Coffee

Nothing else makes the mornings better than having a lip-smacking cup of espresso coffee. The stove top coffee maker has brought espresso coffee into our homes and into our kitchens. You don’t have to go to a coffee bar anymore to enjoy a great tasting cup of coffee. The question is, is drinking coffee doing you any harm or any good? There are many studies which have been conducted on this subject and some display the positive effects of drinking coffee whilst others display the negative effects of drinking coffee.

Stove top espresso makers make coffee that tastes so great that everyone would like to have a cup or two or more daily. So what are the safe drinking levels? To date it is not known for sure what the “safe” level of drinking coffee is. However, it has been reported that 4 to 5 cups a day is perfectly safe for people who are healthy. Sometimes it may bestow health benefits and help you in overcoming anxiety and depression.

Over the years, we have been told to stay away from caffeine, particularly coffee and it was also classified as a drug. However, people did not realize that there are many positive effects of caffeine as well as the negative ones. Enjoying a cup of espresso can assist in preventing oxidation which is a process that damages the body’s cells and speeds the aging process.

Regular consumption of espresso coffee made by a stovetop coffee maker also has been reported to reduce the risk of developing Parkinson’s disease. It has been found that a person who drinks coffee on a regular basis is less likely to have Parkinson’s disease. Surprisingly, caffeine has also been reported to help open people’s airways and may improve the condition of asthma patients.

A prospective study has revealed that reasonable consumption of coffee has the ability to reduce the risk of developing type-2 diabetes in younger and middle-aged people. As the stovetop espresso maker makes such great tasting coffee, it may encourage you to drink a little bit more coffee and thus, if the report is correct, assist in avoiding type-2 diabetes. Coffee may also have the ability to protect you against liver cirrhosis, especially alcoholic cirrhosis.

You can enjoy the flavor of espresso made from a stovetop coffee maker without feeling guilty as studies have found that it is protective against gallstone development in both women and men. It also is reported to have the capacity to lower the risk of kidney stone development. Coffee increases the urine volume and prevents the crystallization of calcium oxalate, which develops into kidney stone.

If you want to stimulate your mental performance, you can have a cup of coffee. Caffeine has the capability to promote attention, alertness, and calmness. It can also enhance the information processing of your brain. Having three to four cups of coffee daily rejuvenates your brain and enhances vim and vigor.

Drinking coffee on a regular basis may also protect people against Alzheimer’s disease. Recent studies conducted on mouse demonstrated that caffeine equal to five cups of coffee everyday reduces the upsurge of destructive plaques in the brain.

So next time you are enjoying a cup of coffee made from a stove top coffee maker, think about all of the health benefits that recent studies have reported that coffee may bring, so you can enjoy without feeling guilty.

True lovers of coffee understand that Stove Top Coffee Makers produce the best tasting, flavorsome coffee that is a pleasure to drink. A Stainless Steel Stovetop Espresso Maker produces quality and safe coffee to enjoy each day.

Author: Harley Peterson
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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Coffee drinking is now being linked to development of heart diseases. Many studies were conducted to prove the relation of coffee intake and heart diseases. According to the Harvard Women’s Health Watch, drinking coffee moderately does not pose health risks to the coffee drinker. The debate on the effects of the caffeine content in coffee to development of heart diseases is still under scrutiny. No studies have directly given evidence that coffee especially the caffeinated coffees contribute to risk of heart disease. On the other hand, drinking coffee has deemed helpful for some because of its health benefits. Studies show that drinking coffee can:

* reduces the risks of Type 2 Diabetes

* minimize the development of gallstones because coffees are natural diuretics

* improve cognitive function

* Provide stamina and endurance in performing daily activities with long duration.

Experts advice that while no proofs has been submitted to directly prove the relationship of coffee drinking and development of heart disease, we have to drink coffee in moderation everyday because we do not have any idea what dangers can happen if we take too much. We all know that too much of something is not good. Coffee contains caffeine which is a mild and addictive stimulant. When taken in excess, the caffeine stimulates cardiovascular effects such as increased heart rate, occasional irregular heartbeats and mild palpitations. Take note, these stimulants are addictive so we may not notice that we have been drinking too much of it until such time that we start to feel uncomfortable due to the side effects.

