All About Coffee

 Hi I’m Andrew, 

 And I ‘m Minna

We are nutrition coaches and success mentors. We created the FoCo Academy to teach and mentor people like you to achieve true health and healthy relationships through nutrition, exercise, mindset and lifestyle changes. 

 As a consultant I regularly go to client’s sites to work. Some of the workplaces in Silicon Valley have everything.

They give you breakfast, lunch and dinner, snacks in between, coke machines, energy drink machines, candies, nuts, espresso bars, everything. And then there are some offices where they only provide coffee and water.

So one time I was at this particular office where the people has been complaining about their coffee for a while and one day, while I was working at my desk, I saw a lot of the workers made their way towards their lunch room and since it wasn’t lunch time it is a little strange. But I kept on working and then I started hearing clapping and cheering. And that got me curious. So I followed the crowd and went to see where the party is.

 At the lunchroom, there was a brand spanking new coffee machine.

The new ones that uses those coffee pods so all you have to do is put in a coffee pod, press a button and voila! You get a hot cup of joe.

 So that’s all there is. All the clapping, the cheering, people dropping their work, leaving their desks, just to check out this new coffee machine!

 As ridiculous as they may sound, coffee has become a big part of our culture within the last 15 to 20 years. And I’m sure that Starbucks played a big part in it but the fact is, even before Starbucks, everybody was already drinking coffee. Coffee has been around for over 500 years. Nowadays we’re just pickier about it.

According to WebMD, more than ¾ of us drinks coffee every day, and an average person drinks 3 cups a day.

Some people I know don’t even drink that much water so coffee has really became part of most people’s lives.

Just as a reference, because every coffee is different. Ground coffee tends to have more caffeine than instant coffee. On average, instant coffee has about 65 mg per 5-ounce cup, and ground coffee tends to have about 115 mg per cup.

A Grande cup of coffee has about 330 mg of caffeine, which is 7 times more than 1 can of diet cola.

Don’t forget. Even Decaf coffee still has some caffeine in it. In contrast, An average espresso contains about 64 milligrams and a cup of green tea has about 44 milligrams.

Nowadays, coffee is cultivated from over 70 countries worldwide. But the first coffee actually came from Africa. There are more than 25 major species of coffee plants in Africa, mainly in Ethiopia. And coffee plant, common believed to be a berry, is actually related to the Gardenia family.

If you brew your own coffee, some people store them in the freezer; some store them in the fridge to preserve the aroma. But the best place to store coffee is actually just to leave it on the counter. Store it in a dark, cool place in an airtight holder; something made of glass or ceramic is probably best to prevent moisture from seeping into the container.  Of course, if you use coffee pods (like this), then you don’t have to worry about storage.

Coffee has been controversial for a long time. Some claims there are risks involved with drinking too much coffee, and some claims that there are tremendous health benefits with drinking coffee. Fact is, up until now, experts are still inconclusive about whether coffee is good or bad for us.

So let’s talk about the health risks first.

When you drink coffee, tea, or soda, anything that contains caffeine. Since Caffeine is really a stimulant, every person will react differently.

For some people, it will make them jittery, irritable, or even confused.

More than likely it will just make it more difficult for you to get to sleep. Caffeine’s impact on the brain is generally to make you feel more awake and alert.  Too much coffee can lead to faster heart rate and higher blood pressure.

Having too much caffeine usually means 600 milligrams or more, will leave you tired and unfocused.

According to the National Institutes of Health, symptoms of excessive caffeine include nausea, headaches, dizziness, restlessness, jitters and shakiness, making concentration difficult. Other side effects include increased urination, depression, anxiety and difficulty getting adequate, deep, continuous sleep. Caffeine can also be dehydrating, leading to increased fatigue in individuals who are not regular consumers.

On the other hand, coffee also has some good health benefits.

WebMD claims that drinking coffee may lower your risk of both gallstones and type2 diabetes. Coffee beans are high in antioxidants, which can help fight diseases and reduce inflammation.

Some research also claimed that coffee is good for:

• Protection against neurodegenerative diseases
• Improved heart health
• Cancer protection
• Diabetes protection
• Ability to fight depression
• Increased energy and concentration
• Better physical performance
• Improved asthma control
• Lower risk of select gastrointestinal diseases

Our recommendations? As always, take it in moderation.

Coffee may be high in antioxidants, but it is better to get antioxidants from fruits and vegetables without the potential health risks.

So what is considered moderation? As a general rule, for healthy adults, moderate means about 500 milligrams of caffeine per day, which is about five cups of home-brewed regular coffee or a little more than one Grande Starbucks coffee which has about 330 milligrams.

For pregnant women, the amount is less — around 200 milligrams daily or less or none at all. In a recent study, coffee consumption among pregnant women was associated with preterm birth, low birth weight and pregnancy weight. Women who are also prone to fractures increase their risk.

There are other concerns that you need to think about as well. Coffee is known to be one of the most contaminated crops worldwide, so make sure to buy and drink organic coffee whenever possible.

Conventionally grown coffee is heavily sprayed with pesticides, chemicals and combined with solvents.

If you are prone to anxiety, sleep-related problems or insomnia or heart problems and palpitations, you may need to stay away from coffee.

You will have to listen to your body to see how much coffee is best for you. Even if caffeine does not make you feel jittery and anxious, caffeine is still a substance that can alter both mood and physiology. It has the ability to impact hormones, neurotransmitter functions, nerve signaling and muscles, especially if you have existing health conditions such as anxiety, heart problems or diabetes.

Well, time for our Coffee,

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 Until next time, love what you live, and live what you love.

Sources:

1. https://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/rm-quiz-coffee?ecd=wnl_spr_071618&ctr=wnl-spr-071618_nsl-ld-stry_1&mb=q8Pu0pK%40%2fHZxtqMqfU0qyXtVE%2f8Uv6vKEBh1LnKQ1sY%3d
2. https://draxe.com/coffee-nutrition-facts/
3. http://healthyeating.sfgate.com/well-coffee-work-keep-awake-10981.html