Do you like coffee? Do you ever wonder about how the coffee affects you beyond the taste and aroma that you love? Want to know some actual facts?

First, it takes between 15 and 45 minutes until the caffeine reaches its highest level in your bloodstream. The quantity of caffeine that gets to the brain will determine how intense the effects will be on the body and will generally peak within 30 to 60 minutes of ingestion and last for as long as there is caffeine in the blood. On average this will be 3 to 4 hours for a non-smoking adult to get rid of half of the caffeine. However, in the case of a woman taking the pill, caffeine's half-life reaches 13 hours. For a pregnant woman, it is 20 hours and part of it secretes into the breast milk. For those who are breast feeding, it takes the baby 30 hours to get rid of half the caffeine.

Caffeine in your coffee does affects you in a positive way and a negative way. The positive ways include: Coffee is rich in antioxidants like chlorogenic acid and melanoidins. Antioxidants that help prevent oxidation; a process that causes damage to cells and contributes to aging.

Regular coffee drinking reduces the risk of Parkinson's disease. Two studies have demonstrated that people who drink coffee on a regular basis are significantly less likely to develop Parkinson's disease.

Coffee drinking has the potential to protect against the development of type 2 diabetes. One study found that moderate consumption of both caffeinated and decaffeinated coffee may lower the risk of type 2 diabetes in younger and middle aged women.

Coffee drinking may protect against liver cirrhosis, especially those with alcoholic cirrhosis. There is some evidence that coffee drinking may be protective against the formation of gallstones in both sexes.

Coffee consumption lowers the risk of kidney stones formation. Coffee increases the urine volume, preventing the crystallization of calcium oxalate, the most common component of kidney stones.

Once caffeine is absorbed, in small doses by a healthy person, it will have beneficial effects on the body, such as increased alertness and reduced fatigue. It can also reduce boredom of a lengthy, repetitive task requiring a sustained attention. Physically, the heart beat, respiration, gastro-enteric reflexes and stomach acid production are increased, and smooth muscles such as the bronchial muscle are relaxed. A cup of coffee can also increase information processing.

Regular coffee drinking may help to protect against Alzheimer's disease. A recent study in mice showed that caffeine in the amounts equivalent to 5 cups of coffee per day reduced the build up of destructive plaques in the brain.

Caffeine in coffee is related to theophylline, an old asthma medication. Caffeine can open airways and improve asthma symptoms.

Over 50 years ago caffeine was placed on the Food and Drug Administration's Multi-Purpose Food Substances list as "generally recognized as safe". Many people feel that the FDA caters to commercial entities rather than the American public.

Okay, sounds good, but lets see the negative ways.

Heart problems is somewhat controversial. Most prospective cohort studies haven't found that coffee consumption is associated with significantly increased risk of cardiovascular disease. A recent Greek study and one at John Hopkins Medical Institute provided evidence that heavy coffee drinkers (5 cups or more) are more likely to have coronary heart disease than non coffee drinkers. These tests did not take in other factors such as lifestyles, caffeine content or brewing methods.  

On the other hand, a lower risk of heart disease among moderate coffee drinkers who  drank only one or two cups per day might be due to antioxidants found in coffee.

Heavy consumption of boiled coffee elevates blood total and LDL (bad) cholesterol levels. Unfiltered coffee contains two cholesterol-raising compounds cafestol and kahweol. The affects of dripped filtered coffee has not been determined.

Coffee negatively affects the blood vessel tone and function to different degrees in individuals. Some show very little change while others show a greater change.

Coffee can cause rapid or irregular heartbeats (cardiac arrhythmias) in some people. You need to take a simple test to see if this affects you.

Although coffee drinking is not a significant risk factor for hypertension, it produces unfavorable effects on blood pressure and people prone to hypertension may be more susceptible. A recent Italian study found that coffee drinking can slightly increase the risk for development of sustained hypertension in people who already have elevated blood pressure.

Coffee intake may induce an extra urinary excretion of calcium. Heavy coffee consumption (600 ml or more) can modestly increase the risk of osteoporosis, especially in women with a low calcium intake.

