The Impact of Global Warming on Coffee Plants and Beans
NaturalNews If you’ve taken notice to the sporadic ranges in coffee prices, it’s not because of greed amongst the growers. Read about the effects of global warming and how it is substantially impacting coffee crops around the world.
The effects of global warming are widespread, impacting not only our daily atmospheric breathing-related abilities and quality of life in general, but also a great majority of agricultural industries including coffee bean crops. Erratic forces of nature, e.g. too much rainfall, then extreme dry spells as a direct consequence of deforestation and pollution, can very often produce a severe impact of global warming on coffee plants and beans. And based on these ever-changing, sometimes extreme climate and temperature changes, many of the major tropical coffee crop regions of the world which include Central America, Brazil, Africa and India are experiencing irretrievable losses.
The Logistics of it All
A flourishing growth, hence triumphant harvesting of a coffee crop, depends greatly on not just rainfall in itself but more importantly, the timing and amount of it all. During the spring months of April and May, the plants need considerable rainfall to assist with the development of their flowering phase. But when the heavy rains come instead during the months prior to that stage, the coffee crop’s growth is stunted, thereby causing havoc on its entire developmental process. As the summer months of June and July approach, the plants need and thirst for yet further moisture. Then, as the seasons shift into the early autumn months of late August and September, coffee plants necessitate dryness so that the beans can harden and ripen. So a drought during this time frame is most beneficial. But when global warming steps in and the weather works in backward succession with the crop’s crucial necessities, creating heavy downpours when aridity is essential and vice versa, all that the farmers can do is stand by and watch as the fruits of their labor are destroyed.
Dollars and Cents
A Business Daily article published in November, 2007, states that coffee crop losses will not only create a necessity for increased pricing, but are also defeating the efforts of coffee farmers world-wide. Successes gained by sustaining their crops through strategic laboring and maneuvering within the constant greenhouse effects on their plants, are proving futile as nature consumes substantial percentages of their yield. And as a result, the monetary aspect trickles negatively into not only their livelihood, but that of the global consumer as well, because as is commonly known, when supply decreases, market prices rise.
Possible Solutions in Sight
In a tactical approach toward uncovering new methods and means as an attempt to elude the challenging weather patterns, agricultural experts in conjunction with coffee farmers are working toward developing new, stronger plants that will be able to combat the effects of global warming by utilization of their own resiliency. But only time will tell if this is effective as the world continues to strive toward creating a cleaner, safer environment for all life, including but not limited to, vegetation.
Tag : naturalnews.com
28.11.08
How to Cup coffee
How to Cup coffee
Coffee Cupping: A Basic Introduction
This article is meant to be used as a basic introduction. There are no right or wrong ways of cupping, but this should help for the novice who wishes to enjoy the delights of origin coffee.
The aim is to introduce you to what cupping is, why we cup, how we cup and some of the more commonly used terms and evaluation methods.
People in the trade will have you believe that coffee cupping is a science, an exact art requiring a lot of expertise. To some extent this can be true, but this should not put off the enthusiast from enjoying it too. It can be very simple (and enjoyable) and there are no right or wrong answers. Your palette may pick up hints of a taste that the most season cupper would not, as each person can find different things in the cup.
What is cupping?
Cupping is a method of evaluating different characteristics of a particular coffee bean. Cupping allows us to compare and contrast coffees against each other, and allows us to get a better understanding of each coffee.
Its important that you so use the same method each time as this can have an effect on the results, so if cupping is being used as a comparison / evaluation tool then uniformity is key.
Why cup?
We cup coffees to understand their basic tastes. This can help us understand where different coffees could be slotted into blends not only for this brewing method but all other methods too. It also makes us look at coffee in its basic form and appreciate some of its finer points. As already said it's a fantastic evaluation tool for something that changes from farm to farm, region to region, country to country and crop to crop.
How to cup?
There are no right or wrong ways of cupping coffee. What I will tell you here is the textbook way of doing it. What I will suggest is any method you use that you always use that method. Any deviations will mean you lose many of the tools you can use to compare like with like.
Preparation
I prefer to roast all my samples to a light roast. This allows the delicacies or the faults to stand out and not get complicated by roast type tastes. once again this is a personal choice, not a rule.
For a more professional atmosphere it is a nice idea to have a sample of the green raw coffee, the roasted coffee and some ground coffee. Although this is not essential it allows you to judge the quality of the grade, smell the dry grounds and see the quality of the greens.
