Coffee

If you want to save money on your coffee habit, buy it directly from the source. By this, I mean you should think about buying coffee direct from the roaster company yourself. If you’re like a lot of true coffee aficionados you don’t want a middleman (supermarket or other store) coming between you and your java habit, after all. 

Real coffee lovers tend to feel this way, and here’s why: Coffee beans generally hit their maximum peak of flavor right after they’re roasted. Now, once the roasting process has occurred the “flavor clock” begins counting down, so you should find and buy your coffee beans quickly. Quickly, that is, if you want to experience what truly fine coffee tastes like. Don’t worry about it if coffee’s not all that big a deal to you, rookie.
 
Face it; many folks only really get to taste supermarket coffee, for the most part. We buy ground roast in a bag, but we’re usually not aware that those beans were roasted and ground several weeks or even months back. In this regard, chances are good that at least some of the flavor will have been lost. As evidence of this, note how flavorful the aroma of a freshly-opened can seems and then note how it will lessen over time as you open, close and then reopen the can again and again.
 
It’s always my recommendation that the middleman be cut out, if you’re really into good coffee. Buy coffee direct, and do a bit of research – by taste testing numerous coffee types – to see what you actually like. There are many different coffees available for purchase, too. Dark coffee, light coffee, coffee blends…they’re all at your fingertips, right online. 
 
So power up the computer and then do a search for your favorite coffee. Are you into Kona coffee, maybe? Then go to a search engine and plug in a query for the nearest distributor and order it from that source. Some coffees can be fairly uncommon on local store shelves, so chances are you’re going to have to have it shipped in. Genuine Hawaii coffees or even Jamaica Blue Mountain blends are like that, as a matter of fact. In that case, your java habit will rely on overnight shipping, mainly.
 
Here’s a piece of good news when it comes to buying coffee direct: Prices are very reasonable. In fact, you can buy your favorite blends direct from the distributor or roaster and save substantial money. Picture being able to purchase gourmet coffee for far less than you’d pay at your supermarket. For the biggest price savings, you’ll need to buy from 10 to 25 pounds of coffee to see the most savings.
 
For most coffee enthusiasts (read: freaks), this isn’t a problem at all. Many lovers of the golden roasted nectar known as coffee drink about 4 cups a day with no sweat, and they’d love to drink more if they could get away with it, nerves-wise. So if coffee is really your thing, and you adore the smell and taste of it, consider buying coffee direct from the source and you’ll find yourself pleasantly surprised at the results.

T. W. Guerra, retired military officer and current freelance author and writer, busily writes and comments on many issues (coffee being one of them) at over 15 personal blogs and websites, which leads us to wonder how he has time to do anything else in his life. You can find his musings on coffee — which is something he knows about, having served over two decades in the U.S. Navy (which has an obsession with “lifer juice”) — at http://coffeefreaks.org

Author: T. W. Guerra
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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Coffee roasters and those who roast, brew and serve the ultimate cup of coffee are now esteemed professionals within the social fabric of our community at large. A good coffee roaster is a little like a celebrity chef these days, complete with loyal followings, highly descriptive reviews and the ability to command premium prices for their products and services. As coffee continues to grow in elevation from merely a mundane beverage to something of art form, a good coffee roaster has begun to take on a glamorous aura.

But there is a café on almost every street corner or every suburb now and every barista thinks of him or herself as the best roaster on the block. The professional barista is a now fiercely competitive industry and cafes and restaurants across the globe fight to retain the barista that can produce a coffee that will have customers returning time and time again. So, because roasting is everywhere, how do you choose the coffee roaster for you?

Your first question is whether you’re looking for wholesale coffee roasters to supply your business, or retail roasters to keep you happily supplied with beans at home. But for our purposes, let’s say you’re looking for a retail roaster to feed your coffee habit because you are a die hard coffee lover.

One approach is to decide exactly which coffee beans you prefer. Once you have found the coffee beans that you like you can then search for that specific bean. It might take you some time to research this and you might want to join a coffee club so that you can do some extensive taste testing. They will send you a number of coffee varieties each month for a small fee and this gives you the opportunity to try out blends and pure coffees to see what you prefer.

