February 26, 2009
Mangalore
As black as the devil,
As hot as hell,
As an Angel,
As Sweet as Love,
These words by Talley Rand (1812) describe coffee at its best.
Coffee as a natural beverage is consumed by both the young and the old. It acts as a companion to the senior citizens in times of stress and as a stimulant for the young and energetic. From its humble discovery centuries ago, coffee has today become quite an indispensable part of our lives. The morning cup of fresh coffee is sure to make one feel better, think better, work better and carry a positive attitude all day through. No wonder coffee is the world's most popular beverage, 400 billion cups consumed every year.
The word coffee, which first came to be used in the 1600s, comes from the Italian caffe. The term was introduced to Europe via the Ottoman Turkish kahveh which is in turn derived from the Arabic qahweh. Rev Edward Terry, chaplain to Sir Thomas Roe who was ambassador at the court of Emperor Jehangir, provides a detailed account of its usage (in 1616):
Many of the people there (in India), who are strict in their religion, drink no Wine at all; but they use a liquor more wholesome than pleasant, they call coffee; made by a black seed boiled in water, which turns it almost into the same colour, but doth very little alter the taste of the water: notwithstanding it is very good to help digestion, to quicken the spirits and to cleanse the blood.
Coffee and Health:
This article is specially written to help readers of Daijiworld understand the intrinsic value of coffee as a health beverage. Coffee contains over 300 naturally occurring base chemicals that act as powerful antioxidants. Worldwide research suggests that coffee consumption in moderation imparts numerous health benefits on the human immune system. Evidence also points out to the fact that coffee can avoid or cure or slowdown liver cirrhosis, liver cancer, heart diseases and degenerative brain disorders such as Parkinson’s disease. Coffee beans are known to contain thousands of compounds that exhibit a protective role in improving the human defense system and wards of danger… After all caffeine is a naturally occurring substance that has-been enjoyed by people from all walks of life.
Health Benefits of Coffee:
Coffee: A Great Antioxidant:
Antioxidants are naturally occurring chemical compounds which impart a high degree of immunity to the human immune system and it has been proved beyond doubt that this natural beverage coffee decreases the generation of toxic-free radicals, thereby protecting the human body from various diseases.
Free radicals are produced within the body with the help of oxygen during metabolism. Oxygen is essential for all living beings. Without it, no life is possible. However, oxygen is also involved in toxic chemical reactions within the human defense system and is a threat to our well-being. Oxidants or active oxygen components cause damage to most beneficial organs leading to heart, muscular and other diseases. The antioxidants in coffee help to prevent postpone or limit the severity of many degenerative diseases of ageing, including cardiovascular disease, cancer, cataract, the age-related decline in the immune system and degenerative diseases of the nervous system by scavenging the free radicals. People who drink coffee with cream, milk or sugar can be rest assured that the quantity of antioxidants remain the same when compared to black coffee.
