I’ve always asked them why is it that they think coffee is bad for your health?

Here’s the answer.

Harvard University researchers published a study that found a connection between coffee consumption and and cancer around thirty years ago. The study was flawed and retracted several years later. Due to the media blitz that followed the research “findings,” coffee has gotten an ill-deserved bad rap ever since.

But what about increasing your blood pressure, they ask.

Actually, I don’t even have a blood pressure until I drink my morning cup of coffee. Just kidding, but the fact is that for people who are not habitual coffee drinkers, there is a temporary increase in blood pressure. For us serious coffee drinkers, a tolerance is built up and there is increase in blood pressure.

Some people report jitters or sleeplessness due to caffeine consumption. My advice to them is to switch to decaf and cut yourself off at a certain point in the afternoon so that it does not affect your sleep. Actually, I think there’s tolerance working here also, as I take a cup of coffee to bed with me and swear that I can’t sleep without it, but I’m probably the extreme.

Health Benefits

Recent research is now showing that coffee is a good source of antioxidants and aids in the prevention of numerous serious diseases, from Type 2 diabetes and liver cancer to Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease. You can read all the medical benefits and research by simply Googling “coffee health benefits” without the quotes. There is a wealth of information.

Coffee is a Great Pick-Me-Up

I’m not particularly athletic, but if you are, caffeine can boost endurance and improve your performance. Caffeine is absorbed rapidly, so athletes get the most boost if it consumed just before exercise.

Coffee is Naturally Low in Calories

Coffee is a low-calorie drink, however, consumers have been known to sabotage that benefit by adding sugar, cream, and all sorts of conconctions at coffee stores like Starbucks. You know what I’m talking about — the syrups, whipped cream, chocolate, caramel and all the yummy things that a place like Starbucks can add to make their delicious specialty coffee beverages. I used to drink Starbucks’s Venti Frapuccino pretty frequently until I found out how many calories were in it–nearly half a day’s worth of calories in one coffee beverage! Now I drink my coffee with Sweet N Low and lowfat milk.

There is an abundance of solid research showing that drinking coffee in moderation can be beneficial to your health. Not only do you benefit from the protection it provides for some serious diseases, but the aroma and taste of a hot cup of coffee is a pleasurable experience, according to this coffee addict.

Many different types of brewers make excellent coffee and come in a variety of price ranges. For instance, you can get a French press or manual drip coffee cone for around $10 and make great tasting brew. They may take a little more time to deliver a fresh cup, but it’s a great tasting cup of Joe regardless.

Coffee Percolators

Anyone remember percolators? There are two models, the one you put on the stove and the electric model that you plug in and percolate. Neither makes a really good pot of coffee by today’s standards. The electric percolator makes a better brew than the stove-top percolator, simply because it doesn’t reach the boiling point. The optimum water temperature for brewing a good pot or cup of Joe should be just below the boiling point. The biggest problem with an electric pot is that in order to maintain a constant temperature, it continues to cycle through the grounds if you don’t remove them immediately, making a stronger, more bitter brew. If you want to preserve the fresh, rich taste of your coffee, you’ll probably want to dump that old percolator and use a more modern coffee brewing system.

The French Press

While not the quickest or most convenient method of making a couple of cups of coffee, the French Press is one of the best coffee brewers that you’ll ever use. Basically, it’s a tall glass jar with a plunger that filters out grounds with a screen. Simply put the coffee grounds in the press, pour the hot water in, wait 3-4 minutes, and then slowly lower the plunger to the bottom of the press. The grounds will be trapped at the bottom of the French Press and a rich tasting, fresh cup of coffee is ready to pour. I particularly like this brew with specialty coffee beans that I grind myself.

Coffee Drip Brewers

The drip coffee makers are the most used type of coffee brewing systems. Many people have both at home and at work. They are relatively simple to operate. Just put your coffee grounds in the paper filter in the filter basket, fill with reservoir with water, and push the on button. Most models will heat the water to the appropriate temperature, which will drip over the grounds in the filter and fill the carafe with fresh brewed coffee.

There is one disadvantage of using the drip coffee brewing system. Once brewed, the coffee in the carafe sits on a heating element to maintain it’s temperature and as the coffee sits in the carafe, cooking on this heating element, it becomes more and more bitter and stale tasting. If you’re going to use a drip coffee brewing system, you should make only enough at one time to drink within 30 minutes to an hour.