A cup of coffee can trigger heartburn. Again, this depends on the health of the individual and there sensibility to acidity.

Most are aware of the stimulatory effects of caffeine. High amounts of caffeine taken before going to sleep can cause difficulty in falling asleep, tendency to be awakened more readily by sudden noises, and a decreased quality of sleep. However, some people can drink coffee and fall right asleep.

The caffeine in coffee is a mild diuretic and can increase urine excretion. This effect may be easily neutralized by drinking an extra glass of water. When you drink an extra glass of water you are also hydrating of your body, especially in hot weather.

Although generally recognized as safe by the FDA, caffeine is still a drug, a mild central nervous system stimulant, and it produces dependence. Caffeine withdrawal is a real syndrome. You may get a few days of headache and irritability if you choose to quit drinking coffee, however, it is relatively easy to break this habit, and most people are not addicted to caffeine. Caffeine addiction is usually seen in those who drink more than a moderate amount of coffee.

In the final diagnosis, each individual has to be aware of what there body tolerates and what it does not tolerant. Women need to be more careful when they are pregnant or nursing infants, but we should all be careful to respect the possible negative affects of the caffeine in our coffee.

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“Ever wondered why it’s so hard to walk with a cup of coffee without spilling?” writes Natalie Wolchover for Life’s Little Mysteries. “It just so happens that the human stride has almost exactly the right frequency to drive the natural oscillations of coffee, when the fluid is in a typically sized coffee mug. New research shows that the properties of mugs, legs and liquid conspire to cause spills, most often at some point between your seventh and tenth step. So says a pair of fluid physicists at the University of California at Santa Barbara.” Their advice:

– To avoid driving the oscillations that lead to a spillage, walk slowly.

– Watch your cup, not your feet. The researchers found that when study participants focused on their cups, the average number of steps they took before spilling increased greatly.

Choking on high stakes

“When there are high financial incentives to succeed, people can become so afraid of losing their potentially big payoff that their performance suffers,” reports Psych Central. “It is an unexpected conclusion, said researchers at the California Institute of Technology, who suggests that the prevailing notion is that the more people are paid, the harder they will work. But after looking at brain scans of volunteers performing a specific motor task, the researchers report as people become worried about losing a potential prize, their performance suffers. And the more someone is afraid of loss, the worse they perform, said Vikram Chib, PhD, a postdoctoral scholar and lead author of the study.”

Highway attractions

“Service areas on [Japanese] expressways not only serve as gas stations or resting places for drivers, but are becoming hot-spot destinations in their own right,” The Yomiuri Shimbun reports. “Travelers can shop, dine and listen to live performances while taking a break from the road. They can even bring their dog to play in an open space. … Popular and exclusive services near highways even attract visitors who don’t drive. Bus tours are organized for people without cars who want to visit the service areas.”

Are we hit by dark matter?

“The average human body gets hit by a particle of dark matter about once a minute, according to new calculations based on several dark matter detection efforts,” says National Geographic News. “Dark matter is an invisible form of material that’s thought to exist because scientists have observed its apparent gravitational effects on galaxies and galaxy clusters. Scientists estimate that the mysterious substance makes up almost 80 per cent of the matter in the universe. So far, no one’s been able to pinpoint the particles that make up dark matter. But a leading candidate is a theoretical group known as Weakly Interacting Massive Particles, or WIMPs … they typically zip straight through most of the stuff in the universe, including people. But WIMPs of certain masses can collide with atomic nuclei on occasion – and it now appears such collisions might happen more often than previously thought. ‘Before we did this work, I thought a WIMP collided with one of your nuclei once in your lifetime,’ said Katherine Freese, a professor with the Michigan Center for Theoretical Physics at the University of Michigan. ‘Turns out it’s more likely to be one a minute.’”