But once you know what coffee you are after, the online suppliers can tell you which of the coffee roasters that carry the beans you are looking for, who has the freshest beans and who has most skill in roasting them to perfection. You might also want to look for coffee bean suppliers that are geographically close to you. By doing so you can be confident that the beans can be delivered faster and will therefore be fresher when they reach your door.

But before you make your final decisions, consider organic coffee as an option. Organic coffee is another choice you might want to make. This coffee is certified to have been grown and processed without chemical intervention and is becoming more and more popular with wholesale outlets. It generally has a mild nutty flavor. It is also becoming popular with celebrities who are eager to adopt the coffee cause. Organic coffee, understandably sells very well in Hollywood.

Now all that is left to do is try several brands of coffee to find out which one you like the best. Enjoy your next coffee!

Looking for information about Coffee? Go to: [http://www.dkcoffee.com] DK Coffee is published by Julie Carter The Complete A to Z Of Coffee Resources Check out more Coffee related articles at: [http://www.dkcoffee.com/archive]

Author: Julie Carter
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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For years, the news about coffee vacillated between positive and negative. At the same time, study after study extolled the health virtues of tea. But a flurry of new research suggests that coffee offers nearly as many health perks while protecting against a number of diseases.

All this is not to suggest you should start gulping endless cups of java if you’re not already a coffee lover. After all, excessive coffee intake may have a downside for some people. But if you like your daily “cuppa joe,” you can take some pleasure in knowing your coffee habit has finally been vindicated.

Antioxidants and More

A few years back, headlines trumpeted the news that coffee was the number one source of antioxidants in the American diet. It earned that claim not because it’s richer in antioxidants than fruits or vegetables, but because we drink so much of the stuff.

One of the prime antioxidants in coffee is methylpyridinium, which may help protect against colon cancer. This may explain the findings from a recent study that found women who drank three or more cups of coffee a day had half the risk of colon cancer as that of nondrinkers.

Another coffee antioxidant, chlorogenic acid, has been shown to inhibit liver cancer. In one study, for every two cups of coffee the participants drank, there was a 43 percent reduced risk of liver cancer. This same substance slows the intestines’ absorption of glucose and might help explain coffee’s protective effect against type 2 diabetes

Here’s something else you probably didn’t know: Coffee is the main dietary source of the trace element boron. Biologist Curtiss Hunt at the USDA Human Nutrition Research Center found that an eight ounce cup of instant coffee contains about 57 mcg. of boron. An essential nutrient for plants, one study found that dietary boron reduced the amount of insulin in the blood required to maintain proper glucose levels. Plus it’s one of the minerals necessary for strong bones.

Coffee is also a surprising source of more familiar minerals and nutrients, including chromium, magnesium and niacin. What’s more, a cup of coffee contains about one-third as much potassium as found in a small banana.

Coffee and Heart Health

Additional antioxidant compounds in coffee – caffeic, p-coumaric, and ferulic acids – may curb cardiovascular disease by protecting low-density lipoproteins (LDLs, the “bad” cholesterol) from oxidation, fending off inflammation and improving blood vessel function.

In 2006, Norwegian researchers found that older women drinking one to three cups of coffee daily were 24 percent less likely to die of cardiovascular disease than non-drinkers. Another study in 2007 found that people age 65 and over who consume four or more servings of caffeine daily had a lower risk of death from heart disease.

But curb your enthusiasm. Because the caffeine in coffee has a short-term elevating effect on blood pressure, people who drink one cup after another may keep their blood pressure high for periods long enough to risk heart trouble.

Coffee’s long-term effect on blood pressure has long been debated, and should be weighed against any possible benefits. A 2007 Finnish study of 24,710 healthy men and women, ages 25 to 64, found that over an average 13.2-year follow-up period, those drinking two to three cups of coffee daily were 29 percent more likely to start drug treatment for high blood pressure. The lesson here? Moderation is key when it comes to coffee, if you suffer from hypertension.

Brain Benefits

Anybody who’s experienced coffee’s morning wake-up call to the brain knows that it can temporarily help sharpen thinking. But coffee may also boost brain function in more lasting ways. A European study of 676 healthy men found that those consuming three cups of coffee daily suffered significantly less cognitive decline over 10 years than non-drinkers. And in 2007, a French study concluded that older women who drank at least three cups of coffee daily were 18 percent less likely to develop problems with verbal recall and 33 percent less prone to memory problems. And new evidence shows that middle-aged coffee drinkers slash their risk of developing dementia and Alzheimer’s disease later in life compared with those drinking no coffee or only a little. In fact, those who drank three to five cups a day cut their risk by an impressive 65 percent!

