Drinking Coffee can Help Reduce the Risk of Diabetes

Coffee lovers across the world have been disheartened by all the bad things that coffee is supposed to do. Caffeine, the major culprit in coffee, is said to cause addiction, dehydration, panic attacks and emotional fatigue. Pregnant and lactating mothers are often advised not to drink coffee at all. However all is not lost! Several studies have found that drinking coffee actually helps in fighting heart diseases, headaches, asthma and Parkinson`s disease. New studies have confirmed that coffee can also help reduce diabetes.

Fumihiko Horio and colleagues at the Department of Applied Molecular Bio-science, Nagoya University found that coffee may help in preventing diabetes. As a part of their study, they fed either water or coffee to two different groups of lab mice that were prone to diabetes. The group that was fed on coffee showed improved insulin sensitivity and they also did not develop high blood sugars. The research which was published in Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry found that coffee has beneficial effects in fatty liver and inflammatory adipocytokines, linked to a decreased risk of diabetes.

Previous studies have also indicated that drinking coffee lowers the risk of diabetes. In one study researchers looked at more than 28,000 post-menopausal women over a period of eleven years. Women who drank more than six cups a day were 22 percent less likely to develop diabetes compared to women who drank no coffee. The researchers found that the more coffee a person drank, the more beneficial effects it had in reducing diabetes. The study also found that women benefited more than men. The improved levels of insulin sensitivity were present regardless of whether decaf or regular coffee was consumed. This indicates that an ingredient other than caffeine may be responsible for the beneficial effects of coffee.

In another study published in the journal of American Diabetes Association, the relation between coffee consumption and risk of diabetes was studied in 88,259 women aged between 26 and 46 years. The objective was to assess the risk of diabetes on lower levels of consumption of coffee. The study found that the risk of diabetes decreased proportionately with the number of cups of coffee consumed. The risk decreased from 0.87 for women who drank one cup of coffee per day to 0.53 for four or more cups per day compared with nondrinkers. According to the journal, associations were similar between caffeinated and decaffeinated coffee.

Coffee is found to be especially useful in preventing type II diabetes. Type II diabetes starts with the onset of insulin resistance, a condition when the cells in the body show resistance to insulin. Insulin is the hormone which is the carrier of glucose molecules to the cells. The pancreas compensates for this by producing larger quantities of insulin. As cells become more and more insulin resistant, even the higher levels of insulin produced by the pancreas may not be sufficient. This results in a concentration of glucose molecules in the cells and is called hyperglycemia. Prolonged cases of hyperglycemia lead to diabetes.

Diabetes, a lifestyle disease, is a leading cause of death in the United Sates and in the world. Fortunately, it has been found that diabetes can be prevented to an extent by certain lifestyle and diet changes. A combination of healthy diet and regular exercise can often postpone the offset of type II diabetes in most people.

http://www.naturalnews.com/029718_diabetes_coffee.html#ixzz2B4SuLx2J

Moderation of Caffeine in Women Proven to Boost Memory

Women over the age of 65 have a head start when it comes to mental faculties... if they drink 3 cups of coffee per day, that is. Caffeine consumption in moderation is now a proven boost to women's mental health.

When taken in moderation, it appears that caffeine can actually be a boost to women's health - and in particular, their capacity for memory. A report published in the August 2007 issue of the American Academy of Neurology's medical journal revealed the results of a study conducted by the French National Institute for Health and Medical Research (INSERM), which focused on the impact of caffeine in both men's and women's health.

Three Cups a Day Keeps the Doctor Away
The study by INSERM included around 7,000 individuals over the age of 65, and checked a number of variables for each participant before the study began - things like medical histories and how much coffee or tea they tended to drink on a daily basis. Initially, participants took several tests to determine their level of mental skill, which centered around the use of memory. These tests were repeated two and then four years after the first test.

The women who had originally reported that they drank three or more cups of tea or coffee each day at the start of the study actually had less of a reduction in their test score than those women who consumed a maximum of one cup daily.

Memory Boost Only Impacts Women
Regardless of whether the women drank coffee or tea, it was the amount of caffeine which entered a person's system on a daily basis that made the significant difference – but in women alone.

