NUTRITION FEATURE
Know Your Joe
An insider's look at this age-decreasing, endurance-enhancing, diabetes-killing, memory-boosting, cell-protecting powerhouse
By Matt Bean; Photography by Melissa Punch
Coffee is the world's most popular fix. And yet it's hard to know what to make of the mixed messages about its effects on our health. We want to set the record straight: Coffee, down to its deep, dark, caffeine-filled soul, is good for you. And that's good, because four out of five American adults drink the heady brew.
"Coffee is one of the most heavily researched products in the world today," says Roger Cook, director of the Coffee Science Information Center in the US. "And the vast majority of this research clearly shows that drinking coffee can be quite beneficial to your health." Of course he'd say that. But the research backs it up. That morning cup can help decrease your risk of Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, and type-2 diabetes. But there's a difference between a healthy love and a dubious addiction. Pour yourself a second cup and read on.
THE BEAN
Out of the nearly 100 different varieties of coffee beans, only two make their way to the cup. Arabica, known for its deep, complex flavor, accounts for about 75 percent of the beans sold throughout the world. Robusta, a cheaper bean usually considered a filler, is often found lurking in the canisters you buy in the supermarket.
THE REGION
All good coffee is grown between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn, where the climate is ideal for producing rich, full-flavored beans. Each of the three major coffee-growing regions produces a distinct flavor. Known for their lighter coffees, the Americas produce more joe than any other region. "Latin American coffee's crisp, bright acidity comes as a direct result of its climate and the volcanic soils the beans grow in," says Andy Fouché, a certified coffee specialist with Starbucks Coffee in the US. Africa/Arabia, the region where coffee was born 1,200 years ago, produces a smoother, less acidic cup than the Americas. The Asia/Pacific region produces the boldest of coffees, often with a heavy, earthy taste.
THE BREW
Even the most carefully roasted beans can be ruined by sloppy brewing. Start by buying your coffee fresh in small batches every two weeks. Skip the preground stuff and the oversize supermarket grinder and buy your beans whole instead; grinding them just before you brew will make the best cup. For a standard automatic-drip machine, use filtered water and 1-2 tablespoons of ground beans for every six ounces of brewed coffee. When it comes to storing your beans, keep them out of the freezer–it destroys the essential oils that make coffee delicious. Keep coffee in your cupboard in a dark, airtight container.
THE BENEFITS
Pure, black coffee is one of the world's most potent elixirs. "Generally, drinking 1-3 cups a day will increase your overall health," says Joe Vinson, PhD, a professor of chemistry at the University of Scranton, in Pennsylvania, who recently discovered that coffee is the number one source of antioxidants in the average person's diet. These antioxidants have been shown to possibly prevent certain types of cancer, including colorectal, and reduce the risk of developing alcoholic cirrhosis by 22 percent. Moreover, the neurological impact of caffeine has been shown to retard the aging process and enhance short-term-memory performance. But keep your coffee intake to four eight-ounce cups a day; after that, the benefits are outweighed by an increased risk of cardiovascular disease.
THE BUZZ
"Seventy percent of people's daily caffeine consumption comes from coffee," says Vinson. Caffeine content is determined by the type of bean and the way the beans are roasted and prepared. Arabica beans have about 1 percent caffeine, while Robusta beans have twice that (meaning that crappy cup from the gas station may have double the dosage). Roasting reduces the caffeine content–so stronger-tasting coffee doesn't necessarily mean more caffeine. Here's an eye-opener: According to American coffee company Illy Coffee, a shot of its espresso has 35 percent less caffeine than their brewed coffee.
Fifteen minutes after that first sip, your brain releases dopamine. Wakefulness peaks after half an hour.
» Health archive
Men's Health Philippines - April 2007 Issue
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Caffeine has been shown to retard the aging process and enhance short-term-memory performance.
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