted to as it is convenient and best suited for plucking in the mountainous regions as opposed to mechanical harvesters.

Though it might seem astonishing yet it is true that a single tree upon cropping can produce sufficient beans only for about two pounds or a kilogram of coffee. This has been estimated to be produced making use of around 2000 coffee beans. These beans are hand picked by manual laborers. The harvesting of the coffee beans may also require quite a bit of skill as the picker needs to learn up to opt for only the best beans and discard the bad beans while picking. Attention needs to be provided to every individual bean in the bean by bean picking harvesting process.

Immediately after harvesting the processing of the selected coffee seeds or beans needs to be commenced. This is to ensure that the pulp does not get deteriorated. The coffee beans processing process involving drying and roasting finally makes ready the coffee that is to be freshly ground to be entered into your home coffee makers or espresso maker. Thus is finally delivered for you the cupfuls of perfectly flavored, delectable espresso, latte, cappuccino or other favorite coffee drinks.

The True Concept of a Coffee Specialty Shop

2011-08-29T01:11:00.000-07:00

Gourmet coffee comes in all shapes, sizes, tastes, smells, and price ranges. It may seem obvious that the higher the price, the better the quality. However, this is not always the case when considering gourmet coffee. Who decides the best gourmet or specialty coffee is the coffee drinker: you. Tastes and styles differ form one person to the other. In addition, tastes and styles are not dependent on the price tag of the coffee. Coffee specialty shops offer the coffee drinker a chance to experience all qualities, styles, and tastes of gourmet coffee through a trial and error method. This proven trial and error method allows even the fussiest of coffee drinkers to choose a gourmet specialty coffee that is perfect for his or her lifestyle.

Coffee specialty shops are often a franchise business owned by major corporations. However, many of these fine specialty coffee shops are privately owned and ran by smaller groups of people. The benefits of both the corporation and the small business are completely different. I know I enjoy the small business coffee specialty shop mush more than the larger franchise. Customer service, quality, and down-home comfort all while enjoying that awesome cup of gourmet Java. Larger franchises have the advantage of having conformity of coffee tastes from one location to the other, even from one country to the other. Whatever your choice, coffee specialty shops offer all coffee drinkers a truly different coffee experience.

As with all specialty coffee, specially grown gourmet coffee beans are used to create a uniquely flavored coffee bean. Only the finest of gourmet coffee beans are used in the process of creating the most exceptional specialty coffees. The components of the soil creates the coffee bean used by specialty coffee shops around the world. Of course, coffee shops also sell the roasted coffee bean by the pound to loyal customers. Exposing the gourmet coffee beans to the public allow coffee drinkers to build loyalty and ultimately to buy only that specific gourmet coffee bean.

Many specialty coffees are infused with additional flavors to better please the coffee drinker. These additional coffee flavorings add a whole new element to gourmet coffee beans. Not only do these flavorings add a new taste, but these flavored coffee beans also add a whole new robust aroma. The two qualities together make an idealistic opportunity for coffee retailers to present their loyal customers with new and often improved qualities of coffee beans. Coffee retailers are always ready to find new ways to provide high quality to loyal customers as well as new coffee drinkers.

Gourmet specialty coffee shops reach out to their customers. Offering gourmet specialty coffees that carry the coffee shop's company label gets potential coffee drinkers to trust that coffee shop. Building trust is important in the coffee industry. When dealing with customers willing to spend $18 billion annually on coffee and coffee products, the coffee retailers are more than willing to customize coffee and coffee products for their customers.

Coffee Custom Flavored Beans

2011-08-28T01:09:00.000-07:00

No one will deny that gourmet coffee has not taken its place in the world market. The coffee industry is responsible for bringing $50 billion annually to the world economy in both coffee and coffee related merchandise. Coffee custom flavored beans and merchandise are an important part of that coffee industry. Flavored coffee products specialize in the customization of coffee and coffee related products to the awaiting consumer. There are literally an endless combination of possibilities that can be had by mixing and matching flavors. Surprisingly, not one taste fits all, but the coffee industry believes that one gourmet coffee bean can fit a lot of people. All that you have to do is to boast a bit of flavor and viola, instant customer satisfaction.

You can find flavors for coffee custom flavored beans at almost any retailer. Or, if you feel adventurous, you can attempt to mix and blend your own flavorings. Add your own coffee bean roaster and you can create your own coffee custom flavored beans. Coffee connoisseurs around the world thoroughly enjoy the opportunity to customize their coffee drinking experience one custom coffee bean at a time.

Coffee retailers are more than ready to meet the demand of the people. Coffee retailers will often offer not only gourmet coffee beans, but will allow their loyal patrons the opportunity to purchase various flavored coffee syrups. Gourmet coffee syrups can be used to flavor the finished brewed gourmet cup of coffee, or gourmet coffee syrups can be used to create coffee custom flavored beans. Each coffee syrup adds a unique and unusual taste to the gourmet coffee. For a taste adventure, try mixing and creating different recipes of coffee syrups for a taste melody in your coffee cup.

Coffee shops serve a wide range of coffee syrups and flavored coffee beans. Many times those coffee beans and coffee syrups will have a private label created by the coffee shop owner or franchise. Of course, to accomplish this, coffee retailers must follow certain laws setup by each country that operates gourmet coffee farms. One important factor to consider when purchasing a gourmet coffee bean is whether that coffee bean is Arabica or Robusta. Arabica coffee beans are the only coffee bean with quality enough to be considered gourmet. The gourmet coffee bean is cultivated in a high, dry and hot climate.

No matter the type of gourmet coffee bean you prefer, finding a custom flavored coffee bean is absolutely a wonderful trip of adventure and excitement. Please, don't stop at just one gourmet coffee bean. Once you have been tempted by all of the tempestuous melody of flavors and choice, try some customization of various gourmet coffee beans and flavors. There are so many different flavors and choices in your gourmet coffee, that there is sure to be one that pleases everyone's taste. If not, create your own. Coffee retailers and coffee manufacturers want to please you. They believe that what you want is of utmost importance. Customer satisfaction at its finest.

Gourmet Coffee Beans

2011-08-27T00:50:00.000-07:00

Gourmet coffee beans are that delicious step most vital to creating that morning cup of java. Whether your choice is a regular or decaf, coffee beans are those little beans that when ground, boiled, and seasoned to perfection, make our early morning experience more lively and exciting. Of course, not one coffee bean will ever suit everyone, but thanks to coffee bean manufacturers, there is a coffee bean suited to every taste. Around the world, the choices associated with a good coffee bean is determined by the selections of the population served. However, there are a few selections that are universal.

All gourmet coffee beans are created from selected Arabic coffee beans. Only Arabic coffee beans have the quality necessary for gourmet coffee beans. Arabic coffee beans are grown in selected high, dry, and hot zones around the world. Only these such conditions allow for the perfect Arabic coffee bean that is perfect for gourmet coffee. The opposite is true of the Robust bean. The Robust coffee bean is not the same high quality as the Arabic and therefore is not appropriate for gourmet coffee beans.

All gourmet coffee beans are handpicked. Gourmet coffee beans are always handpicked at the peak of ripeness to insure that they arrive fresh to the coffee drinker. Machinery damages the delicate coffee bean. Therefore, the only option is to handpick each bean. Although handpicking takes significantly more time and effort, the coffee bean manufacturers believe that the consumer deserves only the best.

The coffee retail shops worldwide specialize in providing the coffee drinker only the best for the valued customers. Coffee retail shops offer specialized coffee to their many customers: each with their own individual tastes and favorites. Along with the specialized coffee is the flavored gourmet coffee. With flavors such as Vanilla Mocha and Minty Caramel Chocolate, gourmet coffee shops enjoy tantalizing their coffee drinkers. Many coffee shops will create unique names for their gourmet coffee beans. Then, once named, will package the coffee beans in an appropriately labeled package.

Gourmet coffee is big business. Worldwide, millions of coffee drinkers either buy their own coffee for personal use, or they choose to go to a favorite coffee shop to purchase their daily cup of java. Either choice brings billions of dollars annually to coffee manufacturers, wholesalers, retailers, and shops. Keeping up with popular flavorings and coffee types allows the coffee industry to stay on top of the customers needs; in essence, keeping up with popular trends in coffee, allows the coffee industry to make additional millions each year in coffee and coffee products.

The important factor in any good coffee is how much you enjoy your coffee when you consume the product. If you are happy with what the coffee industry provides you with, you will keep buying their products. Whether you like flavored or natural, whole beans or ground, Dark or light, smooth or robust, the coffee industry will surely provide you with a coffee bean that will tantalize your sense and keep you coming back for more.

The Spirit of Coffee

2011-08-26T00:48:00.000-07:00

Ever wonder where the coffee beans in your morning coffee come from? You probably know words like Arabica and Robusta in terms of taste, but did you know that these words can also tell us where those coffees were grown? Here is a look at three of the world's best specialty coffees and the regions in which they originated. Read on to discover the rich history of these coffees.

Yemen Arabian Mocca

Grown in the mountainous region of Sanani in south Yemen at an altitude in excess of 4,500 ft, Arabian Mocca is the world's oldest cultivated coffee, distinguished by its richness and full body with chocolate undertones. Yemen is on Asia's Arabian peninsula, a stone's throw from Africa. Since there are no other Arabian coffees, it is classified as part of the family tastes of North African coffees.

It is here that the term "mocca" was coined. Its correct spelling is Mokha, for the port city that Yemen coffees ship from. Yemen's arid climate contributes to the production of one of the best-loved specialty coffees that led Europeans to fall in love with coffee many centuries ago.

Yemeni coffee is one of the most distinct and prized coffees in the world. It's been called a "wild" or natural cup, earthy, complex, pungent -- to some it may be strange and bitter. This coffee can also be characterized as dry, winey, and acidic with chocolate and fruit undertones, rustic flavors, and intense aromas.

Mexico "Spirit of the Aztec"

The state of Veracruz produces many average coffees in its low-lying regions, but atop the tall mountains near the city of Coatepec an excellent Arabica bean coffee called Altura Coatepec reigns. The word Altura itself means "high grown". Altura Pluma indicates the finest coffee of Mexico. Coetepec, a coffee district of Veracruz, provides particularly outstanding coffee beans. Mexican Altura beans have a full medium body, fine acidity, a wonderful bouquet and a satisfying flavor that is mild and sweet. This fine Mexican coffee is noted for delivering a consistently smooth taste and fragrant flavor with good body, depth, and overall balance. It is likely one of the most underappreciated coffees around.

Mexican coffee botanists celebrate Mexico's highest altitudes (with their approximately one hundred species of Arabica coffee plants) as the finest region of all the world's gourmet coffees. An inferior grade of coffee bean known Robusta grows at lower altitudes. Mexico itself produces huge quantities of these unremarkable coffee beans, often utilized as dark roasts, supermarket coffees and beans for blending.

Arabica coffee arrived in Mexico at the start of the nineteenth century from the West Indies. Today, Mexico ranks among the world's top coffee exporters. Most Mexican coffee is processed by the wet method to ensure better acidity and body. Mexican coffee is graded based on the altitude where it is grown. The plantations of Veracruz account for 60 to 70 percent of the Mexican coffee crop. Approximately 5 million bags of coffee a year originate in Mexico. Most of the better beans are grown on large plantations in the states of Oaxaca, Chiapas, and Guerrero. These are producers of "high-grown" Altura Coatepec coffees, among the finest coffees grown in the Americas.

Their flavor is light and nutty with medium acidity and a mild, well-balanced body. With a fine chocolate tang and a hint of sweet undertone beneath the finish, these coffees make an ideal beverage for those of us who enjoy a smooth, mellow-tasting brew that is not overpowering. Altura's smoothness produces many loyalists of the coffee drinkers who sample it. Mexican Altura Coatepec is an incredible morning coffee, as it could be used in a blend to tone down accompanying fuller-bodied coffees, or better yet, alone for the pure regional flavor.

Java "Dutch Estate"

As a synonym of coffee, "java" introduced itself in the seventeenth century when the Dutch began cultivating coffee trees on the island of Java (part of the islands of Indonesia) and successfully exported it globally. Often the standard by which all other coffees are measured, Java's finest golden beans are roasted to yield a piquant aroma, displaying an exquisite acid balance, a heavy body with chocolate undertones, and a lighter finish than Sumatran.

At one time the island of Java was ruled by sultans and dominated by mysticism. The early Dutch settlers who came in the late 17th century found Java to be a wonderfully diverse place with high mountains, thick tropical rain forests and a sultry climate that revolved around the monsoon rains. The Dutch and the Javanese settled the coastal volcanic plains, while much of the interior of the island was left to the jungle and a few tribal groups. The Dutch found that coffee grew very well in this climate, and began to set up plantations around their initial foothold in Batavia (modern day Jakarta). Initially Arabica coffees were planted, but many of these were killed by the coffee rust plague that devastated the region in the 1800's. Robusta was the logical replacement -- a tough plant resistant to many diseases.

Eventually the Dutch plantation owners conquered Java and took on the elements. Large plantations were established in the east of the island, as well as in Central Java and the west. After the Japanese occupied Java in the 1940's many of these plantations were destroyed or absorbed back into the jungle with their owners imprisoned by the Japanese. After the war and the ensuing independence struggle, many of the larger plantations ended up under the control of the government. Today the big Java plantations (such as Nusantara XII) are still government-owned. However there are many medium and smaller growers who produce excellent quality Arabica beans. These coffees are known as "Government Estate" Java. They are primarily produced at 4 old farms (Kayumas, Blawan, Djampit, Pancoer). The Government body grows about 85% of the coffee in East Java, close to Bali on the Ijen area. The range of altitudes suitable for coffee production is 3,000 to 6,000 feet, with most growing in the plateau region at 4,500 feet.

Government Estate is undoubtedly Indonesia's highest quality coffee. Other more inferior coffee producers of the area are called "Private Estate" Java plantations. They are lower-grown and not processed or prepared as well but they are a good option for those who want to spend less. Java is an undeniably clean-tasting cup for this Indonesian varietal, a fully wet-processed coffee that has the Indonesian body and thickness in the cup without earthy or dirty flavors.

Frozen Coffee Parfait

Try making this coffee drink using one of the coffees described above and bask in the wonderful flavors of these delicious brews!

Yield: 6-8 servings

1 14-oz. can of sweetened condensed milk

1/3 cup double strength coffee sweetened with 4 tb. Sugar while hot (allow to cool before using)

1 cup whipped heavy whipping cream

In a large bowl, combine the sweetened condensed mild and the coffee into hand mixer; whip on high speed for 3-5 minutes. By hand, fold in the whipped whipping cream. Make sure the mixture is evenly distributed.

Spoon the mixture into 6-8 serving dishes, then freeze for 3 hours or until firm.

Garnish before serving with a chocolate-covered espresso bean and chocolate syrup for a yummy treat.

Cafefit Diet Coffee For An Enhanced Energy

2011-08-25T00:16:00.000-07:00

Are you addicted to coffee but still want to lose your weight? What are you waiting for? Caféfit has brought for you an exclusive variety of diet coffee. Drink handful of cups of coffee and yet shed your weight at the same time. How? The weight loss coffee from Café fit are prepared to burn the fat of your body, keep a check on your appetite and boost up the metabolism rate of your body. This is one company that offers you fortified gourmet coffee containing multi-vitamin. You will truly fall in love with the taste of this diet coffee!

Why go for Cafefit?

The energy booster coffee from Café fit is a healthy option for coffee drinkers. If you have the habit of drinking one or two cups of coffee every day and if that energy booster contains healthy nutrients and vitamins for your health benefits, what can be like it? Cafefit in addition to providing energy boosters, presents a healthier lifestyle with its marvelous blend of coffees. These diet coffees well substitute your exercise regime. Don’t believe it? The choice of the blends will determine your weight loss rate.

Are you looking for some variety of coffee that can enhance your energy level to a considerable extent? Go for the Pure Energy Blend from Cafefit. You will experience an enhanced energy in all your work. Check it yourself!

Pure Energy Blend from Cafefit - Get More Energy All Through the Day

Coffee drinkers, this is the perfect energy booster for you! Take just one cup of diet coffee and you will have high level of energy all throughout the day. What will you get in this energy booster? This high energy healthier variety of coffee contains caffeine, nutrients and unique vitamins that will provide you with strong energy. Are you stunned? Get the energy boosters and feel the difference! Its taste is much better than the high grade coffee available. Having a cup of this coffee will not only elevate your energy level but also will enhance your workouts.

Price Package of Pure Energy Blend Coffee

This coffee for your enhanced energy is made available to you in two pricing structures. If you are availing the special price, you will get it at $19.99. Enjoy a discount of 30% on the regular price of freshly ground coffee. The alluring part is that you will get free enrollment for the Home Delivery Program of Caféfit.

Want a whole supply for 3 months? You will get 3 packs at $19.99 a bag. But with this pack you do not get the benefit of free home delivery.

Are you still pondering whether it is better than the regular coffee that you get in the market? These gourmet coffees as energy boosters are healthier than regular coffees.

Increased Caffeine Levels offering you greater energy
Natural enrichment of energy level
Containing healthier nutrients and vitamins including Green Tea extracts
100% Pure Arabica Coffee – for a freshly ground to offer a refreshing taste!

Building A Better Cup Of Coffee For Your Family

2011-08-24T00:22:00.000-07:00

While coffee may be one of the most well-liked drinks round, thousands and thousands are compelled to do with out it because of heartburn, acid reflux, persistent abdomen discomfort and other gastrointestinal issues. The issue, it appears, has to do with the very factor that offers espresso a lot flavor: the roasting. However which will soon change.

Joseph Schmer, M.D., a gastrointestinal medical specialist and former co-chief of gastroenterology for Methodist Hospital in Brooklyn, NY, has seen for years just how massive of a problem abdomen issues are for coffee drinkers. "In the course of the coffee-roasting course of, natural acids form which might lead to heartburn, indigestion and upset abdomen," he explains. "Lowering these irritants permits coffee drinkers with sensitive stomachs to take pleasure in coffee."

Folks with sensitive stomachs could need to check out brews resembling Espresso Legends' Light Java, a brand new coffee designed particularly for coffee drinkers who say espresso upsets their stomachs. The java is constructed from an all-pure steam course of-fashionable in Europe for about 60 years-that reduces around 70 percent of all impurities and irritants. The steaming leaves the coffee aroma, flavor and caffeine fully intact-that means coffee drinkers with out delicate stomachs can enjoy the brew, too.

Mild Java is good information for those who depend on espresso to help focus or for anyone who wants to profit from coffee's antioxidant qualities.

While caffeine has lengthy been recognized to help asthmatics stop assaults, latest research have proven coffee consumption can have several different health benefits.

Drinking espresso has been associated with a lower risk of gallstone disease in males, diminished risk of kidney stone formation and a diminished risk of colon cancer.

Different research have found coffee to be a great source of potassium, helpful in promoting the effectiveness of migraine drugs, and a means of protecting towards free-radical damage to tissues. One examine found it had extra antioxidant activity than crimson wine, green or black tea or orange juice.

Commercialisation of Coffee

2011-08-23T00:42:00.000-07:00

For many connoisseurs, the period from the mid-19th Century to the late 20th Century is the 'Dark Age' of coffee. During this era, coffee lost its Middle-Eastern mystical charm and became commercialised and, quite frankly, ordinary.

When coffee was first introduced into Britain during the 17th Century, it was a drink enjoyed by every social class. While the rich would enjoy coffee almost ceremonially in their social clubs, the poor saw coffee as an essential nutrient, a hot drink to replace a hot meal, or hunger suppressant. It was only a matter of time, with the advancement of technology, that large companies would form to take advantage of the coffee commodity.

Traditionally coffee was roasted in the home or in the coffeehouse. A practice imported from the Middle-East was to simply stir-fry green beans in an iron pan over a fire till brown. Some coffeehouses used a more sophisticated method of a cylindrical unit hung above a fire with a handle to rotate the beans inside. Both these methods were only capable of roasting small batches of coffee, a couple of kilos or several pounds at most, which ensured that the coffee was always fresh.

However, with the onset of the industrial revolution and mechanisation, coffee roasting technology soon improved. Commercial coffee roasters were being invented which were capable of roasting much larger batches of coffee. It was now possible for the few to meet the coffee needs of the masses.

It was in the United States where coffee initially started to be commercialised. In 1865, John Arbuckle marketed the first commercially available packages of ground, roasted coffee. His brand, 'Ariosa', was sold over a far larger area then any other coffee roaster. Instead of being confined to a small area close to his roasting factory, Arbuckle was able to establish his coffee as a regional brand. Others soon followed suit and, by World War I, there were a number of regional roasters including companies such as Folgers, Hill Brothers, and Maxwell House. These companies offered customers consistent quality and convenient packaging for use in the home, but at a price: freshness. It could be several weeks, or even months, before the end product would reach the customer.

One approach to prolonging the freshness of roasted coffee was to glaze it with a glutinous or gelatinous matter. After the coffee beans had been roasted, a glaze would be poured over them, which would form a hard, protective barrier around the bean. Once such glaze patented by John Arbuckle in 1868, consisted of using: a quart of water, one ounce of Irish moss, half an ounce of isinglass, half an ounce of gelatine, one ounce of white sugar, and twenty-four eggs, per hundred pounds of coffee. Arbuckle experimented with many different glazes over the years, eventually settling on a sugar based glaze. In fact, Arbuckle became such a prolific user of sugar that he entered into the sugar business rather then give a profit to others for the huge quantities he required.

So why were customers willing to buy this coffee? Once ground, coffee quickly loses its flavour and therefore should be consumed as soon as possible (at the very latest within 48 hours). But this was the age of the brand, where consistency ruled king over quality. Local roasters would often produce excellent coffee, but they could also produce foul coffee, occasionally containing a number of adulterations. Customers wanted to trust what they were buying. They wanted their coffee to taste exactly the same, time and time again.

The first coffee brand to come to Britain was Kenco. In 1923, a co-operative of Kenyan Coffee farmers set up a coffee shop in Sloan Square (London), called the Kenyan Coffee Company, to distribute high quality coffee beans around Britain. Their shop proved very popular and their brand of coffee (renamed Kenco in 1962) soon spread throughout the UK.

Worse was to come to the brew known as coffee. As regional roasters grew into national roasters and then into international roasters, their pursuit of profit intensified. Traditionally coffee came from the 'arabica' variety of coffee bush. But in the 1850s, the French and Portuguese began to cultivate a different variety of coffee bush, known as 'robusta', on the west coast of Africa between Gabon and Angola. Robusta beans were (and still are) cheaper then arabica beans as they are easier to grow and have an inferior flavour. Coffee roasters looking to minimise their production costs started blending robusta beans with arabica beans in increasing quantities. They also used shorter roast times, to reduce weight loss stopping the coffee from fully developing its complex flavour.

However the lowest point for coffee comes with the introduction of instant coffee - a drink bearing little resemblance in taste to actual coffee. Although the first commercially produced instant coffee, called 'Red E Coffee', invented by George Constant Washington, an English chemist living in Guatemala, was marketed in 1909, it is Nestlé who are generally attributed with the invention of instant coffee. In 1930, Nestlé were approached by the Instituto do Café (Brazilian Coffee Institute) to help find a solution to their coffee surpluses. They believed that a new coffee product that was soluble in hot water, yet retained its flavour, would help stimulate World coffee sales. After seven years of research and frequent tasting, scientist Max Mortgenthaler finally achieved the desired results and, on 1st April 1938, Nescafé was launched, first in Switzerland and then later in Britain.

Some claim that it was the introduction of commercial television in 1956 that acted as a catalyst to the success of instant coffee in Britain. The commercial breaks were too short a time in which to brew a cup of tea, but time enough for an instant coffee. There is probably some truth to this claim as, by the 1960s, the majority of the tea industry started producing tea bags, an invention by Thomas Sullivan over half a century earlier (1904). Tea bags were seen as more convenient, simpler and quicker to use then traditional loose leaf tea and so could compete against instant coffee.