Single Cup Coffee Brewers

One of the newest additions to the home coffee brewing arena is the single-cup Keurig models that utilize a pre-filled K-Cup in a variety of strengths and flavors. This type of coffee brewing system is simple to operate, clean, and delivers a fresh cup of coffee in under a minute. This new innovative coffee brewing system deserves it’s own page, and there are excellent reviews on these coffee brewers here. There are also some great coffee recipes there.

Ingredients:
2 scoops coffee ice cream
1 cup milk
2 shots espresso
2 tablespoons of malt mix (optional)
Whipped cream (optional garnish)

Add the ingredients all together and blend in a blender. It’s as simple as that.

Iced Coffee a l’Orange Recipe

Ingredients:
1 oz Triple Sec
4 oz Vanilla Ice Cream
1/2 tsp Instant Coffee

Combine all ingredients in a blender. Blend until smooth and pour into a parfait glass. Garnish with a slice of orange, and serve.

Iced Coffee Smoothie

Ingredients:
3 oz. hot espresso
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 cups milk – low-fat okay
1 Tbls. instant pudding mix (pick your favorite flavor)
1 cup ice cubes (about 5)

Stir sugar into espresso and cool. Stir milk and pudding mix into espresso mixture. Fill a glass with ice and serve mixture over ice. (Serves 4)

Extra Smooth Iced Coffee

Ingredients:
1 cup chilled brewed coffee, made double-strength or with a rich dark roast
2 rounded tablespoons sugar (extra fine)
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
1/4 tsp genuine vanilla extract
2 cups ice

Pour everything into a blender and blend until creamy. (Serves 2)

Iced Caramel Mocha

Ingredients:
1 oz. chocolate syrup
1/2 oz. caramel syrup
6 oz. milk
1 cup ice
1-2 shots espresso

Combine all ingredients, stir and serve. (Serves 1)

1 cup of hot coffee
1 1/2 shots Bailey’s Irish Cream
1/4 cup heavy cream, whipped
Ground cinnamon

Pour hot coffee into a preheated glass. Add the Bailey’s and mix well. Top with a mound of whipped cream and a few dashes of cinnamon if desired. Serves 1

Mexican Coffee

1 cup of hot coffee
3/4 shot Kahlua
3/4 shot Tequila
Coffee Whipped Cream

Pour coffee over liqueurs & top with whipped cream. Garnish with a cherry. Serves 1

Bavarian Coffee

1/2 oz peppermint schnapps
1/2 oz Kahlua coffee liqueur
5 oz hot black coffee
1 1/2 oz whipped cream
1 tsp sugar

Add coffee and liquors to an irish coffee cup and sweeten to taste. Gently float the cream on top, and sprinkle with grated chocolate. Serves 1

Spanish Coffee

1 cup of hot coffee
1/2 oz Tia Maria
1/2 oz Rum
Whipped Cream

Add liqueur and coffee. Top with whipped cream and garnish with a cherry. Serves 1

Cafe Don Juan

3/4 oz dark rum
1 oz Kahlua coffee liqueur
5 oz hot black coffee
1 1/2 oz whipped cream
1 tsp sugar

Rim an Irish coffee cup with lemon juice and sugar. Pour coffee and liquors into the cup and sweeten to taste. Float the cream on top, sprinkle with grated chocolate, and serve. Serves 1

Amaretto Coffee

1 cup of hot coffee
1 1/2 shots Amaretto liqueur
1/4 cup lightly whipped cream
1/2 tsp toasted, sliced almonds

Pour hot coffee into a preheated brandy snifter and stir in the liqueur. Top with whipped cream and almonds, if desired. Serves 1

Café Brulot

16 fl oz hot, strong coffee
1 cinnamon stick, roughly broken
4 sugar cubes
4 whole cloves
2 fl oz Cognac
Peel of 1/2 orange
2 tbs Grand Marnier or other orange liqueur
Peel of 1/2 lemon

In saucepan, over low heat, combine cinnamon, cloves, orange and lemon peels and sugar. Stir in Cognac and liqueur. Using a long match, carefully ignite mixture. Immediately, but slowly, pour in coffee, stirring until flames subside. Pour into small punch cups and serve. Serves 4

Chocolate-Hazelnut Coffee

10 oz brewed coffee
1 shot chocolate liqueur
1 shot hazelnut liqueur

Pour hot coffee in a preheated wine glass and stir in the two liqueurs. Top with whipped cream and a dusting of cocoa powder. Serves 1

Nose Warmer

1 cup of hot coffee
1/4 oz Tia Maria
1/4 oz Bailey’s
1/4 oz Grand Marnier
1/4 oz Frangelica
1/4 oz dark crème de cacao

