The Good And Bad About Coffee

By Carol Chuang 

Coffee is one of the most popular drinks in the world - it is also mega business. Coffee plants are cultivated in more than 70 countries. It is an important export commodity for Latin America, Southeast Asia, and Africa. Half the population in America drinks coffee on a daily basis. Starbucks, founded in 1971, is now the world's biggest coffeehouse chain with over 20,000 stores in more than 60 countries. In the last five years (2009-2013) alone, Starbucks' share price has risen more than seven-fold.

Given this widespread popularity, it is no surprise that many people have wondered if drinking coffee is an unhealthy habit. Caffeine, after all, is a stimulant drug and is addictive. For decades, medical advice from organizations like the American Heart Association has indicated that coffee may lead to high blood pressure and is bad for your heart. You may even have been told that coffee will give you an ulcer. However, in recent years, there has been an enormous amount of new research that has just pretty much exonerated coffee.

Is coffee good or bad for you? The following summarizes the latest findings on coffee and how it may actually benefits your health. Further, if you are a regular coffee drinker, there are certain things about coffee that you should also be aware of. Lastly, know that coffee may not be appropriate for everyone, if you have certain conditions, you should not be drinking coffee at all.

Latest Research On The Health Perks Of Coffee

Although not every single study shows coffee to have health-promoting properties, the majority is rather positive.

Apart from caffeine, coffee contains a natural blend of polyphenol antioxidants, bioflavonoids, B vitamins, and minerals such as magnesium, potassium, and chromium. Research shows that not only are the non-caffeine components of coffee anti-inflammatory, they work together synergistically to help neutralize the harsher effects of the caffeine. In addition, coffee may actually activate beneficial pathways in our bodies at the DNA level.

These studies show that moderate coffee consumption on a regular basis reverses cognitive impairment, cuts cancer risk, stabilizes blood sugar, and benefits the heart. In other words, coffee helps reduce the risk of many diseases:

·       Alzheimer's disease

·       Cancer (including breast, colon, endometrial, kidney, liver, and oral)

·       Diabetes (type 2)

·       Heart disease (including heart rhythm problems and stroke)

·       Parkinson's disease

·       Prostate cancer

Important Facts For Coffee Drinkers

Even though coffee may have all the amazing health benefits, not all coffee is the same. Besides, how and when you drink it makes a difference too.

Always choose organic. Coffee is a crop that is heavily sprayed with pesticides, therefore, you should select only coffee beans that are certified organic. Whenever possible, purchase sustainable "shade-grown" coffee to help prevent the continued destruction of the tropical rain forests and the birds that inhabit them.

Always buy whole bean. Only purchase whole beans that smell and taste fresh, not stale.

You do not want to buy pre-ground coffee because you never know whether it is already rancid by the time you get it.

Darker roast is superior to light roast. The darker roasts, such as French, Italian, or those used to make expresso and Turkish coffee, are higher in neuroprotective agents than the lighter roasts. Dark roast coffee restores blood levels of the antioxidants vitamin E and glutathione more effectively than light roast coffee. Dark roast coffee is also easier on your stomach as it contains a chemical that prevents your stomach from producing excess acid.

Best time to drink coffee is in the morning. According to some research, coffee may increase your metabolism by up to 20 percent. Therefore, having a cup of organic coffee or one shot of espresso in the morning is ideal. If you exercise in the morning, have your coffee before workout as studies show that coffee boosts athletic performance, not after as the caffeine may interfere with your body's muscle-building mechanism. However, do not go overboard, one or two cups in the morning should be the maximum for the day.

Drink your coffee without sugar, artificial sweetener, or commercial creamers. Otherwise, you are undoing all the health benefits of coffee. Excess sugar intake increases the risk of insulin resistance, suppresses the immune system, and perpetuates addictive food behavior. If you like dairy and can tolerate it, you may add organic or preferably grass-fed whole milk or cream to your coffee. Skim or non-fat milk often has more sugar than whole milk, while commercial creamers tend to have unsavory ingredients.

Avoid flavored and novelty coffees. These products usually contain a myriad of chemical additives.

Use non-bleached filters. If you use a drip coffee maker, avoid using the bright white chlorine-bleached filters. Some of the chlorine may leach into the coffee during the brewing process. The bleached filters may also contain dangerous disinfection byproducts such as dioxin.

Avoid plastic cups. Be careful about the container you drink your coffee from. Plastic cups may leach BPA and Styrofoam cups may leach polystyrene molecules. Your best bets are glass, ceramic, or stainless steel coffee mugs.

When Coffee Is Not Right For you?

If you are pregnant, you should completely avoid using caffeine.