Sensory overload at school

“Officials say a fire alarm that went off at a Connecticut high school was activated by a student’s ‘overabundance’ of body spray in a locker room,” The Associated Press reports. “Firefighters were called to Middletown (Conn.) High School shortly after 3 p.m. Thursday. Officials told The Middletown Press that the student used an excessive amount of the scented spray and created a cloud of mist right below a heat sensor, which tripped the fire alarm. … Officials deemed the call a ‘routine accidental.’”

Forecast? Limited visibility

“The number of U.S. satellites watching Earth is expected to plummet by 2020, and weather forecasting, including hurricane tracking, could suffer as a result, a new report warns,” says the Los Angeles Times. “The study, released [two weeks ago] by the nation’s top science advisors, estimated that the fleet of science satellites operated by NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration would ‘decline precipitously’ from a peak of 110 probes last year to fewer than 30 in 2020. The drop is a result of several factors, including budget problems and rocket accidents, and scientists said the United States risked blurring its vision of Earth if it did not act quickly to replace satellites expected to die during the next eight years.”

Thought du jour

“To change one’s life: 1. Start immediately. 2. Do it flamboyantly. 3. No exceptions.” – William James (1842-1910), American psychologist and philosopher

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You must be already aware of that coffee is one of the most loved drinks of worldwide. The increasing number of coffee lovers has resulted in a tremendous growth of coffee shops. People visit there to have their favourite coffee no matter how expensive it is!

People mostly drink coffee in order to stay alert during their work, especially when they are working on night shifts. Many students rely on coffee when they have to stay awake for their studies. But coffee is not just for staying awake and keeping one's self alert. People also enjoy drinking coffee in their leisure time and serve it to their guests and friends. But is it good to drink coffee so often? Yes, there is no harm in drinking coffee. Unless, you have a serious disease and the doctors has asked you to avoid it.

Many of us are unaware of the benefits of coffee. Coffee contributes towards the physical as well as the mental health of a person. Read below and find some interesting facts on how coffee effects on your body.

Drink Coffee – Evoke your alertness!
Do you often feel sleepy while doing your work at office or reading for examinations? If yes, then how about making a cup of coffee from Ne-cap Nespresso refill capsules? Mostly people are of the opinion that taking coffee can keep you awake. The more solid fact is that the coffee evokes your alertness. Taking just two cups of coffee through refillable coffee capsules can enlighten your mind so that you can work or study for more hours. The coffee is contains more caffeine contents as compare to tea or other beverages that's why it is favored more in comparison to the rest of all. Often people feel drowsy after a meal. To mitigate that drowsiness most of the health physicians prefer a cup of coffee soon after the meal. The energy level that a cup of coffee gives is not very abrupt. It takes time to affect but its long lasting unlike rest of the drinks. As a study report states that the affect of a cup of coffee begins after 30 minutes of its intake. When the 30 minutes are passed you will feel alert and active.

Does coffee affects women differently?
People around the world have misconception regarding its affects on the male and female. They consider that it affects the males in one way and the females in another. Although the physical structures of men and women are different but their physical needs are the same. The coffee affects both the genders alike. The Ne-cap Nespresso refill capsules that brew the delicious cups of coffee from the coffee maker make no distinctions for the drinks of men and women as the affect is same. The idea that most of the drinks are taken jointly by men and women is enough to clear the misconception that coffee affects men and women unalike. A research study says the effects of coffee stay alike and that everybody can drink coffee and take benefits from its rewards. Coffee can be made at home using the coffee capsules and one can enjoy drinking it along with the other members of the family as it treats all of them alike. So ladies, do not worry when you are offered a cup full of coffee when you visit anyone, enjoy as coffee is good for your health!

Is Coffee good for your Health?
Apart from the coffee lovers, there are some critics who always blame coffee for its adverse affects and reject this natural healthy blessing for nothing. They have the mindset that coffee is a caffeinated drink and should be avoided but in pursuit of their critical thinking they lose acquaintance with a healthy product of nature. The research report has considered it a most healthy drink amongst other fizzy and alcoholic drinks. The report states that the coffee contains antioxidants. Antioxidants are the agents that fight against the infections and help to speed up the process of oxidation by force. The coffee preserved in the refillable coffee capsules performs the same function and make the drinker healthier. The coffee sets the body free from those groups of atoms that have lost their own molecules and disturb other to lend them molecules. Apart from this coffee is also recommended for remedy of other severe diseases. So how about making quick coffee of your favourite flavor by using coffee capsules compatible Nespresso.