Add the liqueurs to the coffee, top with whipped cream and garnish with cinnamon. Serves 1

1 cup hot coffee
1 Tablespoon Irish Cream coffee flavor syrup
Whipped cream

Prepare coffee as you like it and add 1 Tablespoon of Irish Cream coffee flavoring. Serve with whipped cream. Drink coffee through whipped cream. Serves 1

Coffee Grog

3 cups coffee
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 cup brown sugar
2 tbs butter, softened
1/4 tsp cloves, ground
1/4 tsp nutmeg, ground
1/4 tsp cinnamon, ground

Blend butter, sugar, cloves, nutmeg and cinnamon in a small bowl. Mix coffee and cream together with the spice mixture. Serves 6

White Chocolate coffee

3 oz white chocolate, chopped
2 cups half n half
2 cups hot coffee
Whipped cream

Heat the milk and chocolate together in a saucepan until melted and smooth. Stir in coffee and serve with whipped cream on top. Serves 6

Maple coffee

1 cup hot coffee
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 cup half & half
Whipped cream

Heat the milk and syrup together in a saucepan, but do not let it boil. Stir in the coffee. Serve topped with whipped cream. Serves 2

Black Forest Coffee

4 cups hot brewed coffee
1/2 cup chocolate syrup
1/4 cup maraschino cherry juice
Whipped cream
Chocolate syrup
Maraschino cherries

Combine hot coffee, chocolate syrup, and maraschino cherry juice; mix well. Pour into mugs. Top with whipped cream and a cherry, and drizzle with chocolate syrup. Serves 6

Eggnog Coffee Punch

1 1/2 cups coffee ice cream
1 1/2 cups eggnog
1 cup hot, strong coffee
4 tablespoons frozen whipped topping, thawed
4 pinches ground nutmeg

Scoop the ice cream into a pan over low heat. Stir in the eggnog and coffee. Heat for a few minutes until warm. Pour into four mugs. Top each with 1 tablespoon whipped topping and sprinkle with nutmeg. Serve immediately. Serves 4

I’ve always asked them why is it that they think coffee is bad for your health?

Here’s the answer.

Harvard University researchers published a study that found a connection between coffee consumption and and cancer around thirty years ago. The study was flawed and retracted several years later. Due to the media blitz that followed the research “findings,” coffee has gotten an ill-deserved bad rap ever since.

In actuality, there are many studies that find that drinking coffee is beneficial to your health, and yes, that includes coffee with Caffeine. In fact, “Coffee is loaded with antioxidants, including a group of compounds called quinines that when administered to lab rats, increases their insulin sensitivity” says physiologist and longtime coffee researcher Terry Graham, PhD, of the University of Guelph in Canada.” This results in greater increased sensitivity, which in turn aids the body’s response to insulin. This may account for the reduced diabetes risk for coffee drinkers. Those who drink decaf coffee receive only half as much benefit as those drinking caffeinated coffee.

Studies have shown that coffee consumption aids in the prevention and treatment of Alzheimer’s disease, Type 2 Diabetes, Parkinsons disease, skin cancer, liver disease and more.

The Harvard Women’s Health Watch says:

Despite 20 years of reassuring research, many people still avoid caffeinated coffee because they worry about its health effects. However, current research reveals that in moderation—a few cups a day—coffee is a safe beverage that may even offer some health benefits. The September issue of Harvard Women’s Health Watch weighs the pros and cons of this popular beverage and eases the concerns of moderate coffee drinkers.

The latest research has not only confirmed that moderate coffee consumption doesn’t cause harm, it’s also uncovered possible benefits. Studies show that the risk for type 2 diabetes is lower among regular coffee drinkers than among those who don’t drink it. Also, coffee may reduce the risk of developing gallstones, discourage the development of colon cancer, improve cognitive function, reduce the risk of liver damage in people at high risk for liver disease, and reduce the risk of Parkinson’s disease. Coffee has also been shown to improve endurance performance in long-duration physical activities.

For those who drink coffee to stay alert, new research suggests that you’ll stay more alert, particularly if you are fighting sleep deprivation, if you spread your coffee consumption over the course of the day. For instance, if you usually drink 16 ounces in the morning, try consuming a 2-3 ounce serving every hour or so. Again, moderation is the key. Source: Harvard Health Publications, Harvard Medical School, 2006.

There is an abundance of solid research showing that drinking coffee in moderation can be beneficial to your health. Not only do you benefit from the protection it provides for some serious diseases, but the aroma and taste of a hot cup of coffee is a pleasurable experience, according to this coffee addict.