Yet there are available blends of coffees in the market that has healthy benefits. These are not the pure coffee loaded with caffeine but rather the less caffeinated coffees with the blend of natural herbs or spices. Natural herbs are good for our body because it poses less harmful side effects. The uses of herbs date back to the ancient traditional Chinese medicine and, no doubt herbs have healthy and healing properties. Some herbs blended to coffees that are good for the body are Ganoderma herbs, Ginger, Ginko Biloba, and many more. These traditional herbs have healthy benefits like lowering blood sugar, lowering blood pressure and provide protection from developing heart diseases.

We love offering great coffee recipes for you on our blog Coffee Talk Chick Join us and enjoy this new enjoyable journey in combining coffee and improving our health at the same time.

Author: Henry Laker
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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Coffee can actually be healthy for you! This is good news for all coffee lovers out there. Many people assume that caffeine is bad for you. Caffeine has been blamed for everything from high blood pressure to cancer. Many people still avoid caffeinated beverages because they worry about the health effects. However, current research reveals that not only is coffee safe but it even offers some health benefits.

Some of the most significant research recently relates to caffeine and diabetes. A study by researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health and Brigham and Women’s Hospital found that participants who regularly drank coffee significantly reduced the risk of onset of type 2 diabetes, compared to non-coffee drinking participants. Scientists are quick to caution against increasing your caffeine intake as a way to decrease your risk of diabetes as they aren’t sure why caffeine is beneficial to diabetes and have indicated that more research is needed. However, it does clearly show that coffee may be healthier than people have thought in the past.

In other promising research, at least six studies indicate that people who drink coffee on a regular basis are up to 80% less likely to develop Parkinson’s, with three studies showing the more they drink, the lower the risk. Also, research shows that coffee may reduce the risk of developing gallstones, discourage the development of colon cancer, improve cognitive function and reduce the risk of liver damage in people at high risk for liver disease.

Contrary to popular opinions, coffee can also actually be beneficial to heart health. One study found women who drink two to three cups of coffee a day have a 25% lower risk of heart disease and an 18% lower risk of developing diseases other than cancer than non-coffee drinkers. And, some research indicates that coffee can offset some of the damage caused by other vices. People who smoke and are heavy drinkers have less heart disease and liver damage when they regularly consume large amounts of coffee compared to those who don’t. These health benefits may be linked to the anti-inflammatory properties in coffee as well as its rich supply of antioxidants. On the flip side, however, caffeine is also linked to coronary vasospasms – the cause for 20% of all fatal heart attacks. Both decaf and regular coffee increase cholesterol and homocysteine, the biochemical that is linked to increased risk for heart attack.

More good news about coffee – it also can have beneficial effects that people can relate to on a daily basis. Caffeine can help with headaches as it is a mild analgesic, or painkiller, and it has the ability to increase the availability of other analgesics that it’s combined with. It also can cause blood vessels to constrict which assists with those types of headaches which are caused by the dilation of blood vessels.

Caffeine can improve mood and irritability in some folks. Studies have shown that people report increased well-being, happiness, energy, alertness and sociability after consuming caffeine in moderation. This may be the reason that women who drank coffee were less likely to commit suicide than those who drank none. Beware, however -consuming excessive amounts of caffeine can produce increased anxiety, nervousness, jitteriness, and upset stomach in some people.

Coffee can enhance athletic endurance and performance. Caffeine helps the body burn fat instead of carbohydrates, and it blunts the perception of pain. Both can boost endurance. In fact, caffeine works so well in boosting athletic performance; it used to be on the list of banned substances from the International Olympic Committee. 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.

Why is coffee healthy? This is largely attributed to the antioxidants present in coffee. In fact, a recent study found that coffee is the No.1 source of antioxidants in the U.S., largely because Americans drink so much of it. Coffee has large amounts of antioxidants such as chlorogenic acid and tocopherols, and minerals such as magnesium which are beneficial in a variety of ways. For example, antioxidants help quell inflammation, which might explain coffee’s effect in inflammation-related diseases like diabetes and heart disease. Magnesium in coffee might help make cells more sensitive to insulin.

This is not to say that coffee is not completely innocent or that you should drink coffee to prevent disease. Caffeine, coffee’s main ingredient, is a mildly addictive stimulant. And coffee does have modest cardiovascular effects such as increased heart rate, increased blood pressure, and occasional irregular heartbeat that should be considered. However, the studies clearly show that consuming coffee in moderation definitely can have beneficial effects on your health.