The coffee industry soon realised the association between commercial breaks and coffee drinking and started investing heavily in television advertising. Probably the most famous series of coffee advertisements were made for Nescafé Gold Blend. First aired in 1987, these advertisements focused on the sexual chemistry between a couple, played by Anthony Head and Sharon Maughan, acted out in a mini soap opera. The advertisements gripped the whole nation, featuring as frequently as Eastenders or Coronation Street as topics of conversation. This original series of advertisements ran for ten years, increasing sales of Gold Blend by 40% in the first five years (there were two further, less successful, sets of advertisements with different actors). Such was the profile of these advertisements, that they even featured as a news article on the 'News at Ten'.

With the coffee industry focused on price rather then quality, it was little wonder that coffee sales became stagnant. Coffee drinking was now more about a caffeine fix rather then about savouring the taste, to be drunk in a break from work, rather then to be enjoyed over conversation or while reading the newspaper. Unsurprisingly the younger generations born in the 70s and 80s turned their back on bitter coffee, preferring sugary soft drinks such as Coca Cola and Pepsi for their caffeine kicks.

Coffee Brewing Methods

2011-08-22T00:41:00.000-07:00

For most of us, brewing up our morning cup of coffee is more than just a necessity, it is a matter of convenience. Each night, millions of us coffee lovers pile heaping tablespoons of our favorite gourmet coffees into those paper filters, fill the tank of our coffee makers with water and set the timer so that our coffee is ready and waiting first thing in the morning.

But why would anyone spend good money on the finest gourmet coffee beans or fresh ground gourmet coffees and use just any home coffee maker.

So if you are like me and you enjoy the finest gourmet and specialty coffees available, then you must also believe that they deserve the best and most reliable coffee brewing equipment available.

Here is a quick list of the most popular coffee brewing methods & equipment starting from the best:

French Press
The French press coffee maker (or press pot) is universally recognized as the best brewing method, allowing for the truest coffee taste and aroma. This method actually brews the coffee in the hot water (as opposed to drip machines which only pass the water through the coffee and a filter). After a few minutes of brewing, a metal filter is pressed through the brew catching the coffee grinds and then trapping them at the bottom of the carafe. What is left over is full-bodied coffee with all its aroma and essences.

One of the main advantages to using a French press, other than great coffee taste, is the amount of control you have. You can control the water temperature (which incidentally should be around 190 to 200 degrees Fahrenheit, a temperature that drip makers do not achieve), you can control the amount of coffee you want to add, and you can control the brew time. Four minutes of brew time and 30 seconds of "plunging" time is considered best.

Another great feature about the French press is that it is extremely portable and only requires hot water. You can take it camping or use it in places with limited kitchen space, like a boat or an RV. Some press pots can also be used to brew loose leaf teas in the same manner.

As an aside, you shouldn't leave your brewed coffee in the press-pot with the grounds after you brew it! Either consume it or transfer it to a carafe, preferably a thermal carafe.

Vacuum Brewer
Vacuum brewers aren't very common, but they make coffee just about as well as a French press since the coffee and water are brewing together. A vacuum brewer has an upper and a lower chamber connected by a tube with a small filter inside. Coffee grounds are placed in the upper chamber, and water is placed in the lower chamber. As the lower chamber is heated, the water rises up to meet the coffee in the upper chamber where the brewing begins. After brewing, the water (now coffee) cools and seeps back down into the lower chamber leaving the used coffee grinds behind in the upper chamber. Ideally, the upper chamber is removed and the lower chamber is used as a decanter for the finished coffee.

Vacuum brewers can be electric, stovetop, or even used over a sterno can for dramatic tabletop brewing!

The Toddy Maker
The toddy maker or Cold-Brew Coffee Maker uses an unusual cold-brewing method that creates a coffee concentrate. This concentrate is then mixed with hot water to make coffee. The concentrate can be stored in a refrigerator and used to make one cup at a time if you so desire. This method produces a low-acid coffee, which is doctor recommended for coffee drinkers with stomach conditions.

Although this method of coffee brewing is sounds a bit odd, the result in taste is pleasantly surprising. One drawback is the amount of time it takes to brew. A good idea is to brew the coffee overnight. Once brewed, the concentrate can produce more than just one pot of coffee, so it's not a nightly event for a great cup of morning coffee!

Drip Grind Coffee Makers
Drip Grind coffee makers are the most common and usual coffee brewing method that we are familiar with.

In this method, water is dripped over and passes through the coffee grinds and a filter and is caught by the coffee pot below. Despite being the most common brew method it also happens to be the one which produces a coffee brew with the least amount of flavor and aroma.

There are generally 2 filter options for the drip grind coffee makers.

Permanent filters: are just what they say, permanent. They are usually gold-plated so they don't add any unwanted metallic taste to your coffee, resistant to corrosion so they are dishwasher safe and economical because they don't need replacing. Permanent filters are preferred because they allow for better coffee taste as opposed to the second filter option, paper filters.

Paper filters are the most common filter choice for the drip grind coffee makers. Unfortunately, paper filters can filter out more than just coffee grinds. Flavorful oils can be left behind in the filter and not make it to the finished coffee brew resulting in less coffee flavor and aroma. Since permanent filters allow for more liquid to pass through, the end result is a more flavorful cup.

As you can see, the most common brew method happens to be the one which produces the least amount of coffee flavor and aroma. Since, mornings usually need to be made quick and simple, most people have never had their coffee brewed any other way. If you are one of these people, don't just splurge on gourmet coffee's, get a small French press maker, start experimenting and experience the truest coffee flavor & aroma in each cup.

In Search of the Best Coffee Makers

2011-08-21T00:29:00.000-07:00

Coffee may be the most popular beverage in the world. Recent statistics indicate that over 50% of the American population are coffee drinkers and this number would more than likely hold true in many other countries as well. This more than any thing else helps to explain why there is such a wide range of coffee makers available for purchase today.

With such a diverse range of coffee machines, there is more choice for the coffee drinking public than ever before. Main stream popular styles include the Automatic and Manual Drip, Pod, Automatic Espresso, French Press, Percolator, Stovetop Espresso and the Vacuum. Each one of these styles has some unique characteristic that are sure to appeal to a certain segment of the coffee drinking public.

Automatic and Manual Drip Coffee Machines

The most popular style of coffee maker continues to be the automatic drip coffee maker. The basic design is very simple and efficient. Add fresh water to the built-in reservoir, insert a filter in to the handy filter holder, measure your favorite coffee grounds and pour into the filter and then press the start button. Within minutes your senses are excited by the smell of freshly brewed hot coffee! Most models also have a built-in timer and a pot warmer included so that you can set your coffee to brew and be ready at any hour of the day or night, and kept constantly warm as well.

Manual drip coffee brewers do take a bit more work since you need to boil the water using another heat source, but after that it is basically the same coffee making process of putting coffee grounds in the filter and pouring the hot water through the filter so that the coffee liquid is collected in the pot or container below. One great advantage of the manual drip coffee machine is that is can go most any where with you as it is not dependent upon having electricity to operate so it is great for camping and other outdoor activities.

Pod Coffee Machines

These are becoming very trendy and popular in recent years. Working similar to the automatic drip machines, they feature the ability to use pre-packaged containers or pods of specialty coffees to brew great tasting coffee. With many reputable coffee chains such as Starbucks now selling their most popular coffee blends in the pod format, consumers can get the same tasting cup of specialty coffee at home that they had to go out and purchase before at a much higher price.

Automatic Espresso Coffee Brewer

Espresso coffee makers have become much more affordable in recent years and because of this, they are gaining in popularity amongst serious coffee drinkers wanting something more than just a normal cup of coffee. There are currently three types of espresso coffee brewers to choose from, namely semi automatic, fully automatic, and super automatic. As a rule, the more automatic the espresso maker is, the less you need to do to brew your coffee, but unfortunately the more expensive it is to purchase. For example, where a semi-automatic model will tamp the coffee grounds, brew the coffee, fill your cup and eject the old grounds, an entirely automatic model will also grind the coffee for you as well, and the super automatic espresso coffee maker will do all of the above plus having additional features such as built-in water filters and self-cleaning.

Stovetop Espresso Coffee Maker

The stovetop espresso coffee brewers are basically a manual method for preparing espresso coffee when you do not have access to an automatic version or an electrical source of energy. This makes it an ideal coffee maker for taking outdoors on camping or fishing trips if you feel the need to make an espresso cup of coffee. First water is placed inside the underside boiler and then a cone filter is situated inside the boiler and filled with coffee grounds. Next the top is lightly tightened and the brewer is place over the heat source. After a few minutes, once the top of the boiler is filled with the freshly brewed coffee it is removed from the heat supply and the coffee is ready to be served. Here again, the absence of any warming feature means the coffee has to be served immediately.

French Press Coffee Maker

Also known as "press pots" or "plunger pots", the French Press coffee makers are not as common as they once were. Preparing coffee is more work than it would be using any of the coffee makers already discussed as it is a manual coffee machine. The pot is actually a glass or porcelain tube consisted of a stainless, mesh plunger that acts like a filter. To make the coffee you must first measure the coffee grounds into the pot, then pour in almost boiling water. After allowing the coffee mixture to steep for a few minutes, the plunger is then pushed downwards and the liquid beverage is forced into the waiting cup or container. As there is no built-in heating plate or element beneath the coffee container, you must serve the coffee beverage immediately or place it into an insulated container to keep it hot for later.

Percolator Coffee Maker

At one time percolator coffee makers were the standard type of coffee brewers in most households, a role now held by the automatic drip machines. Although not as popular today, they still have their place when a coffee maker is required that can brew large volumes of coffee rather than the 10-14 cup limit or less in most other popular coffee machines sold these days. Modern percolators are available as stove top models and electric and can be programmed like other automatic coffee machines. The coffee making process is based on running water continuously over the coffee grounds, held within a metal filter, as the water is boiled. One drawback of this method is that the coffee often gets stronger and more bitter tasting the longer it goes through the brewing cycle.

Vacuum Coffee Maker

Perhaps the strangest looking type of coffee machine is the vacuum coffee maker. Looking like something from a science fiction movie, the apparatus is made up of two overlapping containers connect by a siphon tube. The filter is located in the bottom section of the upper container. To brew coffee, the user first adds coffee grounds to the upper container, then pours water into the lower container. Next the brewer is placed on top of a stove where the water is then boiled and the resulting steam is passed along through the siphon tube into the upper container. After about 3 minutes the container is removed from the heat source and the steam condenses back into liquid water which is forced through the filter and back into the lower unit. Your fresh pot of coffee is now sitting in the lower unit. An interesting way to brew a cup or pot of coffee!

Needless to say, coffee lovers can select from a wide variety of coffee makers. From cheap stove top coffee pots to high end super automatic coffee machines, there is a coffee machine for every inclination as well as for every budget. Fantastic news! Now here is the unpleasant news. With all the many coffee machines to choose from today, even knowing the style you favor is not enough. Within each of the coffee maker styles noted above there are numerous different brand names and models to choose from.

Coffee For Your Health

2011-08-20T00:35:00.000-07:00

Many of us rely on coffee to get us going in the mornings, wake us up in the afternoons, and prepare us for that special business meeting. Go ahead, have a cup of coffee. It's much healthier than you may be thinking right now.

Coffee is the most consumed beverage in the world. No matter where you go, coffee is usually available. Yet, until recently there's been very little research on the effects of coffee on our health. The researcher's are waking up however. There have recently been studies completed on a variety of health benefits to drinking that simply delicious cup of coffee.

In a study in Italy, it was proven that that brewed coffee contains many antioxidants and consumption of antioxidant-rich brewed coffee may inhibit diseases caused by oxidative damages. When compared to other caffeine containing beverages like tea and cocoa, coffee proved to be the best in helping to prevent disease.

Caffeine in Coffee - Good or Bad?

The caffeine in coffee has often been a source of concern for many. Most people have problems sleeping when they drink coffee right before bedtime. Others will drink coffee to give them that boost of energy caffeine provides. Some even feel their heart rate increase if they drink too much coffee.

Did you know there are also benefits to the caffeine found in coffee? Coffee intake ( due to the caffeine) was associated with a significantly lower risk for Alzheimer's Disease, independently of other possible confounding variables. These results, with future prospective studies, may have a major impact on the prevention of Alzheimer's disease.

Another benefit of drinking coffee has been studied in China. Their research clinically proved the caffeine in coffee helps to prevent parkinson's disease. Many of us have been led to believe that caffeine is bad for us. True enough, large quantities may hurt us, but the evidence is strong for the benefits it provides.

Coffee - Healthy Tonic for the Liver?

Studies completed in Japan indicated that 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. Coffee also helped lower the risk of cirrhosis of the liver. Chlorogenic acid present in coffee beans has been proven in studies to also reduce the risk of liver cancer.

Harvard Medical School completed a study in 2004 that strongly suggest coffee has preventative qualities for Type 2 diabetes and insulin resistance. The authors found an inverse association between coffee intake and type 2 diabetes after adjustment for age, body mass index, and other risk factors. Total caffeine intake from coffee and other sources was associated with a statistically significantly lower risk for diabetes in both men and women. These data suggest that long-term coffee consumption is associated with a statistically significantly lower risk for type 2 diabetes.

Coffee and Physical Fitness

The amounts of water, carbohydrate and salt that athletes are advised to consume during exercise are based upon their effectiveness in preventing both fatigue as well as illness due to hyperthermia, dehydration or hyper hydration. The old issues concerning coffee and caffeine were that it acts as a diuretic, thus causing more fluid loss during activity. Studies have caused researchers to re think this point. These studies suggest that consuming caffeine does not have this effect and can even have beneficial effects on keeping the body fit.

Caffeine does not improve maximal oxygen capacity directly, but could permit the athlete to train at a greater power output and/or to train longer. It has also been shown to increase speed and/or power output in simulated race conditions. These effects have been found in activities that last as little as 60 seconds or as long as 2 hours. There is less information about the effects of caffeine on strength; however, recent work suggests no effect on maximal ability, but enhanced endurance or resistance to fatigue. There is no evidence that caffeine ingestion before exercise leads to dehydration, ion imbalance, or any other adverse effects.

What about the negative effects of coffee?

Coffee is enjoyed as a drink by millions of people worldwide. It contains caffeine, which is a mild stimulant, and in many people coffee enhances alertness, concentration and performance. Although it contains a wide variety of substances, it is generally accepted that caffeine is responsible for many of coffee's physiological effects. Because caffeine influences the central nervous system in a number of ways and because a small number of people may be particularly sensitive to these effects, some people have attributed coffee to all sorts of health problems.

Caffeine is not recognized as a drug of abuse and there is no evidence for caffeine dependence. Some particularly sensitive people may suffer mild symptoms of withdrawal after sudden abstention from coffee drinking. A 150ml cup of instant coffee contains about 60mg caffeine, filtered coffee slightly more; for those who like coffee but are sensitive to caffeine, the decaffeinated beverage contains only 3mg per cup.

Coffee drinking can help asthma sufferers by improving ventilator function.

There is no evidence that coffee drinking is a risk for the development of cancer. For several types of cancer there is disagreement between studies but again, other aspects of lifestyle may be implicated. There is even a strong suggestion that coffee may have a protective effect against colon cancer. A possible explanation may lie in the many antioxidant substances present in coffee and which are currently subjects of active research.

In some sensitive individuals, ingestion of coffee after a period of abstinence may cause a temporary rise in blood pressure but there is no hypertensive effect in the long term. Coffee made by the Scandinavian method of boiling or by the cafetiere method may cause mild elevation of plasma cholesterol concentration in some people, but instant, filter coffee, and liquid coffee extract have no such effects. Overall there is no influence of coffee drinking on heart disease risk.

There is no sound scientific evidence that modest consumption of coffee has any effects on outcomes of pregnancy or on the wellbeing of the child. Bone health is not affected by coffee drinking. Adverse effects in some published studies have been attributed to aspects of lifestyle that are often shared by coffee drinkers, such as smoking and inactivity. Coffee drinking can help asthma sufferers by improving ventilator function.

There is no reason for people who are prone to ulcers to avoid coffee.

Research continues and must be subjected to critical scrutiny and re-evaluation. At the present time, there is no reason to forego the pleasurable experience of moderate coffee drinking for health reasons. Go ahead... Have a cup of delicious coffee!

Healthy Coffee For A Weight Loss Solution

2011-08-19T00:20:00.000-07:00

Are you satisfied with your current weight? Today, weight-loss has become one of the biggest businesses in the world of health. Everywhere we turn, there are products guaranteeing that they can help you to lose a huge amount of weight, in a short amount of time. But is it possible to lose weight by simply choosing a certain type of beverage?

Many of us enjoy a cup or two of coffee on a daily basis. For coffee lovers, there's something irresistible about the drink's taste, aroma, and function as a pick-me-up. Clinical studies also indicate that healthy coffee can provide benefits for both our bodies and brains.

But can coffee actually promote weight-loss? Recent studies seem to indicate that drinking a moderate amount of coffee (one or two cups daily) can help you to shed pounds (or kilograms in most parts of the world). It does this by boosting your metabolism.

We hear a lot about metabolism, and it's often blamed for people being unable to lose weight. But what exactly is it? To better understand the role of healthy coffee in weight loss, it's important to know the basics of metabolism. Interestingly, the word "metabolism" simply means "change" in Greek.

In terms of the human body, metabolism refers to our ability to convert substances such as food, into energy-which the body can then use. Just as a vehicle requires fuel, our bodies also need energy in order to perform a variety of functions. For instance, metabolism is important for repairing damaged cells, aiding digestion, and detoxifying our bodies. In short, we couldn't survive without metabolism!

By consuming healthy coffee with caffeine, our metabolism increases. And as a result, our bodies can then burn calories faster. In fact, this process even continues while we're resting.

If you want to maximize your weight-loss, then it's highly advisable to consume foods and beverages (such as coffee) that will boost your metabolism. By combining this step with a reduction in your caloric intake, and burning more calories through exercise-you can maximize how many calories you're able to burn. Here are some helpful tips for using coffee to speed up your metabolism:

1. Roast and brew your own coffee.

You'll get the most health benefits when you roast the beans and brew the coffee yourself. Forget about the instant varieties!

2. Drink the coffee black.

Avoid adding stuff like sugar and cream, since they'll add calories to your coffee.

3. Avoid eating fatty pastries with your coffee.

This will be counterproductive to weight-loss

4. Consider doing a one-day water and black coffee fast.

This will help you to lose tons of weight, while detoxifying your body.

If you want to lose weight, then consider a cup of java. You'll have nothing to lose except pounds and kilos!

Coffee For A Better Life

2011-08-18T00:18:00.000-07:00

Espresso, a drink cherished by many; a drink prevented by others. Tea, its major rival, seems to supply a bounty of better well being advantages; a drink for the New Agers and those who want to escape the decadence of the brown, caffeinated drink. The actual fact stands that tea can solely be as useful as its preparation, which in some cases might have as much sugar as a can of soda. To grasp coffee, one must understand the core worth of tea: that the brewed leaf itself is the one healthful component. Everything else is decadence.

To that, the coffee bean itself incorporates a number of advantages to health. But the culture of espresso, just like the tao of tea, contains numerous excess trimmings. Espresso machines, for example, produce a highly concentrated form of atypical coffee. And then the all-consuming vice: sugar. Along with cream, sugar waters down the advantages of coffee, where it turns the brew into drinkable candy. But all of this stays unchanged from tea. The bean is the important part.

Caffeine can wreak havoc on the nervous system, however that does not make it synonymous with coffee. Completely different kinds of coffee (all ready otherwise) will yield different levels of caffeine content. Serving size also comes into play. To those sensitive to caffeine, the obvious different could be present in decaffeinated coffee. But such an alternative may downplay the positive impacts of the drink. Coffee is rich within the B vitamin niacin; and in recent research has been shown to have antioxidant-like results on the physique by eliminating free radicals. As a caution, these advantages only arise with a balanced ingesting habit. Too much cream and sugar can prove to be detrimental, whereas an excessive amount of coffee poses many long-time period hazards. While espresso may provide the B vitamin niacin, it in flip restricts the physique from other vitamins. And relying on the brew, espresso contains acids that have been linked to abdomen ulcers. Signs like these may hold forth-placing, but they exist solely in the long term for an abusive drinker. A day by day cup poses no threat to the average person.

And a cup might be prepared several ways. The standard method used by drip machines yield a very good quantity of caffeine and the filter traps out a lot of the unstable fatty acids within the bean. Using a French press, with its lack of a filter, will maintain the acids within the brew (though some declare it helps the coffee to style better). The pressurized water in an espresso will not maintain out most of the risky acids, and it'll also enhance the caffeine content. All advised, for individuals who refuse to modify to decaffeinated, instantaneous coffee granules include much less caffeine and fatty acids. In comparison with their quality cousins, prompt coffee ought to fulfill the balanced drinker. This together with much less cream and fewer sugar, could make for a risk-free informal cup of coffee.

How to Give Up Coffee

2011-08-17T00:39:00.000-07:00

Caffeine is the modern drug of choice in the work world, easily accessible, socially acceptable, readily affordable, and of course perfectly legal. As for the health effects, I've read evidence both for good and ill, so right now I don't fall strongly on either side. One thing is clear though -- caffeine is addictive. And this addictive nature is what leans me towards the negative side.

As a teenager I often drank sodas; cola was my favorite. I never drank coffee as a teenager, and I rarely drank it in college. But when I got into programming PC games, I'd sometimes drink coffee every day for months at a time. But I'd always eventually break the habit and have no caffeine for months at a time too. It was sort of cyclical.

Then I read the book Pour Your Heart Into It by Howard Schultz, which is the story of Starbucks (Schultz is the CEO). Schultz made gourmet coffee sound so good, that I embarked on a Starbucks kick for a while and tried all different kinds of gourmet coffees, espressos, soy lattes, etc. I know not all coffee drinkers like Starbucks (my mom surely doesn't), but I still think their coffee is among the best. Another favorite of mine was Lion Coffee from Hawaii. I bought a nice espresso maker and used it to make my own soy cappucinos (I avoid all dairy products).

I really grew to like the taste of different gourmet coffees, which were much better than the swill I used to drink in college. But it was so easy to fall into a pattern of addiction, drinking coffee out of habit instead of only when I actually wanted some. Today I still drink coffee on occasion, but that's the exception. Most of the time I don't consume any caffeine for weeks or months at a time. I found it fairly easy to break the habit. Here are a couple ways to do it:

Method 1: Coffee to Herbal Tea

First, switch from coffee to tea. You still get the caffeine from tea, but not as much. Enjoy some good quality tea -- not Lipton! I particular like Earl Grey and Green Tea. I found this easy to do right away. But if you find it too hard to switch so abruptly, then make the transition over a period of weeks equal to the number of cups of coffee you drink each day. For example, if you drink 4 cups of coffee a day, then switch to 3c coffee / 1c tea for the first week, then go 2c/2c for the second week, then 1c/3c, and finally 0c/4c for the fourth week.

Next, make the transition from regular tea to caffeine-free (not decaffeinated) herbal tea. Herbal tea isn't really tea, but it's close. Celestial Seasonings offers a wide variety of flavors. I recommend getting a variety pack to see which kinds you like. You can do the switch abruptly, or use the gradual method above. Now you're caffeine free.

Method 2: Coffee to Grain Coffee

Switch from coffee to grain coffee. Grain coffee is to coffee as herbal tea is to tea, and grain coffee is naturally caffeine-free. Grain coffee isn't real coffee, but it's a ground mixture of things like grains, nuts, dried fruit, and natural flavors that you can put into a regular drip coffee maker and make something that looks and tastes similar to coffee. Some grain coffees I tried were very bitter and well... disgusting. After trying a few different types, I found one I really liked: Teeccino. I buy it at Whole Foods. This has the best taste of all the ones I've tried, and it comes in a variety of flavors: vanilla nut, java, hazelnut, chocolate mint, almond amaretto, etc. Sometimes I mix different flavors together to make interesting concoctions. While I still usually prefer the rich taste of a good cup of Sumatra coffee, this stuff isn't too bad. It tastes similar to coffee, but it has a unique flavor of its own, and it's not acidic like coffee is. I typically mix a little Rice Dream (rice milk) into each cup to make it creamier.