Coffee Facts:
- Coffee is the world's most popular beverage. - 400 billion cups consumed every year
- Coffee is actually a fruit
- A single cup of coffee contains about 80-100 milligrams of caffeine (considered to be a healthy intake)
The caffeine content which acts an s a stimulant is largely responsible for the world wide popularity of Coffee
- Worldwide, 25 million small producers rely on coffee for a living
- One roasted pound of coffee consists of around 2000 handpicked Arabica coffee cherry, with 2 beans per cherry. In simpler terms, it takes 4000 beans to make a single pound of coffee
- A fully grown up coffee bush will produce only one pound of coffee per year (one growing season)
A Robusta coffee bean has almost twice the caffeine of Arabica coffee beans
- The country produces only 4 percent of the world's coffee, but exports 70-80 percent of its output
- The Japanese have been known to bathe in coffee grounds fermented in pineapple pulp, for reducing wrinkles and improving the skin
- In Italy, espresso is considered so essential to daily life, that until recently, the price was regulated by the Government
- Raw coffee beans, soaked in water and spices, are chewed like candy in parts of Africa
- Bach, the famous music composer wrote a coffee cantata in 1732
- The heavy tea tax imposed on the colonies in 1773, which caused the Boston Tea Party, resulted in America switching from tea to coffee
- In Greece and Turkey, the oldest person is almost always served coffee first
- In the ancient Arab world, a law was enacted allowing for the marital separation, if a husband refused to produce coffee for his wife
- Coffee was not immune to controversy during the early times, however. During the 13th to 17th centuries a person drinking coffee, or violating coffeehouse restrictions, in the Turkish Ottoman Empire (Turkey) could suffer punishment of severe beatings or even put to death
- When coffee made its way to Italy during the 17th century it was labeled an invention of Satan and condemned by many local clergy as the devil’s drink. This label was forever lifted when Pope Clement VII baptized the beverage saying coffee is so delicious, it would be a pity to let the infidels have exclusive use of it
- Large doses of coffee can be lethal. Ten grams or 100 cups over 4 hours can kill an average human being
The Perfect Cup
- Make sure that any equipment you are using is thoroughly cleaned. Leftover residue, oils and grounds will leave strange flavors in your brew. Ideally, you should clean your coffee maker thoroughly at least once a week with a mixture of water and vinegar to remove the oils
- Buy and start with fresh, quality coffee beans. No matter how good the coffee is, if it is stale it will be very flat
- 98% of a cup of coffee is water. Bad water means bad coffee. Use fresh, clear water to prepare your coffee
- Always grind your coffee, if possible, immediately before brewing. This will give a fresh taste and avoid bitter or stale flavours in the coffee
- Make sure that the grind of the coffee that you are using matches your method and taste
- Use the right amount of coffee. The most common mistake often made is that not using enough coffee, resulting in a thin cup that lacks depth of flavour, and does not have the distinctive qualities that help make each coffee unique. A good rule of thumb to make an excellent cup is two level tablespoons for each cup of coffee. For non-coffee drinkers this is strong, but everyone should start from this point, and then make adjustments to your taste
- Coffee should be brewed "just off the boil", between 195 to 200 degrees Fahrenheit (95-98°C). If the coffee is brewed with boiling water, delicate flavors will be lost. If the water is not hot enough you will not extract all of the flavours from the coffee, ending up with a thinner cup
- Warm your cup before pouring the coffee in; this keeps the coffee hot longer
- Before serving, stir the coffee. Heavier oils and inconsistent extraction will cause differences in the consistency of the coffee
- If you are making more than you intend to drink, store the coffee in a quality thermos. Leaving the brew in the coffee warmer will slowly destroy its flavours
- Drink your coffee freshly brewed. Never reheat coffee, or let it sit on a warmer for more than 20 minutes. At best, it will taste dull and stale; at worst, it will develop a bitter, acrid flavor
- Coffee beans are naturally sweet in flavour and that distinctive bitterness comes from extraction when hot water is added. As a general rule, the longer the coffee is brewed the more bitter the taste - as caffeine is extracted last of all. Prior to this there is an acidic flavour, which is why coffee made too quickly tastes thin and sour. It is advisable to drink the freshly brewed coffee within 15 minutes after brewing, during which time the active chemicals are retained
Conclusion:
Recently there has been an upsurge in the interest on antioxidant potential of coffee. Scientific studies on the physiological and the health effects of caffeine often use between 250 mg and 600 mg of caffeine as representative of people’s average daily caffeine consumption. This level of intake presents no adverse effects to the human system. From the health point of view, it is becoming increasingly clear that drinking a moderate amount of up to 5 cups a day has a number of health benefits. Many diseases are due to the involvement of free radicals in the human system. Drinking coffee in moderation is a sure way of protecting and preventing against various diseases. The Institute for Coffee Studies (Nashville, USA) has carried out research in identifying the fundamental mechanisms underpinning the health benefits of coffee. The implications of such research clearly demonstrate the potential for new medications from natural constituents of coffee.
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