As for the men, the test scores showed absolutely no benefits to males in terms of regular caffeine consumption, a factor which seems to indicate that women have a higher sensitivity to caffeine than men. The data indicates that caffeine is a psychostimulant which appears to reduce the amount of cognitive decline for females only.

The amount of memory impact also increased in parallel with age; for women around the age of 65, there was a 30% lower likelihood of memory loss, whereas women over the age of 80 were 70% less likely to have memory loss.

Everything in Moderation
The next step is to determine whether caffeine has any significant impact on more severe mental diseases, such as dementia. The study conducted by INSERM did not reveal any effects on degenerative mental diseases when combined with caffeine consumption, however the duration of the study may have simply been too short to effectively produce results in this area.

While doctors do not recommend that women dramatically increase their caffeine consumption as a preventative measure against mental decline, the study certainly indicates that caffeine taken in moderation by women is one way in which women can help boost their memories for significant and proven health benefits.

http://www.naturalnews.com/027900_caffeine_memory.html#ixzz2B4Tc03no

Different Types of Coffee Explained

For coffee aficionados, the various kinds of coffee available represent an enjoyable combination of choices. Maneuvering to an area coffee house will reveal excess of simply regular and decaf. Besides the vast assortment of coffee beans available, there are many unique ways to prepare and serve coffee. Allow me to share some of the most common.

Espresso
This is created by forcing domestic hot water through tightly packed, finely ground coffee. Water must be pushed through having a significant level of pressure so that you can go through the reasons. In the event you watch a barista get this, you will probably notice he/she wedging the grounds in very firmly to the filter basket, often pounding the basket, order to make certain good density and proper taste. Espresso is generally served in small cups of about two ounces, because it has a stronger taste and better caffeine content than regular coffee.

Cappuccino
A glass or two created by combining espresso, warm milk, and frothy milk. The espresso is along with warm milk and topped with milk foam. If you are in a coffee house and listen to a solid just like canned whip cream being expelled, somebody is making cappuccino. The spurting sound will be the milk being heated to its foamy consistency. Cappuccino is served in larger cups which range from about six to twelve ounces. Based on in places you get a cappuccino from, the barista might even make an artful design in the foam atop the coffee. Iced or frozen cappuccinos have also become a popular drink.

Latte
Very similar to cappuccino, a latte consists of espresso and warm milk. Depending on in places you go, there may be foamed milk atop the latte, but generally merely a very thin layer. The flavors of your latte is often nearly identical to that of cappuccino; it is within the smoother texture how the difference lies.

Turkish coffee
Not really a type of coffee bean but instead a style of preparation, Turkish coffee is produced by boiling extremely finely powdered coffee inside a pot. Unlike typical coffee brewing, no filter can be used. This produces a much stronger than normal taste, even stronger than espresso. Although coffee is very finely ground, there will probably nevertheless be dregs found in the bottom with the cup. It is often sugared to cancel out the noticeably bitter taste.

Blended coffees
Not coffees simply made by combining different beans, but coffees combined with teas, spices,chocolate, or even fruit extracts. These exotic brews open up coffee to a wide selection of flavors not ordinarily linked to the drink. Experienced baristas can cause concoctions with such names including pina colada coffee, peppermint spice mocha, or creme brulee roast.

Regular coffee will be commonplace drink and rightly so. However, the many types of coffee open to the coffee drinker makes sure that there's a brew for each and every taste.

Some interesting coffee facts

We listed some remarkable facts about coffee on this page.

 