A great way to transition to grain coffee is to mix it with regular coffee as you scoop the dry grounds into your coffee filter. So if you use 4 scoops of ground coffee normally, then try 3 scoops of coffee with 1 scoop of grain coffee for the first week, and continue to transition gradually as in the first method above.

Part of the addiction of coffee drinking is having a warm beverage, so the two methods above focus on that. I really like having something warm to drink, especially during the winter. I even have a small mug warmer on my desk. I usually alternate for weeks at a time between Teecino and herbal tea. Today I've already had two cups of Vanilla Nut Teeccino.

I suppose you could try a similar process if you're addicted to soda by transitioning to something else like water or juice, but I've never found it hard to give up soda.

I don't recommend decaffeinated coffee or tea because known carcinogens are used in the decaffeination process, and decaffeinated drinks are still highly acidic. From what I've read on this, I'd say you're better off with caffeine.

When you give up caffeine, you're likely to experience withdrawal symptoms. If I'm doing 4c coffee a day and then go cold turkey, I get headaches and backaches, and generally my emotions are out of whack for several days. But I still personally prefer to transition quickly rather than gradually. I'd rather just get the withdrawal over with.

Why Give Up Coffee at All?

I can't ignore the energy boost and mental acceleration that comes from caffeine. But I do notice negative side effects when I drink coffee. Caffeine seems to make part of my brain overactive and another part underactive. I become really good at doing things, but very bad at prioritizing what needs to be done. If I drink a lot of coffee, I'll often spend hours doing a bunch of low priority tasks, and I find that other unproductive habits are more likely to be done excessively. I become like a rat in a treadmill, doing more and more but not accomplishing what really matters. I find it very hard to focus on the big picture from a holistic whole-brain standpoint if I've consumed caffeine.

I also feel that caffeine blocks too much of my intuition and creativity. I miss subtle sensory input, and my thinking becomes too linear. Sometimes linear thinking is OK though. If I have a lot of menial tasks to complete, and I already have a clear to-do list to follow, drinking a cup of coffee can get me through them quickly. But if I have to sit down and do high-level work like developing my next quarterly plan, caffeine will make a mess of my thought process and dramatically reduce my ability to concentrate. My mind races too much on caffeine; it's hard to stay focused on just one thing.

Additionally, caffeine definitely disrupts my sleep habits. Even if I have a cup of coffee in the morning and none for the rest of the day, I don't sleep as well. I wake up in the middle of the night, or it's hard for me to get out of bed in the morning. When I consume no caffeine, I sleep more restfully and wake up easily. I also don't experience so much midday sleepiness.

And lastly caffeine makes me feel hotter than usual, including while I sleep. I need to turn the air conditioner up to feel comfortable, so that's another hidden cost.

Are Fruits And Vegetables For Health Nuts Only

2011-08-16T00:13:00.000-07:00

Everyone knows that we should eat a lot of fruits and vegetables. But how many of us actually do it? Then too how much is a lot? Four apples and three pieces of celery. Six and five of the same? How much?

How about a benchmark of one piece of fruit along with one vegetable at each meal? Thus if one eats four meals per day, one might then have four apples along with four carrots as a daily part of his or her diet every day of the week. Is there anyone who would not see the goodness of that?

In a week's period of time, this would amount to twenty eight apples, alongside twenty eight stalks of celery. For most, this would sound like far more than he or she ever would consider eating. Yet, that is the volume that most professional dietary people have in mind when they stress the importance of these fiber rich foods.

Most of us intuitively know that this is what we should be consuming. Yet very few of us are as regular in doing so as we are in drinking coffee, for example. Most of us would never think of starting off our day without one, sometimes very large cup, to say nothing of yet another at mid-morning, and so forth throughout the day.

Why should we be so regular at coffee consumption but seldom at fruit or vegetable crunching? Partly it is because of convenience. There are coffee shops and coffee machine, but nothing similar for fruits and vegetables. In other words, one knows where there are numerous coffee shops, but is hard pressed to think of a nearby place which sells fruits and vegetables.

All due respect to those who satisfy oral urges and energy dips in a non-caloric fashion; but where is the same regularity when it comes to the fiber and natural nutrient supplementation, which comes from fruits and vegetables? Unfortunately it just is not there for most. Why?

The real reason that more of us do not eat our four apples along with our four carrots as regularly as we drink our four or more cups of coffee is that it is simply not grown up American to do so. In other words, everyone over the age of sixteen is supposed to know that eating carrots and apples is for health nuts, not serious adults in the modern day world. Consequently, we drink our coffee, most likely with a hamburger or sweet roll, because that is what we as full-fledged adults are expected to do.

Another way of saying this is anyone who expects to be taken seriously should not be raising his or her blood sugar level and filling his or fiber needs with a healthy apple or carrot. Rather, he or she ought to be drinking coffee, preferably without sugar or cream along with a standard snack such as dollar burger or sweet roll. And, that ought to be enough to keep him or her both adequately healthy as well as sharply productive in the workaday world.

All due respect should be given to American normality and the maintenance of our way of life. Nevertheless, which of the two groups--the coffee drinkers or the apple and carrot munchers-- will most likely be the healthiest after one entire year of their distinct ways of living?

The answer should be immediately obvious. But the socially acceptable nature of the former far outweighs that of the latter. Whence, being a normal American adult is just not very good for one's health. Or, it simply is not close to being as good as it could be,and perhaps should be.

Coffee for Weight Loss

2011-08-15T00:11:00.000-07:00

Though there's much controversy among health and wellness experts as to whether or not coffee is good for your health, coffee is still the second most traded commodity in the world today. People around the world consume about 400 billion cups of coffee per year, and most coffee is consumed in the home. And now there's 100 percent organic coffee for weight loss (such as premium coffee by Boresha) that can contribute to a healthy diet and help coffee drinkers burn fat while drinking their favorite beverage.

For business opportunity seekers, coffee for weight loss sparks interest within two mainstream industries - coffee and health/wellness. When combining the most popular beverage in the world with one of the most popular conversational subjects (losing weight), the business aspect of fat-burning organic coffee can be tremendous.

What to Look for in Coffee Business Opportunities

Before diving in with both feet, make sure you're working with a legitimate distributor or manufacturer of weight loss coffee. Check out credentials and resources - don't accept someone's claim that it is a legitimate opportunity. Next, study every aspect of what's being offered, especially how much you'll be required to invest to get started as well as the amount of commissions you'll receive. Some coffee business opportunities might offer residual income for future purchases as well as for anyone that you refer to start a business of their own. This type of business model can be more lucrative because you can expect to earn from your efforts for years to come instead of always having to find new prospects.

If the coffee is being grown in other countries, make sure the company product is Fair Trade Certified. This guarantees that responsible methods have been used to grow and farm the coffee, with fair wages and treatment for all laborers involved. Also, look for 100 percent organic coffee with no harmful chemicals or additives. You can use this as a selling point and find a specific target market of coffee drinkers who love organically grown foods.

Healthy Choices

Not only can you earn while selling organically grown coffee to lose weight, but you can drink it yourself and enjoy the benefits. There's no better selling point than letting potential customers know that you've tried the coffee and it works. Take before/after photos to illustrate how much weight you've lost since you started drinking the coffee. Explain how easy it was...without other health risks that are usually associated with drinking coffee. Use the Web to present your testimonial to others. Share with family, friends and anyone you meet while shopping or attending special events. Point them to your website and allow the Web to do the selling for you.

Losing weight has never been more affordable and easier. Coffee for weight loss might be somewhat new to coffee lovers, but it certainly will not be just another passing fad. And remember, not just any coffee will help someone lose weight. It must be specially grown coffee such as Boresha coffee to promote weight loss. Once people realize they can lose weight while drinking delicious, organic coffee, you will have many loyal customers for life!

Organic Coffee Beans For Health

2011-08-14T00:10:00.000-07:00

Consuming coffee will taste delicious when done while relaxing or in the morning. Not only delicious, coffee consumption can also reduce the risk of stroke.

One study revealed that women who consume more than a cup of coffee a day may reduce the risk of stroke by 25 percent compared to those with little or no coffee intake.

These findings as evidence, it also has benefits for health. Health effects, although small, of substances in coffee may have large consequences for public health. One is the organic coffee.

Organic Coffee is beans produced with organic cultivation system. It are produced can be guaranteed free of pesticides and the technology used to naturally. No doubt, the organic has become one of the latest developments in the world. And seeing that it is organic, meaning that we'll get some health benefits when choosing a plant through ordinary.

But what makes this type of coffee is different from other types? What health benefits? Because organic coffee has been grown without the use of hazardous chemicals and pesticides, we can only guarantee that the coffee we drink is produced naturally. For this reason, full of antioxidants, vitamins and nutrients that can make our hearts healthy. The reason why the type of coffee is full of antioxidants, especially due to the fact that they grow in nutrient-rich volcanic soil. And because coffee plants are grown in the shade, most of their nutrients have been preserved.

All organic coffee, no matter where its grew up, not including the use of pesticides and chemicals. For this reason, this type of coffee does not produce dangerous consequences for our health and even to organic farmers. This type of coffee are natural energy booster and relaxer that we can enjoy any time of day. This is explained by the fact that the caffeine comes from organic coffee in its purest form. It can even help us lose weight. The reason for this is that coffee satisfy hunger while the toxins are flushed out of the body simultaneously.

Drinking Coffee for Health and Weight Loss

2011-08-13T00:08:00.000-07:00

Like many topics and issues in the health and weight loss industry I believe drinking coffee for health and weight loss has been left unsettled with a growing controversy every day. People having all kinds of views whether bias or unbiased, has really made this topic difficult to come to a conclusion. So from all my research, studying, and experimenting I believe I have been able to come up with the unbiased truth on the topic drinking coffee for health and weight loss.

I would like to start off and put to rest some myths you might of heard that just seem to be used against coffee that have been proven wrong. So let me just quickly clear up these myths.

First, the caffeine in coffee does not increase the risk of coronary heart disease, type 2 diabetes, liver injury, pancreatic cancer, rheumatoid arthritis, breast cancer incidence, or certain types of cancers. The truth is coffee actually decreases the risks or has absolutely no effect on these health conditions when coffee consumption is taken in moderation.

Second, the argument that declares coffee as a drug because of its drug like qualities like addiction, a stimulant, and mood altering. These things can become a problem without moderation a discipline but coffee being one of the healthiest beverages out there, I would rather have people drinking coffee than soda pops or sugar drinks.

Third, an excess of coffee increases urinary secretion of important minerals such as magnesium, potassium and sodium and uses up a fair amount of vitamin B1. These minerals and vitamins are very important to our body's health but that is why I like to bring up several tests that have been conducted which should clarify a few things. These test proved that people that drink coffee consume an average of 8 to 14% more minerals and vitamins than people that don't drink coffee. I don't know if coffee drinkers eat healthier or what but there mineral and vitamin loss is made up by consumption of food and daily multi-vitamins.

These myths have had an impact on the questions and controversy against coffee being benefial or not for healthy living and weight loss. I must point out that anything in excess is bad for you so when people say coffee is unhealthy, I can most of the time point out ten unhealthier things they do instead of drinking coffee.

Now that we are pasted that, let us focus on the advantages and disadvantages of coffee.

Advantages:

Coffee is actually one of the healthiest beverages billions of people consume regularly.
Coffee containing with bitter orange, hydroxycitric acid, and chromium can encourage an increase up to 30% in metabolic rate.
Coffee with exercise when taking 300mg averages a 20% increase in energy and fatigue while burning fat increased 107% greater than without caffeine.
Caffeine in coffee keeps our brains alert and receptive of new information.
Regular consumption of coffee decreases the risk of type II diabetes and many other health risks.

Disadvantages:

Coffee when consumed in excess can be addictive, stimulate, and a mood charger.
A large amount of coffee or caffeine consumed all at once can have a negative affect on blood sugar levels that influences fat burning that could change into storing fat.
Too much coffee over time can stain your teeth.
With so many benefits of coffee for health and weight loss it is hard to be worried about the few disadvantages when moderation can solve it all.

Step 1 - Coffee Clean Up

Coffee when consumed straight and by itself it perfect. Having zero calories, zero carbs, and zero fats one can see that it would not hinder weight loss. When adding all that extra sugars, sweeteners, syrups, alcohol and so on just make it a high calorie dessert.

Sticking with regular or straight shots of coffee with limiting extras like milk and sweeteners is necessary for achieving healthy living and weight loss.

Step 2 - Coffee in Moderation

Too much coffee at one time can affect blood sugar levels so the easy fix is reducing your in take at one time. Spacing out your coffee in take throughout the day would be something to consider and would benefit as an appetite suppressant while reducing chances of increasing blood sugar.

Reducing your coffee in take might be a struggle and can possibly cause headaches and constipation but in the end is worth it.

Step 3 - Limit Simple Carbs with Coffee

Avoiding or at least limiting simple carbs while drinking coffee would be wise as coffee can affect blood sugar negatively and adding simple carbs will just encourage an insulin spike.

Step 4 - Exercise

Exercise has so many benefits besides burning calories and suppressing your appetite. Exercise can also help regulate your body's use of insulin to keep blood sugar down and making coffee have little affect on your body. So make sure you participate in aerobic activities, lift some weights, and keep drinking that coffee and you should achieve weight loss in no time.

Don't let people tell you coffee is a bad drug and should be avoided at all costs. You know the truth that coffee actually has more benefits than negatives, so enjoy your coffee worry free about hindering for diet and weight loss goals.

Have a great day!

The Most Popular Types of Coffee

2011-08-12T00:00:00.000-07:00

For many years in the United States, coffee was coffee. It was perked or dripped and occasionally stirred into hot water, and was enjoyed by many. Over the past couple of decades, however, Americans have refined their taste buds. Coffee drinkers have reached a new appreciation of the subtleties of coffee. Across the country, a new culture of coffee enthusiasts has emerged to savor new flavors of coffee and discuss nuances of the once simple and ordinary drink.

The most popular coffees vary from region to region across the country, but there are some varieties that make the top favorites list no matter where in the country you live. If you are a coffee lover looking for a special treat, here's a quick rundown of some of the most popular types of coffee across the United States.

Jamaican Blue Mountain

Recognized for years as the most expensive coffee available, Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee is grown only in the Blue Mountain region of Jamaica. It is known for its smooth flavor and lack of bitterness. Among other things, Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee is used as the base for Tia Maria coffee liqueur. The flavor is strong, smooth and rich, with no nutty or fruity undertones, and may have a hint of chocolate taste. True coffee connoisseurs report a creamy aftertaste, and floral undertones to the flavor of Jamaican Blue Mountain.

Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee is exclusively Arabica coffee beans, which make a smoother coffee, but are more fragile and harder to grow. Jamaica protects the reputation of its coffee crop fiercely, and regulates the standards of coffee beans that are labeled Jamaican Blue Mountain. It must be grown at altitudes between 2,000 and 5,000 feet in the parishes of Portland, St. Mary, St. Thomas or St. Andrew. There are several grades of Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee beans, with Jamaican Blue Mountain 1 being generally regarded as the best coffee in the world. Expect to pay upwards of $25 a pound for this flavorful gourmet coffee.

Hawaiian Kona

The weather in the Kona region of Hawaii's Big Island is ideal for growing coffee beans. The combination of bright, sunny mornings, humid afternoons and mild nights create a bean that is rich, slightly acidic and medium-bodied, with a delicate flavor and a heady aroma. The flavor is complex, with wine and spice undertones contributing to a unique flavor profile that no other coffee can match.

Similar to the growers of Jamaican Blue Mountain, Kona growers protect their right to market their coffee under the Kona name. Only coffee grown in the South and North Kona regions of Hawaii may be labeled Kona. Expect to pay $20-25 per pound for Kona coffee, and be wary of cheaper 'Kona blends', which may contain up to 90% coffee beans other than Kona coffee beans.

Colombian Coffee

Over the last 40 years, Colombian coffee has become synonymous with quality coffee, thanks to a huge advertising and standardization push by the National Federation of Colombian Coffee Growers. Colombian coffee is characterized by a smooth, rich flavor profile with nutty undertones, but that's just a general flavor profile. In truth, Colombian coffee is a blend of coffee beans from many different regions that are mixed and blended to maintain a high level of quality.

Like Kona and Jamaican Blue Mountain, Colombian coffee beans are exclusively Arabica beans, which have a smoother, less acidic flavor profile than Robusta coffee beans. They are also harder to grow and have strong preferences for growing conditions. As far 'gourmet' coffees go, Colombian coffee is relatively inexpensive, but the FNC (National Federation of Colombian Coffee Growers) regularly names Specialty Colombian coffees that are identified by their region, altitude and grade. Colombian coffee is possibly the most well-known and common of the gourmet coffee types.

Ethiopian Yrgacheffe

Ethiopia was the original home of the coffee bean, so it is no surprise that some of the most prized coffees are still grown in the South American country. There are three types of Ethiopian coffee, defined by region. Yrgacheffe is a dark, full-bodied and full-flavored coffee with earthy, fruity and citrus undertones. It is smooth, rich and dark, a cup to truly savor. Low acid makes it smooth as silk and rich as butter.

To try to assign one flavor profile to Yrgacheffe coffee beans is not quite that easy though. The wide variety of growing conditions throughout the Yrgacheffe region means that the beans have a wide variety of flavor profiles. There are several different varietals of Ethiopian Yrgacheffe. More than most beans, it responds to different levels of roasting with unique flavor profiles. Ethiopian Yrgacheffe is easily one of the world's best coffees - and is generally an excellent bargain for great coffee at $15 a pound and less.

Coffee Yesterday and Today

2011-08-11T00:04:00.000-07:00

HOW about a cafezinho, freshly made and piping hot? For some, this custom is on the wane, but Brazilians still enjoy the fame of drinking coffee from early morning till late at night.

Inflated cost of coffee has not caused a hurried switch to other drinks. In fact, one third of the world's population still are coffee drinkers. For instance, every year the Belgians drink 149 liters (39 gallons) of coffee, compared with only six liters (1.6 gallons) of tea. The average American drinks 10 cups of coffee to one of tea. In the Western world, only the British break the general rule by annually consuming six liters of coffee to 261 (69 gallons) of tea.

Brazil holds the title as the world's largest producer and exporter of coffee. In the first four months of 1977, receipts for exports of this "brown gold" reached the staggering total of $1,000,000,000 for 4.5 million bags, an all-time record.

However, coffee is not at all native to Brazil. Would you like to know how the use of this almost universal drink developed, where it originated, and how it got to Brazil?

Origin and Use

The word "coffee" is derived from the Arabic qahwah, meaning strength, and came to us through the Turkish kahveh. Coffee's early discovery is shrouded in legend. One story tells about Kaldi, a young Arabian goatherd who noticed his goats' frolicsome antics after nibbling on the berries and leaves of a certain evergreen shrub. Moved by curiosity, he tried the mysterious little berries himself and was amazed at their exhilarating effect. Word spread and "coffee" was born.

Originally, coffee served as a solid food, then as a wine, later as a medicine and, last, as a common drink. As a medicine, it was and still is prescribed for the treatment of migraine headache, heart disease, chronic asthma and dropsy. (Immoderate use, however, may form excessive gastric acid, cause nervousness and speed up the heartbeat. The common "heartburn" is attributed to this.) As a food, the whole berries were crushed, fat was added and the mixture was put into round forms. Even today some African tribes "eat" coffee. Later on, the coffee berries yielded a kind of wine. Others made a drink by pouring boiling water over the dried shells. Still later, the seeds were dried and roasted, mixed with the shells and made into a beverage. Finally, someone ground the beans in a mortar, the forerunner of coffee grinders.

Coffee in Brazil

Although coffee probably originated in Ethiopia, the Arabs were first to cultivate it, in the fifteenth century. But their monopoly was short-lived. In 1610, the first coffee trees were planted in India. The Dutch began to study its cultivation in 1614. During 1720, French naval officer Gabriel Mathieu de Clieu left Paris for the Antilles, carrying with him some coffee seedlings. Only one survived and was taken to Martinique. From Dutch Guiana coffee spread through the Antilles to French Guiana, and from there Brazilian army officer Francisco de Melo Palheta introduced it to Brazil by way of Belém, doing so about 1727. During the early nineteenth century, coffee cultivation started in Campinas and other cities of São Paulo State, and soon reached other states, especially Paraná.

Nowadays, coffee plantations are planned with technical rigidity. Instead of sowing seeds in the field, seedlings are cultivated in shaded nurseries. About 40 days after planting, the coffee grain germinates. Its unmistakable appearance gave it the name "match stick." After a year of careful treatment in the nursery, the seedlings are replanted outside.

Usually on hillsides, the seedlings are placed in curved rows to make mechanized field work easier and to prevent soil erosion. Four years after planting, the trees are ready for the first harvest. All the while, irrigation boosts growth and output up to 100 percent.

On the other hand, the coffee grower's headache is his never-ending fight against insects and plant diseases, such as leaf rust and the coffee-bean borer. Rust is a fungus that attacks the leaves and may kill the tree. The coffee-bean borer is a worm that ruins the beans by eating small holes into them. Of course, there are effective fungicides and insecticides, but their constant use increases production cost.

Preparation of the Coffee Beans

On the plantation, coffee may be prepared by either a "wash" or a "dry" process. It is admitted that the wash process yields a fine quality product, since only ripe coffee berries are selected. But because of less work and lower cost, Brazilian coffee usually goes through the "dry" process.

First, all the berries, from green to dry, are shaken off the bush onto large canvas sheets. Then they are winnowed with special sieves. Next, the berries are rinsed in water canals next to the drying patios, in order to separate the ripe from the unripe and to eliminate impurities. Afterward, they are spread out in layers for drying in the open air and sun. They are turned over frequently so as to allow even drying. Eventually, the dry berries are stored in wood-lined deposits until further use.

The drying process, by the way, is of utmost importance to the final quality of the coffee. Some plantations, therefore, use wood-fired driers for more rapid drying, especially in rainy weather.

In other Latin-American countries and elsewhere, the "wash" process is customary, although it is more time-consuming and costly. First, a pulping machine squeezes the beans out of the skin. They fall into large tanks where they stay for about 24 hours, subject to light fermentation of the "honey," as the surrounding jellylike substance is called. After fermentation, the "honey" is washed off in washing canals. Next, the coffee is laid out to dry in the sun, as in the "dry" process. Some growers make use of drying machines, perforated revolving drums, in which hot air circulates through the coffee. Finally, the coffee beans pass through hulling and polishing machines. And just as the best quality coffees are hand-picked, so the inspection of the berries after washing is done by hand.

Soon the last step is taken--packing the coffee in jute bags for shipment. The 60-kilogram (132-pound) bag, adopted by Brazil, is held world wide as the statistical unit. Bags are stacked in clean, well-aired warehouses. At last, the coffee is ready for sale.

Classification, Commercialization and Cost

The Instituto Brasileiro do Café (IBC: Brazilian Coffee Institute) supplies technical and economic aid to Brazilian coffee growers and controls the home and export trade. For classification, coffee is judged by its taste and aroma. No chemical test for quality has ever been possible. The senses of smell and taste are still the deciding factors. According to its source, preparation and drying, it is classified as strictly soft, soft (pleasant taste and mild), hard (acid or sharp taste) and rio (very hard type preferred in Rio de Janeiro). Other types are less important to the trade.

For the last 20 years coffee has brought about 50 percent of Brazil's export receipts. Some 15,500,000 persons are employed in its cultivation and trade. But Camilo Calazans de Magalhães, president of the IBC, warned that 1978 will present an unheard-of situation in the history of the coffee trade. For the first time ever, it will depend entirely on the harvest, as any stocks of Brazilian coffee outside Brazil will be exhausted by then. Additionally, the IBC fears that the specter of problems with frost, insects and diseases may unleash new losses in the 1977/78 and 1978/79 harvests.