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For coffee traders, this year has been a tale of two beans. Since the start of the year, prices for arabica, the high-quality bean beloved of the espresso cognoscenti, have plummeted more than 20 per cent, while robusta, used mainly for instant coffee, has risen nearly 10 per cent.

Both markets weakened at the end of last year on expectations of good harvests: in Brazil for arabica, and in Vietnam for robusta. But this year Vietnamese farmers have held back their crop, refusing to sell. Added to that, strong demand for lower-quality beans has pushed up robusta prices, opening a price gap between the two beans that has attracted hot money. For financial commodities traders, placing a bearish bet on arabica and a bullish bet on robusta has been the trade of the year. “That’s absolutely where the money has been made,” says one leading European coffee trader.

For years the two coffee markets – arabica is traded on ICE in New York, and robusta on Liffe in London – had traditionally been dominated by specialist roasters such as Nestlé and trading houses including Louis Dreyfus Commodities. But hedge funds and computer-driven funds are now dipping in and out of the market, which some blame for higher volatility.

The slump in arabica is a far cry from last year, when prices hit a 34-year high in March amid a shortage caused by bad weather in Colombia, one of the leading producers of high-quality beans. Having hit $3.089 per pound over a year ago, prices are down more than 40 per cent to $1.82 per pound.

Brazil is the world’s largest coffee producer and the outlook for a large crop has prompted hedge funds and other speculators to bet on lower prices – or short positions. Hedge funds replaced their bullish bets, or long positions, on arabica for bearish bets after mid-January, when Brazilian producers started to forward sell their crop to lock in prices. Small production increases in minor arabica producers, including Honduras and Ethiopia, added to the supply worries, pushing the market into a technical spiral downwards.

“The sizeable long became a sizeable short,” says James Hearn, co-head of agricultural commodities at commodities brokers Marex Spectron. The robusta market in London, on the other hand, has been supported by rising demand in developing countries – particularly in robusta producers such as Mexico, where they now drink a large share of their harvest. Indonesians, in particular, have been big importers of Vietnamese coffee after domestic production fell by a third in 2011. In Europe, traders and analysts have noted the rise in robusta in coffee blends offered by coffee makers as the economic slump has depressed the value of ordinary consumers’ shopping baskets.

Robusta prices have been supported by Vietnamese farmers holding back on their record harvest and only selling when prices were above about 40,000 dong ($1.90) a pound. High inflation in Vietnam has meant that farmers would rather hold on to their beans than hold cash. “The Vietnamese farmers have been very disciplined sellers,” says Markus Brüschweiler, group buying director of United Coffee, the coffee trader and roaster, which supplies UK supermarkets including Tesco, as well as McDonald’s in various European countries.

Coffee traders add that a major trading house is holding a larger than usual position in the London market, controlling about 70 per cent of all stocks, further tightening the market for the lower-quality bean.
After hefty profits in the first quarter placing simultaneously bullish bets for robusta coffee and bearish bets for arabica beans, hedge funds are now a little more hesitant as the outlook for the two coffee markets starts to change.

The key is whether robusta prices will fall back, tracking the downward trend of the arabica bean. Keith Flury, analyst at Rabobank, one of the leading lenders to the agribusiness, believes that will be the case: “The harvest pressure will probably promote Vietnamese selling.”

But others see the low robusta stock levels as supportive. “The pipeline in Indonesia is completely bare and the local roasting industry will need to take their first harvests for themselves,” says one coffee trader.
In any case, the period of easy profits seems over. Hedge fund managers are likely to take a step back and just enjoy their espressos.

