Nutrition Facts For Coffee

There's not much else in coffee apart from caffeine yet we all drink it and take little time to know where it grows, how it's produced and how it affects our brains and bodies. Surely something this good must be bad for you. Au contraire! There is on-going scientific evidence that 2-4 cups of coffee a day (based on a 6oz serving) offers more health benefits than you may know. Earlier studies have often clouded these benefits because of lifestyle associations such as smoking

1. Coffee is the #1 source of antioxidants, more than wine, chocolate or tea. Antioxidants can help prevent cancer and heart disease.

2. Coffee has a high level of soluble dietary fiber, more than wine or orange juice. Soluble dietary fiber helps lower total LDL (bad) cholesterol thereby reducing risk of heart disease and it also helps to manage blood sugar levels in people with diabetes. By helping insulin regulate blood sugar levels in the body, there is a significantly reduced risk of type 2 diabetes.

3. Further studies of coffee also strongly suggest that regular daily intake of coffee (i) lowers the risk of cardiovascular disease (ii) protects against chronic liver disease and gallstones (iii) may ward off colon cancer (iv) appears to have antidepressant features (v) has also been shown to reduce the risk of Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease.

4. Drinking coffee prior to working out reduces post exercise muscle soreness by up to one half! Plus it improves physical stamina and reaction time. Overall, coffee boosts athletic endurance and physical performance.

5. Coffee improves short-term memory recall, as well as alertness and attention to the task at hand. Because a cup of coffee is absorbed in the bloodstream within 15min - 2hr, caffeine helps process information and boost logical reasoning. Safe driving is a direct beneficiary of coffee consumption.

When people slam coffee, it's usually because coffee is known to temporarily raise blood pressure. However while the previous generation of coffee drinkers were satisfied with a single serving of coffee, today's coffee consumer is addicted to a daily habit of drive-thru kiosks and super-sized 20oz+ cups of coffee, not to mention those delicious sweet treats. I might suggest that coffee isn't so much the problem as is the habitual effect of mega cups of java several times daily.

Just a fresh Cocktail

Despite the city becoming bigger and building its nightlife more for tourists, London is still packed to the brim with plenty of nightlife for locals and travelers. London is known as the BEST of the Jazz world since all the greats made their names here and up and comers know this is the place to make it. Jazz Bar London It was one of the best jazz bars I’ve been to in the world and to any jazz fans, I recommend it highly.

The most famous bar in Havana, La B del M is located at 207 Empredrado Street, Old Havana. The Bar is located 100 cobble stones from the greatest American baroque structure in Cuba, The Havana Cathedral. On entering the bar, there is an immediate perfume of Cuban mint, the most traditional ingredient in Cuba’s greatest export, the Mojito.Cuba is known as the island of music. Music is a very special part of Cuban culture and never fails to deliver the spontaneous presence amongst one and all. It has a full service cocktail bar, and spacious men’s and women’s facilities.

African Obsession Cocktail:

More local liqueurs can be found in South Africa, center of production for Amarula, a crème liqueur made of a fruit, marula.

To make it at home, mix 1.5 ounces of Amarula with 1.5 ounces of Crème de Cacao, 1.5 ounces of Amaretto, and 1.5 ounces of milk or heavy cream. Shake with ice and strain into a martini glass.

Belly up to the Oceanside bar at Baraza in Cape Town if you want to experience the African Obsession in the place where it was invented.

Is Caffeine Free Green Tea For Real?

Not many consumers are aware of the fact that decaffeinating of green tea is not a complete process. A little bit of caffeine is definitely left behind so if the package of green tea you have says it is free of all caffeine you will have to take that with a pinch of caffeine. Caffeine is a natural constituent in tea of any form including green tea.

To Have Or Not To Have Caffeine

Among the various types of tea available black tea is believed to be the richest in caffeine content. Green tea has a lesser amount of caffeine as compared to black tea but the percentage is definitely more than what is normally found in white tea. Coffee scores more than tea when it comes to the level of caffeine in it .It contains 30-50% more caffeine than tea does.

