Only some coffee causes acid

The researchers claim to have pinpointed which substances irritate the gut, and say their research will allow more people to enjoy the health benefits of coffee. Researcher Veronika Somoza of the University of Vienna said that there was no single, key irritant that gave people coffee sensitivity.

She said that, instead, a mixture of various substances caused heartburn and stomach acid. Caffeine, catechols, and N-alkanoly-5-hydroxtryptamines were among the culprit compounds found in coffee. The research explains why millions of people claim they cannot drink as much coffee as they would like.

Somoza said that previous studies had not verified the stomach irritating potential of coffee or its components, and that 'stomach friendly' brands relied on processing raw coffee beans with steam or solvents that reduced the healthfulness of the drink. Coffee has been shown to reduce the risk of heart disease and diabetes. For the study, the scientists used cultures of human cells to examine the effect of different types of coffee.

They said that dark-roasted coffees were actually easier on the stomach than other brews, and that espresso and French roast both contained substances such as N-methylpyridium (NMP) that reduced the production of stomach acid. Significant amounts of NMP were only found in dark roasted coffee, however, because it was produced during the roasting process.

Somoza said that people who cannot drink coffee in the morning would soon be able to opt for a stomach friendly coffee with a high NMP content. Her research team is currently focusing on what makes NMP production possible, in order to find an optimal way of roasting the beans, and hopes to begin testing its brews later this year.

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More research points to Coffee’s health benefits

As reported by the Boston Globe and summarized by UPI on Monday, studies continue to link coffee to lower rates of diabetes, liver cancer, cirrhosis and Parkinson’s disease. From UPI: CAMBRIDGE, Mass., May 11 (UPI) — Drinking coffee may be good for your health, U.S. researchers say.

Researchers say a cup of java might protect against diabetes, liver cancer, cirrhosis and Parkinson’s disease, The Boston Globe reported Monday. “Coffee was seen as very unhealthy,” said Rob van Dam, a coffee researcher and epidemiologist at the Harvard School of Public Health. “Now we have a more balanced view. We’re not telling people to drink it for health. But it is a good beverage choice.”

Terry Graham, chair of Human Health and Nutritional Sciences at the University of Guelph in Canada noted that coffee and caffeine are not the same thing. “Coffee is a complex beverage with hundreds, if not thousands, of bioactive ingredients,” he said. “A cup of coffee is 2 percent caffeine, 98 percent other stuff.”

The newspaper said 20 studies worldwide show that coffee, both regular and decaf, lowers the risk for Type 2 diabetes by as much as 50 percent. Researchers say that is probably because chlorogenic acid, one of the many ingredients in coffee, slows uptake of sugar from the intestines.

As for heart disease and stroke, a study published in March in the journal Circulation looked at data on more than 83,000 women over age 24. The research showed that those who drank two to three cups of coffee a day had a 19 percent lower risk of stroke than those who drank almost no coffee.A Finish study said the same about men drinking coffee.

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Brew two different types of coffee at once

Decisions can be difficult in the morning. Waking up requires a whole checklist of things to go through. Luckily (hopefully), as this is a daily practice, our checklist becomes routine, and we go through it on autopilot.

Until we hit the coffeemaker and we are faced with our first true decision of the day: what type of coffee to make? Since mornings aren't necessarily.

The best time to be considering questions of utmost importance, perhaps it's best to play it safe and make two different types.

Covering one's bases in the morning is all fine and good, but this Hamilton Beach Stay Or Go Coffeemaker Split Basket Brewer has a more realistic and practical use on everyday life.

Households no longer have to decide on one particular type of coffee, because with the dual basket design, this coffeemaker brews two.

However, for those suffering from indecision in the morning, the dual brewing system is a lifesaver. (Or at least a convenient way to make it through the first obstacle of the day.)

With the choice of brewing directly into two travel mugs or into one thermal carafe, the countertop appliance is perfectly suited for weekday or weekend use. Anything that streamlines the decision-making process during the workweek is of course desirable, but decision-free weekends are really where it's at. The Hamilton Beach Stay Or Go Coffeemaker Split Basket Brewer will be available June 2010.

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Coffee Health Benefits On The Human Body

At the same time it was being extolled as healthy, another paper declared it caused men to be impotent.

Then, as now, there were certainly differing opinions about it. This controversy continued into present day. Now, however.

There are quantitative ways of measuring the efficacy of health claims as well as the accuracy of negative claims.

Several years ago, California research conducted by Takayuki Shibamoto, a professor of environmental toxicology, found that freshly brewed coffee contains potent antioxidants equal to the amount found in three oranges. And you know how good oranges are for you.