Very recently, a series of misfortunes befell some of the world's large coffee producers, causing scarcity of the product, price increases--and a lot of speculation. It all began in July 1975. Brazil was hit by an exceptional cold spell, which destroyed almost half the plantations, or 200 to 300 million coffee trees. Next, in Colombia, a drought, followed by torrential rains, devastated their plantations. In Angola and Uganda, political unrest affected exports. And then an earthquake struck Guatemala. The "coffee crisis" was on!

While the reserves dropped, tension grew in trade circles. Brazilian coffee was first to go up in price, dragging behind it the Colombian coffea arabica, traditionally more expensive because of its superior quality. The African coffea robusta, usually less esteemed, followed the trend. To make things worse, Brazil imposed an export tax of $100 (U.S.) on each bag, which in April 1977 went up to $134 (U.S.) a bag.

Speculation amplified trade tension, as coffee is bought in advance. It is a veritable gamble. Traders and roasters foresee a "high" and buy up great quantities, which, however, are delivered only months later. The movement gathers speed and prices skyrocket. The IBC permits registering of export sales some months before delivery of the goods, provided the registry fee is paid within 48 hours. Consequently, exporters often "take the risk" of registering sales that, in reality, have not yet been effected. This enables them to favor their clients or take advantage of higher prices.

Despite the upward trend, Brazilians are not yet paying the high coffee prices others have to pay. The Brazilian government is protecting the local coffee roasters, and the price per kilogram (2.2 pounds) is to continue lower than abroad, it being $4.08 (U.S.) in July 1977. Nevertheless, statistics reveal that Brazilians are drinking less coffee. In 1976 the consumption was 3.5 kilograms (7.7 pounds) of ground coffee per person, whereas it was 5.7 kilograms (12.6 pounds) in 1970.

Producers seemed satisfied with the new price policy, since they get more money from the consumer. The coffee-plantation worker, too, is benefiting financially. To keep prices high, Brazil bought up large quantities of Central American and African coffees. Suddenly, however, Brazil's exporters had to face the absence of international buyers. As an immediate reaction, prices abroad began to fall, and in July 1977, a sudden maneuver at the New York and London Exchanges slashed the price further, so that a 50-percent drop has been registered since the record prices three months earlier. Exporters are jittery. Buyers ask, Will Brazil reduce the price? What will be the future of coffee? Time will tell.

Meanwhile, Brazil's Conselho Monetário Nacional approved a plan to revive and upgrade the nation's coffee plantations by adding 150 million trees during 1977/78, bringing the total to 3,000,000,000 trees and an output of 28 million bags by 1980. So there is no fear of coffee going off the scene. Although this popular beverage now is more costly, yesterday's enjoyment of coffee remains with us today.

Coffee Drinking And Gout Risk

2011-08-10T02:42:00.000-07:00

At least drinking four cups of coffee per day will reduce that risk by 40 percent. Gout begins with rising levels of uric acid in the blood. Furthermore, uric acid crystals accumulate in joints and the surrounding area. This caused swelling and pain.

The conclusion was based on data from approximately 46 thousand men in the field of medical professionals who follow the study titled the Health Professionals Follow-Up. For over 12 years, 757 people from among those diagnosed have gout. Reported Hyon K. Choi, MD, DrPH, and his team at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver.

Because the men fill out a detailed questions about diet, Choi's team can record their consumption of coffee and tea. Found that the amount of coffee they drink associated with reduced risk of gout.

Drinking 1-3 cups of coffee per day lowered the gout risk by 8 percent. The risk was decreased by 40 percent when the drinking of coffee per day 4-5. Even the coffee addicts - drink 6 cups of coffee or more per day - the decline was about 60 percent.

Not the caffeine in coffee and tea that makes the risk of gout decreased. Although decaf coffee has an effect, but not for the effects of coffee are perfectly cooked. Men who drank 1-3 cups of decaf coffee per day, 33 percent lower risk of gout. And who drank four cups of decaf coffee or more per day, only a decreased risk of gout by 27 percent.

It is not clear why coffee may lower risk of gout. Choi and his team noted that coffee contains many powerful antioxidants, such as phenol chlorogenic acid, which may impact on the decline in risk of gout. However, it is not known whether women who like to drink coffee also decreases the risk of gout.

Coffee Consumption Around The World

2011-08-10T00:02:00.000-07:00

If you greet the morning with the aroma of freshly brewing coffee, you are one of billions of people worldwide who indulge in the daily grind of coffee consumption. According to the latest coffee statistics from the International Coffee Organization (ICO), we pour about 1.4 billion cups of coffee a day worldwide. That's a lot of coffee, and about 45 percent of it (400 million cups a day!) is drunk in the United States. The United States is the single biggest consumer of coffee in the world - but that does not mean that the typical person in the U.S. drinks more coffee than the typical person in any other country.

In fact, when you look at per capita coffee consumption, the U.S. is #22 on the list with only about 4 kilograms of coffee per person per year. The Scandinavian countries are nearly all at the top of the coffee-drinking cohort. The Finns average an amazing 11 kilograms of coffee per person per year, but the Norwegians and the Swedes are not far behind, with just under 11 and just about 10 kilograms per coffee per year each. The Danes drink their share of coffee as well, with about 10 kilograms of coffee per year.

For the people of Finland, coffee is more than just a morning pick-me-up. The major cities feature dozens of cafes, and many of them are now offering a wide variety of coffee varietals for the drinking pleasure of their patrons. In the early days of the country, alcohol was forbidden, so coffee served as a social lubricant. When alcohol was legalized, it did not replace coffee. According to one Finnish coffee importer, "Coffee and alcohol go well together."

Despite the amount of coffee that is consumed in Finland, some major importers are concerned. Coffee is so important to Finnish culture that it is the main loss leader in supermarkets and groceries. Also, home coffee consumption is slowing, and as coffee consumption in cafes and restaurants has increased, home coffee consumption has decreased. Many "traditional" coffee drinkers in Finland are the older generation, who grew up in times when coffee was often the only social beverage. Younger folks, more and more, are turning to other beverages and caffeine drinks.

The situation in Finland has been emerging in many other coffee consuming countries worldwide. For more than a decade now, coffee has been visibly rising in popularity, with prices for gourmet coffees subsequently increasing. However, in the late 1990s and early 2000s coffee production worldwide regularly outweighed coffee demand. That fact drove coffee prices down on the international market, to the point where many coffee farmers have been driven out of business completely or are barely staying afloat.

The entry of Vietnam into the world coffee market has also had serious economic implications. Vietnam had been a major contender in the world coffee market before the Vietnam War. The war and its aftermath devastated the Vietnamese economy, along with Vietnamese coffee production. In the late 1990s, however, the Vietnamese aggressively re-entered the coffee market. In the space of just a few years, Vietnamese coffee exports moved the tiny Asian country up to second place among the nations that export coffee. Since the Vietnamese climate is ideal for growing Robusto beans, which are far less costly to grow than the more delicate Arabica beans, Vietnamese coffee farmers could sell their crops for far less. The re-emergence of Vietnam as a major force in the world coffee market drove prices down and nearly collapsed the market.

The world's coffee industry has responded to the crisis by working tirelessly to increase coffee consumption worldwide. The ongoing effort to increase coffee consumption has included identifying market saturation points, developing quality control mechanisms, encouraging farmers to maintain high standards and rewarding coffee roasters for developing new varieties and blends of coffee.

The efforts of the International Coffee Organization to raise coffee consumption around the world are paying off. Despite the fact that coffee prices have risen, there is more coffee traded, sold and enjoyed each year. Marketing thrusts by the ICO have turned coffee drinking into a fine art and encouraged people to think of coffee as an affordable luxury.

This is especially true in countries like India, Japan and China. Asian countries, traditionally bastions of tea drinkers, have been drinking more and more coffee. In countries that have already reached 'saturation level', brand awareness has helped nearly eliminate the bottomless cup of coffee. Instead, we drink gourmet coffees and think nothing of paying $20 a pound for Hawaiian kona or Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee and $3 a cup for specialty coffees served up with whipped cream, mocha or flavored coffee syrup.

Home Coffee Roasting

2011-08-09T00:36:00.000-07:00

Home Coffee Roasting - Makes all the difference

As I sit here one the deck with my daily morning cup of coffee, I realize... just a few years ago I'd have had a cup of dark strong, stovetop brew with some milk to ease the taste. No more!! Now there's almost every kind of coffee available that you can imagine.

Roasting at Home

First, we'll start with the fact that you can buy green coffee beans and roast them to your liking right in you own home. One way to roast coffee beans at home is to skillet fry the beans until they are brown. They need to be cooked somewhere between 460F degrees and 530F. Beans must be kept moving so it won't cook them unevenly. The roasting must stop at the right time and cooled down quickly. This is the old method but definitely won't taste like today's methods and needs proper venting.

Another way to roast coffee beans is with a hot-air corn popper. Hot-air poppers roast pretty quickly causing a bright, medium roast and strong flavored dark roasts. Giving a clear-cut taste opposite of beans roasted in a gas oven or in a stovetop popper. This may be a little easier than other methods. There is less to worry about, such as setting the temperature just right.

Although a great taste, there is a down side to using these poppers. First of all only not all poppers are designed to roast coffee. You should only use the ones with the proper roasting chambers. This way makes a less amount each time than other methods. Roasting with the popper will also cause smoke to be more difficult to vent. Most of these poppers can be used to make French or Espresso coffee, which is darker but are not recommended. This may cause your popper to be over worked and shorten its life.

Roasting beans in a gas oven was also popular. You could roast more at a time and the oven did the venting for you. Just set the ovens temperature like baking. This had to be a much easier way and the results were rather good. Don't forget, the timing and cooling process for all roasting is very important and may be different in other blends to achieving the goal for a great cup of coffee.

The only way you are going to find out which technique you might enjoy to use is to find a whole bean coffee roasted style that you already like, then try to make it yourself at home. Do a little experimenting!

Brewing Methods

Next let's move on to the many different brewing methods. There are several different ways in which to brew coffee. Before you choose a coffee maker you need to understand first what you demand out of the machine. It will be a question only the person using it can answer. Let's examine the differences a little closer.

The filter drip is the most popular method used to brew coffee because it is easy to operate and consistent. Water is poured in a chamber where it is heated and slowly poured over the ground coffee. This can be done two ways. It can be electronically dripped or manually poured over the grounds. Some electric machines can be preset to have the coffee ready for you when you wake up in the morning. Others may prefer the taste of hand-brewed coffee for a different flavor.

The French drip is another form of drip coffee making, which is made without paper filters. A separate top sits above the porcelain coffee pot and acts as the strainer as the water soaks into the grounds. Working its way through the strainer, coffee liquid makes its way to the bottom pot for hot steaming coffee.

The Percolator was the preferred way to make coffee in the 1950's. Now coffee drinkers see the light that the coffee made this way was thin, watery and bitter. Most people may remember it by the perking pot and the aroma it gave off.

The Neapolitan flip device is made up of two segment. The whole product comes in aluminum, copper or stainless steel. An area in between the two segments holds the coffee grounds. The lower part is poured with water and put directly on the stovetop to heat. While boiling the steam goes through a hole under the grounds. After that, the pot is removed from the stove, flipped over to drip the water on the grounds, which go into the serving pot. The down side to this is that it only makes about 3 or 4 cups per serving.

There are two different types of espresso makers, stovetop and household electric counter top model. A nice characteristic about the counter top model is it can steam milk for cappuccino and latte's. Stovetop on the other hand have two parts similar to the Neapolitan flip method only no flipping needed.

French Press is a trendy European way that allows for more oils and coffee solids that give you a cup of coffee with a lovely smell and has a dense body. More of your strong coffee drinkers would prefer this technique. Although good and strong, some grounds may enter the coffee during process.

Vacuum procedures are more involved and are used for ceremonies mostly by the Japanese. They are rare and very hard to find.

The Middle Eastern way is popular of course in the Middle East and also Greece and Turkey. Their form of making coffee is also very different and comes out to be dark, thick and syrupy tasting. Because it is so rich, one or two cups a day would probably be all I could drink.

Last but not least on the list, the cold water method Simply soaking the coffee grinds in cold water for about a day, straining the grounds, and storing the liquid in a refrigerator for a few weeks. When you want a cup, boil some water and add liquid to desired taste.

Makes a rather mild cup for those of you who like it that way.

If you're not into roasting the beans yourself, your choices are still many. Coffee manufacturers have given us an almost unending list of different blends and flavors. How the coffee's ground after its roasted will have a major effect on the taste of the coffee. There are regular, coarse and finely ground coffees. The taste is also affected by the combination of the type of coffee used. The two categories of trees from which the coffee beans come from are called Arabica and Robusta. The Arabica is a milder coffee and the Robusta a much stronger coffee.

Another important addition to the coffee world has been the addition of many flavorings, and flavored creamers. If you haven't browsed through coffee selections lately, you owe it to your taste buds to check out the many varieties and flavors of coffee.

Coffee Facts That Will Amaze You

2011-08-08T23:57:00.000-07:00

Why learn about coffee and the facts about it? Well, the aim here is for you to learn more about the second most traded commodity in the world (that's a fact as of 2008) and I hope that by learning more about your drink, you enjoy it more and this is based on experience, which you will also soon find out.

So what are we waiting for, here are the coffee facts and information for your reading pleasure.

Coffee facts (general / coffee industry / coffee consumption)
Coffee is the most popular beverage worldwide with over 400 billion cups consumed each year.
Coffee is one of the most tradeable commodity (next to oil).
The top five coffee growing countries are (in order): Brazil, Vietnam, Columbia, Indonesia, Ethiopia.
The largest coffee-producing nation, Brazil, is responsible for 30 to 40 % of total world output.
There are more than 60 coffee varieties but only four are commercially available: Coffee Arabica, Coffee Canephora (Robusta), Coffee Liberica, Coffee Excelsa.
49% of the coffee drinkers believe that coffee is healthy.
October 1st is the official "coffee day" in Japan.
October is the coffee month in the Philippines.
It takes 40 coffee beans to make an espresso.
The coffee industry employs more than 25 million people worldwide.
The average United States adult drinks 3.4 cups of coffee a day, or about 26 gallons of coffee a year.
In Finland, the average adult drinks about 5 cups of coffee per day, which makes them the world's largest coffee consumer.

Coffee facts (Coffee plants - tree)

Coffee tree can grow only in tropical countries and is easily damaged by frost. See "Coffee Belt."
75% of the world's coffee comes from the Coffea Arabica plant.
Coffee tree needs and average temperature between 17 degrees celcius - 22 degrees celcius.
There are approximately 2000 coffee beans per coffee tree.
One coffee tree yields less than half a kilo of coffee per year.
Coffee beans are not actually beans, but the seeds of the cherry-like fruit.
Two coffee beans normally grow within each other. If there is only one seed, it's called "peaberry."
Coffee "cherries" that have three beans are said to be a sign of goodluck.
A coffee tree lives for between 60 and 70 years.

It takes five years for a coffee tree to reach maturity.

Coffee facts (Coffee History)

In 1675 Charles II, King of England issued a proclamation banning Coffee Houses. According to him, coffee houses were places where people met to plot against him.
A Belgian, named George Washington, living in Guatemala invented the first instant coffee in 1906 and later immigrated to the United States.

Coffee facts (Caffeine in coffee)

The caffeine in coffee (espresso) has just one third of the content of ordinary coffee.
The amount of caffeine in an average cup of coffee is 100 milligrams, espresso 80 milligrams. The darker the roast the less caffeine in coffee.
The calories in coffee (brewed) that is 8 oz. is just 2.
A 16-ounce caffe latte espresso made with fat-free milk contains 130 calories and 0 grams of fat. When made with whole milk, it contains 200 calories and 11 grams of fat.

Gourmet Coffee Basics

2011-08-07T23:54:00.000-07:00

The word Gourmet is used to refer to the fancier grade, cut, or quality of many of the foods and beverages we consume. Gourmet foods and drinks have long been associated as the regular fare for the rich and famous who can afford the higher pricing that often accompanies many of these finer food and beverage versions.

Coffee is a beverage that has been available in cheap, regular and gourmet versions for a long time and the consumption rate of coffee among people from around the world continues to increase every year. Gourmet coffee may have once only been served in the finest dining establishments and found being served mostly in the homes of the upper class, but gourmet coffee is widely available and affordable to a variety of people and is found in a variety of settings today.

Coffee is made from coffee beans which are found within the berries that develop and ripen on a number of smaller evergreen bush plant species known as the Coffea plant. After ripening, coffee berries are harvested, and then undergo a processing which also includes drying them. It is the coffee beans that remain after the processing and drying of the coffee berries. The beans are then roasted to various degrees which cause them to change physically and in the tastes they produce. Finally, the coffee beans are grinded down into a fine consistency that is commonly known as coffee grounds, and packaged and shipped to destinations around the world where consumers can buy and brew coffee grounds to make coffee in commercial, hospitality, institutional, and residential settings.

Some people prefer to grind their own coffee beans before brewing them for coffee. Packaged coffee beans that have not been ground can be purchased in stores and ground using the grinding mills that are made available in most of the stores selling them, but also with grinding machines in the home.

The two most commercially grown species of the coffea plant that produce the coffee beans used to make the coffee that the world's population consumes, are Robusta and Arabica. Gourmet coffee is made from the top tier coffee beans from the arabica coffea plant. These top tier arabica coffea plants are typically grown at very high altitudes (above 3000ft) with ideal soil and climate conditions. The coffee beans produced have fuller flavors, are more aromatic, and have less caffeine in them than other varieties of coffee beans such as Robustas.

The coffee beans of arabica coffea plants grown at lower altitudes are still noted among consumers as having richer flavors than the flavors produced by Robusta coffee beans, but it is only the top tier arabica coffee beans that are considered to be Gourmet, and thereby from which gourmet coffee is derived.

Coffee bean grounds and coffee beans that have not been grinded down need to be stored in air-tight containers and kept cool in order to protect them from losing their flavor. The containers that coffee is typically sold in are not the most ideal for storing coffee for a long period of time. When you arrive home after purchasing coffee grounds at the store, consider transferring the fresh coffee grounds to appropriate storage containers to extend its shelf life and full flavor.

Coffee can be brewed in many ways such as boiling, pressuring, and steeping. Most of us brew our coffee using automatic coffee brewing machines and percolators which use gravity to pull hot water through coffee grounds where the hot water mixed with the oils and essences of the coffee grounds empties into a liquid holding container below.

Filters are used to keep coffee granules from being emptied into the carafe or liquid holding container from which the brewed coffee can then be served from because most people do not want to drink the coffee granules. Coffee granules can be very bitter once the flavor able oils and essences have been removed through the brewing process. Plants and flowers love coffee grounds though for anybody who is looking for a greener alternative of what to do with coffee grounds after brewing instead of just throwing them in the trash.

Of course, Gourmet coffee beans are only the beginning to creating a truly gourmet coffee experience for many gourmet coffee drinkers. Some people are quite content with drinking their gourmet coffee black, without adding anything like milk, creamer, sugar or other sweeteners or flavorings, to their coffee. While many others want to enhance their gourmet coffee and drinking experience with tasty additions like milk that is whipped into a froth, sweeteners, and mixing in other flavors like chocolate, vanilla, cinnamon, and mint, to name just a few.

Big name coffee chains sell a wide variety of gourmet coffee with different tasty additions and flavors to appeal to gourmet coffee lovers. However, brewing gourmet coffee at home is usually much cheaper, and you can add what you want to your coffee to satisfy your refined, gourmet tastes.

10 Interesting Facts About Coffee

2011-08-06T23:51:00.000-07:00

Coffee is loved the world over. There are not too many beverages which inspire the love and devotion that coffee does. In fact, coffee is the second most consumed beverage in the world after water. Just look on the internet - a Google search of "coffee" generates almost 175,000,000 (yes, that is million!) results. So, what is the big deal? Perhaps some interesting facts will give you some clues:

1. The three biggest coffee drinkers in the world are the Americans, the French and the Germans. They consume nearly 65% of the total world's consumption of coffee. Worldwide annual coffee consumption is over 400 billion cups and continues to grow. In 2005, coffee was the seventh largest legal agricultural export in the world by value.

2. In the United States alone, we consume 400 million cups every day, or 35% of the world's total. The statistics show that 54% of the adult population drinks coffee cups on a daily basis, and another 25% of all Americans drink it once in a while. This means that more than three quarters of American adults drink coffee.

3. Men drink as much, if not more, coffee than women. In the year 2000, a National Coffee Association survey reported that the average consumption of coffee corresponds to approximately 1.9 cups of coffee per day for men and 1.4 cups per day for women when looking at the total population. However, when looking at coffee drinkers only, the average consumption is raised to about 3.1 cups per person per day.

4. Coffee is actually a fruit and grows on trees (although often called plants). Coffee trees are not fast growers. In fact, it takes five years for a coffee tree to reach full maturity. Once it's become mature, each mature coffee plant yields about 5 pounds of green (un-roasted) coffee beans per year. This results in less than one pound of coffee beans after roasting. It takes about 4000 coffee beans to produce a pound of coffee and roughly 50 coffee beans to produce one cup of coffee.

5. Even though it tastes "stronger", dark roasted coffees actually have LESS caffeine than medium or light roasts. The longer a coffee is roasted, the darker it becomes and the more caffeine burns off during the process. Similarly, contrary to popular assumptions, espresso coffee actually contains about one-third of the caffeine of a brewed cup of coffee. This is partially due to the fact that espresso is typically made using top premium arabica beans which have a lower caffeine content than robusta beans, which are found in many coffee blends used for standard brewing. Also, in the espresso brewing method, water is in contact with the grounds for only 20 to 25 seconds and extracts less caffeine than methods that put water in contact with the grounds for several minutes.

6. A cappuccino is an Italian coffee drink prepared with espresso, hot milk, and steamed-milk foam. The Italian name 'cappuccino' comes from the long, pointed cowl, or cappuccino, that was worn as part of the habit of the Capuchin Order of Friars. In Italian, the word cappuccino also describes espresso coffee mixed or topped with steamed milk or cream, because the color of the coffee resembled the color of the habit of a Capuchin friar. Some people also believe that the term relates to the aspect of a friar's tonsured (white) head, surrounded by a ring of brown hair.

7. The term "joe" when referring to coffee originates with the fact that coffee has long been a favorite drink among American soldiers. Soldiers in the Civil War, for example, were issued rations of coffee which they brewed in water over camp fires. During World War II, American soldiers were given instant coffee rations and were known to consume large amounts of coffee. Since these soldiers were known as "G.I. Joes", the phrase "cup of Joe" was adapted to describe a cup of coffee.

8. Caffeine can enhance athletic endurance and performance. Until 2004, caffeine was on the International Olympic Committee list of prohibited substances. Athletes who tested positive for more than 12 micrograms of caffeine per milliliter of urine (about 5 cups of coffee) were banned from the Olympic Games. Even though caffeine has now been removed from the list of prohibited substances, the controversy continues as experts differ in their opinions as to whether caffeine consumption on the day of performance can give an athlete an unfair advantage or not.

9. Of all its proprietary products, 7-Eleven sells more fresh-brewed coffee than anything else -1 million cups each day. That's more than 10,000 pots of coffee an hour every hour of every day of the year. Starbucks' sales totals are even more staggering. While Starbucks no longer releases its sales information to the public, it is estimated that it sells over 4 million coffee drinks per day.

10. Coffee can be good for you! Coffee can increase the effectiveness of pain killers, reduce headaches and can help fight asthma, possibly due to the enhanced adrenal effect from the caffeine. Coffee may reduce the risk for some cancers and parkinson's disease. Recent studies have shown that caffeine reduces the incidence of diabetes by 54% for men and 30% for women. Lastly, coffee's stimulant effects and fat burning potential has some in the medical field pushing it as a means of lowering the incidence of heart disease.

Coffee is a truly amazing beverage with a long history and a worldwide following. These 10 facts represent only a very small portion of the information related to coffee which touches every conceivable aspect of life - history, culture, health, wealth, business, enjoyment and more. No wonder coffee inspires the awe and fascination that it does!