Smaller leaves on tea plants and tealeaves that have been subjected to longer period of fermentation are believed to be richer in caffeine. Tea is also a rich source of anti-oxidants that are so vital to the functioning of the human body. Some believe that the process of decaffeination of green tea destroys most of the naturally found, essential nutrients ultimately making it a beverage that serves only one purpose mostly that is, supply of some form of liquid to the body and the warm, refreshing feeling that the remaining constituents in the tea probably provide.

If you are one of those who cannot normally tolerate caffeine, but would still like to partake of the beneficial effects of green tea, it would be fair to warn you that decaffeinated green tea is not totally free of caffeine. Many doctors in Sacramento, including Christopher Freville recommend it would be wise to look for alternatives that probably have similar health benefits and avoid considering caffeine free green tea as a healthy option.

In fact you could consider other herbal beverages such as infusions instead. Contrary to popular belief herbal infusions beverages have nothing to do with tea. They are generally made of herbs and flowers and the extract, which is believed to have medicinal properties, can be brewed in a similar manner as tea bags.

If you are not caffeine intolerant and are just trying to cut down on your caffeine intake, you should definitely switch to caffeine free green tea. Your intake of caffeine is limited to the minute amount still left after the decaffeination and you still get to benefit from the multitude of health benefits that green tea boasts of.

Top 10 Caffeine-Related Health Problems

Cardiovascular Problems

Caffeine increases your heart rate, elevates your blood pressure, and can contribute to the development of heart disease. Both decaf and regular coffee increase your cholesterol and homocysteine, the biochemical that science has linked to increased risk for heart attack. Caffeine is also linked to coronary vasospasms, the cause for 20% of all fatal heart attacks which kill otherwise perfectly healthy people.
Stress

Caffeine stimulates the excretion of stress hormones which can produce increased levels of anxiety, irritability, muscular tension and pain, indigestion, insomnia, and decreased immunity. Increased levels of stress from caffeine can keep you from being able to make healthy responses to the normal daily stress everyone is subjected to in their lives.

Emotional Disturbances

Anxiety and irritability are hallmark mood disturbances associated with caffeine consumption, but equally important is depression and attention disorders. Depression may occur as part of the let down after the stimulant effects of caffeine wears off. It may also appear during the recovery period after quitting caffeine while the brain's chemistry is readjusted. Caffeine rather than increasing mental activity actually decreases blood flow to the brain by as much as 30% and negatively effects memory and mental performance.

Blood Sugar Swings

Diabetics and hypoglycemics should avoid caffeine because it stimulates a temporary surge in blood sugar which is then followed by an overproduction of insulin that causes a blood sugar crash within hours. If you're trying to loose weight, this rollercoaster will actually cause weight gain since insulin's message to the body is to store excess sugar as fat.

Gastrointestinal Problems

Many people experience a burning sensation in their stomach after drinking coffee because coffee increases the secretion of hydrochloric acid leading to an increased risk for ulcers. Coffee, including decaf, reduces the pressure on the valve between the esophagus and the stomach so that the highly acidic contents of the stomach pass up to the esophagus leading to heartburn and gastro-esophageal reflux disease. With America 's high consumption of coffee, its no wonder the best selling over-the-counter drugs are the so-called antacids.

Nutritional Deficiencies

Caffeine inhibits the absorption of some nutrients and causes the urinary excretion of calcium, magnesium, potassium, iron and trace minerals, all essential elements necessary for good health.
Male Health Problems

Male Health Issues

Coffee is an irritant to the urinary tract and bladder. It is also a diuretic that aggravates conditions associated with frequent urination. Eliminating coffee and caffeine often relieves symptoms associated with frequent urination due to enlarged prostate glands.

Dr. Milton Krisiloff, M.D. has found that in the majority of cases, men can significantly reduce their risk for urinary and prostate problems by making dietary changes which include eliminating coffee and caffeine.