Conclusion: There is no health reason to avoid consuming caffeine or coffee. If you enjoy it, go ahead and drink it in moderation. However, if your goal is to prevent disease, it is too early in the research to say that coffee is a health drink.

Rachel Nielsen is a coffee lover and a coffee fanatic. See her website The Java Press for a more complete coffee resource guide.

Author: Rachel Nielsen
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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If you are looking for a drug that will lower your risk of developing diabetes, Parkinson’s disease and colon cancer, than continue reading this article. If you are looking for a drug that could lift your mood and help headaches, keep reading this article. If you are looking for a drug that could protect against cavities, keep on reading.

The good news is, this drug is easily accessible and is legal! It is coffee! Yes coffee, the much maligned and beloved beverage. Coffee recently made headlines across North America for possibly cutting the risk of the latest disease epidemic, type 2 diabetes. The real news seems to be that the more you drink, the better it is for you!

Reduces Disease Risk Harvard researchers studied 126,000 people for as long as 18 years. The researchers calculate that compared to not drinking coffee, downing one to three cups of caffeinated coffee daily can reduce diabetes risk by single digits. But if you drink six cups or more each day, the risk for men is slashed by 54% and for women it is cut by 30% over java avoiders.

Although scientists advise that “more research is needed” before they can recommend you do overtime at Starbucks to avoid developing diabetes, the finding are very similar to those in a less- publicized study by Dutch scientists And perhaps more importantly it’s the latest of hundreds of studies suggesting that coffee may be something of a health food- especially in high amounts.

There have been some 19.000 studies in recent decades examining coffee’s impact on heath.

Thomas DePaulis, PHD, a research scientist at Vanderbilt University’s Institute for Coffee Studies says, “Overall, the research shows that coffee is far more healthful than it is harmful.” The institute conducts its own research and tracks coffee studies from around the world. “For most people, very little bad comes from drinking it, but a lot of good.”

Consider this: At least six studies indicate that people who drink coffee on a regular basis are up to 80% less likely to develop Parkinson’s, with three showing the more they drink, the lower the risk. Other research shows that compared to not drinking coffee, at least two cups daily can translate to a 25% reduced risk of colon cancer, an 80% drop in liver cirrhosis risk, and nearly half the risk of gallstones.

Drinking coffee regularly even offsets some of the damage causes by other vices, some research indicates. “People who smoke and are heavy drinkers have less heart disease and liver damage when they regularly consume large amounts of coffee compared to those who don’t,” says DePaulis.

Some evidence also suggests that coffee may help manage asthma and even control attacks when medication if unavailable, stop a headache, boost mood and even help prevent cavities.

What causes the coffee to benefit your health? Is it the caffeine in the coffee? The oodles of antioxidants in coffee beans, some of which become especially potent during the roasting process? Even the mysterious properties that warrant this intensive study?

The answer is yes to all of these.

Some of the health benefits of coffee are a direct result of its higher caffeine content: An eight ounce cup of drip brewed coffee contains about 85 mg–about three and half times more than the same serving of tea or cola or one ounce of chocolate.

DePaulis recently said that the evidence is very strong that regular coffee consumption reduces risk of Parkinson’s disease and for that; it’s directly related to the caffeine in coffee. In fact, Parkinson’s drugs that are now being developed contain a derivative of caffeine based on this evidence.

Coffee is a Performance Enhancer It’s also caffeine–and not coffee, per se–that makes java a powerful aid in enhancing athletic endurance and performance, says physiologist and longtime coffee researcher Terry Graham, PhD, of the University of Guelph in Canada. So powerful, that until recently, caffeine in coffee or other forms was deemed a “controlled” substance by the Olympic Games Committee, meaning that I could only in small, designated amounts by competing athletes.

“What caffeine likely does is stimulate the brain and nervous system to do things differently,” he says. “That may include signaling you to ignore fatigue or recruit extra units of muscle themselves, causing them to produce a stronger contraction. But what’s amazing about it is that unlike some performance enhancing manipulation some athletes do that are specific for strength or sprinting or endurance, studies show that caffeine positively enhances all of these things.”