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The health effects of coffee have been debated for years.  The Vancouver Sun newspaper recently published an article about the health benefits of drinking coffee.  The article cites studies that say that heavy coffee drinkers are no more likely to develop heart disease than low consumers or those that do not drink coffee.  A benefit of drinking coffee is the fact that coffee drinkers may have a lower risk of developing Type 2 diabetes.  Finally, the article mentions that drinking coffee does not lead to an increased risk of cancer over a lifetime. So grab a cup of delicious Doi Chaang Coffee and celebrate the fact that coffee can be good for you.

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Green Coffee Bean Extract is an all new weight loss supplement recently featured on day time television and many other news channels and websites. It has been reported to actually help you lose weight and lower blood sugar.

One of America’s top medical professionals has been publicly speaking about the benefits of this new super-supplement, calling it a "miracle fat burner in a bottle"

A study performed by the University of Pennsylvania at Scranton showed remarkable results. Users were able to burn a high amount of fat based upon calories consumed. While the participants rarely exercised during the study, they still experienced unique weight loss results.

HOW IT WORKS:
Green coffee bean extract sends a message to the liver to stop the absorption of fat. From there it releases chlorogenic acid, a compound only found in green coffee beans. Chlorogenic acid is an all natural compound that has been medically proven to boost your metabolism.

As for those people wondering whether drinking coffee is a more practical or healthier option. Well, the process removes the chlorogenic acid, which is the main force behind pure green coffee beans.

WHERE TO FIND IT:
In response to the huge demand created, Green Coffee Pure has emerged as a one of the top formulas to provide consumers with a safe and affordable green coffee bean supplement.

Individuals who have experienced an effective way to shed body fat and boost their metabolism will determine the effectiveness. As more studies surface and new users begin to see results, it will be interesting to see if this turns out to be the next best weight loss supplement.

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Germany's largest coffee roaster Tchibo expects increased sales and stable earnings in 2012 after profits suffered from high coffee futures in 2011, its parent company Maxinvest said on Friday. Tchibo raised 2011 sales by 5 percent on the year to 3.539 billion euros, privately-owned Maxinvest said.

But Tchibo's 2011 net profit fell to 151 million euros from 221 million euros, partly because of poor profit margins on coffee. Tchibo had been compelled to raise coffee retail prices in early 2011 as New York arabica futures surged to 10-year-highs.

But arabica coffee futures hit 18-month lows this month, partly because of prospects of larger crops in top exporter Brazil. Tchibo said on April 16 it would cut retail prices for all its roast coffee brands because of the falling coffee futures.

Tchibo's sales figures include large volumes of non-food items ranging from pots and pans to clothing in its chain of coffee shops. "Tchibo expects sales for 2012 which are slightly over the year 2011," Maxinvest said.

"Because of the uncertainty in commodity markets and planned investments, earnings around the level of 2011 are expected." Tchibo has in the past blamed heavy speculative buying of commodities by financial investors as a major reason for high coffee futures.

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KOCHI: Indian robusta coffee prices are climbing on concerns of lower production. Though the Coffee Board estimate is 2.17 lakh tonne, marginally higher than previous year, growers feel that it could be below 2 lakh tonne.

As the harvest started, the growers expected about 5% drop in robusta production. But it now appears that the fall will be much higher. "The crop in Coorg was poor because of erratic rains. The current crop is coming after a bumper harvest last year, which is also a reason for poor production in the current season," said Marvin Rodrigues, chairman of Karnataka Planters' Association.

The production in Wayanad in Kerala is also reported to be down. The growers predict that total output is falling below 2 lakh tonne. Almost 70% of the total coffee production of 3.22 lakh tonne in India comprises robusta variety. The robusta cherry prices have moved up from Rs 2,400 per 50-kg bag to Rs 3,000 while robusta parchment prices have touched Rs 6,500 per 50-kg bag.

The coffee production in Wayanad varies from 40,000 tonne to 50,000 tonne. "But this time, it looks like the crop will dwindle to around 32,000 tonne. Normally after the harvest and sale, 50% will be left in the market. But this time, only 30% is remaining," the Wayanad Coffee Growers Association secretary Rajesh said.