The method I will use here uses the infusion type of brewing. Grind up your rested coffee (two days rest is a minimum in my opinion) to a coarse jug type grind. Place the grounds in a small bowl. Pour over nearly boiling water (195-205 °F, 95 °C). Allow the grinds to infuse for around 3-4 minutes.
A point quite often missed by some cupping sessions I have been to is that breaking the crust of the bowl will give you a great deal of insight into what is about to come. Take time to smell the coffee at this stage as it will give hints of the kind of things to be looking out for, come the tasting.
Once the crust has been broken start to stir the bowl gently allowing some of the grinds to sink to the bottom. Any left on top of the bowl should be scooped away with spoons.
Once the surface of the coffee infusion is clear of grinds the slurping may commence. Don't be afraid to sound a little silly whilst doing this: everyone does. When at cupping events I try to make the silliest noise I can, without getting spotted by others for making it. It's a great game and all should play along with it. Take a deep spoon (a soup spoon is a good substitute for the traditional cupping spoon) and fill it with your infusion.
Bring the spoon up to your mouth, and "inhale" (well suck powerfully anyway!), drawing the coffee to the roof of the mouth to tickle the tongue and then fall into the back of the mouth. This creates a coffee "vapour" to stimulate that part of your sense of taste which is actually your sense of smell.
Then roll the coffee around the mouth and begin to look for tastes that you can compare it to. It's really easy once you're here, and don't be afraid to say what you can taste. I've found things in coffee others haven't and I've also found things that everyone noticed. There are no wrongs or rights, just opinions.
Now this again is choice but I prefer to spit out the coffee. It seems a waste but after 12-18 coffees even a die-hard caffeine addict like myself can start to feel a little funny from the effects. Also it's hard work on the taste buds if you're swallowing it all, and you're being unfair on the later coffees. Anyway coffee should be drunk not slurped!
Tag : .coffeearticles.co.uk
Coffee Cupping: A Basic Introduction
This article is meant to be used as a basic introduction. There are no right or wrong ways of cupping, but this should help for the novice who wishes to enjoy the delights of origin coffee.
The aim is to introduce you to what cupping is, why we cup, how we cup and some of the more commonly used terms and evaluation methods.
People in the trade will have you believe that coffee cupping is a science, an exact art requiring a lot of expertise. To some extent this can be true, but this should not put off the enthusiast from enjoying it too. It can be very simple (and enjoyable) and there are no right or wrong answers. Your palette may pick up hints of a taste that the most season cupper would not, as each person can find different things in the cup.
What is cupping?
Cupping is a method of evaluating different characteristics of a particular coffee bean. Cupping allows us to compare and contrast coffees against each other, and allows us to get a better understanding of each coffee.
Its important that you so use the same method each time as this can have an effect on the results, so if cupping is being used as a comparison / evaluation tool then uniformity is key.
Why cup?
We cup coffees to understand their basic tastes. This can help us understand where different coffees could be slotted into blends not only for this brewing method but all other methods too. It also makes us look at coffee in its basic form and appreciate some of its finer points. As already said it's a fantastic evaluation tool for something that changes from farm to farm, region to region, country to country and crop to crop.
How to cup?
There are no right or wrong ways of cupping coffee. What I will tell you here is the textbook way of doing it. What I will suggest is any method you use that you always use that method. Any deviations will mean you lose many of the tools you can use to compare like with like.
Preparation
I prefer to roast all my samples to a light roast. This allows the delicacies or the faults to stand out and not get complicated by roast type tastes. once again this is a personal choice, not a rule.
For a more professional atmosphere it is a nice idea to have a sample of the green raw coffee, the roasted coffee and some ground coffee. Although this is not essential it allows you to judge the quality of the grade, smell the dry grounds and see the quality of the greens.
The method I will use here uses the infusion type of brewing. Grind up your rested coffee (two days rest is a minimum in my opinion) to a coarse jug type grind. Place the grounds in a small bowl. Pour over nearly boiling water (195-205 °F, 95 °C). Allow the grinds to infuse for around 3-4 minutes.
A point quite often missed by some cupping sessions I have been to is that breaking the crust of the bowl will give you a great deal of insight into what is about to come. Take time to smell the coffee at this stage as it will give hints of the kind of things to be looking out for, come the tasting.
Once the crust has been broken start to stir the bowl gently allowing some of the grinds to sink to the bottom. Any left on top of the bowl should be scooped away with spoons.