Simply put, if you consume enough caffeine- whether from coffee or another source- and you will likely run faster, last longer and be stronger. What is enough? As little as one cup can offer some benefit, but the real impact comes from at lease two mugs, says Graham. By comparison, it would take at least eight glasses of cola to get the same effect, which would not be good if running say a marathon.

The harder you work the more benefit you would receive from the caffeine. “Unfortunately, where you see the enhancing effects from caffeine is in hard-working athletes, who are able to work longer and somewhat harder,” says Graham, who has studied the effects of caffeine and coffee for nearly two decades. “I you are a recreational athlete who is working out to reduce weight or just feel better, you are not pushing yourself hard enough to get an athletic benefit from coffee or other caffeinated products.

That may explain why in that new study at Harvard, those drinking decaf coffee but not tea beverages also showed a reduced diabetes risk, though it was half as much as those drinking coffee.

Chris Weaver is the president of C.C.W. Enterprises of Brantford Ontario Canada. His company also owns My Coffee Gourmet (http://www.mycoffeegourmet.com) whick offers its customers gourmet coffee beans, flavored coffee and Pickwick Tea.

Author: Chris Weaver
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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The healthcare community has done its fair share of investigating the effects of drinking coffee, and a subsequent array of health warnings and encouragements have been issued regarding its regular consumption.

Since the liver processes all that we ingest, people living with liver disease, including hepatitis, must be extra vigilant in watching everything entering their digestive system. Coffee is turning heads as a liver cancer and cirrhosis preventative. It has also been noted as a factor in reducing insulin resistance, a prominent liver disease risk factor. The keys to accentuate coffee’s benefits while avoiding any harm are to stay within moderation, be aware of conditions contraindicating its consumption, and be careful of what you add to your brew.

“Overall, the research shows that coffee is far more healthful than it is harmful,” says Tomas DePaulis, PhD, research scientist at Vanderbilt University’s Institute for Coffee Studies, which conducts its own medical research and tracks coffee studies from around the world. “For most people, very little bad comes from drinking it, but a lot of good.”

Benefits of Coffee

The latest research confirms that moderate coffee consumption harbors several benefits, including:

· Reduces the risk of alcoholic cirrhosis

· Decreases risk of type 2 diabetes

· Reduces risk of developing gallstones

· Discourages the development of colon and liver cancer

· Improves cognitive function

· Reduces headache/migraine severity

· Reduces the risk of Parkinson’s disease

· Improves endurance performance in long-duration physical activities

· Reduces the risk of liver damage in people at high risk for liver disease

Liver Benefits

In a Japanese study, researchers looked at the association between coffee consumption and liver cancer among the middle-aged and elderly. Those who drank coffee daily, or close to it, had about half the risk of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), a type of liver cancer, than people who never drank coffee. Among daily coffee drinkers specifically, the liver cancer rate was over 200 cases per 100,000 people over 10 years. Among those who never drank coffee the rate rose to nearly 550 cases per 100,000 people. The more coffee consumed, the lower the HCC risk.

Based on data collected from more than 125,000 people, researchers from the Kaiser Permanente Medical Care Program in California recently reported a 22 percent daily reduction of liver cirrhosis risk from alcohol with each cup of coffee consumed. Hepatitis c and other liver disease can also cause cirrhosis. Study co-author, Dr. Arthur Klatsky reports that the study found coffee did not protect the liver against those other causes of scarring.

Several studies have demonstrated that drinking coffee lowers the liver enzyme GGT, especially among heavy alcohol drinkers. Although GGT is a relevant indicator of cirrhosis risk, the liver enzyme ALT is a more specific marker of liver injury. Several population-based surveys from Italy and Japan have found a similar inverse relationship between drinking coffee and ALT levels.

Diabetes Benefits

Type 2 diabetes and one of its precursors, insulin resistance, have been making headlines in various health reports as a leading cause of fatty liver disease. (Read the posted article, How to Prevent a Fatty Liver.) After analyzing data on 126,000 people for as long as 18 years, Harvard researchers calculated that compared to those who do not partake in America’s favorite morning drink, people who consume one to three cups of caffeinated coffee daily can reduce diabetes risk by up to 10%. Having six cups or more each day slashed men’s diabetes risk by 54% and women’s by 30% over java abstainers.