Coffee Trivia

• When shopping for perfume, take some coffee with you in your bag and have a good sniff in between smelling each perfume to refresh your nose!
• Sprinkle spent coffee grounds around the base of your garden plants and it will stop snails and slugs from munching them!
• A mixture of coffee grounds and sugar, fed to a pot plant and watered regularly, will revive houseplants that have turned yellow in winter.
• Some of the worlds most powerful business, including Lloyds of London and the New York Stock Exchange, started life as a coffee houses.
• In December 2001 Brazil produced a scented postage stamp to promote its coffee - the smell should last between 3 and 5 years. 
• Vincent Van Gogh was a big frequenter of the café society and famously said “I have tried to show the café as a place where one can go mad.”
• Pope Clement VIII loved coffee and authorised its use.
• Revolutions have been planned in coffee houses, namely the French and the American Revolutions.
• At the end of the 16th century records show there were at least 500 cafes in Istanbul alone. The first European cafes were opened by immigrants from Asia around 1650.
• A coffee tree has a lifespan of about 50 to 70 years.
• The coffee cherries turn from yellow to orange and then bright red, 6 - 8 months after flowering.
• When it is in bloom, the coffee tree is covered with 30,000 white flowers which begin to develop into fruit after 24 - 36 hours.
• A coffee tree can flower eight times in any one year - depending on rainfall.
• There are 900 different flavours of arabica. Complex and very volatile, they deteriorate if exposed to air and light.
• The aromas in coffee develop at the 10th minute of roasting.
• Coffee increases in volume during roasting by 18.60%.

Coffee is...

• The second most widely used product in the world after oil.
• It was worth 6 million tonnes per year in the mid 90's.
• It is worth €30 billion per year to the producing countries.
• It is a living to more than 100 million people.
• It is consumed at the rate of 1400 million cups per day.
• The world's second most popular drink after water.

Chai Recipes

Chai on Ice

Like your chai on the "rocks"? Then try this recipe and cool those hot days down with an Iced Tiger Spice Chai® latte.

 

1. Add 3 Tablespoons of David Rio chai to about 2-3 ounces of hot water or milk/milk substitute and stir.
2. Pour over a cup of ice. Some of the ice will melt from the hot water.
3. Add another 1/2 cup of water or milk/milk substitute and a little more ice.
4. Stir and serve.

(You may also prepare a pitcher of chai ahead of time, keep chilled, then stir and pour over ice when servin

 

Ice Blended Chai

Cool down with a delicious ice blended chai made with David Rio's Tiger Spice Chai® and share with friends and family.

 

1. Start with 1/2 cup milk.
2. Add 5 Tablespoons of powdered chai.
3. Add about 8 oz. of ice.
4. Blend well until smooth.
5. Top with whipped cream if desired.

Variation: Try adding a shot of your favorite flavored syrup, espresso or chocolate powder.

 

Blended Chai Smoothie w/Fruit

Add your favorite fruit to your favorite David Rio chai for this delicious iced blended smoothie! Try addingToucan Mango for a tropical twist!

 

1. Start with about 1/2 cup of water or milk/milk substitute.
2. Add 4 Tablespoons of chai.
3. Add one banana (or use 1/4 cup of blueberries or any other fruit of choice).
4. Add about 8 oz. of ice.
5. Blend well until smooth.

Variation: Use David Rio's Toucan Mango Chai and fresh mangoes for a delicious, refreshing treat

Good News For Coffee Drinkers

Recent research shows that coffee is beneficial not only for the profit of those who commercialize it but apparently for our health too.

Yes, it has been discovered that drinking coffee can reduce the risk of diabetes, colon cancer and Parkinson. It's also good for headaches and even for your teeth. Indeed, coffee does make one's teeth "yellow", it does increase one's blood pressure, the cellulite and so on.

According to a Canadian study, drinking one or two coffees per day is absolutely harmless, and even beneficial. And this is also valid for pregnant women. Also, there is another amazing news. After having analyzed the data referring to 126,000 people within a period of no less than 18 years, Harvard researchers have calculated that, unlike those who do not indulge in the habit of coffee drinking, those who enjoy their coffee cup(s) every day have a much lower risk of getting diabetes type 2. According to a statistical report, those who drink 4 to 6 coffee cups each day have 28% lower risk of getting diabetes than those who drink only two or one cup of coffee. Also, especially in women, drinking three coffee cups per day reduces the risk of cardiovascular diseases by 24%. But unfortunately for those who already have cardiovascular diseases, drinking coffee is no longer recommended for them.

Coffee drinkers are 80% more protected from Parkinson disease than non-drinkers. At the same time, the chances of getting hepatic cancer are still 80% lower and the chances of getting kidney stones are 50% lower than of those who don't drink coffee.

Observers from Harvard Medical School have stated that coffee makes you more attentive, energetic and more able to drive on long distances.

