Relax And Enjoy-Coffee Is Good For You
All of the coffee drinkers who can't start their day without their cup or two of brew can rest easy. Yes, believe it or not, drinking coffee is good for you! After years of being told to limit our coffee consumption, recent studies are finding great health benefits of drinking coffee and no studies have come up with significant reasons not to enjoy it.
Ask anyone who loves coffee and they will say it increases mental alertness but studies have also found that coffee also contains the same type of antioxidants found in fruits, veggies and green tea. Antioxidants are those compounds that protect our bodies against cell damage caused by molecules called oxygen-free radicals, which are a major cause of disease and aging.
Here are just a few of the studies supporting the benefits of coffee drinking:
An ongoing Nurses Health Study of 85,000 female nurses found that even 6 cups of coffee a day did not increase the risk of heart attack.
The Harvard School of Public Health study of 125,000 individuals who drank 6 to 8 cups of caffinated coffee daily actually found it lowered the risk of type II diabetes risk 50% in men and 30% in women.
Another study found that non coffee drinkers are five times more likely to develop Parkinson's disease than coffee drinkers and those who drank 3 to 4 cups of coffer per day had an 80% lower risk of cirrhosis of the liver and a 25% less chance of contracting colon cancer when compared to drinking no coffee at all.
Is all coffee equal in nutritional benefits?
Studies haven't addressed such issues as freshness, brewing techniques and caffinated verses decaffeinated coffee. However, it stands to reason that the fresher your cup coffee is, the better. One easy way to get the most nutritional benefit is to buy whole coffee beans and a $10 coffee grinder. Grind just enough for your daily pot of coffee. The increase in strength, taste and aroma is well worth the trouble.
Storing coffee for maximum freshness and flavor
Ever buy your coffee and bulk and then put it in the freezer to keep it fresh? Not a good idea. The enemies of freshness for coffee are air, moisture and heat and in both the freezer and refrigerator, coffee is exposed to moisture which the porous beans absorb. Also, freezing breaks down the oils in your beans which destroys the flavor.
If you absolutely must buy in bulk and know you won't use that amount in two weeks, freezing is an option only if you divide the beans up into what you will use in one week periods and wrap in zip-loc plastic bags, then wrap again in plastic wrap to keep out as much moisture and air as possible. Take out only what you will use in each two weeks and never re-freeze.
If you really want to retain the freshness and flavor of your coffee beans keep it in an air-tight container with a rubber seal, in a cool, dark place. A good rule of thumb is to buy only what you will use within 2 weeks for the most flavorful coffee.
Coffee hint: The strength of your brew depends on the amount of grounds you use in each pot, not the variety you purchase. For a stronger cup, add more grounds to your pot.
Plants need healthy antioxidants too. Take your unused liquid coffee, dilute half and half with water and use it to water your plants. Sprinkle your coffee grounds into the soil around plants and water it in or compost them for a good nitrogen source. Coffee filters also break down in compost piles.
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