According to him, the arrivals have thinned, which could be either because of a sharp drop in production or the growers may be holding the stock anticipating a price rise. The international prospects are not too bright for the exporters with arabica prices plunging because of good harvest in Brazil. The robusta prices are also expected to sink as Vietnam, the largest producer of the variety, is saddled with higher production.

After record exports last year, the inventory is depleted. The exporters may have to buy at a higher price from the market as momentum picks up in shipments. The Coffee Board had forecast a slight improvement in arabica production at 1.04 lakh tonne and the crop is close to that level. But the prices have sunk in tandem with the international prices. The arabica parchment prices have fallen to Rs 8,000 per 50-kg bag from a level of Rs 10,000.

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Whitbread posted a 13 per cent rise in annual profits yesterday, boosted by its booming Costa Coffee chain. Since the start of its new business year, Whitbread said both its budget hotels chain Premier Inn and its restaurants business including Beefeater Inns had seen sales grow at outlets open for more than a year while Costa Coffee had "continued its good momentum, both in the UK and internationally".

Andy Harrison, Whitbread's chief executive, said news that the country is officially in recession will not make much difference to the company. "The UK economy has been going sideways for a while now... whether up 0.2 [per cent] or down 0.2 [per cent] – for me that's flat," he said.

Its annual profits for the year to 31 March came in at £305m as its sales rose 11 per cent to £1.7bn. There has been continuing speculation that Whitbread will cash in on the success of Costa by spinning it off into a separate division or selling it to a private equity house. The company is planning to open 4,200 Premier Inn rooms in the UK this year and 350 Costas worldwide. Profits as its sales rose 11 per cent to £1.7bn. for the year to 1 March to £305m, as sales rose 11 per cent to £1.7bn.

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I drink coffee. But my coffee life is not as simple as it may sound.  My coffee life may be richer than you imagine.

I buy freshly-roasted, whole coffee beans at a local shop where I recklessly invest precious time discussing with the owner the virtues of the various beans: the distant land from whence they come, the soil of their upbringing, their method of cultivation, their roasting styles and their freshness. Thus I bring my beans home with great pride and thankfulness.

Each morning I wake early and while my family sleeps, I begin my day by preparing my coffee.  I delicately measure out a large handful of those lovingly chosen beans and place them into the holy crucible — my unique, ceramic, Japanese hand-grinder.   I then take several awareness-filled minutes to hand-grind those sacred beans.  The sound of the grinder fills those meditative minutes as the delicate beans slowly and gently become a rich, fine, brown, fragrant powder.  My labor of love yields a sensual aromatic earth which magically transforms my kitchen into an expensive, warm, cozy cafe.

Then my church bell, the teapot, rings out to call me to the next step of the holy ritual. The hissing pot also wakes my dogs who slumber into my cafe to join me as I gently place my hand-ground alchemy into the chalice — my French-press. The stove is turned off, the water allowed to cool to the perfect temperature and the communion transformation is initiated as the attentively prepared water is gently poured into the chalice. Now, time. Time for the effort of those who graciously planted, picked, bagged, transported, roasted and sold me the trees’ offerings to become the elixir of my life.

I won’t bore you with the details of how I actually drink my coffee (a story in itself) — for you are perhaps not sympathetic to my religion. Indeed some people tell me my religion is delusional.  They tell me that my experience is all in my head. They claim that their machine-ground, pre-packaged secular coffee tastes no different from mine — sacrilege! They have even challenged me to try a taste test, but I refuse. I would never give up the magic of my ritual. Even if somehow they momentarily tricked me into feeling their profane factory coffee is no different from my sacred brew, I know my life would lose deep flavor and meaning without my loving ritual. They can not understand — the taste is more than the components — it is the lived experience.

Conclusion: When we discuss religion with people, we often forget how the mind works and how people are served by their rituals and beliefs.  This morning I intended to read and write about the Ramayana, but this analogy came to mind during my morning ritual and the blogging muses demanded keyboard time from me.  I was unabashedly blatant about some of the parallels in the analogy but I left the rest for the reader to imagine.  Hope you enjoyed it.

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