“HAVE A CUPPA”

AN INSIGHT ABOUT BEANS…………….

Wake up and smell the coffee! December 7, 2008

Filed under: Uncategorized — Nimesh @ 9:53 pm

clip_image0011“Just the smell of coffee could be enough to wake us up in the morning”, reported The Daily Telegraph today. The newspaper explained that in a study on thirty sleep-deprived rats, brain activity – measured by levels of “messenger molecules” – was boosted in those which had smelt roasted coffee beans compared to those that had not. According to the report, the researchers suggest that this study could lead to factory owners pumping the smell of coffee into their building to revive flagging workers.

The Daily Telegraph’s report is based on a small experimental animal study. The study forms the basis for further research, but the implications for humans are unclear at this stage. The researchers offered a possible explanation as to why people feel bad when they have not had enough sleep, but they also acknowledge that further work needs to be done in testing whether the same genes are suppressed in sleep-deprived humans, testing whether this suppression leads to feeling tired, and identifying the active ingredient in coffee.

Article Source:- http://www.nhs.uk/news/2008/06June/Pages/Wakeupandsmellthecoffee.aspx

 

Coffee Breaks – Do They Create Stress?

Filed under: Uncategorized — Nimesh @ 9:34 pm

The American custom of taking break during the working hours. Thus Coffee breaks began in the early 20th century. At the end of the 19th century, the American workplace was a dreadful place for a break.

But as the century turned, social reform was gaining steam. Companies and factories installed in-house lunchrooms, and Coffee breaks became part of the reform.

In 1952, the term “coffee break” was coined by a Pan-American Coffee Bureau ad campaign that read, “Give yourself a Coffee-Break — and Get What Coffee Gives to You.”

Many people take a Coffee break while at work, believing that this will ease their stress. Research has been conflicting on the effects of caffeine; some studies suggest that it can worsen anxiety and trigger stress, while others show it boosts confidence and alertness.

So this raises the question: do the classic American Coffee breaks hurt more than help?

The study found that caffeine is particularly unhelpful to men and can disrupt their emotions and hamper their ability to perform certain tasks.

This latest report, released by the UK’s Economic and Social Research Council, also suggests that caffeine makes people less co-operative when working in teams.

The researchers began their work after they heard a story during a stress workshop. A man described how he and a group of co-workers went on a Business trip to the United States.

In the United Kingdom, coffee isn’t readily available in the workplace. However, in the United States, Coffee was freely available and the team drank indulgently. Soon, they noticed that their stress levels had risen.

They felt that the extra caffeine had disrupted their team cohesiveness and affected their ability to work together.

The team from Bristol University tested caffeine’s effects on 32 coffee drinkers. The subjects were that they would be given one of three drinks; a caffeinated coffee that would enhance their performance, a caffeinated coffee that would make them feel stressed, or decaffeinated Coffee.

This, however, wasn’t completely true. Half of the drinks contained 200 mg of caffeine and the other half contained none. The subjects were then asked to perform two stressful tasks.

The results of the tasks? Men did significantly worse than women in coping with the caffeine from the coffee. Those that had been told that their Coffee contained the performance-enhancing caffeine had higher heart rates and showed more stress, especially during a Public Speaking task.

The caffeine, however, did not affect the men when it came to mathematical tasks. When the subjects performed a “desert survival task” in teams, taking coffee breaks did reduce stress, especially in men, but drinking Coffee seemed to reduce teamwork.

Article Source:-http://www.en8848.com.cn/Article/Life/Coffee/35665_2.html

 

People Try Everything to Get Perfect Hot Coffee November 30, 2008

Filed under: Uncategorized — Nimesh @ 2:02 pm

have-another5Coffee! This popular beverage is available in numerous flavors and fashions. Coffee is made by saturating ground-up dried beans in piping hot water. In spite of the Herculean efforts by countless companies for many drinks of diverse temperatures, hot coffee remains the number one choice of most drinkers for all main meal times during the day, and while driving in their vehicle. This hot beverage appears to be the most popular beverage in the world. Some folks take some amazing steps to make certain that their beverage is just right. Given the excitement over iced coffee, the majority of coffee lovers demand hot coffee. Surprisingly there are a few menus where chilled mugs with iced coffee have made a restaurant showing.

However, the overall population of coffee lovers drinks it at 160-degrees. There are numerous products on the market, which enable you to coax the best flavor out of coffee grounds. People try everything to get perfect hot coffee, from buying home roasters and graters to complex systems.

Many enthusiasts insist that the degree temperature of the coffee must just reach boiling point is at 212 degrees F. At this point, the water will soak the grounds over a specified time. This will bring the coffee to optimal flavor. For some others, the actual creation of the coffee matters more than the actual imbibing of the beverage. A few of these aficionados prefer to change the flavor of the coffee with whitener and sweetener. To them how the coffee tastes from the pot is irrelevant.

There are companies out there inventing an auto-stirring unit for your hot beverage. This will help those of you who especially require the addition of extra condiments such as cream or sugar. If you Google the words ‘coffee cup stir’ on the Internet you’ll find many units being described and offered for sale, some from big name manufacturers.

Danger Lurks In a Cup of Hot Beverage Some people have discovered difficult lessons regarding the dangers of steaming coffee. It is true that the liquid is likely not boiling as they try to drink it, yet the temperature may be hot enough to hurt your lips or skin. Don’t try to swallow the hot coffee, because it’s still very hot.

Numerous folks certainly appreciate the taste of a hot coffee but will (for some reason) drop in an ice cube to bring the temperature down to palatable feel taking a drink. Countless others favor letting their hot beverage cool physically as they gently sip.