If you have an issue with decreased adrenal function or adrenal fatigue, caffeine can actually create more stress on your adrenal glands. In this day and age, many people are constantly stressed and fatigued, and rely on caffeine for sustained energy to get through the day. If this is the case, it is a tell-tale sign that your body is not functioning properly and you need to address the underlying problems.

Adrenal fatigue can wreak havoc on your health. The adrenal glands affect every organ and system in the body - from metabolism of carbohydrate, protein, and fat, to fluid and electrolyte balance, cardiovascular system, immune system, hormonal system, and even your sex drive. Therefore, if you have adrenal fatigue, pumping your system with caffeine is merely going to aggravate your problem in the long run.

Coffee has a diuretic effect. If you have problems with electrolyte balance, you may want to avoid it too.

If you drink coffee and have problems falling asleep or tend to wake up in the night, you may be caffeine sensitive. Caffeine levels vary depending on the type of roast, grind, and brewing method. Darker roasts contain less caffeine than lighter roasts. The finer the grind, the higher the caffeine in the coffee. Drip coffee has more caffeine than espresso because the brew time is much longer. If you experience sleep issues from the caffeine, you may want to vary your type of roast, grind, or brewing method or cut down on the amount you drink every day and make sure you only have coffee early in the morning.

If you experience stomach cramping, heart palpitations, or other symptoms after drinking coffee, you may actually have a food intolerance. There is also the possibility of mold (coffee is a dried food and may contain mold) or other contaminants in the coffee that trigger a physical reaction.

What About Decaffeinated Coffee?

To date, there is yet conclusive evidence showing whether decaf coffee holds up to the benefits of caffeinated coffee. Limited studies were conducted using decaf coffee but the ones that do seem to be promising. However, since caffeine is a central nervous system stimulant and can result in dependence and withdrawal symptoms, decaf coffee is probably the way to go if you like the taste of coffee.

When you buy decaf coffee, always choose organic and Swiss Water Process, which is a chemical-free method to extract caffeine. Beware that almost all decaf coffee found in coffeehouses and grocery stores is processed with the chemical solvent ethyl acetate. You want to avoid this type of decaf coffee as traces of chemical solvent still remain in the coffee.

Decaf coffee by law has to have at least 97 percent of the caffeine removed. For reference, a shot of espresso at Starbucks has 75 mg of caffeine, a short (8-oz) brewed coffee has 175 mg, a tall (12 oz) 260 mg, and a grande (16 oz) 330 mg. As you can see, if you have several cups a day, the caffeine can add up rather quickly.

In conclusion, coffee is loaded with antioxidants and beneficial nutrients that benefit your health. However, be cautious with the stimulant effect of caffeine as it can become extremely addictive. Caffeine is also a source of stress for your adrenal glands. Therefore, drinker be aware! If you like the taste of coffee, mixing regular with decaf may be a good way to gradually cut down on your dependence of caffeine.

Carol Chuang is a Certified Nutrition Specialist and a Metabolic Typing Advisor. She has a Masters degree in Nutrition and is the founder of CC Health Counseling, LLC. Her passion in life is to stay healthy and to help others become healthy. She believes that a key ingredient to optimal health is to eat a diet that is right for one's specific body type. Eating organic or eating healthy is not enough to guarantee good health. The truth is that there is no one diet that is right for everyone. Our metabolisms are different, so should our diets. Carol specializes in Metabolic Typing, helping her clients find the right diet for their Metabolic Type. To learn more about Metabolic Typing, her nutrition counseling practice, and how to get a complimentary phone consultation, please go to http://cchealthcounseling.com/

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Why Dark Chocolate Is Good for You

By Freeha Irfan Ahmed

Description: Dark chocolate contains several health advantages. These advantages are from flavonoids, which work as antioxidants.

In recent years, food materials that contain flavonoids and antioxidants have been connected with the prevention of heart disease. Flavonoids are poly-phenolic combinations found plentifully in cocoa and, to a slightly lesser extent, in apples, red wine and green tea. More particularly, the flavonoid found in dark or black chocolate has been linked to decreases in blood pressure, improvements in antioxidant properties, improvements in cognitive function, increases in high-density lipoprotein cholesterol concentrations, improvements in insulin sensitivity, improvements in anti-platelet activity, and improvements in endothelial dysfunction that promote vascular homeostasis. Compared with white chocolate and milk chocolate, dark or black chocolate contains more flavonoids because it contains more cocoa.

Dark chocolate and the heart: Dark chocolate may aid in lower blood pressure in individuals with hypertension, and has been proven to lower levels of LDL, the "bad cholesterol," by ten percent. Adding dark chocolate to your diet may benefit your cardiovascular organs by helping to block arterial damage provoked by free radicals. It may also inhibit platelet aggregation, which would provoke a heart stroke or attack. There have also been researches showing that the flavonoids in cocoa relax the blood vessels, which inhibits an enzyme that causes inflammation.