Once the surface of the coffee infusion is clear of grinds the slurping may commence. Don't be afraid to sound a little silly whilst doing this: everyone does. When at cupping events I try to make the silliest noise I can, without getting spotted by others for making it. It's a great game and all should play along with it. Take a deep spoon (a soup spoon is a good substitute for the traditional cupping spoon) and fill it with your infusion.
Bring the spoon up to your mouth, and "inhale" (well suck powerfully anyway!), drawing the coffee to the roof of the mouth to tickle the tongue and then fall into the back of the mouth. This creates a coffee "vapour" to stimulate that part of your sense of taste which is actually your sense of smell.
Then roll the coffee around the mouth and begin to look for tastes that you can compare it to. It's really easy once you're here, and don't be afraid to say what you can taste. I've found things in coffee others haven't and I've also found things that everyone noticed. There are no wrongs or rights, just opinions.
Now this again is choice but I prefer to spit out the coffee. It seems a waste but after 12-18 coffees even a die-hard caffeine addict like myself can start to feel a little funny from the effects. Also it's hard work on the taste buds if you're swallowing it all, and you're being unfair on the later coffees. Anyway coffee should be drunk not slurped!
Tag : .coffeearticles.co.uk
27.11.08
The hidden dangers of caffeine: How coffee causes exhaustion, fatigue and addiction (2)
The hidden dangers of caffeine: How coffee causes exhaustion, fatigue and addiction (2)
Using sugar as a quick fix for dwindling energy results in a temporary high. In the long run, it could create a vicious cycle. "The person suffering from chronic tiredness and depression who turns to sugary foods may relieve the fatigue and feel better for a short while, but the depression and fatigue return," says Dr. Chris-tensen. The person then must either reach for another sugar fix or seek help elsewhere. As opposed to the temporary sugar high, eliminating sugar and caffeine from the diet is a permanent solution. "Ninety percent of our patients went cold turkey [eliminated all sugar and caffeine from the diet}. They felt worse at first, but an overwhelming number of them felt better and had more energy within a week," says Dr. Christensen. Food & Mood By Elizabeth Somer MA RD, page 110
It is also interesting to note that several studies have found caffeine intake to be extremely high in individuals with psychiatric disorders. Another interesting finding is that the degree of fatigue experienced is often related to the quantity of caffeine ingested. In one survey of hospitalized psychiatric patients, 61% of those ingesting at least 750 mg/day (at least five cups of coffee) complained of fatigue, compared with 54% of those ingesting 250-749 mg/day, and only 24% of those ingesting less than 250 mg/day. Textbook of Natural Medicine Volumes 1-2 by Joseph E Pizzorno and Michael T Murray, page 433
"Caffeinism and chronic fatigue"
"Caffeinism" is a state of chronic toxicity resulting from excess caffeine consumption. Caffeinism usually combines physical addiction with a wide range of debilitating effects, most notably anxiety, irritability, mood swings, sleep disturbance, depression, and fatigue. Caffeine Blues By Stephen Cherniske MS, page 36
Although caffeine consumption provides temporary stimulation, regular caffeine intake may actually lead to chronic fatigue. While mice fed one dose of caffeine demonstrated significant increases in their swimming capacity, when the dose of caffeine was given for six weeks, a significant decrease in swimming capacity was observed. Encyclopedia Of Natural Medicine by Michael T Murray MD Joseph L Pizzorno ND, page 368
Caffeine does not provide energy—only chemical stimulation. The perceived "energy" comes from the body's struggle to adapt to increased blood levels of stress hormones. In most cases, this induced emergency state leads to well-defined side effects collectively known as caffeinism. Ironically, caffeinism is characterized by fatigue. Caffeine Blues By Stephen Cherniske MS, page 10
While coffee, tea and other substances containing caffeine may be used as stimulants to overcome the toxic effects of sedative drug poisoning, they tend to charge the adrenals and thus deplete the body's reserves. Planetary Herbology by Michael Tierra CA ND, page 241
Let's face it, remaining healthy and strong throughout life is a battle. Caffeine is the Trojan horse. It looks like a gift but instead delivers adrenal stress, low blood sugar, mood and energy swings, fatigue, depression, malnutrition, and disturbed sleep. By now, you are starting to see the full scope of how caffeine affects the quality of life. Caffeinism is a gradual and at first imperceptible disorder. Caffeine Blues By Stephen Cherniske MS, page 94