The antioxidant in coffee is called methylpyridinium. Oddly enough, this tongue-twister chemical isn't found in large amounts in other foods. Even odder, it's not in the raw coffee bean. It's created during the roasting process from the trigonelline that is present in raw coffee beans.

Antioxidants are all the rage now because of the research that suggests they may prevent cancers and a host of other diseases. Antioxidants are being added to everything from sports drinks to cosmetics.

How fitting that an ancient fruit like coffee "cherries" or beans, as they are now called, has withstood the test of time.Recorded Coffee Health Benefit

There's a great deal of recorded research to show that coffee has many benefits. Moderate coffee use is associated with reduced risk of:

* Alzheimer's Disease
* Parkinson's Disease
* Gallstones
* Diabetes mellitus
* Cirrhosis of the liver
* A form of liver cancer
* Gout in men over 40

As if that wasn't enough, coffee has been found to also improve cognitive performance. So your belief that your morning cup of coffee jump starts your brain and your afternoon cup of coffee picks you up may actually have scientific foundation.

Coffee also enhances the performance of simple pain relievers like aspirin. Just about everyone knows that if you drink a cup of coffee after taking an aspirin with, of course, a glass of water, that the caffeine makes the aspirin work "better." That's why so many over the counter pain relievers are actually compounds with caffeine added.

Suddenly, research is being conducted on everything from using coffee as a colon cleanser to prevention of dental caries and plaque.Exercise and Coffee

The most startling research to date was the announcement in July 2007 that researchers have discovered that a combination of exercise and caffeine increased the destruction of precancerous cells created by ultraviolet-B radiation damage, that's skin cancer for us non-scientists. The study, done in mice, will have to be replicated in humans, but this excited the cancer research community greatly. If this pans out, you may see coffee bars moving into gyms!

Of course, overuse of coffee, and its caffeine, may cause "jitters" or sleeplessness. Most doctors advise no caffeine during pregnancy whether that's coffee or colas or tea. Pregnant women don't need stimulants of any kind, not just the mild one found in coffee.

The big health risk some associate with coffee is coronary artery disease, but these studies seem to have conflicting results with some showing beneficial effects and some showing detrimental effects.

More recent studies seem to suggest that the method of brewing the coffee has much to do with whether one gets a benefit or a detriment. Boiling the coffee, which is what percolators do, seems to increase a substance called cafestol. This seems to be the culprit in increasing cholesterol levels, more so in women than men, which rises with heavy coffee use. So the way you brew your coffee is a primary factor in whether it may be good or bad for you.

All in all, as a coffee lover, you can take a cup of comfort by knowing that moderate coffee drinking, properly brewed, does seem to have more benefits than drawbacks.

A cup of comfort and a cup of coffee. What a great combination.

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Steaming cup of morning coffee helps you stay fit

A steaming hot cup of coffee in the morning can actually do wonders for your health. And now two new studies have provided more support to the drink’s benefits. Touted as “the devil’s brew,” coffee contains several nutrients (eg. calcium) as well as hundreds of potentially biologically active compounds (eg. polyphenols) that may promote health. For instance, observational studies have suggested a beneficial link between coffee consumption and type 2 diabetes. Two studies have lent additional information concerning the potential health benefits of coffee.

These studies provide additional support for the emerging health benefits of coffee. Rigorous clinical intervention trials will be needed to understand more fully the biological mechanisms. The studies by Kempf and Sartorelli “add to a growing literature suggesting that my steaming cup of morning coffee might help me stay healthy,” said ASN Spokesperson Dr. Shelley McGuire.

“I’m a research scientist, but I still trust that foods and beverages which have been part of our culture for generations are probably good for us, or at least they’re probably not bad for us in moderation! Of particular interest is the well-controlled clinical trial that suggests coffee can lower chronic inflammation and even raise our ‘good’ cholesterol. I for one will enjoy my coffee even more in the weeks to come,” she added. The studies have been published in the April 2010 issue of The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition report.

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Scientists say 11am is perfect time for coffee break

If you are among those who desperately need a midmorning coffee break, then go for it at 11 a.m., as scientists claim a formula they have devised proves that 'elevenses' is the best time to drink your brew.

The Oxford University research also shows that a tasty Americano is not the only requirement -- lights, music, aroma and good company need to be added to the mix.