Coffee is loaded with antioxidants, including a group of compounds called quinines that when administered to lab rats, increased insulin sensitivity. This increased sensitivity improves the body’s response to insulin. Coffee also has large amounts of magnesium and the antioxidants, chlorogenic acid and tocopherols. Each has been shown to improve insulin sensitivity and glucose metabolism, reducing the risk and severity of diabetes.

Possible Harm

As reported in the Harvard Women’s Health Watch, coffee is not completely devoid of risks. Caffeine, coffee’s main ingredient, is a mildly addictive stimulant with cardiovascular effects such as increased heart rate, increased blood pressure and occasional irregular heartbeat. Studies have been largely inconclusive regarding coffee and its effect on women’s health issues such as breast health, gynecological cancers and osteoporosis. Coffee has also been reported to aggravate previously existing gastrointestinal ulcers.

Researchers are quick to point out that caffeine is a drug, and can be abused if used in place of a good night’s rest or a healthy diet. We each have our own thresholds for caffeine. Most people can tolerate two cups of coffee each day without a problem. But any more than that may cause nervousness, rapid heartbeat, palpitations, sleeplessness and irritability. It can even lead to health problems such as osteoporosis or high blood pressure. Additionally, skipping your usual morning cup of joe can lead to a caffeine withdrawal headache.

Brew Additives

The greater risk of coffee consumption lies with the ingredients typically added to java. Creating a “light and sweet” drink carries an entirely separate set of hazards. Whipped cream, flavored syrups, half-and-half, sugar, sucralose and aspartame can contribute to diabetes, obesity, fatty liver disease and toxic liver reactions. Below are the statistics for a few common coffee additives:

· 2 tablespoons of flavored liquid nondairy creamer = 80 calories and 4 g fat.

· 1 tablespoon of plain liquid nondairy creamer = 25 calories, 2 g fat.

· 1 tablespoon half-and-half = 20 calories, 2 g fat.

· 1 tablespoon cream = 50 calories, 6 g fat.

· 1 tablespoon whipped cream = 90 calories, 9 g fat.

· A drizzle of Starbucks caramel syrup = 25 calories.

· 2 tablespoons flavored syrup = 80 calories, no fat.

· 2 tablespoons malt = 90 calories, 2 g fat.

· 1 tablespoon mocha syrup = 25 calories, .5 g fat.

· 1 teaspoon sugar = 15 calories.

If you prefer your coffee light and sweet, choose your additives wisely to support the healthful benefits offered by your beverage.

Putting it all Together

Individuals with pre-existing liver disease, or who are at high risk of its development, may want to think twice before sacrificing the enjoyment of a coffee ritual. While the proof of coffee reducing the risk of cirrhosis is limited to alcohol-related cirrhosis, its benefits transcend this one condition. In its entirety, this evidence supports coffee’s role in liver health. When selecting your beverage of choice, consider coffee’s ability to reduce insulin resistance, improve liver enzyme levels and prevent against liver cancer. As long as you do not harbor another risk factor to prohibit java consumption, proceed moderately and are conscious of the additives you chose, feel good about lifting your favorite cup in support of your liver’s health.

References:

http://www.cnn.com, Coffee May Cut Alcohol Liver Damage, Reuters, June 13, 2006.

[http://www.coscic.org], Coffee and Liver Cirrhosis, The Coffee Science Information Centre, 2006.

http://www.health.harvard.edu, Coffee Health Risks: For the moderate drinker, coffee is safe says Harvard Women’s Health Watch, Harvard Health Publications, 2006.

http://www.hivandhepatitis.com, Coffee Consumption Reduces the Risk of Liver Cancer, April hivandhepatitis.com, 2005.

http://www.medscape.com, Coffee, Caffeine Consumption Associated with Reduced Liver Disease, Karla Harby, Medscape Medical News, May 2004.

http://www.mercola.com, Coffee May Prevent Liver Cancer: Should You Add it to Your Morning Routine?, Dr. Joseph Mercola, 2006.

http://www.onhealth.webmd.com, The Buzz on Coffee, Kathleen Zelman, MPH, RD, LD, WebMD, Inc, March 2006.

http://www.webmd.com, Coffee, the new health food?, Sid Kirchheimer, WebMD, Inc., March 2005.

This article was prepared for LiverSupport.com. Visit us to learn more about liver health, natural liver remedies and the benefits of milk thistle.

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Author: Nicole Cutler
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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