The truth about caffeine and energy is finally getting out. Physicians are starting to warn their patients about caffeine "rebound," and an article in U.S. News & World Report listed caffeine addiction as a major cause of fatigue, including a "crash" that occurs after caffeine "buzz" wears off. People who become aware of this powerful influence on energy and mood and take steps to improve their energy naturally can experience remarkable improvements in their quality of life. Caffeine Blues By Stephen Cherniske MS, page 119
"Adrenal fatigue"
The caffeine connection has been hidden by the fact that treatment for adrenal dysfunction disorders tends to be shortsighted and one-dimensional. As I have explained before, understanding the health effects of caffeine requires a long view, perhaps encompassing most of one's lifetime. And from that long-term view, a two-phase phenomenon is revealed. Caffeine Blues By Stephen Cherniske MS, page 205
Another concern is that caffeine addiction often occurs along with other substance abuses, nicotine and sugar most commonly. Caffeine, like sugar, over stimulates the adrenals and then weakens them with persistent or chronic use. First, sugar stimulates and weakens the adrenals, which creates fatigue. Then we use caffeine to keep us aware and awake, further depleting our adrenals, to which many respond by drinking more caffeine with sugar. In addition, people who overuse caffeine tend to need more tranquilizers and sleeping pills to help them relax or sleep. Staying Healthy With Nutrition by Elson M Haas MD, page 937
Reduce or eliminate caffeine from your diet. Caffeine puts additional stress on your adrenal glands. Enhancing Heart Health by Matthew budoff MD FACC, page 61
But caffeine overstimulates the nerves and glands. It drains the adrenal system, damages the thyroid, and can trigger heart arrhythmias. In female and male menopause, caffeine plays a role: Breast cysts and lumps are common in women, while men suffer from caffeine-induced prostate problems. Food Swings by Barnet Meltzer MD, page 56
In Phase 1 of the caffeine/adrenal relationship, stress hormones are pumped out in excessive amounts. This action suppresses immunity and increases risk for a number of health disorders, especially cardiovascular disease. It also lowers production of DHEA, a hormone critical to the optimum functioning of your immune, cardiovascular, reproductive, and nervous systems. Caffeine Blues By Stephen Cherniske MS, page 208
The active ingredient in kola nut is caffeine. It is used both for its stimulating action as well as its flavor and color in various soft drinks. Its use for depression and fatigue, therefore, is purely symptomatic. A continual reliance on such symptomatic treatments as this and others such as coffee or tea (Camellia sinensis) for tiredness and fatigue is bound to deplete further the body's reserves, setting one up for more chronic degenerative conditions. Fatigue and tiredness usually have a cause that should be discovered and treated at a deeper level with diet, herbs and appropriate physiotherapy and lifestyle adjustments. The Way Of Herbs by Michael Tierra, page 150
Although acute caffeine consumption provides stimulation, regular caffeine intake may actually lead to chronic fatigue. While mice fed one dose of caffeine demonstrated significant increases in their swimming capacity, when the dose of caffeine was given for 6 weeks, a significant decrease in swimming capacity was observed. Textbook of Natural Medicine Volumes 1-2 by Joseph E Pizzorno and Michael T Murray, page 433
Caffeine depletes the body of B vitamins, which you need for proper brain and nervous system functioning and for converting food to energy, says Michael Murray, N.D., a naturopathic physician in Seattle and author of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: Getting Well Naturally. To make matters worse, it also prevents iron absorption, says Dr. Murray, which can lead to anemia, a condition in which you have too few oxygen-carrying red blood cells and which is a major contributor to fatigue. The Complete Book Of Alternative Nutrition by Selene Y Craig, page 389
"After prolonged 'caffeinism,' your body enters a state of adrenal exhaustion"
Habitual caffeine use ultimately leads to Phase 2, what has been called adrenal insufficiency or adrenal exhaustion. This condition bears more than a casual resemblance to the post-traumatic stress syndrome experienced by soldiers returning from combat. In effect, the adrenal glands simply wear out from chronic stimulation. Caffeine Blues By Stephen Cherniske MS, page 206
But with caffeine, we don't provide the glands anything to make that hormone out of—we just cry "emergency" and force them to figure it out, one way or another. So the body reaches down into its reserves and makes more hormone because it thinks it is the right thing to do. Caffeine forces your glands to secrete when they don't have much left to give, and they have to keep digging deeper and deeper, making you more and more tired over time. And over the years, it takes more and more coffee to get the same result. Some people reach the point of drinking half a dozen or more cups a day and it's barely keeping them awake. That's severe adrenal depletion. Herbal Defense by Ralph T Golan ND, page 280