Tips To Avoid Buying The Wrong Coffee Maker

2011-08-05T23:48:00.000-07:00

So there you are, standing still within the aisle of a local superstore faced with shelves and shelves of coffee brewers. Trying to decide about the very best kind of machine for your needs. To make things even worse, perplexing sounding names such as espresso, drip, pod and French press leap across the shelves at you. This further complicates things as what the heck are these items you wonder. Well thankfully, when you conclude reading this post you will have a much better concept of what these terms mean and the function they carry out within the life of a coffee drinker.

Coffee makers have come a long way. From yesterday's cowboy pots brewing coffee on top of the fire to today's sleek gourmet brewers, there's a brewer to suit every taste, every chosen lifestyle, every budget and every counter space. So where do you start finding the coffee maker of your dreams?

Before you proceed in the direction of the appliance aisle at your favorite outlet, perform a little groundwork. Think about what sort of coffee you like, how frequently you drink it, just how much space you've got for a coffee maker, and how much you are able to afford to spend for a brewer. These are the problems involved when making a decision whether or not to purchase an espresso or a non-espresso coffee maker.

Selecting a Coffee Brewer Espresso vs Non Espresso

Espresso coffee brewers are elegant. They cost more than other coffee brewers (some cost 1000's of dollars) plus churn out a range of coffee types including cappuccino and lattes. Espresso brewers often make only a single mug at a time and require cleaning after each cup. The coffee is stronger than that made by other methods.

Genuine coffee aficionados regularly like to make use of the espresso brewer, above all the super automated versions that do the whole lot from grinding the coffee to pouring it into the cup.

Mainstream coffee drinkers who wish to have a carafe on hand at all times and are not interested in lattes or other variations of coffee are likely to prefer non-espresso coffee machines. Non-espresso coffee makers work well for people who like to start the coffee brewing and go on with their typical activities while it brews. They buy coffee already ground and do not bother with beans or grinding.

For coffee drinkers requiring size-able amounts of coffee, non-espresso is the way to go. Big percolator type coffee urns can be used to yield more than a hundred cups at one time.

They also prefer returning to the coffee pot time after time and refilling their coffee mug over making simply a mug at a time. Non-espresso type coffee machines are much cheaper than espresso makers.

Deciding on a Coffee Brewer Non-Espresso

These coffee makers are accessible in drip, French press and combination models. Drip machines often make 6 to ten cups of coffee at once. Intended for those who need a lesser quantity, it's better to purchase a model that creates 4 individual cups (or less) at a time. Drip coffee machines are cheap and straightforward to make use of.

There are pod coffee machines available which employ single serving pods to prepare coffee. Pod coffee brewers can be low-cost but the coffee itself costs more than standard containers of pre-ground coffee.

French Press coffee makers are terrific for a few cups at once. Combination machines that includes both espresso and non-espresso coffee makers in a single machine are also available. These brewers provide coffee lovers the best of two worlds.

Picking a Coffee Machine Espresso

Espresso coffee brewers appear in semi-automatic, fully automated and super automatic versions. These machines turn out fewer mugs at a time and may require more time and attention than a regular drip coffee machine.

The more automated an espresso coffee maker is, the more options it will offer. A few manage everything from crushing the beans to filling the cup with coffee and ejecting the second-hand grounds.

The great number of features the espresso maker offers, the greater the price tag attached to buy it. These brewers might cost anywhere from hundreds of dollars to 1000's of dollars.

The first decision to be made in deciding on a coffee maker is the necessity to resolve if an espresso brewer or a non-espresso coffee maker is needed. Coffee preferences, funds and amount to be made are factors that have an effect on the decision making procedure. Once you know the type you want, then you can start narrowing your hunt even more by thinking about the distinctive styles within the wider categories of espresso and non-espresso models.

This is when things can become enjoyable, believe it or not! Armed with your new found information you may now target precise brands of coffee machines within the kind that you prefer, for instance drip coffee machines, manual or automatic, and begin to do some research to establish what customers are saying about exact brand names. Used for this purpose, the World wide web is a great research tool as there are numerous evaluation and testing websites accessible to you using just a easy finger tap of a computer mouse button. Therefore pour yourself a cup of tea and let the search for the best coffee maker begin!

Steps To A Better Cup Of Coffee

2011-08-04T23:44:00.000-07:00

If you are like most coffee drinkers, you probably think you are already getting an awesome cup of coffee. However odds are that you can probably still improve the quality by following these ten steps:

1. Use Quality Coffee Beans

Stay out of the grocery stores! OK that is a serious statement, but seriously do not buy coffee beans at the grocery store. No one knows when it was roasted and that is a critical, key point in coffee freshness. These beans are known for being stale, whether they are in the gravity bins (especially stale!) or bagged (usually stale!). No one really knows how long the beans have been in the bins or bags. Buy your coffee from an area independent coffee shop or artisan coffee roaster that can verify the roasting date. This is the only way to know you are buying freshly roasted coffee beans of gourmet quality. Their reputation is on the line so they strive for the best quality coffee freshly roasted.

2. Store Properly

Remove your beans from the original bag and put in an airtight container like Tupperware or Glad Ware. The more opaque the container, the better to keep harmful light out. Extreme light like keeping coffee in a glass jar on the sink can cause deterioration of your beans, allowing your final cup of coffee to taste flat or stale.

Do not store in the freezer or refrigerator. Keep them in an airtight container in a cool, dry and dark place like a cupboard or pantry. Refrigerators harbor many odors and coffee is very porous. It will act like a sponge to odors whether it's ground or whole bean. Freezers can cause freezer burn, and the flavor oils to crack and lose flavor. These oils are where the flavor is. Storing in the freezer freezes the surface condensation each time the coffee is taken out of the freezer.

Excess moisture will cause your beans to stale faster and shorten the life span of your coffee so a cool, dry and dark place it recommended for storage.

3. Proper Grind and Grind Just Before Using

The grind of the coffee matters. Your coffee should be ground for the type of brewing method you are using. Coarse for French press and single serve, fine for espresso. The in betweens matter but for most auto-drip makers your grind should be just finer than coarse meaning that when you rub it between your fingers the grinds should feel similar to typical bread crumbs. Espresso grinds should feel like somewhere between sugar and powdered sugar. Also, by using a burr grinder your coffee will receive less friction than a typical blade grinder giving your grinds less chance to get scorched during grinding.

Coffee is very porous and will absorb odors and air (oxygen) very fast. Oxygen will make your coffee taste really bad! So, the longer your coffee is ground and not used the longer it has to stale and make a bad cup.

4. Measure Properly

Weigh your coffee before you grind it. To make a good, well-rounded cup of coffee you should use approximately .75oz (22g) of coffee beans to every 8oz of cold water. You can +/- to taste but this is a good starting point.

5. Purified Water at Precise Temperature

Fresh, clean tap water (purified is best) or quality spring water is recommended. Do not use mineral water, distilled water or tap water with any type of odor. It will make your coffee taste bad. The water should be between 195-205 degrees when ready to brew. At this temperature, the coffee will get proper extraction to optimize the flavor oils and caramelized sugars inside the coffee bean. This is hard to accomplish with most home brewers as the heating elements are not heat adjustable nor are they reliable to heat to the proper temperature at all. Good home coffee brewers will cost about $200 but are well worth it and last a lot longer. If you can, try the single cup pour over methods available or other brewing methods such as French press or siphon. The taste difference is remarkable. Google search each method for more information.

6. Brew Just Enough to Drink

Letting your brewed coffee sit waiting is not a good idea. And more so please do not let it sit on the hot plate! This is a good way to cook your coffee. Constant ‘keep warm’ mode like this will make it taste bitter. If you have to brew more than one cup and are not going to finish is right away, get an airpot of air tight hot container to keep it in. Still drink it within an hour or so but it will buy your more time.

7. Let it Cool

By letting your coffee cool to about 170 degrees (for black coffee) you will not only avoid burning your mouth, you will also get a more enjoyable coffee experience because you will taste the true essence of what coffee is all about: the brightness, the chocolaty notes, the citrus notes, the spices. It’s all there, get a little geeky! If you insist on pouring cream and sugar in your coffee, forget #7 and for #8 respectively!

8. Drink it Black

This is the coffee geek purist in me coming out! I used to drink my coffee with cream and sugar all the time until I got into the coffee business years ago. Society decided cream and sugar was the norm because of bad tasting coffee, not because coffee tastes bad. Coffee used to be bitter as a rule, but that was your father’s cup! Most likely the canned stuff from the grocery store. Ick! That is the old-school coffee made from Robusta beans, a low-grade coffee. Today the high quality coffee beans are called Arabica and you get them from coffee houses and artisan coffee roasters. When beans are blended and roasted properly black coffee is not bitter. It may take some getting used to but I assure you that you are missing a lot of great tasting coffee by adding cream and sugar!

9. Throw Out Any Leftover Brewed Coffee

This is part of #6 above, but deserves its own number. If you have brewed coffee left over past an hour in an airpot or air-tight container, throw it out. Brewed coffee has a life span as well and letting it cook itself in a container is not part of it.

10. Throw Out Any Leftover Coffee Beans

Ok let me clarify! By this I mean the coffee that is left over after 21 days. Coffee beans have a life span of approximately 21 days from the day it is roasted. I prefer to drink mine within 10 days but that is just the coffee geek again. If you can span your coffee for use within 21 days of the day it’s roasted you will get a better tasting and far more superior cup. I know, you are asking “how do I know when my Seattle’s Best or Newman's Own coffee beans were actually roasted?” Well, see #1 above for your answer.

11. Rinse and Repeat

That says it all! If you follow these steps I promise you will notice a more flavorful and tasty cup of brew!

Using Coffee Filters

2011-08-03T23:43:00.000-07:00

Perhaps you start your day in the exact same way as billions of other people - you head to the kitchen, grab the coffee filters and canister of coffee, and whip up your morning brew. Though you probably get the same results from this procedure almost every single time, you could actually improve the taste of your coffee simply by considering a different sort of filter.

Aren't all coffee filters alike? Actually, there are a few varieties of coffee filters that include disposable paper filters, manufacturer's filters, cloth filters, and even specialty filters too.

We'll start this discussion with a look at the most commonly used of them all - the disposable paper filters. Because these are often highly processed products, they can be full of chemicals and bleaches that may not be harmful to the individual but which can seriously impact the flavor of the coffee. Bleach in a coffee filter? Remember these are paper products and they are treated to give the sort of appearances that consumers are used to. This means that they can contain whiteners and all kinds of materials that can change the taste of the water and the coffee. What is the solution? Most consumers are encouraged to look into the all-natural paper filters or those using no chemicals in the manufacturing process. This can create optimal results with even the simplest brewing processes.

If you are interested in retaining flavor and also being as "green" as possible, you can purchase cloth coffee filters. These are reusable filters usually made from unbleached muslin or cotton that can be quickly and conveniently rinsed out between pots of coffee. Most come as multiples and should be purchased to fit into the specific brand name of coffee machine to ensure the best results. Some manufacturers will create their cloth filters to work with any machines, but they give the reservoir size number to help with the purchasing decision. For example, a size #6 cone filter is very common.

If you are more interested in a permanent filter instead of those that require disposal or washing, you can always buy a manufacturer's filter or a specially designed gold filter. The manufacturer's filters are usually offered to consumers at the time they buy a new machine. Generally a blank order form is included in the printed documents inside of the packaging, but if not, most also make such filters available through their websites. These require no paper filters and are simply emptied into the trash or compost pile and then rinsed with water to use again. The important thing to remember about this sort of permanent filter is that it might absorb "off" flavors if the owner consistently uses tap water or water with chemicals or minerals that can build up in the coffee machine. For this reason it is usually a good idea to always use filtered water when brewing coffee.

Finally, there are some coffee machines with specially designed filters that include gold filters. These too do not need any further paper filters to be used, but they can work with any sort of water and prevent off flavors from developing.

Coffee Espresso Machine

2011-08-02T23:41:00.000-07:00

I am an avid coffee lover. What better way to enjoy coffee than by getting a coffee espresso machine? There are so many to choose from, the choice is bewildering. We can separate the various espresso machines into three categories. The first category is what I like to call fully automatic. The fully automatic machine does everything for you. You load it with coffee, water, etc. and just push the button. The second category is partly automatic. This requires your intervention and some of the process is automated. The benefit to these type of machines is that they allow you to have more control over how you want the coffee extraction to go. Last, but not least is the manual machine. This is my favorite. I don't need any automation, just give me a machine with a handle press and I'm ready to go!

Who makes a good coffee espresso machine? There are many specialty manufacturers and the price can go into the thousands of dollars. Even the mainstream coffee machine manufacturers have offerings that are reasonable. Krups, Bosch, Capresso and others make great coffee machines. What are the features to look for? If we are talking fully automatic, it should have an integrated burr grinder, high-capacity bean hopper, high-wattage heater, high-pressure pump and automated cleaning cycles. It should also have an integrated frother for lattes. If we are looking at the semi-automatic models, then look for high-quality components, large boilers, stainless steel components, high-quality portafilters, etc. The manual models are my favorite for many reasons. I like simplicity and quality. Choose a model with stainless steel or chrome plated parts for maximum durability and minimal interaction with the coffee and water. I simply do not like any plastic components coming in contact with very hot water and/or the coffee. Plastic parts should be avoided if you are an avid espresso coffee fan.

If you are an avid coffee consumer and only the very best will do, then do yourself a favor and get the best coffee espresso machine that you can afford. The investment will be well worth it as you'll enjoy the very best espresso coffee for years to come.

The Birth Of Organic Coffee

2011-08-01T23:39:00.000-07:00

Organic coffee drinkers are growing in numbers each year. There are as many different reasons for the decision to drink organic coffee as there are those people who drink organic coffee exclusively. The truth is that the origin of organic coffee was born of a need to nourish crops, control weeds, and protect crops from infestations and a desire to do so without the use of chemicals.

Contrary to popular belief, organic farming isn't conducted on a wing and a prayer but rather years of study and scientific reasoning. Crop rotation worked well in years past as far as preventing the precious materials and nourishing properties in the soil. This type of farming does not offer any protection against the ravishes that insects and some plant blights can bring. The secret is in using the information that science has taught us in order to introduce healthy bacteria, beneficial insects, and other animals that introduce the proper pollinating material to the land around the plants.

Science is a wonderful thing when it comes to farming and there is no exception when it comes to the significant impact that science has held over the exponential growth of organic coffee production and sales. As people become more and more concerned over what we are putting into their mouths and introducing to our bodies, we are also more and more likely to choose options that have had limited if any exposure to unnecessary chemicals. This includes not only fertilization and pesticides; it extends to the refining process as well.

The biggest problem in the past hasn't been finding drinkers for this particular type of coffee but farmers who were willing to go through the long process required for organic certification. The certification takes years and a substantial investment of time, labor, and love on behalf of the farmers and landowners and most of them find the profit differences between traditional coffee crops per pound and organic coffee crops per pound to be marginal and hardly worth the effort.

There are some forward thinking farmers who not only see the growing demand for organic coffee but the health and wellness benefits to themselves, their families, and their employees of using organic means in which to fertilize, protect, and process their coffee crops. By going organic they are not only affecting the health and wellness of the end users of their products but their own families and communities. For these farmers, the rewards lie in doing the right thing for the environment much more than building a larger income.

Most consumers will notice a larger price tag when it comes to purchasing coffee in the grocery store for most products however, this doesn't produce a significant hardship. Many organic products require less of the product for use than traditionally grown and processed products. This means that the same amount of coffee, sugar, dog food, etc. will last much longer which will quite possibly increase the overall value of the product.

In other words, the added cost is often less than it would seem at first glance because you are actually using less of the product. This is a good news for consumers and the environment as well as the farmers and producers of organic coffee. The key of course, is to find the flavor of organic coffee that you like best just as it is with traditional coffee.

Tips For At Home Coffee Cupping

2011-07-31T23:36:00.000-07:00

What's in a cup of coffee? For professional tasters, quite a lot. In fact, one aficionado has actually insured his taste buds for over $16 million USD. While not everyone can do cupping for a living, you can still do your own taste testing at home. Here are some helpful tips for making your coffee cupping as effective as possible:

1. Use the same roasts

Light roasts tend to be the best ones, since the flavour of the beans will more likely be intact. Regardless of which type of roast you choose, choose the same one for all of the coffees. This will help to make the tasting as uniform as possible. You should also include raw and roasted versions of each bean type.

2. Maximize your sense of smell

While your sense of taste will take centre stage during tasting, your sense of smell is also crucial. Make sure to smell the un-roasted and roasted versions of the coffee beans before you steep them. You should also smell it immediately after making it, before you stir it. This is when the strongest aromas are released.

3. Use multiple criteria when coffee cupping

Ultimately, you'll be determining the overall quality of a cup of coffee. But you should consider several characteristics of it, in order to make that determination. How's the "body" of the coffee? What's the acidity level? What's the aftertaste? It's important to note that while cupping is somewhat of a science; it's more of an art. Otherwise, the demand for professionals wouldn't be as high as it is.

4. Use an extremely controlled environment

This is a crucial step when doing at-home coffee cupping. The temperature range of the room should be 20 to 25 degrees Celsius, and the humidity should be 15%-20%. Keeping your environment within this range will help to optimize your senses of smell and taste. When is the best time of day to do this exercise? Between meals is the best time, so your palate will (literally) have a clean slate. Late mornings and late afternoons tend to be ideal times for coffee cupping.

5. Keep the samples small

Ideally, each sample should be approximately two tablespoons. Regarding the coffee's texture, it should be somewhere between drip-brew and French press. It's crucial to get the sample size and texture right, to optimize the effectiveness of your efforts.

6. Don't forget to enjoy the experience

While this is a serious business in the coffee industry, you can certainly have fun when you do non-professional coffee cupping from your home. You should still take the right steps to ensure that the environment is right, the coffee types are prepared uniformly, and you're able to make the most objective assessments possible. But most of us likely won't need to insure our taste buds for millions of dollars. So have some fun while doing your coffee cupping. It can certainly help to boost your appreciation for the different types and grades of coffee beans on the market.

Organically Grown Coffee

2011-07-30T23:34:00.000-07:00

Lots of food is advertised as being organic, which is sometimes synonymous with natural. But, in the case of coffee, it means a lot more.

Organic Coffee:

Organic coffee beans are grown in 40 countries. The leading producer is Mexico, followed by Peru and Ethiopia. Organic coffee is frequently associated with shade grown and fair trade coffees.

Shade Grown Coffee:

The coffee plant is a shade-growing plant which thrives underneath the rainforest canopy. In 1972, hybrid coffee plants that thrive in direct sunlight were introduced. These man-engineered plants enable coffee to be grown in a variety of settings.

Fair Trade Coffee:

The Fair Trade movement's goal has been to ensure that the vast majority of the world's coffee farmers (who are small holders) get a fair price for their harvests in order to achieve a decent living wage. Fair Trade farmers don't have the financial ability to clear forests, buy chemical fertilizers or pesticides. They generally grow small plots of mixed-crop, shade grown coffee organically.

Pura Vida is an organization that supports fair trade, organic, and shade grown coffee. By purchasing and selling only 100% of this kind of coffee, they help ensure that farmers around the world receive a fair wage and can support their families, and that the natural habitat they live and work in is preserved.

Organic Certification:

In order to be sold as organic coffee in the U.S., it must meet the following requirements to be certified organic:

grown on land without synthetic pesticides or other prohibited substances for 3 years
a sufficient buffer exists between the organic coffee and the closest traditional crop
sustainable crop rotation plan in place to prevent erosion and depletion of soil nutrients

Every aspect of growing, moving, processing and packaging coffee beans must be certified organic. This includes:

separating the green coffee beans from any fertilized product
separating all containers used in the roasting process
purging roasters for 15 minutes before being used to roast organic beans
certifying that trucks do not transport chemicals with the coffee; preferably that trucks have never been used to transport chemicals

How to Store Coffee

2011-07-29T23:33:00.000-07:00

All coffee is highly perishable. The lifespan of a newly opened bag of coffee is about the same as a newly opened, fresh loaf of bread. If left exposed to air, it will go stale within a few days. This is particularly true of ground coffee since so much more of a ground-up bean's surface area is exposed to flavor-robbing air.

Ideally, coffee should be removed from an oxygen environment as soon as its roast is complete. But there is a hitch: fresh-roasted coffee lets off a delicious smelling gas for several days after roasting, but this "gassing off" is powerful enough to burst any package containing the coffee. Historically, roasters would let the coffee "gas off" for several days, or would poke holes in their packages to avoid exploding bags. Both packing practices allowed coffee to start going stale.

Our fresh-roasted, coffee beans go straight from the roaster into a vacuum packaging and/or a nitrogen-flushing machine. This removes the oxygen from the freshly roasted beans. On the front of these bags is a built-in, special one-way valve. As the coffee emits gasses, they escape through this valve but no air can get back into the package. This keeps the coffee absolutely fresh until the bag is opened. This process is by far the best way to keep coffee fresh and yields better results than any other packaging method, including nitrogen flushes. However, in order to use a valved bag to its greatest potential, it is necessary to practice strict oversight. While some roasters let freshly roasted coffee sit around in bins before packaging, as soon as roasted coffee is cool enough, we immediately fill and seal valved bags. An enduring legacy of their ongoing commitment to offering the best coffees, the Rogers Family Company is proud to have designed and developed several kinds of vacuum bags.

Unopened bags will keep for about one year. Once the bag's seal has been broken, flavor loss starts. Once you open the bag, you should keep your coffee inside a reasonably cool, dark cupboard sealed closed with a bag clip. Despite well-intentioned folklore, refrigerating or freezing opened (or unopened) coffee does not extend its shelf life. As soon as a bag is opened and its contents meet the air, oxidation starts and the coffee begins to lose flavor.

Is Coffee the New Fruits and Vegetables

2011-07-28T23:28:00.000-07:00

In a year, the average American consumes approximately 416 8-ounce cups of coffee in its various permutations from espressos to iced drinks. Such is the popularity of java that neighbourhood cafés offering a wide array of coffee beverages are popular hangouts for students, young professionals and even executives, thus, spawning a culture to rival that of Turkey.

But have you ever wondered what coffee can do for your health? Admittedly, coffee has suffered from a negative reputation but recent medical studies have pointed out that it offers numerous positive health benefits. In the final analysis, it seems that the positives of moderate consumption outweigh its negatives.

Why is this so, you may ask? The answer may lie in the fact that it comes from plants, which have been proven beyond doubt to contain beneficial phytochemicals with the action of potent antioxidants. The antioxidants in coffee include caffeic, ferulic and p-coumaric acids.

One of the most promising benefits of moderate consumption is lessening the risks for the development of Type Two diabetes in susceptible individuals. This is because a few antioxidants in the coffee increase insulin sensitivity and, thus, helps in the regulation of the hormone in the body. Coffee also contains beneficial minerals like chromium and magnesium, both of which are essential in controlling blood glucose levels.

In 2005, Frank Hu, a nutrition and epidemiology professor with the Harvard School of Public Health, and his team reviewed 9 studies about the relationship between Type 2 diabetes and coffee. People who drank over 6 cups daily were less likely to develop Type 2 diabetes (35%) than the people who were just 2 cups-a-day drinkers. It also appears that men benefit more from their coffee-drinking habit than the women.

Coffee has also been credited with lessening the risks for developing various other chronic degenerative diseases including:

Alzheimer's disease and dementia
Gallstone disease
Parkinson's disease
Gout
Liver diseases through coffee's possibly potent anti-fibrotic capabilities
Cancer particularly the oral, oesophageal, and pharyngeal types
Cardiovascular diseases

Of course, we all know that coffee has the ability to boost cognitive performance often the stronger the concentration, the better for the brain. A cup of Joe has been proven to increase short-term memory recall with studies pointing to people who regularly drank it as performing better on tests for simple reaction time, choice reaction time, visuospatial reasoning and incidental verbal memory. Elderly people appear to benefit the most from regular coffee drinking, which might explain the lower risks for Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease.