The experts developed the formula (M = 0.5 x F + (0.5 x E + 0.3 x P + 0.15 x C + 0.05 x T) by combining various factors such as great flavour (F) with the perfect environment (E),

The container it comes in (P), who you drink coffee with (C) and the time of day you enjoy your coffee break (T) to create the most enjoyable coffee moment (M)

After applying this formula, the scientists found 11 a.m. is the best time to have a coffee bream, in a well-lit room with friends and nice music in the background, the 'Daily Mail' reported.

Prof Charles Spence, from the Department of Experimental Psychology at Oxford University, who led the research, said: "The formula describes how to create the perfect coffee moment at home or at work. We have known for some time that our taste buds are a vital part of the taste experience."However, we can now pinpoint the exact sensory conditions required to enjoy coffee, or any other food and drink." According to the researchers, 11 a.m. is the best time to have a coffee break as this is the time when the average person's palate is at the height of its powers.

They also suggested for soothing background music at the venue which should be a well-lit room or outside in the sun. About the aroma, they said it should be strong as 80 per cent of the flavour of food or drink comes from the nose and not the tongue.So far as the company is concerned, they reasoned that the anticipation of meeting up with friends increases your enjoyment and the sensation of a warm drink makes your brain see the people around you in a more favourable light.

Spence's formula, published in a report called 'Changing Tastes', highlighted how external, environmental influences also affect our brain's interpretation of taste and enjoyment of food and drink.Kevin Gould, a British food futurologist said: "Prof Spence's research report proves the importance of all the senses in the enjoyment of food and drink."Aroma is a vital ingredient to make the most of your coffee break."

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Organic Coffee Caffeine Effects And Skin Cancers

Coffee, or, better put, caffeine, could become a new weapon in the fight against skin cancer. Dr. Conney, Professor of Pharmacology at the University of New Jersey.

And his team conducted clinical trials using a caffeinated lotion on mice.They exposed 90 hairless mice to high dosage of UV rays twice a day, for 20 days.

Then the mice were divided into three groups. One group was treated with caffeine solution, second one was treated with epigallocatechin gallate or EGCG solution extracted from green tea, and a third group wasn’t treated at all.

With large dose of UV rays all mice suffered skin cancer. Treatment with caffeine reduced cancerous tumors by 72% and non cancerous tumors by 44%. Treatment with EGCG reduced cancerous tumors by 66%.

Unlike sunscreen of SPF, which protect the skin by absorbing UV rays, caffeine acts directly on cells. Apparently caffeine is capable of blocking the genetic changes in cells, and it seems that caffeine acts selectively, only to diseased cells. If clinical trials confirm this discovery we can freely say that a new method for skin cancer prevention is discovered.

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Stumping for Stumptown

Time magazine is wondering if Stumptown is the new Starbucks this week in its piece, "Is Stumptown the New Starbucks or Better?". Glad they finally caught up, since we essentially started that conversation last summer when we published a piece by Ethan Epstein titled "Totally Stumped" about the Portland mini-chain's invasion into.

New York and how the coffee messiah, Duane Sorenson, was stumping for his coffee beans with unbridled zeal. Coffee blog TheShot pointed out the similarities before we could get to it and also rails on writer Josh Ozersky for couching the entire coffee development as coffee's "third wave."

Ozersky says these evangelists of third wave coffee "tend to be male, heavily bearded, zealous and meticulous in what they do." Sounds like the same thing with craft beer guys or just about every other person we see sitting on the L train. But at least he was creative in not using the dreaded h-word.

We've been staking out Stumptown for a while now, especially since it's conveniently located in the Ace Hotel a couple blocks from our offices in the Nomad area. While the costumes the baristas wear are quaint, it's a little annoying having to wait in line for that perfect cup while a lot of super-cool types are milling about in the lobby or
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Related to:nypressnew yorkethanepsteinstumptownace hotelsorensoncoffeenymagtime barking their way into The Breslin. Sorenson also seems to hang out there quite a bit, and we don't want him to pop us in the mouth for questioning his dominance when it comes to roast.

I'm not really the fighting type and definitely wouldn't get into a scrap over a cup of coffee (or even an entire bag of beans). I tried to rile things up by talking to the folks who opened Birch just a couple of blocks over by the Museum of Sex. But they were also having none of it, they seem to be cut from the same Portland cloth (which happens to come in various pleasing plaids).

We saw Josh Ozersky the other day near our office and thought maybe he was on his way to check out the Schnitzel & Things truck that was parked nearby. But now realize he must have just absconded from Stumptown and was therefore sheepish about answering our questions regarding what he was up to. Aha, meeting us face-to-face when working on a Stumptown story must have been a delicate situation indeed.

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