Female Health Problems

Fibrocystic breast disease, PMS, osteoporosis, infertility problems, miscarriage, low birth weight infants, and menopausal problems such as hot flashes are all exacerbated by caffeine consumption. Women on birth control pills are particularly at risk since they have a decreased ability to detoxify caffeine.

Adrenal Exhaustion

Caffeine consumption leads to eventual adrenal exhaustion which can leave you vulnerable to a variety of health disorders related to inflammation, autoimmunity, and fatigue.
Aging

Many people find in their forties that they can no longer tolerate the same level of caffeine consumption as they could in their twenties and thirties. The production of DHEA, melatonin, and other vital hormones start to decline and caffeine speeds up that downhill drop. Caffeine dehydrates the body and contributes to the aging of the skin and kidneys. It has been shown to inhibit DNA repair and slow the ability of the liver to detoxify foreign toxins.

Exhausted Adrenal Glands

Caffeine is a central nervous system stimulant. It causes the adrenal glands to secrete adrenaline, the hormone your body depends on in emergencies to elevate your heart rate, increase your respiration and blood pressure for a rapid flight-or-fight response. When you overuse stimulants, the adrenals become exhausted. If your caffeine sensitivity has diminished or you're one of those who claims you can drink 3 shots of espresso and go right to sleep, guess what? Your adrenals have given up responding. This means you have less resistance to stress, which leaves you vulnerable to health hazards such as environmental pollutants and disease pathogens

Severe Blood Sugar Swings

Caffeine forces the liver to release glycogen into the blood stream. The pancreas responds to the sudden rise in blood sugar by releasing insulin, the hormone which causes excess carbohydrates to be stored as fat. Within the span of an hour or two, the result is a sharp blood sugar drop resulting in a state of hypoglycemia (low blood sugar). That's when you think it's time for another cup of coffee and the whole cycle starts up again.

Acid Imbalance

Over 208 acids in coffee can contribute to indigestion and a wide variety of health problems resulting from over-acidity associated with arthritic, rheumatic and skin irritations. Many people experience a burning sensation in their stomach after drinking coffee because coffee increases the secretion of acid in the stomach. Optimal health calls for an alkaline pH balance in the body.

Essential Mineral Depletion

Coffee inhibits the absorption of some nutrients and causes the urinary excretion of calcium, magnesium, potassium, iron and trace minerals, all essential elements necessary for good health. Women need to be concerned about osteoporosis as menopause sets in. Studies show that women who drink coffee have an increased incidence of osteoporosis compared to non-coffee drinkers. Men are not immune to osteoporosis either.

These are a number of health conditions for which doctors advise their patients to eliminate coffee and all caffeine from their diet.

Acid indigestion
Anxiety, irritability and nervousness
Candida or yeast problems
Colitis, diverticulitis, diarrhea and other irritable bowel symptoms
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and other auto-immune disorders
Diabetes or hypoglycemia (low blood sugar)
Dizziness, Meniere's syndrome or tinnitus (ringing in the ears)
Gout (Elevated Uric Acid levels)
Heart disease or heart palpitations
High blood pressure
High cholesterol
Insomnia and interrupted or poor quality sleep
Liver disease and gallbladder problems such as gallstones
Kidney or bladder problems including kidney stones
Migraines or other vascular headaches
Osteoporosis
Skin irritations, rashes and dryness
Ulcers, heartburn, and stomach problems such as hiatal hernias
Urinary tract irritation

IS THERE A HEALTHY COFFEE, BECAUSE I LIKE MY COFFEE?!?

Gano Healthy Coffee Products reduce the caffeine to about 7 or 8 mg per cup and give you the same energy boost without the health risks. De-caf Gano Cafe, Cafe Mocha and Tea, all blended with Ganoderma Mushroom extract, are available online at www.Healthy-Coffee-Shop.com. Ask for a free sample and try it for yourself.