Pour Some Facts/Myths Into Your Morning Brew

Popular drink not as unhealthy as many believe.

As you enjoy your morning coffee, here are some coffee facts and myths to ponder.

There are two main species of the coffee plant: arabica and robusta.

Arabica coffee, also known as Coffea Arabica, is the most widely used, accounting for more than 75 percent of the production in the world. Robusta, or Coffea Cauephora, is a sturdier plant reputed to have an inferior taste and quality compared with arabica.

According to legend, an Arabian goatherd one day found his goats dancing around a dark green bush with fruits that resembled berries. The goatherd ate the berries and found that they produced a euphoric, powerful effect. He then gave some berries to some monks at a local monastery.

The monks found that they were able to pray for extended periods after consuming the berries. They also found a way to dry and grind the berries and then add hot water, making it into what we know today as coffee. The monks then distributed this concoction to their brethren around the world.

Although it is a nice story, recent botanical research suggests that coffee originated in central Ethiopia and then was transplanted to Yemen, where it was cultivated as far back as the sixth century.

Concerns have been raised that coffee leads to cancer, increases in blood pressure and can cause ulcers; all these claims have been researched, and largely refuted.

Studies have shown that drinking coffee may cause an increase in blood pressure, but many variables play a role in the increase, not just the consumption of coffee itself. Factors such as cream or milk consumed with the coffee, sugar, obesity and stress play a more significant role in an increase in blood pressure.

Researchers have found that there is no evidence that coffee plays any role in the risk of cancer. According to Takayuki Shibamoto of the University of California at Davis, there are "1,000 different chemicals in coffee, some of which are antioxidants."

Antioxidants help support the immune system and help fight the spread of cancer. Consuming coffee up until 20 minutes after brewing will deliver 300 phytochemicals that are antioxidants and will stay in the human system up to one month. The ingestion of coffee also provides the equivalent amount of antioxidants as three glasses of orange juice.

Overall, coffee is not bad for the teeth. Some dentists agree that although coffee stains teeth, it also helps prevent cavities. Properties in coffee help in fighting plaque, which may lead to cavities.

In some investigations, coffee has been shown to increase awareness, alertness and mental activity. There is also evidence that coffee decreases depression. Coffee also takes effect faster than most products on mental performance, working in little as 10 minutes. In years past, coffee was used as the prescribed cure for Attention Deficiency Disorders in children.

Trainers often give their athletes coffee for endurance and fat loss. According to a report in the New England Journal of Medicine, caffeine can spare both the liver and muscle glycogen by facilitating the use of fatty acids for energy. Another study in the British Journal of Medicine showed that caffeine causes a "rapid release of calcium ions in muscles, enhancing muscle contractions and making them more efficient."

The caffeine in coffee also helps in maintaining a low-calorie diet by acting as an appetite suppressant. The FDA in 1991, however, banned the use of caffeine in over-the-counter weight-loss aids.

As with anything, drinking coffee has many benefits, but moderation should also be practiced. Drinking more than two to four cups of coffee a day may increase blood pressure, upset stomach and nervousness.

I enjoy finding creative ways to consume coffee. Here is a simple and refreshing recipe:

Coffee Sorbet

3/4 cup of sugar (or to taste) 2 tablespoons honey (or to taste) Pinch of cinnamon and nutmeg 3 cups of freshly brewed coffee Place sugar, honey and cinnamon in a mixing bowl. Slowly add freshly brewed hot coffee and mix well until all ingredients are dissolved. Pour the coffee into ice cube trays and freeze. After the cubes are completely frozen, crush them in a blender until slushy but still firm-textured. Repack sorbet in the ice cube trays and refreeze. After freezing, blend the cubes again. This process may need to be repeated a few times; usually three times will be enough. Place the slush in a container and freeze again and leave overnight. The result should be a smooth and flavorful coffee sorbet.

Source: TheBadAssCoffeeCompany