Coffee has more fibers and antioxidants than orange juice. Nutritionists always tell us that we need fibers in order to be healthy and that antioxidants help us remain young and free from diseases. And in this respect, some Spanish experts proved that coffee does indeed contain a high level of antioxidants and fibers, and therefore it is very good for us. In fact, they have discovered that one cup of black coffee has a higher level of polyphenols and fibers than any other drink in the world. Also, coffee helps us keep our lips moisturized, especially cappuccino does have this effect. A short time after ingesting about 150grams of cappuccino, the salivary secretion is being stimulated and also the functions of speaking and diction are improved.

A cup of coffee can also improve one's mood. According to Cardiff experts at the University of Wales, a cup of coffee not only improves the brain's work capacity but it also makes us feel better.

Coffee is not an impediment for having dreams during the night. Many people say that they cannot sleep if they have a cup of coffee in the evening, which is only natural. Coffee keeps us awake and alert, with our attention very sharp, and this is the very reason why in fact people drink it. However, according to recent studies, although if we drink a cup of coffee in the evening we might have troubles falling asleep, it does not affect our dreaming ability or sleeping sound. Not even if we drink seven cups per day.

Coffee does not affect our stomach, it does not cause acidity. Gastric acidity is one of the most unpleasant diseases and has a multitude of cause, starting from eating spicy food to stress. Fortunately, contrary to the popular belief, coffee consumption is not at all related to gastric acidity.

Coffee can cure herpes. According to Japanese researchers who tested about fifteen types of coffee, this substance contains an ingredient which destroys the cells infected with the herpes virus.

Most importantly, coffee does not create addiction. There is a big difference between coffee drinking and doing drugs. Many years ago, World Health Organization has established that there is no evidence that coffee might be addictive or compared to drug addiction. In fact, a recent study has proved that no matter what the quantity, caffeine does not activate the brain's reward circuit like amphetamines or cocaine do. And the symptoms coffee drinkers experience in its absence, like headaches, sleepiness, lethargy have absolutely no connection or resemblance whatsoever with those experienced by drug addicts during their withdrawal period.

With all these benefits, it looks like it is worth drinking it, yet each organism is different and we must keep that in mind and have a balanced approach even in coffee drinking.

Other tips for using old coffee grounds

1. Soften and add shine to hair. When washing your hair, rub coffee grounds through wet hair and rinse. For brown hair, coffee grounds add highlights.

2. Use coffee grounds as an exfoliant for skin. Pat on skin, massage over skin, rinse.

3. Add coffee grounds to your skin mask beauty routine.

4. Make homemade tattoos (temporary) with henna and coffee grounds.

5. Fertilize plants. Old coffee grounds are nutrient-rich for plants that thrive in an acidic soil.

6. Add used coffee grounds to the pots of indoor plants.

7. Work used coffee grounds into your garden soil before seed planting. After your plants start to emerge, work in coffee grounds near the plants. Used coffee grounds are said to repel snails and slugs as well as adding nutrients to the soil.

8. Increase your carrot and radish harvest by mixing seeds with dry coffee grounds before planting the seeds.

9. Use coffee grounds to repel ants.

10. Keep cats from using your garden as a kitty box by spreading used coffee grounds and orange peels throughout flower beds.

11. Deodorize a freezer. Place a bowl with used coffee grounds in the freezer to remove unwanted odors. Add a few drops of vanilla to coffee grounds.

12. Rub coffee grounds on hands to get rid of smells from chopping or cutting up pungent foods.

13. Make a used coffee grounds sachet. Fill old nylons or cheesecloth with dry used coffee grounds. Hang in closets to absorb odors.

14. When you need an abrasive cleaner, coffee grounds can be used. Be careful of any surfaces that might stain.

15. Remove furniture scratches with wet coffee grounds.
16. Got a fireplace? Sprinkle wet coffee grounds over the ashes to keep from becoming engulfed in the plume of dust ashes create when you need to remove them.

17. Dye fabric, paper or Easter eggs. Simply add used coffee grounds to warm water and let sit a bit to create a dye.

18. After you give your dog a bath, rub coffee grounds through the coat of your pet. Coffee grounds are said to repel fleas.

19. Keep bait worms alive by mixing coffee grounds into the soil before you add worms.

20. Grow mushrooms on old coffee grounds.