Other research shows that coffee may defend against Parkinson’s disease. A notable Finnish study found that drinking 10 cups of coffee a day slashed the risk of developing Parkinson’s by as much as 84 percent. Researchers suggested that the caffeine in coffee might stimulate dopamine, the brain chemical lacking in the disease.

From Gallstones to Gout

Coffee also seems to protect against both gallstones and kidney stones. In two large studies, people who drank two to three cups a day of caffeinated coffee were less likely to develop gallstones than nondrinkers. Decaf coffee didn’t protect against gallstones, but it did keep kidney stones at bay, perhaps simply by boosting total liquids.

And then there’s gout, a painful inflammatory condition that first attacks the big toe and then spreads to other joints. In the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study, Harvard researchers found that coffee consumption was linked to a lower blood level of uric acid – the substance linked to this type of arthritic disease. People who drank six or more cups a day were 40 percent less likely to develop gout. Decaf was also linked to a modest reduction in gout, suggesting that something other than caffeine could be credited.

One Last Thing …

Despite coffee’s growing list of benefits, the caffeinated version still may not be ideal for some people. If you’re concerned that coffee is keeping you up at night, try decaf or drink it earlier in the day. However, if you suffer from gastroesophageal reflux (GERD), be aware that decaf coffee has been shown to aggravate reflux as much as the caffeinated kind.

Caffeine is also often mentioned as a trigger for migraines, so sufferers should moderate their intake. Less clear is whether caffeine can aggravate arrhythmias or raise the risk of breast cancer in women with benign breast disease. The latest findings from Harvard’s Women’s Health Study suggest an increased risk for women who drink four or more cups of coffee daily. However, in the Iowa Women’s Health Study, no link was found.

While the jury is still out on these few potential problems, the news is generally good for people who enjoy coffee. The news is so positive, in fact, that coffee may be the new milk with the ability to claim that it “does a body good!”

Research Brief …

It’s common knowledge that most people tend to gain weight and lose bone as they age – neither of which is particularly healthy. But here’s the problem: If you try to lose unwanted weight, it only promotes more bone loss – increasing the risk of fractures and the dangerous complications that accompany them. The dilemma then is how to lose those extra pounds without doing damage to your bones. A study designed to answer that exact question provides some answers.

The research, from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign and Pennsylvania State University, studied 130 men and women, aged 30 to 65. The people in the one-year study ate one of two low-calorie diets: A reduced-calorie diet that provided either the currently recommended intake of 0.36 grams of protein per pound of body weight, plus two servings of low-fat dairy a day, or 0.64 grams of protein per pound of body weight with three daily servings of low-fat dairy.

The researchers found that the weight-loss diet with nearly twice the recommended amount of protein and three servings a day of low-fat dairy not only improved calcium intake, but was much more effective at preserving bone mass during weight loss -  especially when compared to the lower protein (and higher carbohydrate) weight-loss diet. These findings add to the growing amount of evidence that high-protein diets do not leach calcium from bones, as long as calcium intake is adequate. So, when you cut back on calories, be sure to get plenty of high-quality protein, including three servings of low-fat dairy a day, to protect your bones while you’re paring pounds.

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References:

Eskelinen MH, Ngandu T, Tuomilehto J, et al. “Midlife coffee and tea drinking and the risk of late-life dementia: a population-based CAIDE study.” Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease. 2009;16:85-91.

Je Y, Liu W, Giovannucci E. Coffee consumption and risk of colorectal cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies.” International Journal of Cancer. 2009;124:1662-1668.

Mukamal KJ, Hallqvist J, Hammar N, et al. “Coffee consumption and mortality after acute myocardial infarction: the Stockholm Heart Epidemiology Program.” American Heart Journal. 2009;157:495-501.

Thorpe MP, Jacobson EH, Layman DK, et al. “A diet high in protein, dairy, and calcium attenuates bone loss over twelve months of weight loss and maintenance relative to a conventional high-carbohydrate diet in adults.” Journal of Nutrition. 2008;138:1096-1100.

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Author: Bonnie Jenkins
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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