This brings us back to the question of whether coffee is now the new super food or at least, if it is the new fruit and vegetable that our doctors will highly recommend as an addition to a healthy diet.

Well, for as long as coffee is consumed in moderation, you can enjoy the above mentioned health benefits. The beverage does have its share of antioxidants, minerals and other beneficial substances that keep the body healthy. But always keep in mind that anything good when abused and misused will eventually lead to negative consequences.

So, if you are experiencing negative side effects like frequent heart palpitations, unusual anxiety and general coffee jitters, then you are probably drinking more than your fair share of the brew. In this case, cut back on coffee and you should be all right once again.

Entertaining With Coffee

2011-07-27T23:26:00.000-07:00

Parties at home and in the office can seem blah after the same old beverages of sodas, teas and cocktail drinks coupled with the same old chips, cakes and appetizers are served. A new exciting theme must be discovered, so to speak, to inject fun, fun, fun into the party. Well, you are in luck because here are coffee parties to the rescue.

Yes, indeed, coffee is the best theme for parties for many reasons.

For one thing, you can pair coffee with a wide variety of food choices including cakes, cookies and breads since there are many flavours of coffee, too. Experiment with your coffee-food pairings beforehand to offer the best possible combination to bring out the flavours of the java. Better yet, let your guests experiment and then exchange ideas on the pairings.

For another thing, most of your family and friends are coffee lovers who know their espressos from their iced drinks. You will be gathering all of them in one place to enjoy coffee and everything about coffee culture. Plus, life is too short not to share your love for the drink of the gods.

We suggest pairings like eggs, bacon and pancakes with a choice of rich café con leche, espresso and homebrewed Cuban coffee for breakfast. Lunch coffee parties are great for serving cappuccinos and lattes while dinner parties are good for lighter and creamier flavoured coffee with light dessert choices.

Well, of course, you must have an excellent coffee maker for these parties. You cannot be running to and fro the neighbourhood café just to buy great coffee because that would be a waste of time, effort and money. Brew the coffee in your own home and still get perfect cups of java, espresso and other coffee flavours to serve your guests.

For the best brew, look for the Gaggia Platinum Swing Up espresso machine. This is a super-automatic machine that features a user-friendly interface for your convenience. You can let it perform every single essential operation in making the coffee from grinding the coffee beans to brewing the powder-like coffee grounds into the best espresso this side of town.

You don't have to worry about frothing the crema either. The Swing Up has a milk island where milk can be subjected to the steam system to form rich, creamy and perfect foam in mere seconds. Add in the sleek design for the Swing Up and you can truly entertain your guests in great style.

Yet another great choice is the Rancillo Essentials Pack. It's everything that you will ever want in an espresso machine - or more appropriately, an espresso bar. Frothing pitcher, cups and saucers are included with premium Lavazza coffee - all 2 pounds of coffee heaven. Did we mention that the Rancillo also comes with the Urnex Cleancaf to make cleaning after the party easier than you thought possible?

Coffee parties are the best way to go if you want to savour a familiar beverage while going on an adventure of the senses. Choose your coffee, invite your family and friends over, and have a great time today!

Coffee The Origin Of The Species

2011-07-26T23:24:00.000-07:00

Coffee, along with tea and soft drinks is the most widely consumed beverage in the world. The popularity and liking for coffee as a beverage can be gauged by the fact that its consumption is approximately one third of the volume of water consumed in the United States and Europe. The coffee that we drink is actually prepared from seeds, normally referred to as beans, of the coffee plant.

Coffee beans usually grow in pairs in the coffee cherry. In some rare cases, a single bean can also be found growing in the plant. Such single beans are known as pea-berry or carcoli beans. Pea-berry has a more prominent flavor than other Arabica beans are high on demand and are more expensive.

Species and Origins:

The Genus, Coffea, to which the coffee plant belongs, contains about 25 species out of which the most prominent are:

- The older species Coffea Arabica, was called the Kaffa, originated in Ethiopia.

- The newer species, Coffea canephora (Robusta), probably originated in Uganda.

- Coffea liberica, which is indigenous to Liberia

- Coffea esliaca, that is believed to be indigenous to Sudan

Whereas Coffea Robusta is a shrub type plant, Coffea Arabica grows more like a tree. Some varieties of the coffee plant grow up to 30 feet but for easy picking of the coffee berry they are seldom allowed to grow beyond 15 feet. The coffee plant grows best under the shade of natural vegetation classified as Tropical Semi-deciduous Forest and in warm humid isothermal climate with annual precipitation of 1800-2000 mm and a mean annual temperature of 21-21.9°C

The best soils for coffee plants are deep sandy loam soils with coarse makeup perspective, having good aeration, moderate infiltration, and pH from 5.0 to 6.0. Nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorous are the most important elements though physical conditions can limit growth to a great extent.

Initially, Arabica coffees were named after the ports that they were exported from - for example, Java, from Indonesia and Mocha, from Yemen. Arabica is considered by many to be better in taste than Robusta, but the species is more susceptible to disease and therefore not as profitable to grow.

The flavor of the Arabica beans depends upon the region they are grown in. Arabica beans are now grown in three main regions - Latin America, East Africa/Arabia and Asia/Pacific, and have distinctive characteristics of flavor, aroma, body, and acidity levels. Apart from the region, processing, genetic subspecies or varieties of beans also have a great impact on the coffee flavor and taste. For example, washed or wet processed beans tend to be more acidic in taste. Some regions even produce coffee beans that have a citrus-like or earthy flavor and aroma which can be best described as berry-like or flowery.

Robusta coffees are cultivated in environments where Arabica cannot blossom and have approximately 45% more caffeine than Arabica coffees. Robusta has little taste and tends to be bitter and has a typical "burnt rubber" and "wet cardboard" aroma and flavor. Robusta beans are cost effective but their peculiar taste is not liked by a many. To make Robusta beans more palatable and suitable for coffee blends the undesirable flavors are removed through a steaming process. Some espresso blends use good quality Robusta to decrease costs and get a better "crema" or foamy head.

Modern coffee, however, is more origin specific, and is known by country, region, varietals and even the estate it is grown and processed in.

Some coffees are made from particular varietals. Varietal, a botanical term that refers to a taxonomic category rank below species and are not related to origin are more specific than Arabica and Robusta. Coffees made of beans from single varietals are generally referred as such and in certain cases. The name of the region is added for distinctive branding. Rwanda Blue Bourbon is one such example of a coffee made from single varietals and made in Rwanda.

Brazil remains the world's largest producer and exporter of coffee. In recent years, however, there has been a flood of Robusta beans from Vietnam. The preference of the large industrial houses, multinational roasters and instant coffee producers, for the Robusta variety, due to its cheaper cost, was instrumental in the huge influx, precipitating a crisis of sorts in the prices of coffee the world over.

Choosing Commercial Coffee Machine

2011-07-25T23:21:00.000-07:00

Running a business is not an easy task. You must be wondering why a person will make lots of coffee every day. So a cafe or restaurant have Commercial Coffee Machine to offer quick service and reduce the tedious process and keeps the company happy and satisfied.

There are different sizes and types of commercial coffee maker according to the demands and budget of people.

A cafe or restaurant choose the size based on the amount of coffee they predict.But they often buy larger commercial coffee maker than they predict. 1.5L Coffee Maker is popular among cafes. Restaurants need to offer quick service and deal with more orders,so they like 12 Cups Coffee Maker more.Make sure you choose the right size commercial coffee maker,so that you won't lose on your money due to repeated investments.

I think The Stainless Steel coffee machine is suitable for restaurant considering the facters below. Stainless Steel Coffee Maker is easier to clean. Beside it is not easily smashes . The White Coffee Maker may be suitable for cafes according to the atmosphere of cafes.

It is a long time investment,so some facters should be taken into consideration before buying a commercial coffee machine.Absolutely,the budget is an important facter to consider. It is quite obvious that a person has to work on his budget in advance as it will make his search easier and he will be able to shortlist some of the options.If 8_cup and 12-cup Coffee Maker White with Glass Pot are in the same prices, why don't we buy the bigger one.

Now a days coffee machines can be bought on line. There are a number of websites promoting such machines at cheaper prices. Purchasing a coffee machine through online saves time as well as money.But in order to make your business profitable you should have some basic knowledge on coffee machines. Choose a coffee machine only after you have verified some of its features.Take the White with Glass Pot Coffee Maker for example. You'd better learn the information about it.You can search the information about material, brand and so on of Glass Pot Coffee Maker machine on line.

There are some buying tips of commercial coffee maker below:

Regardless of which type of machine you choose, there are a few important things to consider.

First, How many people will be served daily?
Second, Which coffee maker or espresso machine will give you the beverage you want?
Third, How long does the coffee machine need to last?

Look for a machine that has great reviews and fulfills your needs. For example, if you don't feel confident with programming your machine, consider a machine that provides the same functions without the extra buttons. Or, if you like to have both coffee and espresso, look for a combination coffee maker/espresso machine.

Little Facts on Coffee Beans

2011-07-24T23:17:00.000-07:00

Coffee bean is the seed of a shrub called cherry coffee. This tree measures between 3.2 to 6 meters. The tree begins to bear fruit between 3.1 and 5.2 years. Its production is around 2.2 kilos per coffee tree over a period that can span 30 to 50 years.

When is coffee collected?

Coffee is collected in the second half of the year, when the coffee cherry has reached its maturity and the color begins to change from green to red.

How do you collect the coffee cherry?

The cherry is handpicked, as in Colombia and throughout Central America. This procedure is more expensive and tedious, but the harvested grain reaches a higher quality, since only the cherries that are ripe are collected.

Trivia Question: How many coffee cherries are needed to produce 1 kilo of coffee bean?

Answer: The coffee cherry has two coffee beans, which is to say that we need 1000 cherry for each kilo of coffee.

Coffee Production: Major Coffee Producing Areas

The tree is grown in subtropical climates and in areas between 600 and 1700 meters above sea level. The coffee producing countries are in the continents of Africa, Middle East and South America, always about 25 ° from the line of Equator.

Coffee is the second most exported product in the world after oil. The largest producer is Brazil, followed by Colombia, but the latter country is first in the production of Arabica coffee.

Classification of coffee for sale from the commercial point of view:

Colombian soft: They represent 19.5% of the total trade of coffee. They are produced in Colombia, Kenya and Tanzania.
Other Soft: assumes 22% of coffee for sale. Producing areas are: Mexico, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, El Salvador. Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Nicaragua, Venezuela, Ecuador, Peru, Rwanda, India, Australia.
Brazilian and other Arabs: Represent 40% of coffee wholesale world trade. Brazil leads this group, followed by Uruguay, Bolivia, Paraguay and Ethiopia.
Robusta: Account for 24% of the total coffee wholesale market. They are produced in Indonesia, Trinidad Tobago, Ghana, Guinea. Liberia, Nigeria, Cameroon, Ivory Coast, Madagascar, Angola, Sierra Leone, Uganda and Zaire.

The canephora robusta coffee was discovered in the Belgian Congo (now Zaire) in the late nineteenth century. It grew wild in the forests of tropical Africa. Today it is grown mainly in Africa but is also cultured in India, Indonesia, Madagascar, Brazil and the Philippines. The robusta variety is is best grown in plains and likes the humid tropical climate

What To Do for Coffee When Your Travelling

2011-07-23T23:15:00.000-07:00

Whether you travel by land, sea, or air, you'll definitely want to bring some of the amenities of home with you. Unfortunately, you'll likely have to leave your 152" plasma TV at home. But the good news is that you won't have to compromise on other items, such as quality coffee. Here are some methods for enjoying a quality cup of coffee while you're on the road:

1. Cordless Hot Water Kettles

These kettles are perfect if you'll be staying in a hotel during your travels. They're programmable and include several temperature settings, which provides you with more options when preparing your favourite coffee beverage. Even if you're not a fan of coffee, you can prepare other types of hot beverages, such as tea or hot chocolate. This is definitely one of the best options when you want to enjoy coffee while you're on the road. There are tons of beverages that you can prepare with hot water, and this cordless kettle gives you the key ingredient for preparing it.

2. Portable Espresso Machines

Coffee pods are pre-packaged bags of (ground) coffee beans that are contained in their own filter. The coffee pods must be steeped in boiling water for roughly five minutes. Coffee pods can be the perfect tool for making espresso. Since their invention in 1884, espresso has become increasingly popular among coffee drinkers. If you travel a lot, then you should certainly consider investing in a portable espresso-maker. The main benefit of these items is that they require no electricity. So even if you're in Antarctica, you can enjoy a hot and tasty espresso.

3. Travel Coffee Mug

While you can't actually make coffee by using these mugs, they're the perfect tools for holding it. After making or buying coffee from your hotel or other accommodation, you can bring a mug of brew with you on the road, via a travel coffee mug. These mugs are extremely affordable, making your trip from Point A to Point B more bearable. Such travel mugs are available in various shapes, sizes, and designs. Because they vary so significantly, it's important that you shop around before choosing a particular travel coffee mug. In particular, look for durable mugs that will make your travel as convenient as possible. That will help to keep you safe and sound while enjoying your favorite variety of mocha during your travels.

4. Travel Coffee Press

This item provides convenience by combining a coffee press, with a travel mug. A French press is a coffee pot variety that was invented by (you guessed it!) the French. The main benefit of coffee presses is the strength of the java that it produces. When making coffee using a French press, the process includes adding ground coffee to the plunger, adding hot water to the press, and then pressing down the plunger. While you'd normally then need to transfer the coffee from the press to a mug, the Travel Coffee Press eliminates that step. This allows you to enjoy a strong cup of coffee while you're away from home, without needing to pack both a French press and mug.

The Art Of Coffee Roasting

2011-07-22T23:12:00.000-07:00

For the most part, Americans stuck to a medium or dark roast, one size fits all kind of coffee through the mid 1980's. It wasn't until that time that the coffee craze began to catch on and people began to realize that there is life out there beyond a cup of Folgers' coffee in the morning. In fact, broadening your coffee experience can greatly enhance your morning routine if you give it a chance.

One way hat people are doing that is by roasting their own coffee beans. We've learned over the years that the fresher your coffee is the better it tastes in your cup. This doesn't only apply to coffee that is freshly brewed but also beans that are freshly roasted, and then freshly ground. Your morning coffee is only as good as the beans from which it began its journey to your cup.

Roasting your own coffee beans in this country has become a hobby for many and a passion for some. While there are all kinds of gadgets and gizmos that enable you to roast your own coffee quite effortlessly, there are those that consider it not really roasting your own coffee if you are not suffering for the sake of your art. I, however, am not one of those people. I like convenience and am a member of the modern age of coffee drinking by choice rather than accident.

As a thoroughly modern coffee drinking girl of the new millennium, I am all for the convenience that certain coffee roasting equipment affords. This is not my first choice, however, for my first cup of coffee in the morning. The good news is that you can store about three days worth of roasted beans without worrying about loosing freshness. This means that those who aren't quite prepared to get up early enough on any given weekday morning to roast their own beans may still have a great and fresh tasting cup of coffee.

I recommend that you do your research and find a coffee roaster that suits your style. If you are a god or goddess of domesticity then by all means go the old fashion route with a cookie tray and a preheated oven. If you are domestically reluctant you might actually do well with a mid range coffee roaster. If you are domestically handicapped however, you might want to look into the full service coffee roasters. These simply ask you how you want it and they make all the pertinent decisions.

Roasting your own coffee though is a great way to experience many different types of roasts in order to make educated decisions as to what your true favorite is when it comes to coffee. Roasting coffee is very different from adding flavor or drinking gourmet coffee. When you roast coffee you are literally affecting the bean of the coffee rather than simply adding something to the coffee. When you roast coffee yourself you are affecting big change in the flavor. It's a great way to allow yourself to try new things if nothing else.

Roasting coffee truly is an art form to those dedicated enough to do it by hand. For the rest of us, there is wonderful equipment that can keep us on track and on target for a great cup of coffee that has been roasted to perfection at just the perfect degree for our delicate palates.

The Origins of a Coffee Bean

2011-07-21T23:14:00.000-07:00

While it's true there are over fifty different species of cafe plant, only two of them are actually used in coffee production. The two main species are Arabica and Robusta. Arabica is the more popular of the two and accounts for around 70% of coffee wholesale production.

There are a large number of different coffee beans that are harvested around the world. It is harvested across three main regions:

Asia - Indonesia - Pacific
Africa / Arabia
Central and South America

Understanding coffee beans and their characteristics can help you select the right coffee for you to enjoy at home, at work or include on your restaurant or cafe menu.

When considering the characteristics of a coffee bean the origin may influence the flavor, aroma, body and acidity. For example fresh coffee beans from Ethiopia are often full bodied and thick. This means the cafe will retain its flavor even after milk has been added.

Buying Coffee beans from around the world, across 70 countries offer a wide range of choice and it's described as discovering and exploring another world through your olfactory senses.

Coffee was believed to be enjoyed as far back as the 13th Century (credible research suggests from the 15thCentury) and since then has played an important role in society and in today's' world, coffee is the 3rd most popular drink after tea (2nd) and water (1st).

Firstly the caffeine in coffee was found to have a stimulating and energizing effect and it was in the Arab world that the cultivation of coffee was first expanded. From the Arab world, coffee then spread to Europe and was used by religious groups. Later on, consumption was forbidden and coffee drinking was viewed as somewhat rebellious and was linked to political activists.

It is the coffee berries that contain the coffee seeds (or coffee beans) and once ripe they are picked, processed and dried. The next important part is the roasting and roasted coffee beans can be roasted to a variety of degrees that will affect its flavor. Then as we know, coffee can then be prepared and presented in a number of different ways for a variety of preferences.

Coffee beans have been the top export product of many countries over the years and there has been a lot of discussion about the health effects of coffee and this has been disputed widely. I it appears to be the method of the coffee brewing that can have health effects, positive or negative. Generally speaking, the health benefits of drinking fresh coffee far outweigh the negative effects and like anything, moderation is usually best for you.

History of Coffee

2011-07-20T23:04:00.000-07:00

Coffee is one of the most popular beverages in the world. The word coffee is believed to have been deduced from Kaffa, a place situated in Ethiopia, Africa, It came into existence around 800 A.D. and there are many legends and stories associated with discovery.

One such interesting story goes like this. One day a monk saw a goatherd imitating his sheep who were dancing from one shrub to another, grazing the cherry-red berries containing coffee beans. The monk was amazed at the goatherd's caper on eating the beans. The monk took some of the berries for his fellow monks and that night they realized that they seemed to attain something that they felt was 'divine stimulation'.

Other than the legends and stories there is also historical evidence about how the Africans of the same era used the coffee plant in different ways. Africans used what can be called primitive 'Power Bars' made of coffee and animal fat as a stimulant. They also made wine from the coffee-berry pulp. From Africa, coffee moved out towards Arabia via the Red Sea and then slowly made its way to the rest of the world.

Coffee, as we know it today came into existence around 1000 A.D. and this is when it was first roasted and brewed. By the 13th Century, coffee became popular with the Muslim holy men who found it a very convenient drink it to keep worshippers awake and send them in a tizzy. Then onwards, coffee traveled with the Muslims. Wherever Islam went, coffee traveled along. However, Arabians were cautious and did not want to share the plant with the world. They made sure that no coffee bean sprouted outside Arabia and coffee beans were boiled or parched to make them infertile before taking out of Arabia.

An enterprising Indian pilgrim cum smuggler, Baba Budan, strapped some fertile coffee beans to his stomach and left Mecca. These beans were ultimately responsible for the agricultural expansion of coffee, which later reached Europe's colonies in the East.

From these colonies, coffee was traded by a Venice merchant who took it to Europe. The Europeans liked it so much that they wanted a constant supply of the beans. And later, it was the Dutch who set up the first European-owned coffee plantation in colonial Java in 1616. The Dutch were, however, not as cautious as the Arabians and they gifted coffee trees to the aristocracy all over Europe. Louis XIV was presented one such coffee tree in 1714, for his garden in Paris.

The coffee tree finally crossed the Atlantic with Gabriel Mathieu de Clieu, a retired French naval officer. He smuggled a sprout with him to Martinique, a French Colony in the Caribbean after he was denied a clipping of the tree. Gabriel Mathieu de Clieu guarded the plant religiously. When the ship got caught in a storm de Clieu nurtured the pant with half of the water that he was rationed. Ultimately, the sprout flourished in Martinique and in the next 50 years more than 18 million coffee trees were grown there.

By 1727, Brazil had realized the potential of the plant and wanted a share in the coffee pie. Unable to get the plant through fair means, they dispatched Lt. Col. Francisco de Melo Palheta, allegedly to mediate in a border dispute, to French Guiana. Avoiding the heavily guarded coffee plantations, he chose to take the easy route of befriending the governor's wife who slyly presented him a bouquet spiked with coffee seedlings on his farewell dinner. Coffee had now entered Brazil, a land of extremely fertile farms.

From 800 A.D. in Africa to 1727 in Brazil, the coffee plant had traveled through Middle East, South East and Europe and then to South America. Production of coffee reached dizzying heights due to the enormous harvests of Brazil's fertile lands. This boom in production, apart from anything else, was instrumental in turning coffee, an elitist drink till then, into a drink of the masses.

Initially considered as a poor substitute for alcohol by the American colonists, its popularity grew when tea from Britain became scarce during the Revolutionary War. During and after the American Civil War, coffee had gained a premier position and was being increasingly accepted. Later, advancement in brewing technology ultimately secured its place as an everyday beverage of America.

Civet Coffee Prices

2011-04-08T08:59:00.000-07:00

We are CV.KOPI LUWAK INDONESIA sell original luwak coffee from our captivity where the source of our coffee is taken in a direct quotation from our Coffee Plantation in Canning-Bandung, altitude above 1600 m asl. Canning Luwak Coffee Arabica Coffee is very popular type of Expatriates Bandung, Jabotabek, etc.. Often made as souvenirs of Bandung, Coffee Luwak Canning already known in foreign countries, many in the messages & Export shipments to Australia, the Netherlands, Germany, Singapore and Japan. Canning Luwak coffee has a distinctive smell, taste delicious, delicious unmatched, believed to increase stamina men, low caffeine and is suitable for coffee lovers.

We are big dealers collectors natural wild civet coffee is taken directly from coffee plantations canning, we serve orders & sell civet coffee wholesales (stock ready 200kg/month continuous supply)

Captive Civet coffee is coffee that is produced from the mongoose who be cared in cages and fed ripe coffee fruit tree choices, and fruits like banana, papaya, orange, pink stone, etc. Resulting in civet coffee with the smell and taste of fruit.

Natural wild civet coffee is coffee that is produced from animal mongoose that ate itself ripe coffee fruit trees in coffee plantations and pulled faces a clean place like tree trunks, roots, leaves, stones and other others. The process naturally.

Civet Coffee Prices

Civet Coffee Powder Net: 100 Gram Rp 130.000, -

Civet Coffee Powder Net: 125 Gram Rp 160.000, -

Civet Coffee Powder Net: 150 Gram Rp 195.000, -

Civet Coffee Powder Net: 250 Gram Rp 325.000, -

Civet Coffee Powder Net: 500 Gram Rp 650.000, -

Civet Coffee Powder Net: 1kg Rp 1.300.000, -

Note added: Free shipping throughout Indonesia

CONTACT US FOR ORDER:

TRI ANI
Phone/SMS 62 852 9141 3090
Jl. Kudus-Colo RT 3 RW 5 Karangdowo, Bae
Kudus - Indonesia
E-mail: chyciex [at] gmail [dot] com

Civet Coffee Not Contain Pesticides

2011-04-08T05:32:00.000-07:00

Hello true coffee lovers, if you like to drink coffee in one day more than 2 times then you better start now turn to Civet Coffee because the content of pesticides in the regular coffee in general is very risky for you and can cause cancer, ADHD in children , disorders of the nervous system and weaken the immune system.

Pesticides are often referred to as 'poison' but for the farmers who use pesticides to prevent damage to the crop due to pests or spoilage. Although a certain amount of pesticide use for crops can still be tolerated by our bodies but it would be much better if as much as possible to avoid pesticides.