Eat chocolate for your brain:In a study, a compound found in cocoa, epicatechin, when incorporated with exercise, was found to boost functional alterations in a part of the brain involved in the formation of memory and learning.

Potential anti-cancer benefits: A research study indicates that dark chocolate may be a weapon against cancer cells. Researchers at Georgetown University School of Medicine discovered that a synthetic cocoa derivative really increased the rate of destruction and decreased the rate of growth of human cancer cells. Furthermore, it accomplished this without having an influence on other cells.

Some have their doubts: Not everyone believes that dark chocolate is a healthy food. Primarily, it is vital to understand that processing changes the natural flavanol antioxidants found in cocoa. Even though some of the suggested benefits of dark chocolate consumption are linear and positive, neither is unlimited because dark chocolate is laden with a substantial calorie load, which can readily offset its antioxidant benefits.

Eat dark chocolate for pleasure: There is growing acceptance among people that occasionally eating dark or black chocolate containing a high percentage of cocoa provides polyunsaturated fats and flavonoids that may benefit cognitive abilities during aging, as well as anti-inflammatory and anti-clotting effects, among other potential health benefits still being analyzed in research. So, the combination of super fruits and chocolate may be both healthy and delicious! Eat chocolate treats in moderate amounts so you can have fun without guilt!

Starch content in dark chocolate: Of course, dark chocolate also contains starch. When melted chocolate is added to fondant, for instance, the fondant gets stiffer due to the starch content and generally requires thinning. Generally, however, the drying power of the starch is balanced by the tenderizing effect of the cocoa butter.

Other benefits of dark chocolate: Dark or black chocolate also possesses advantages apart from saving your body:

Dark chocolate may have antioxidant benefits similar to vegetables, but consider the numerous other benefits vegetables have that chocolate lacks.

Studies have yet to conclude whether chocolate's antioxidant health properties are as long lasting as that of vegetables.

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Beetroot Nutritional Benefits

By Jeannine Davidoff  

Beetroot Nutritional Benefits

Beetroot and Swiss Chard belong to the same family. Beets have a lovely rich red color from pigments called anthocyanins. It is water soluble and cannot be destroyed by heat. Since ancient times, this vegetable has been used for medicinal purposes that contain many healing properties. Thebeetroot nutritional benefits range from aiding anemia by building red blood cells to aiding digestion and helping the gall bladder and liver function. When beet juice is mixed with carrot juice, this combination provides the body with enough minerals to encourage the healing process.

Beetroot Nutritional Benefits 

·       Beetroots are a great anti-oxidant

·       Rich in fibre and micro nutrients

·       Rich in Iron and Calcium

·       Contain Vitamin A, Vitamin B-complex and Vitamin C, Iron and Magnesium

·       Regulates blood pressure

·       Keep bowel movements regular

·       Helps to detoxify the body

·       Clears the gall bladder, liver and kidneys

·       Beet greens are best used for juicing

Tips on harvesting and cooking Beetroot 

·       Harvest when the root is firm and swollen. It will usually be sticking out of the ground.

·       The bulbs should be scrubbed well till all the soil is removed.

·       The beetroot leaves can be used either when they are young or mature.

·       The leaves must be washed thoroughly and chopped then cooked.

·       The bulbs can be cut into fries, steamed or used fresh.

·       Beetroot juice is a very healthy and cleansing drink.

·       When juicing beetroots, be sure not to overdose.

·       Start by using half a juiced beetroot per week.

Build up your consumption to one per week.

Recipe using Beetroot
Beetroot Salad

·       Beetroot (2-3 large ones)

·       4 large Carrots

·       1 Pineapple peeled and diced

Grate the beetroot and carrots; add the pineapple and you have a tasty salad.
Simple and nutritious - serve with fresh bread.

How to Grow Beetroot 

·       The seeds, much like Swiss Chard are best planted directly in the place you want them to grow.

·       It is important to keep the soil moist around the seedlings.

·       In five to eight days after planting them, you will see the little leaves of the beetroot appear from beneath the soil.

·       They will shoot upwards and after about two and a half months, you should see the bulb beginning to form.

·       You can push the soil up around the beetroot bulb, as this will allow it to become larger. This is called ridging.

·       Be sure to give maturing roots space in which to grow without crowding them.

Companions of beetroot 
They have many companions and these include: Beans, Lettuce, Garlic, Onions, Kohlrabi and Cabbage.
However, Beetroot is not fond of growing near Mustard.

This vegetable is extremely simple to integrate into your diet; its so easily available in stores or just easy to grow. But the best reason to eat beetroot is for the beetroot nutritional benefits that assist in good health.

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