Another concern is that caffeine is often consumed along with other substances such as nicotine and sugar. Like sugar, caffeine overstimulates the adrenals and then weakens them with persistent or chronic use. A cycle develops where first sugar stimulates and weakens the adrenals, creating fatigue to which we then respond by drinking caffeine to stay awake. In addition, people who overuse caffeine tend to need more tranquilizers and sleeping pills to help them relax or sleep. Caffeine is a lifetime drug for many. We begin at a young age with hot chocolate or chocolate bars, move into colas or other soft drinks, and then add coffee and tea. The New Detox Diet by Elson M Haas MD, page 30
Dr. Hibbs describes a male patient suffering from many effects of stress, including fatigue and constipation. The patient relied heavily on coffee to keep him going physically and had developed chronic adrenal fatigue. Dr. Hibbs took him off caffeine and sugar, which are both stimulants and were taxing his system. Appropriate exercise and dietary changes were made and he was put on adrenal supportive supplements containing glandular tissue, herbs, and nutrients. His bowel habits normalized quickly and remained that way when he stopped the adrenal supplements several months later. Alternative Medicine by Burton Goldberg, page 688
The adrenal exhaustion/stress/fatigue/hypoglycemia syndrome is tied to caffeine use as well. Caffeine has an overall effect of increasing blood sugar (especially when it is sweetened), as it stimulates the adrenals. Both stress and sugar use tend to pressure and weaken the adrenal function. Recovery from the resulting fatigue requires rest, stress reduction, and sugar avoidance, but caffeine can override this fatigue and restimulate the adrenals. This process can eventually lead to chronic fatigue, adrenal exhaustion, and subsequent inability to handle stress and sugar intake. Caffeine will then be of little help. Staying Healthy With Nutrition by Elson M Haas MD, page 942
Research is revealing that cortisol and DHEA, both produced in the adrenal cortex, hold an inverse relationship. As serum cortisol increases, DHEA levels fall. It may be that stress and caffeine create such a high need for cortisol that the exhausted adrenals simply cannot maintain production of DHEA at optimal levels. Caffeine Blues By Stephen Cherniske MS, page 68
Caffeine is undeniably an effective central nervous system stimulant. It stimulates the brain, increases the secretion of adrenaline (epinephrine), and boosts heart rate. Although relatively safe, long-term use in excess of 250 to 300 mg daily may cause numerous health problems. Caffeine has been known to raise blood-cholesterol levels, deplete B vitamins, irritate the stomach and bladder, exhaust the adrenals, and possibly lead to breast and prostate problems. Off The Shelf Natural Health How To Use Herbs And Nutrients To Stay Well By Mark Mayell, page 112
Far too many people overconsume caffeine, however. This occurs, I think, because people simply do not have enough natural energy. Instead of getting enough sleep, nutrients, and exercise to provide the energy they need, people depend upon caffeine to push them through the day. The short-term price for this dependency is nervousness, irritability, insomnia, and a "rebound effect" of lethargy and mental lassitude. The long-term price is burnout of the adrenal glands, and a body that has been exhausted by artificial stimulation. Brain Longevity by Dharma Singh Khalsa M.D. with Cameron Stauth, page 266
Fatigue, childbirth, or injury to the kidney-adrenal area, also steroid drugs or excess use of stimulants, including caffeine, to the point of adrenal exhaustion, can all harm sexual strength for men and women alike. Muscles can become weak. Blood circulation and nerve sensitivity can become impaired. These are important factors in sexual strength. Some sexologists think of the vagina as a muscle. Asian Health Secrets by Letha Hadady DAc, page 423
According to Leon Chaitow, N.D., D.O., dizziness when standing after sitting or lying down can be an indication of adrenal exhaustion. The individual should take action to restore adrenal health by stopping the use of stimulants (caffeine, tobacco, alcohol) and via rest and normalization of lifestyle and nutritional balance. Alternative Medicine by Burton Goldberg, page 1014
"In other words, caffeine affects your body just like any drug: Addiction and withdrawal"
Caffeine is the most widely used drug in the world. Studies show that abstinence induces a withdrawal syndrome of fatigue, headache and drowsiness within 24 hours and lasts about a week, on giving up the habit. Bartrams Encyclopedia of Herbal Medicine by Thomas Bartram, page 83
The second way that caffeine contributes to depression is, of course, the withdrawal reaction, the most prevalent symptoms being headache, depression, and fatigue. Three facts are important to grasp in regard to withdrawal. First of all, each of the symptoms compounds or magnifies the depressive effect. