Boca Java Gourmet Coffee » Coffee and Health

Decaffeinated Coffee Health Risk

PeteLikesIt — Sun, 02 Aug 2009 15:46:15 +0000

The US National Institutes of Health has found that drinking decaffeinated coffee could increase the risk of heart disease.

Yep – increase, not decrease.

Those in the survey who drank decaffeinated coffee experienced an 18% rise in the fatty acids, which encourages the production of bad ‘LDL’ cholesterol. They also discovered that their levels of apolipoprotein B (a bad cholesterol) shot up by 8%.

The group drinking regular coffee was not affected.

The survey was led by Dr Robert Superko of the ‘Fuqua Heart Centre’ in Georgia. He said: “Contrary to what people have thought for many years, I believe it’s not caffeinated but decaffeinated coffee that might promote heart disease risk factors.”

So there you go… another ‘healthy’ alternative, like margarine and artificial sweeteners, has turned out to be the devil in disguise.

Haven’t we learned any lessons, yet? When will scientists realise that making chemically altered versions of perfectly decent foodstuffs only INCREASES the risk of a health disaster?

Why decaf is unhealthier

One reason for the results of the survey on coffee appears to be that caffeinated and decaffeinated coffees are made from different species of beans. Most caffeinated coffee comes from a bean species called ‘Arabica’… while many decaffeinated coffees are made from ‘Robusta’, which is much, much stronger. This is because decaffeination takes out those flavanoids that give coffee its flavour.

The problem with that is these flavanoids act like powerful anti-oxidants, which can help protect the heart and fight cancer.

So decaffeinated brands are not only lower in flavanoids, but use a much stronger bean to match the flavour of the regular stuff. The result is that decaf gives your bad cholesterol a most unwelcome boost.

Most experts believe that you shouldn’t worry if you’re one of those who enjoy only one or two cups of coffee a day… but I think you should be aware of this study.

So that’s decaf

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The Latest Research on Coffee

PeteLikesIt — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 20:41:06 +0000

In the old days, a simple cup of coffee could inspire a clash of emotions. This stuff was so tasty… so energising… But so addictive, too! An evil drug! A mind-rotting scourge… like crack cocaine or daytime TV.

The media told me all this. And therefore it was TRUE. Oh the guilt! The GUILT!

And so I mentally lashed myself every time I reached for the second pot to keep me going at work.

It’s all changed now, though.

Just look what they’re saying about coffee this month…

A new hope in the fight against Alzheimer’s

Emblazoned on the BBC News website on the 5th of July: “Drinking five cups of coffee a day could reverse memory problems seen in Alzheimer’s disease, US scientists say.” Apparently, in the labs, mice were given largish amounts of caffeine. Not in big steaming mugs from Costa, I might add, but in 500 milligram doses. These mice showed a 50% reduction in their levels of ‘beta amyloid protein”. No I didn’t immediately know what this was. But apparently this stuff can form damaging clumps in the brains of patients with dementia. Of course, this kind of study is on our rodent friends, and not on people yet.

But this is yet another significant chapter in the story of coffee. Far from being a demonic substance, more and more research suggests that a moderate dose of caffeine van have positive effects.

Why the coffee-hating ‘do gooders’ got it wrong

It’s time we took a more sensible approach to coffee. I think a lot of damage has been done by the food scares and fads of the 70s and 80s. Back then we were pushed into low fat diets and sugar-free foods. These have subsequently been found to be either pointless, or even dangerous. Butter was replaced by margarines. This synthetic food is now accused of being high in trans fatty acids – a substance that many critics claim that can triple your risk of coronary heart disease.(Marvellous! Let’s thank the health food Mafia for that!)

Sugar was replaced by sweeteners like aspartame. Today, this substance stands accused of being linked to 92 health problems including abdominal pain, arthritis, asthma, chronic coughs, chronic fatigue, depression, headaches, heart palpitations, hypertension, impotency, insomnia, irritability, memory loss, muscle spasms, nausea, rashes, tinnitus and blurred vision. (So that went well, then).

At the same time as these poisons were recommended as the ‘healthy alternative’, good old fashioned staples like coffee replaced by horrible decaffeinated versions.

But since the ’90s, the tables have turned.

Could coffee even protect your eyesight?

The caffeine in coffee is said to lower your risk of diabetes, Parkinson’s disease, headaches and even cavities. Studies have shown that caffeine can improve your attention span and boost brainpower. A 2007 study, reported in the Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry, suggests that drinking coffee can even protect your eyesight. Italian researchers looked at the coffee drinking and smoking habits of 166 people with a condition called ‘blepharospasm’. This is where you get an uncontrollable spasm in your eyelid. It’s not just annoying… it can lead to blindness. Now it’s claimed that one or two cups of coffee a day can reduce the risk of this condition.

In January 2007, something called the Journal of Pain (nice name!) suggested that drinking coffee could help reduce the pain you get after exercise. The study found that two cups of coffee can cut muscle pain by up to 48%.

Why caution’s needed

Now I’m not suggesting for a minute that coffee is a new health drink, to be guzzled wantonly throughout the day. Experts say that 200 milligrams (two cups of coffee) is the optimal dose. Yes, the recent dementia study suggests five cups, but remember this is an early experiment. Rebecca Wood, chief executive of the Alzheimer’s Research Trust, told the BBC:

“In this study on mice with symptoms of Alzheimer’s, researchers found that caffeine boosted their memory. We need to do more research to find out whether this effect will be seen in people.”

As always, I’ll keep tracking the fascinating story of coffee.

Could Coffee be an Answer to Your Bad Mood?

PeteLikesIt — Sun, 21 Dec 2008 20:38:32 +0000

I’m a fan of coffee, and dislike the general bad press it gets.

Years ago it was an evil as bad as nicotine, causing headaches, mood swings, bad breath, heart palpitations and stress.

Yet there’s mounting evidence in support of our old friend.

The caffeine in coffee is said to lower your risk of diabetes, Parkinson’s disease, headaches and even cavities.

It stimulates your brain and – yes – can RELIEVE mood problems. Studies have shown that caffeine can improve your attention span and boost brainpower.

So your morning cup of coffee not only helps wake you up, and tastes bloomin’ marvellous, but it has health benefits too.

I’m not suggesting for a minute that it’s a new health drink, to be guzzled wantonly throughout the day. I’m merely saying that a little bit of what you fancy can be good for you.

Boca Java Coffee – Coffee and Cancer

PeteLikesIt — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 00:53:22 +0000

I found the following article recently, which I thought might be of interest to my readers. Coffee receives most publicity in relation to health matters, due to its caffeine content. But coffee also contains anti-oxidants which may be beneficial for cancer treatments.

Here’s the article:

Most antioxidants are derived from plants, coffee being one of them. Research done has shown that there are many antioxidant benefits of coffee. In these research studies conducted by various universities, however, there was no apparent relation found between the consumption of coffee and cancer development in a person; many believe that the amount of coffee that would need to be consumed in order to reap the anti-cancer benefits of the antioxidants found in coffee is just too high.

It has been shown; however, that drinking coffee in moderation can decrease risk of cancer development for coffee drinkers as compared to non-coffee drinkers. Here are some of the cancers that have a decreased risk for coffee drinkers.

Breast Cancer: Research from Malamo University in Sweden and The Harvard School of Public Health in Boston have shown that women who drank two or more cups of coffee a day were at A lesser risk of cancer as compared to women who drank no coffee at all. The cancer preventing properties of coffee have been attributed to caffeine present in the coffee that modifies the carcinogenic components of female sex hormone Estrogen.
Skin Cancer: A cup of coffee after a walk in the sun can help reduce the risk of skin cancer. According to a study published in the European Journal of Cancer Prevention, coffee consumption can cut the risk of non-melanoma skin cancer by 35%. The antioxidants present in coffee have a protective effect on the DNA synthesis, and this can help decrease the cell division of the cells.
Liver Cancer: Coffee drinking has been shown to have a preventive effect on cirrhosis which is the starting stage for liver cancer compared to non-coffee drinkers, those who drank up to 1-2 cups of coffee daily had a 50% less risk of first stage liver cancer. Caffeine present in coffee is found to be the main reason for coffee’s effect on liver cancer.
COLON Cancer: Drinking more than five cups of coffee a day can lower the risk of colorectal cancer. Along with increasing the movement of food in the bowels, coffee is believed to help reduce the production of bile acids that are known to increase the threat of bowel cancer. Antioxidants present in coffee also play a significant role in preventing cell damage.

The numerous benefits of drinking coffee make it an ideal drink for moderate consumption, and a cup or two of coffee will surely go a long way in maintaining a good health.

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Coffee and Your Health

Coffee Connoisseur — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 04:22:52 +0000

Coffee has been enjoyed by millions of people around the world for at least a thousand years. Apart from it’s wonderful aroma, the attraction of coffee lies in its properties as a stimulant.

In many people, coffee enhances alertness, concentration and mental and physical performance. This is due to its caffeine content. The average cup of instant coffee contains about 60mg caffeine while filter coffee contains about 85mg. For those who are sensitive to caffeine and prefer decaf blends, the decaffeinated beverage contains only 3mg.

Some have worried that coffee is not good to consume during pregnancy, but there is no sound evidence to suggest that modest consumption of coffee has any effects on the wellbeing of an unborn infant. There is also no evidnece that coffee increases the risk of breast, ovary, pancreas or kidney cancer in women.

There is also evidence that coffee protects against colon cancer and some preliminary evidence that it protects against male breast cancer. Some even use coffee for colonic irrigation.

There is no evidence that coffee increases the risk of heart disease. Some have reported heart palpitations and a rise in blood pressure after coffee consumption, but there is no persistent hypertensive effect in the long term.

Others have claimed that drinking coffee promotes indigestion, but this is not the case in the majority of people, although it has been known to produce heartburn in people with gastro-oesophageal reflux problems. But there is no evidence that coffee increases the risk of peptic ulcers and there is some evidence that it protects against gallstones.

Evidence is growing that coffee might protect against developing Parkinson’s disease and possibly Alzheimer’s. Diabetes is still under investigation. Because coffee is a diuretic, it is important to drink enough fluid to replace what is lost.

Coffee is rich in anti-oxidants, far moreso than other common beverages. This is due to compounds formed during coffee bean roasting. Anti-oxidants prevent free radicals from multiplying and are a major deterrent of chronic illnesses such as cancer and heart disease.

In recent years the gourmet coffee industry has come of age. Discerning consumers have come to expect distinctive coffee tastes and aromas with all the passion of fine wine connoisseurs.

Coffee lovers all over the world are discovering the experience of the finest gourmet coffees which can be ordered with a few mouse-clicks on the internet and delivered to your door or workplace shortly after. Boca Java gourmet coffee and teas are fast becoming one of the main players in the online coffee market.

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