But now we do not really worry about the coffee-containing pesticides such as you can still enjoy free coffee with your own. Decent coffee drink and not risk the health and it is "civet coffee". Why? Because pesticides on Luwak coffee has been "cleaned" naturally in animal stomachs often called civet or Luwak.

Luwak Coffee is a type of coffee that comes from coffee cherries that have been fed by animal mongoose (paradoxorus hermaphroditus) and experienced fermentation in the bowels of the animal mongoose. Coffee fruit seeds will not be destroyed in the digestive system of animals such as civet coffee beans in the coffee fruit encased by a hard cuticle and can not be destroyed in the belly of the animal mongoose.

According to Drs. Phaidon L Toruan healthy living expert from Jakarta Anti-aging & Executive Fitness Consultant is in contact on August 21, 2010 by detikHealth Civet Coffee has several advantages other than coffee, especially coffee is cultivated naturally in the stomach of the animal mongoose, net of toxic hazards pesticides. Mongoose is also the most intelligent of animals to choose foods that are going on feeding, automatic coffee comes from the belly of this mongoose is the best coffee.

Still according to Dr. Phaidon is also author of "Fat Loss Not Weight Loss", Fermentation in the stomach of animals mongoose gives the chemical composition changes in coffee beans, coffee taste quality, lower protein levels of automation and higher fat.

The same was conveyed by Dr. Ir Yadi Haryadi, MSc Food Technology IPB Expert (Bandung Institute of Agriculture) and add if not regular coffee Luwak coffee is likely a mixture of coffee that has been cooked with coffee that is still young so that makes the coffee taste any less delicious and reduce quality.

CONTACT US FOR ORDER:

TRI ANI
Phone/SMS 62 852 9141 3090
Jl. Kudus-Colo RT 3 RW 5 Karangdowo, Bae
Kudus - Indonesia
E-mail: chyciex [at] gmail [dot] com

The Smell and Flavour Civet Coffee

2011-04-08T05:21:00.000-07:00

The smell of coffee and coffee flavors so in search of coffee addicts in the world, anyone who dares to buy coffee at a price more expensive definitely looking smell of coffee and taste of coffee is not the same as usual. But do we know how to process coffee to cause smell is so fragrant and have a sense that so steady? Coffee players lay and coffee farmers may not be so think about it but if we want to become a successful entrepreneur coffee this becomes a major obstacle, a variety of vegetable recipes may be we can easily but the recipe makes a delicious and flavorful coffee may have powerful cultivate our own.

Here I would like a little coffee to discuss the beginning of the harvest to begin in the process of becoming ready brewed coffee. Maybe you have a lot of reading and writing it on the internet maybe even friends already have their own formula so that coffee-flavored coffee production had become a strong and steady, but I'll review a little here and even then I summarized from various sources.

In Indonesia there are several types of coffee in coffee planting by farmers but in general they prefer Arabica and Robusta coffee species because it has a better market, how to harvest the coffee Arabica and Robusta Arabica different if that had been ripe fruit will fall on its own right while Robusta must be in quotes. Arabica do not have the harvest season but Robusta 5 months in each year of harvest season which normally falls between the months of April through September.

How processing yields also vary between areas one with the other regions have different, but in general if we want to have coffee that has a robust smell and flavor we must choose the right coffee fruit was ripe. Ripe coffee fruit we can see from the color of his men had red-black, coffee that has been cooked very well be easier in the process of the coffee that has not been cooked it can be viewed from the skin of the coffee fruit that is easy to peel when the coffee fruit has been cook true.

Coffee fruit has been cooked once will be processed in various ways that essentially looking for the best coffee beans that have a strong smell and flavor are stable when it is in the process is complete, processing of coffee cherries have a variety of ways from the coffee fruit in soak while on rollers using the fruit machine or coffee in separate pieces soak until the meat with the beans and finally there is a direct leave them to dry. All of these aims should be entitled to make the coffee bean moisture content of only 12% to 10%, coffee has a low water content and in the process with good will be coffee beans that have good or best quality green coffee beans.

Once we get the best quality coffee beans by now we should be fried or roasted, coffee beans that have been previously fried ready in advance with the wash if repeated and leave to dry washing water from coffee beans. After that the coffee is ready in cooking, frying systems also have a variety of ways ranging from the traditional way to use the machine. Fry beans require a fairly large fire for cooking the beans should be at a temperature of 180 degrees to 210 degrees with a time of 1.5 hours to 2.5 hours.

Fry coffee can produce 3 kinds of coffee results we want, ranging from light (Light), Medium (Medium) and Dark (Dark), any sort of fried foods above will lead to a different smell and taste but is most often used for public is medium roasted. To obtain good results in fry beans we can not do just by feelings or guesses but we must continue to do so from time to time until we have a formula that we think is best in terms of flavor and smell.

Large coffee company in general they have a standard formula and they do not just use one type of coffee, but mixing with various types of coffee. Robusta coffee Chenung home industry is a company that dared to use the best selection of coffee with 100% fruit ripe coffee which has dark red without being mixed with other coffee types, Robusta coffee chenung has a taste and smell the coffee character that steady and you rarely find in other brands of coffee.

After the frying process is complete we should suppress our coffee beans that have been fried until the temperature of the beans are not too hot again, the next process is to coffee beans that we have had our fried or grinder until finely ground, there are several ways to process coffee beans until smooth from the traditional way with the mash until smooth, or we can blend until smooth, the result was a variety of milled coffee machine depends what we wear ranging from coarse to very fine.

After the milling process is completed, we then store the results of ground coffee to be had with good flavor and smell of coffee to stay awake. Of all the above process is when we do it right then we will enjoy coffee with the smell and taste that is stable.

CONTACT US FOR ORDER:

TRI ANI
Phone/SMS 62 852 9141 3090
Jl. Kudus-Colo RT 3 RW 5 Karangdowo, Bae
Kudus - Indonesia
E-mail: chyciex [at] gmail [dot] com

What Is Civet Coffee

2011-04-08T05:04:00.000-07:00

Kopi Luwak coffee is one drink a very high potential to become a world-class drinks taste reliable image prior genuine Luwak coffee from Indonesia , but this can be taken over by a foreign party if the Indonesian community did not realize how expensive and extreme lack of coffee. I hope we all want to cultivate coffee in a professional manner which will be made one drink mainstay of Indonesia. And could be our mainstay commodity business.

Luwak coffee comes from Sumatra, Java and Sulawesi, the area known as the producer of coffee with excellent quality. And also as a habitat for animal Luwak. Civet has a characteristic that can support the creation of the most expensive coffee in the world: This animal lives in trees, the fruit of the coffee is her favorite food, he has the instincts to choose the best coffee cherries to eat, so eaten by a Luwak coffee is not the same coffee in general. Civet coffee tend to prefer the red, the most ripe and sweet. Then process the most expensive coffee starts from here, while being in the belly beans, seeds that had fermented with special enzymes called proteolytic. Once the digestion process is complete, the beans are expelled along with feces. But the seed was still in a state still intact. This is because the coffee beans.

CONTACT US FOR ORDER:

TRI ANI
Phone/SMS 62 852 9141 3090
Jl. Kudus-Colo RT 3 RW 5 Karangdowo, Bae
Kudus - Indonesia
E-mail: chyciex [at] gmail [dot] com

How Kopi Luwak Coffee Is Made

2011-04-08T04:39:00.000-07:00

If you have heard of civet coffee or kopi luwak , you may wonder how kopi luwak coffee is made. The process is one which may not appeal to everyone but in spite of the fact that it is a bit unusual, how kopi luwak coffee is made does result in some amazing coffee.

Civet coffee, the English translation of kopi luwak , depends on civets to process the beans and make them more flavorful and less bitter. Civets are small mammals which live throughout Indonesia and the surrounding areas. They eat a variety of different foods including fruits, insects and small animals. In this, they are very similar to the North American raccoon although they look different.

One of the foods that civets love to eat is coffee berries. They naturally choose the ripest berries to eat and this is one thing that helps make civet coffee some of the finest in the world. In regular coffee, some immature or unripe berries may make their way into the mix and this can cause flavor problems. However, because of how kopi luwak coffee is made the civets naturally choose only the ripest beans to transform into civet coffee .

They do this by eating the coffee berries. After they have been eaten, the berries which will become civet coffee are digested. The enzymes in the civet’s digestive tract are excellent at subtly altering the flavor and chemical make-up of the civet coffee beans. When they are sufficiently digested, the civet coffee beans are excreted in the civet’s droppings. Now you know the interesting secret behind how kopi luwak coffee is made.

Because of the way in which the beans are processed they tend to be much less bitter than regular coffee beans. They do not need to be roasted as heavily which is one traditional method for trying to overcome the bitterness in coffee beans. Unfortunately, although it gets rid of much of the bitterness, a truly dark roast coffee may not have a flavor which appeals to every coffee drinker. Civet coffee is very different.

However, because of how kopi luwak coffee is made it is extremely rare. Many of the beans which are produced are sold locally and are very popular throughout Indonesia and the surrounding area. Often, people resort to standing around known sellers of kopi luwak beans in hopes of being able to purchase some of them. This is in spite of a very steep price tag that can top several hundred dollars US.

As production methods are refined, the supply of civet coffee will increase. The production of civet coffee has been good for the civets which were facing loss of natural habitat. Now, with increased production of the beans the civets have more room to live and more food to eat. They are also being kept in more confined areas so that the farmers do not have to search as hard to find their droppings.

If you are not having much luck buying the coffee in a store you may want to look online. There, you will be able to find excellent prices on the beans without worrying about getting to the head of the line.

Author Resource:- Civet coffee may be hard to find in a conventional coffee shop because of how kopi luwak coffee is made. If you are determined to find an excellent source of this amazing drink, contact us today.

CONTACT US FOR ORDER:

TRI ANI
Phone/SMS 62 852 9141 3090
Jl. Kudus-Colo RT 3 RW 5 Karangdowo, Bae
Kudus - Indonesia
E-mail: chyciex [at] gmail [dot] com

Coffee Prevents Cancer Uterus

2010-10-23T09:47:00.000-07:00

There is exciting news for the ladies drink coffee addict. How many cups of coffee do you drink a day?

Whatever it is, this is good news for you fans of coffee. Apparently even contain caffeine, Japan's National Cancer Research Centre in collaboration with the Japanese Health Ministry found that women who have a habit of drinking coffee is a good risk cervical cancer.

In that study, women who drank more than three cups of coffee a day 60% lower risk of suffering from uterine cancer than those who drank coffee less than twice a week. This is because coffee can reduce insulin levels, thus reducing the risk of uterine cancer.

Coffee Prevent Prostate Cancer

2010-10-23T09:45:00.000-07:00

Coffee could reduce risk of prostate cancer in men. It is known from research conducted by a team of researchers from Harvard Medical School, USA.

The study was conducted on 50,000 men who regularly drink coffee. Results showed the risk of prostate cancer in men who drink coffee regularly reduced by 60%.

The research team estimates that the substance contained in coffee could suppress the growth of cancer cells. According to the researchers, coffee has an effect on insulin and glucose metabolism, the same as the sex hormones that play an important role in prostate cancer.

"Only a few lifestyle factors that are directly related to risk of prostate cancer. These findings are very encouraging, especially for coffee lovers, "said Helen Rippon, from the Prostate Cancer Charity, as quoted from daily mail, December 9, 2009.

According to Rippon, the study could be a clue that drinking coffee regularly can reduce the risk of prostate cancer. Although further research is needed to determine the content in coffee that can suppress the growth of prostate cancer cells triggers.

"We do not recommend a man to drink lots of coffee because the caffeine content is high and could endanger the health," said Rippon.

Encourage your partner and your male friends to eat a small cup of coffee per day. But remember, do not overdo it. It was for coffee can reduce the risk of prostate cancer and not cause other health problems. Balance also exercise at least 15 minutes every day to reduce the risk of death from prostate cancer.

Coffee Prevents Cancer Head and Neck

2010-10-23T09:39:00.000-07:00

A good news for coffee lovers, it turns out in a recent study showed that coffee can protect yourself against the head and neck cancer. The scientists analyzed the nine studies that collected consortium Head and Neck Cancer Epidemiology International.

Once analyzed, people WHO Drank They found four or more cups of coffee a day, 39 percent lower mouth and throat cancer, WHO Than people do not consume coffee. "Since coffee is consumed, the lower the survival rate of cancer due to be Relatively high." Our results have implications for public health needs to be addressed That Further, "said chief researcher Mia Hashibe, assistant professor at the University of Utah.

"What makes the results of our study is unique is that we have a very large sample size. In addition, we combine the data through a lot of research. We have a strong statistics to detect the relationship between cancer and coffee, "he added. The results of these studies have been published in the latest issue of the journal Cancer Epidemiology, biomarkers & prevention. Meanwhile, a number of other studies also show coffee may help prevent prostate cancer and brain tumors

Coffee Prevents Skin Cancer

2010-10-23T09:32:00.000-07:00

Not only Body Lotion or special potion that could keep skin youthful or prevent skin cancer. It turned out that coffee can help to treat and prevent skin cancer. What kind of coffee should be used. There are two types of coffee, the Pros and Cons.

Pros

Coffee contains antioxidants that can help fight skin cancer. Some preliminary studies show that coffee can be applied topically to produce beautiful skin.

Cons

Coffee is a mild diurectic. If taken in large amounts, coffee can cause dehydration of the skin. Drinking coffee may be interrupted at bedtime the night, the important thing is good for your skin.

So a little cup of coffee should not affect skin health. But in large amounts will interfere with your health, you should speak with your doctor first to find out how to use the antioxidant benefits of coffee and, as an antioxidant that will help you to prevent the reaction from the coffee. There are other ways to prevent skin cancer. One of the best ways is to use a variety of sunscreen every day even when the weather is hot or cold.

Coffee Suppress Liver Cancer

2010-10-23T09:23:00.000-07:00

Liver cancer seems less frequent in coffee drinkers than those who do not drink coffee. A report published in the journal Hepatology August displays the findings from 10 studies of coffee on liver cancer. These studies reviewed by researchers including Francesca Bravi, ScD of the Istituto Ricerche Farmacologiche "Mario Negri" in Milan, Italy.

Overall study included 2260 people with liver cancer and nearly 240,000 people without liver cancer. The participants live in Greece, Italy and Japan. Participants reported their coffee drinking habits.

The data indicating that 41% of coffee drinkers seem less diagnosed with liver cancer than people who do not drink coffee. For each cup of coffee that people drink, the rate decreased likelihood of liver cancer diagnosed up to 23%, compared to those who never drank coffee. People who drink lots of coffee seem to 55% less than those diagnosed with liver cancer who do not drink coffee.

Why drink lots of coffee? Depending on which of the 10 studies that were observed. Some studies defined high coffee consumption as much as 3 or more cups per day. Others set the figure lower, no more than 1 cup per day.

The fact that liver cancer is more rare in coffee drinkers in all countries (Greece, Italy and Japan), suggest that these findings are not accidental or a local phenomenon, according to Bravi and colleagues. They speculate that coffee fix liver enzymes and cut cirrhosis and liver cancer.

However, Bravi team does not promise that drinking coffee will prevent liver cancer. They explained that people with various liver diseases and gastrointestinal tract may choose not to drink coffee as a reason that is not reflected in the data.

Whether or not drinking coffee prevent liver cancer, is still the 'open discussion'.

Coffee Sharpen Brain Memory

2010-10-23T09:20:00.000-07:00

Drinking a cup of coffee in the morning was not just a routine, but for some people has become a necessity that must be met. Why? Because coffee is a stimulant or stimulants in the positive sense, ie a cup of coffee can start a new day with enthusiasm, because the body feels more refreshed so that morale increased. This is because there are substances in coffee that could help change the energy reserves of fat to be called with caffeine.

Caffeine

Caffeine is part of a group of compounds known as metilsantin, while other parts of the compound is known as trofilin and theobromine are naturally found in 63 types of plant species. And one of the main sources of caffeine is coffee.

Caffeine was included in the class of substances that have the ability menstimultan brain. If separated from other substances, caffeine is the original form of a white powder with slightly bitter taste, but the wearer will gain extra strength to fight the fatigue, because of the emergence of high spirits.

EFFECT OF COFFEE FOR THE BRAIN

Besides giving fitness on the body, it turns out the coffee can help to think more quickly, people who will do a job interview or giving a presentation, if drinking coffee 15 minutes or 30 minutes before the ceremony performed, the result will be pretty good, because the caffeine in coffee was able to provide signals on brain to respond faster and with a fast memory processing in the brain

Students and students so confident with a cup of coffee before they learn, can make their memory becomes sharp, all the learned as if it is easy to absorb. A phenomenon that is not just a mere suggestion, but could be explained scientifically.

Why caffeine can sharpen your memory? One that makes people easy to sleep is the role of adenosine compounds in brain cells, if the substance is bound by its receptor, will automatically slow the activity of body cells, also causes enlargement of blood vessels. And it turns out caffeine can compete with the function of adenosine, especially in making the bond with the receptor. Caffeine will not slow gestures. With the increasing number of caffeine is absorbed in, sooner or later the body cells will not respond to commands adenosine, because the receptors in the brain more busy struggling with caffeine, another said, caffeine reverse all the work patterns of adenosine, which can lead to stimulation of the brain nervous system, resulting in the intellect becomes sharper. Caffeine can reach the brain and nervous system enter through the bloodstream within 15 minutes after a person drinks coffee.

Any excess must be no good result. Likewise, excessive coffee drinking will have the potential to invite the disease, such as difficulty sleeping (insomnia), severe headaches, heart palpitations, and even panic will arise mainly in people who are sensitive. Drinking coffee a day as much as 1000 mg, equivalent to 8-10 cups can already be considered very excessive.

Coffee, which is often blamed as a scapegoat occurrence of disease, it has a positive side. Therefore, do not immediately believe the stories circulating about the negative effects of caffeine. Continue to drink coffee for your fitness, do not overdo it, drinking coffee with caffeine levels up to 240 mg per day, and you'll stay healthy.

Coffee Boost Sex Encouragement

2010-10-23T09:13:00.000-07:00

Once thought to have cancer-preventing effect and stimulate memory, a new study reveals that a cup of coffee is believed to increase sex drive in women because of caffeine.

Experts say caffeine can increase libido in women by stimulating the brain which then formed the stimulation but this effect seems to only work on those who do not regularly consume coffee.

Dr. Fay Guarraci who led the study at Southwestern University in Georgetown, Texas said, many studies on the effects of coffee on the sexual behavior of men than in women studies. In a study published in Pharmacology, Biochemistry and Behavior journal, Dr. Guarraci and colleagues provide caffeine in moderate doses on 108 female rats and monitor behavior.

Rats given stimulus before coupled with male colleagues addressing the high sexual appetite, but according to Dr. Guarraci drinking caffeine-rich beverages do not have the same effect in women who consumed coffee or tea in large quantities.

The researchers said human studies are still needed to determine the effects of caffeine on the libido. Other research confirms the caffeine in coffee, tea and cola was associated with increased blood pressure or risk of cancer although other studies have confirmed a cup of coffee can improve memory and reduce the risk of liver cancer.

Coffee Benefits For Heart

2010-10-23T09:08:00.000-07:00

Drinking coffee and tea regularly was able to reduce the risk of heart disease significantly. Two-drink intake is moderately able to reduce the chances of dying from the disease kardioivaskular up to fifth.

Besides the benefits to prevent heart disease, drinking coffee and tea are also not increase the risk of other diseases such as stroke.

Dr. Yvonne van der Schouw, professor of chronic disease in the Netherlands Utrecht University Medical Center revealed the results of a study conducted on 37,514 people over 13 years to monitor heart disease and death.

Researchers found those who drank three or six cups of tea or coffee, 45 percent less risk of suffering from heart problems than those who drank less coffee or tea from one cup per day.

However, it does not mean drinking more coffee will help. People who drink coffee or tea for more than six cups have a risk of heart as much as 36 percent. Coffee and tea contain antioxidants that are capable of damaging free radicals that enter the body.

The findings, published in Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology: Journal of the American Heart Association also noted, health behaviors among drinkers of coffee and tea is different.

Coffee drinkers are more prone to smoking and lead a less healthy diet than tea lovers. Several previous studies have found that tea and coffee associated with reduced risk of some dangerous diseases such as cancer, diabetes, stress and even acne.

Ellen Mason, experts at the British Heart Rehabilitation Center adds, drinking coffee and tea along with a healthy lifestyle is crucial to maintaining optimum health. "Drinking coffee while smoking will cancel the positive benefits. So also if it does not work out and move on a regular basis," he said, as published in the Telegraph.

Coffee For Male Fertility

2010-10-23T09:05:00.000-07:00

Coffee, the black reducer sleepiness again proved as rich drink efficacy, when in previous studies dekafein, one of the content of coffee, can reduce the risk of diabetes, improving blood circulation and relieving headache, it turns out the coffee can also make sperm can swim faster and stimulate the male fertility .

A study group of researchers from the University of Sao Paulo, Brazil says the man who regularly drank a cup of coffee every morning to have sperm that can swim more agile than men who never drank coffee in the morning.

They studied 750 men who will do a vasectomy and divided into four groups based on the amount of coffee they consume, ie: those who do not drink coffee, light coffee drinkers (between one and three cups of coffee per day), coffee drinkers are (between four-six cups per day) and heavy coffee drinkers (more than six cups per day). This study used a scale size 100ml cup.

As a result, those who consume regular coffee a day had sperm quality is much healthier than those not consuming coffee.

The content of caffeine in coffee helps sperm can swim faster than help improve sperm samples in the process of IVF (in-vitro fertilization), the method of fertilization outside the womb.

Results were published in the Journal of the American Conference Society for Reproductive Medicine, in San Antonio.

Meanwhile in a separate study conducted State University of New York, Buffalo says the coffee is still far better than marijuana is proven to shorten the life of sperm, erectile problems and potentially reduce fertility significantly.

Coffee and Personality

2010-10-23T08:53:00.000-07:00

Could not miss a day without coffee goods as to have irreplaceable blend coffee? Your personality can be "seen" from here.

Believe it or not, but this is the analysis from experts and leaders of Smell and Taste Treatment and Research Foundation, Alan Hirsch. Allan said, the kind we drink coffee beverages can reflect the personality, but also describe the relevant social statement. Allan divides six personality types based on the choice of coffee.

Cappuccino reflects the love of all things aesthetic value and also a cheerful personality.
Black coffee personally describe an ambitious, focused, hardworking, and always "hunted down" the target he set himself. Talk romance, black coffee drinkers is the type of pragmatic, hard that it took extra effort to bring their romantic side.
Espresso indicate the type of individuals who like to lead or a figure that always need power to pump up his confidence. They are hard workers who did not necessarily give up just because it never fails. In matters of romance, they are experienced people, always attractive in the eyes of the opposite sex, but rather doubt his loyalty.
Steamed latte personal guidance as representing peace and love.
Frappuccino shows the character of an adventurer and enjoy life. They are full of ambition that was always energetic and optimistic, even not hesitate to risk everything. Unfortunately they are easy to feel guilty because of too much pressure on yourself. Suitable partner for lovers Frappuccino is a more resilient so they can remind him when to put the brakes on his ambitions.
Iced coffee figure reflects the relaxed, spontaneous, and humorous. Usually, possessing extensive interactions.

Coffee and Women's Health

2010-10-23T08:45:00.000-07:00

Coffee is one of the most widely consumed beverage by a person in the world today. A cup of coffee, usually always the main drink in a relaxed state or at the time was dealing with daily work, and also become the main menu in meetings or business meetings.

A large number of women, both who work as entrepreneurs, artists, women, traders, public relations (PR), due to the need for employment and social interaction, also began to love to drink coffee. However, the medical community has warned that excessive coffee drinking is not good for women. The impact can be followed below.

Easy sterility

The results revealed that women who drank a cup of coffee every day more susceptible to infertility than women who do not drink coffee. Related Expert had surveyed 104 women who have the habit of drinking coffee, of which approximately 50 people is not easy to get pregnant. In addition there is also a content expert opinion, that this study only small in scope, can not be used as the final proof of the special effects of coffee on the birth of a child. However, researchers stress that if it can not explain the causes of sterility in medical science, it must be considered infertility associated with caffeine.

The risk of heart resistance

The experts of medical science from Boston University public health institutions The United States has conducted research for 4 years to 858 women aged 45-69 years of age who first heart infarct disease and 858 women who had never suffered from cardiac infarction disease. The results show, that if every day eat 5 cups of coffee or more, can cause the risk of myocardial infarction in women increased by 70%, after all, the risk will increase and the increase continued in line with the amount of coffee drunk multiply.

Easy caused osteoporosis

Researchers from the University of California, the U.S. has made a survey of 980 women aged between 50-98 twilight years, and the result is found, an old woman who did not consume milk, but drinking more than 2 cups of coffee in the long run, no matter what age and level of obesity, density spine and groin bones will decrease, and the level of decline related to the length of time consumed and the amount of coffee consumed. Therefore, caffeine can be fused with the free calcium in the human body, and excreted in the urine. Reduced free calcium would cause decomposition of calcium bind, resulting in osteoporosis or bone loss.

Not good for the fetus

Since the early 1980s, Lin Kao Doctorate from the Agency for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in an attempt to find, that after feeding rats as much as 12-24 cups of strong coffee consumed adult dose every day, pregnant rats, mice will give birth to children with disabilities . Therefore, on behalf of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, researchers advise pregnant women: It is recommended to temporarily stop drinking coffee.

Syndrome of high blood pressure

This disease is a disease typical of pregnant women, patients manifesting edema (edema water), high blood pressure and urinary albumen, if not prevented and treated immediately, could endanger the safety of the fetus's mother. An Australian study says that although every day just to drink a few cups of coffee just to raise blood pressure. Therefore, it is not good for pregnant women to drink coffee.

Easily arise diabetes

Survey results and analysis of Finnish and American researchers showed that these two countries is a country whose citizens consume more coffee. Consequently, in these countries who suffer from diabetes is also the largest. Among other things, the number of coffee consumers nation Finland ranks first in the world, and people with diabetes is also the largest country in the world.

The number of coffee consumers in Northern European countries are also quite large, and people who suffer from diabetes too much. In contrast, the number of copies of the Japanese consumer in the world at least, and people with diabetes are also at least. According to the analysis of researchers, that the caffeine in coffee through the pancreas in the composition of the fetus, especially the liver and brain of the fetus, can lead to babies born later might be suffering from diabetes.

In addition, both male or female, the average coffee drinking can increase the risk of heart disease, high blood pressure and can even cause symptoms of addiction. It is clear that for the good of the birth and growth and maintenance of health and prevent disease, then women should avoid excessive consumption of coffee in the long term.

Coffee Slow Stroke Risk

2010-10-23T08:34:00.000-07:00

A new study has found that in male smokers, drinking coffee and tea may reduce the risk of stroke caused by inhibition. Dr. Susanna C. Larson, of the Karolinska Institute, Sweden, and colleagues explain in the journal Stroke in June 2008 that coffee and tea consumption could potentially reduce the risk of stroke because these beverages have antioxidant properties.

Tim Larsson tested the association between coffee and tea consumption with risk of various types of stroke such as cerebral hemorrhage and sub-arachnoid hemorrhage, both of which are strokes caused by bleeding in the brain. Cerebral infarction was more common type of stroke caused by blockage of arteries that supply blood to the brain. Type of stroke is often caused by a thickening of artery walls of the arteries (atherosclerosis.

The study involved 26,556 Finnish male smokers who participated in the study of the prevention of cancer in which obtained information on diet, including tea and coffee, at the beginning of the study. No one man has a history of stroke.

During the study followed by 13.6 years, occurred 2702 cerebral infarction, 383 intracerebral hemorrhage, 196 subarachnoid hemorrhage, and 84 unspecified strokes.

After taking into account age and the presence of risk factors, researchers found that men who drank eight or more cups of coffee per day had a 23% lower risk of cerebral infarction than those who drank less than 2 cups of coffee every day. Men who drank two or more cups of tea per day had a 21% lower risk of stroke than men who did not drink tea. There was no association between coffee consumption and tea with intracerebral and subarachnoid hemorrhage.

The researchers concluded that consumption of coffee and tea may reduce the risk of cerebral infarction in men, independent of known cardiovascular risk factors. Beneficial effects of coffee and tea consumption against cerebral infarction is biologically possible because coffee and tea contain substances that are antioxidants that can prevent atherosclerosis. These findings will be confirmed in women and in those non-smokers.

Coffee and Pregnancy

2010-10-23T08:09:00.000-07:00

Pregnant women can drink coffee without fear will lead to premature birth or babies that are less weight, according to the researchers in this place.

Things to do:

Explain to patients who have an interest that the data on caffeine and pregnancy contrary to some research that suggests the existence of a negative impact on fetal growth, as well as other inventions.
Explain that a broad and targeted research found no impact on the length of pregnancy or birth weight infants.

In an unpublished randomized trials of more than 1,000 pregnant women, there is no evidence that the caffeine in three cups of coffee drunk in one day have the influence to babies who are born, it was discovered by Bodil Hammer Beech, Ph.D., from Institute of Public Health at the University of Aarhus.

On the other hand, the result is not as good for women who mix the caffeinated coffee with a cigarette, a joint once or twice which increases the risk of babies born smaller, according to online reports Dr. Bech and colleagues in the BMJ. No such impact on the smokers who drank decaffeinated coffee.

Several previous studies have suggested that coffee drinking high levels of caffeine can reduce the weight of babies born as much as 200 grams, while other studies found no impact, according to the researchers. Confusion also known in these studies about caffeine and the risk of birth weight infants who became less, referred to as babies born with full-time pregnancy but weighs less than 2,500 grams.

"The study results are contrary to this has baffled public health officials, and in some countries pregnant women are warned not to drink caffeine," said Dr. Bech-eman friends and colleagues.

Pregnant women who drink caffeine tend to be much higher levels of smoking, drinking alcohol and have lower education levels, according to the researchers note. Outside research is directed random, factors which make this confusion is difficult to control.

Between April 1996 and April 1998, Dr. Bech together with his colleagues noted as many as 1207 healthy women who drank more than three cups of coffee in one day is seen as users of high levels of caffeine and pregnancy is less than twenty weeks. They were randomly assigned to either a caffeinated instant coffee and non-caffeinated. The use of caffeine they are derived from other sources, such as tea or soft drinks, was monitored through interviews.

On average, women who drank caffeinated coffee, taking 317 mg per day compared with 117 grams a day for those who drank decaffeinated coffee, that's what researchers have found.

After adjusting the length of gestation, the balance, the index figure before pregnancy and smoking at the beginning of the study, analysis of the infant at birth, was found the following:

Babies who are born in a state of less weight than women drinkers of decaffeinated coffee group is 16 grams less than babies born to women who drank caffeinated coffee.
Group of women who drank decaffeinated coffee had an average length of pregnancy is shorter than the 1:31 day of women in the group who drank coffee with caffeine. No single difference was that really means that according to statistics.
In an environment that drinkers of decaffeinated coffee, 4.2% infants born prematurely and 4.5% of them were born small for their gestational age compared with 5.2% premature births and 4.7% low birth weight infants in a group environment drinkers of decaffeinated coffee.

On the other hand, smoking and drinking caffeinated coffee seems to have has an impact like this:

Women who smoked more than 10 cigarettes a day and that drinking caffeinated coffee and examined at random, the average birthweight babies, 263 grams lighter than those born to women smokers but decaffeinated coffee drinkers. According to statistics this difference is of great significance at P = 0.002.
This discovery means that "people should be careful when considering the possibility of (overall) effect that occurs in smokers," according to the researchers.
Dr. Bech and colleagues noted that the women in this study were in the second half of pregnancy, so that "if caffeine has an impact on birth weight by mechanisms that only apply in early pregnancy, then we would not know it."

It may also that other substances that exist in the coffee other than caffeine may affect the weight of babies born, so we are told the investigators.

Avoid Coffee Before Exercise

2010-10-23T07:52:00.000-07:00

If you want to do sports, do not drink coffee at least 36 hours in advance.

Could not miss the morning without a cup of coffee? Maybe you should be discouraged to drink coffee if you want to do sports activities that morning. Drinking coffee before exercise can be risky for your heart.

A research by the American College of Cardiology reveals, a number of intake of caffeine from coffee can withstand the body's ability to increase blood flow to the heart during exercise.

This is a problem. During exercise, blood flow to the heart is certain to increase, because the body needs more oxygen and more nutrients.

This research was carried out on the coffee addicts. They were asked to fast for 36 hours drinking coffee, then do the exercise. Before and after exercise, their blood vessels examined.

In the next stage, respondents were asked to consume caffeine tablets are equivalent to two cups of coffee, and re-examination of blood vessels before and after exercise.

Caffeine has no effect on blood vessels when the respondents do not drink coffee within 36 hours. But after taking caffeine tablets, blood flow decreased by 22%. Respondents who exercise at high pressure can be experienced even greater decline in blood flow at 39%.

Several other studies had revealed that coffee is a stimulant energy boosters before exercising. Therefore, many athletes who consumed coffee before training or competing. But research on proving different results.

Caffeine can indeed stimulate the brain, improving concentration and alertness. Athletes who consume caffeine before competing stimulation to feel the spirit, concentration, and high focus. But in fact the blood vessels work precisely terjaid decline.

At the time of blood flow in the lower body than is necessary, the body will experience a lack of oxygen. Especially the oxygen supply to muscles, brain, and heart. It can cause sudden dizziness and even fainting.

Besides coffee, other beverages are not consumed before exercise is recommended soda or energy drinks. The best drink is consumed before exercise is water.

Men Feel More Caffeine Effects

2010-10-23T07:47:00.000-07:00

Women are even more to obtain an injection of the spirit of decaffeinated coffee.

When drowsiness began to attack us, one of the weapons that can be relied upon is a cup of coffee. The delicious scent of coffee can make our eyes open and the effects of drinking coffee makes us more excited.

But it was a stimulating effect of coffee and feel the energy more evident in men. According to the research of University of Barcelona, men who drink coffee to feel alert and standby effect more quickly than women who drank the same dose.

In this study, participants were asked to drink espresso, and then measured the level of concentration and discernment in 10, 20 and 30 minutes later.

Male respondents proved more quickly to increase alertness and an injection of spirit, that is within 10 minutes and last up to half an hour later.

While female respondents also increased the concentration and enthusiasm, but tend to be slower and the levels are lower than those obtained by men.

But the opposite result occurred when respondents were treated to coffee without the caffeine.

"Participants feel more of a woman injecting enthusiasm and energy quickly after drinking decaffeinated coffee," said Ana Adan, Ph.D., Head of Psychopharmacology and Drug Dependence Group, University of Barcelona. "The man suffered only a slight increase morale."

So, if you want more feel the injection of enthusiasm when the mood is the drop, try a cup of coffee non caffeine. You will be able to feel the benefits are better than a cup of caffeinated coffee.

Coffee and Tea For Diabetes Patients

2010-10-23T07:43:00.000-07:00

Would you like tea or coffee? Normally these two options that became kind of standard drinks are always offered in both official and unofficial banquet.

Apparently, both are equally recommended for people with diabetes or sugar disease. The reason is, someone who is drinking coffee and tea regularly can significantly reduce the risk of the disease.

"Every cup of coffee and tea per day could reduce diabetes risk by 7 percent," said Rachel Huxley, head of the research team from the George Institute, International Health, Australia As quoted from Care2.com.

In fact, drinking three to four cups of coffee per day, can reduce the risk of diabetes by 25 percent, rather than just drinking one glass only. The fact is based on research conducted by a team from the George Institute, International Health, Australia.

It is surprising, is it? Everything is not just based on one study alone, but 18 studies involving 450,000 people. Because it was evident from many studies, the fact it is called "meta analysis"

The research team estimates that contain anti-oxidants and some other substances such as magnesium, lignans and kloronik acid in coffee and tea is what reduces the risk of diabetes.

So far, two types of diabetes caused by unhealthy lifestyles, are very dangerous. Not only cause complications but also one the highest cause of death.

But, in addition useful for people with diabetes, coffee also may reduce the risk of stroke and Parkinson's disease. Therefore, start now make coffee and tea as you drink every day. Of course, make sure the sugar content in it is not too high.

World's Most Expensive Coffee

2010-10-23T07:40:00.000-07:00

Indonesia does have a variety of coffee. Starting from the coffee of Aceh, Makassar Coffee, Toraja Coffee, and others. But there's one coffee from Indonesia to worldwide. Namely, Luwak coffee. What are its merits?

Luwak coffee is famous for its price is quite expensive. If you want to sip coffee this kind in Jakarta, the price can be hundreds of thousands of dollars per cup.

However, according to Oprah Winfrey in one episode of her talk show in America, a cup of civet coffee valued at U.S. $ 50 (USD 500 thousand). And, in containers sold for about U.S. $ 600 (USD 60 million) per 4.5 kg. That's why coffee is dubbed the world's most expensive coffee.

The reason coffee is expensive and special, because the process of becoming a unique coffee. Civet coffee is coffee beans found in civet droppings, a type of animal that a lot of squirrels living in the forest edge near coffee plantations.

Civet (Paradoxurus hermaphroditus) were treated to robusta coffee beans

Naturally, Luwak beans have the instinct to choose a really ripe and should be eaten. In the digestive mongoose, the beans had chemical reactions with enzyme digestion mongoose. It is this process which gives a different taste in Luwak coffee.

Well, from civet droppings are a whole coffee beans to be processed into a Luwak coffee. And, a cup of coffee-flavored delights mongoose strong.

Interested to try?

Best Time Drinking Coffee

2010-10-23T07:31:00.000-07:00

Enjoying a cup of coffee of choice of people to release tension.

Aroma and flavor your favorite coffee can indeed soothe the mind. When the work is piling up, the coffee can restore the spirit. Then, when it is appropriate to drink coffee?

- At 07:00
You can drink coffee in the morning. The content of caffeine in coffee can increase metabolime process and could burn 15 to 25 calories. To get the maximum effect is better to select a black coffee with a little sugar.

- 09:00
Before meeting with a presentation in front of your boss or client, you can drink coffee first. According to a report in the European Journal of Social Psychology, caffeine consumption is not excessive amounts can make people more open and persuasive.

- Noon
If you plan to exercise after work, drink coffee at noon. That's because caffeine can block the signal muscle fatigue, so exercise easier.

- At 15:00
When you are getting fed up with work in the afternoon, drink coffee. "Rest drinking coffee can make you happier and more friendly," says Laura Juliano, Ph.D., a caffeine researcher at American University, as quoted from page Self.

But remember not too much coffee. Limit only two cups of coffee per day to avoid addiction.

Enjoying Coffee With Right

2010-10-23T07:24:00.000-07:00

Basically, the correct way to enjoy coffee is if you know how coffee is beneficial for your body. The wrong way is if the coffee it makes you sick. For example if you have to complete the work overnight, then drink lots of coffee to keep you awake. You need to remember that coffee contains toxins called caffeine. Like the drug, caffeine can be healthy at the same time hurt us. Too much caffeine can cause health problems, such as high blood pressure, irritability, and sleep disorders.

Another mistake is letting your child drink coffee instead of other nutritious beverages that children need. Caffeine in coffee can be dangerous for children who are still in its infancy. Caffeine can steal calcium from bones, and can make a child's bones become brittle.

This is the recommended way of drinking coffee:

Drinking more often in small doses. Simply drink a quarter cup of coffee every hour. If you drink it to prevent drowsiness, this method is more effective than if you drank a large mug.

Get rid of your cigarettes. Drinking coffee while smoking actually reduces the resistance of caffeine.

Drink your coffee, then go to sleep. This is the best way to recover energy. Drink coffee, and lie 10 to 20 minutes. During that coffee also take time to show efficacy. Besides, sleep is the only way to be fit. Thus, you will wake up in a state of truly fresh.

Fill your belly first. Lie when someone says that drinking coffee could eliminate hunger. It just makes your stomach bloated. Instead you should eat before drinking coffee.

You do not need to drink coffee when:

1. You feel nervous after drinking coffee.

2. You have trouble sleeping (insomnia).

3. You have a problem with the stomach, or disturbances in digestion.

4. You want to rush to smoke after drinking coffee.

5. You are taking a cold or headache medicine that also contain caffeine. This will exceed the quota of caffeine is safe.

Healthy Drinking Coffee Tips

2010-10-23T07:15:00.000-07:00

Did you know that coffee from Indonesia has a high taste and liked in the whole world?

But do you know if it's coffee is also having an impact that is not good when consumed too much?

Well this time, before you join a group of people who should not drink coffee and could only swallow hard to see anyone else kissing the sweet black this, it helps us to know "7 Tips for Healthy Drinking Coffee" the following:

1. Dose

Indeed there has been no definitive measure for the dose of coffee may be consumed. However, most studies reveal that drinking 300 mg of caffeine (about 1 to 3 cups of coffee a day) did not give a negative effect on most healthy people.

2. Danger Signals

While sipping coffee actually feels good, but often followed with an abundance of guilt. Recognize the danger signals of coffee so that we know when to stop drinking coffee. Danger signals are: anxiety, palpitations, sleep disturbances and mood disorders (eg, quick-tempered). A coffee drinkers who stopped drinking coffee may experience "caffeine withdrawal" which is characterized by a throbbing headache, but these symptoms will disappear after 24-48 hours or get a new dose of caffeine.

3. Listen Response Body

Everyone has their own limits on caffeine consumption. Most people can consume 2 cups of coffee a day without any problems. But there is also experiencing the bad effects of coffee consumption with the same amount. Someone told me after drinking a cup of coffee became unable to sleep through the night, on the contrary there are sound asleep after drinking coffee. So, the best way is to listen to the body's own response!

4. Know Caffeine Content

After knowing the dose and the response of the body, it helps us know the caffeine content in the products that we usually consume. In order not to copy the recommended dose has been reached, yet we still consume other products that contain caffeine, so feel the ill effects of coffee. Some other products that contain caffeine should be noted such as: soft drinks, candy coffee, tea, chocolate, migraine headaches.

How processing (roasting and Brewing), also affected the content of caffeine in coffee. For example, a study shows, a cup of coffee at Starbucks contains an average of 259 mg caffeine compared to coffee with the type and size of the same cup at Dunkin Donuts, which only contains 149 mg of caffeine.

From other studies, decaf coffee (coffee without caffeine), both for those who are obese because they can increase HDL ("good" cholesterol) of approximately 50%. While those who are not obese in fact can lower HDL cholesterol that can increase the risk of heart disease.

5. Coffee Mix

Five milligrams of calcium is lost for every 6 ounces of coffee consumed. But the loss of calcium can be overcome by adding 2 tablespoons milk or make espresso latte. While the coffee mixture with alcohol is not good, especially in people with liver disorders and coffee with cream mixture should also be avoided to reduce the excess calories. Caffeine also interacts with several types of drugs. For those who are taking medication, should consult a doctor.

Many of them think the coffee's best friend is smoking. Wait, make no mistake. A real coffee drinkers do not smoke! Cigarettes can reduce the pleasure of coffee you know.

6. Anti-Coffee Group

The following groups are advised to avoid coffee: pregnant women, children, parents, people with heart and blood vessel disease (eg hypertension). Now, if this group is included, forget the coffee!

7. Check Up

Perform periodic checks on health, in this case is to measure blood pressure. The earlier hypertension is known, the better to subsequent treatment.

Coffee Helpful Or Harmful

2010-10-22T17:31:00.000-07:00

Let's have a coffee talk, and talk about what's behind the joy of a fragrant cup of hot coffee

You'll like coffee, even need coffee, or even can not live on coffee. Coffee makes you stay way and give you extra "power" and energy that you really need. Right? Agree do not agree, let us wake up and smell the coffee moment really!

If you like coffee, you are not alone. More than 400 billion cups of coffee are consumed every year, making it the most popular beverage in the world. In America alone, 107 million people (52% of the total population) drink coffee on a daily basis. Another 57 million people drink coffee several times a week. And if the coffee had an average rage of parents, now the largest coffee drinkers are people aged 18-39 years.

Let's see the good functioning of the coffee

Coffee has been touted as a beverage that is useful to increase energy and make people wake up from sleep. Is it true that good coffee? Main Ingredients in coffee is caffeine, which acts as a stimulant of the central nervous system (brain), respiratory system and cardiovascular system. Because it is no wonder every reasonable amounts of coffee (1-3 cups), our bodies feel refreshed, excited, thinking power more quickly, not easily tired or sleepy.

Caffeine is often also used as one of the supplementary materials on migraine headaches. Because caffeine has the ability to narrow blood vessels to the brain (vasoconstriction) so that dilation of blood vessels in the brain region that is the cause of headaches can be overcome.

Furthermore, caffeine is said to shrink the fat. Physiologically, the body of obese people are less able to burn fat while exercising compared to normal-bodied people. As a result, the body will burn carbohydrates as energy source, so that blood sugar levels rapidly declined. This is why obese people feel hungry after excessive exercise and eventually tend to eat more. With drink 3 cups of coffee per day, body fat people mobilized to burn more fat during exercise. Caffeine helps break down fat into energy source ready-made form of fatty acids. This encourages more use of body fat, so burning carbohydrates become more limited. To note only the supply of sugar that come in with coffee.

What about the bad effects of coffee?

Drinking coffee could actually increase levels of bad cholesterol and triglyceride levels, which makes blood more concentrated. This condition is prone to cause constriction of blood vessels due to deposition hole fat, who are at risk of inviting a heart attack and stroke.

Drinking coffee is also dangerous for people with hypertension (high blood pressure) because the compound caffeine can cause blood pressure to rise sharply.

Coffee drinking habits of pregnant women also increases the risk of early death in infants up to two-fold. Suspected caffeine in coffee makes the baby is weak, susceptible to infection, and had difficulty breathing until birth.

In women, coffee also stimulate bone loss. Naturally indeed women have a risk of bone loss 5 times greater than men, but drinking 2 cups of coffee a day only, will reduce bone mass density is clear.

In moderate doses, caffeine increase stomach acid production which lasts longer, so it can increase the risk of gastric disease, peptic ulcers, or intestinal ulcers. So the people with weak stomach should avoid the consumption of coffee.

Habit of sipping hot coffee was allegedly also can swell the risk of esophageal cancer. Coffee drinking habits are also improving risk of breast cancer and bladder cancer.

Kindness of coffee to restore energy is also said to be "the false energy" which took effect roller coaster for the audience. Those who gain from the freshness of coffee will only feel "up" in an instant, then the conditions will "fall" again, just like riding a roller coaster. When the "fall", someone will drink coffee to "up" again. As a result, be it coffee addicts both psychologically and physiologically. People who have experienced addiction of coffee will often feel fatigued or tired, listless and sleepy that day just did not drink coffee.

Other disorders that can be caused by coffee, especially if consumed above 250 mg (more than 3 cups a day) is heart pounding, anxiety, insomnia (difficulty sleeping), nervousness, tremors (shaking hands), even nausea to vomiting.

Because all the bad effects of coffee here, every coffee enthusiasts are advised to drink decaffeinated coffee (decaff). Or for the 'ordinary' coffee, can change this behavior by trying other drinks, like tea, orange juice or water only. How? Objections? The choice is yours.

9 Savor Coffee For Beauty

2010-10-22T17:01:00.000-07:00

Able to remove dead skin cells that can repair damaged skin.
Can neutralize the irritated skin while providing nutrients to the skin.
To eliminate body odor.
Able to revitalize the new skin cells and keep skin moist.
Able to remove acne scars, vlek, and stubborn black stains.
Can eliminate cellulite if done regularly.
Can improve blood circulation and break down fat in the body that can cause cellulite.
Functioning as an astringent because the content is equal to the pH of our skin (4,5) so as to reduce and eliminate acne or blemishes on the skin.
Provides protection against UVA or UVB rays.