Reducing the hotness of the coffee in the cup is the most certain way to be able to gently drink the hot beverage. This can be done by letting it sit. Cups or mugs with wider mouths chill it faster due to a great exposed to air. Mugs with narrower mouths take longer to chill the coffee for the opposite reason.


Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Charles_Etungen

 

Is Coffee Healthy? November 10, 2008

Filed under: Uncategorized — Nimesh @ 9:49 am

coffee-lover1Coffee shops are one of the fastest growing businesses. Leading the high demand for coffee is the United States with 400 million cups of coffee consumed by Americans per day. 14 billion coffee espressos are consumed in Italy each year. So, there is no doubt that coffee is popular, but, is coffee healthy?

Well, while reading the literature below, there does not seem to be a clear cut answer to that question. So, we’ll address the good and the bad. First, there are some potential health concerns for coffee drinkers. On the flip side, if used in moderation or in certain circumstances, coffee can have health benefits. So, let’s find out about these concerns and benefits.

Health Problems Related to Coffee and Caffeine

The caffeine in coffee is a nervous system stimulant, which causes body to produce adrenaline. Adrenaline is the hormone that regulates heart rate, blood pressure and respiration. It is the adrenaline rush from caffeine that gives coffee drinkers the extra “go” to keep up with the heavy demands of their busy lifestyles. Becoming dependant on this adrenaline rush is part of what makes coffee and caffeine addictive. Adrenal Fatigue can result from over-consumption of coffee. This is when your adrenal glands become exhausted from over-stimulation. Our adrenals are necessary for producing hormones, which directly influences the operation of other body systems. If the adrenals become depleted and can no longer keep up with the energy demands, than our health may suffer and which makes our body like a car without fuel or a car that has just gone head on into a rock wall.

Coffee is very acidic with over 200 different acids including uric acid from the breakdown of caffeine. Many health problems such as arthritis arise in the body when it is acidic.

Mineral deficiency can arise from the over-consumption of coffee. Some nutrients are blocked from absorption and excessively secreted through urination with the consumption of coffee. Necessary minerals for the body such as magnesium, calcium, potassium, iron and other trace minerals are at risk of depletion for those who drink coffee.

Health Symptoms that Can Arise from Over-Consumption of Coffee and Caffeine

  • Fatigue
  • Anxiety, nervousness, irritability
  • Irritable bowel syndrome, colitis, diarrhea and other digestive ailments
  • Yeast overgrowth, candidiasis
  • Hypoglycemia, diabetes
  • Dizziness
  • Gout
  • Heart palpitations or other heart disorders
  • High blood pressure
  • High cholesterol
  • Insomnia
  • Heartburn
  • Liver and gallbladder problems
  • Bladder and kidney disorders
  • Headaches or migraines
  • Ulcers, stomach problems
  • Osteoporosis
  • Hormone imbalance
  • Severe menopause symptoms
  • Skin eruptions, rashes, acne, eczema
  • Urinary tract infections
  • Weight gain
  • Fibrocystic breast disease
  • Infertility
  • Miscarriage
  • Low baby birth weight
  • Enlarged prostate
  • Arthritis
  • Fibromyalgia
  • Memory lapse
  • Moodiness
  • Lack of concentration

Okay now let’s see the other side of drinking coffee. What if there are any benefits?

If coffee and caffeine consumption is kept to a minimum and not abused, there are some potential health benefits. Some studies suggest that many people can safely drink one to two cups of coffee per day.

Potential Health Benefits of Drinking Coffee

  1. In some studies caffeine has shown to improve focus and memory.
  2. Coffee and caffeine has been documented to assist athletes in performance and overcoming fatigue.
  3. Coffee consumption helps regulate bowel function.
  4. Coffee contains antioxidants, which are highly beneficial to our body for fighting free radicals.
  5. In some studies, coffee has shown promise in lowering the risk of Parkinson’s disease.

Ultimately, whether coffee is healthy or not comes down to your own personal body and how sensitive or not you are to its affects.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kelly_Hoffman

 

Coffee – Good For Your Health?

Filed under: Uncategorized — Nimesh @ 6:23 am

Black as the devil, hot as hell, pure as an angel, sweet as love. That’s the recipe for coffee, according to the utterly French statesman Talleyrand (1754-1838).

Coffee is harmless in moderation, but as with most things, excessive consumption can be damaging to your health. From the health point of view, it is the caffeine content of coffee that attracts the most interest. Caffeine is a mild stimulant, and gives you that “pick me up” that many coffee drinkers yearn for. For most of us a cup of coffee is just to give us a mild lift in our spirits to keep us on the go through our day. For some of us, coffee plays a larger role in their work. Knowledge workers often claim their thought processes are improved and they can work more effectively and faster when well fuelled by endless cups of coffee, especially when working through the hours they might normally expect to be sleeping. Those who drink a lot of coffee can become over-stimulated, and unable to sleep. Taken to excess, they can even start to experience minor mood changes and physical effects like mild tremors. Caffeine is known to be mildly addictive, but appears to vary between individuals. There is more to coffee than its stimulant effect from the caffeine. It has complex and interesting flavors that many coffee drinkers enjoy. If you choose to add too much cream and sugar to your coffee you may not be acting in your body’s best interests, especially if you take several cups a day. In this case, to blame your coffee for those added pounds is a little likes shooting the messenger for bringing bad news. Coffee appears to have beneficial effects lowering the risk of Parkinson’s disease and colon cancer. Research also suggests coffee reduces your chances of getting asthma, type 2 diabetes, gallstones and cirrhosis of the liver.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Van_Whitsett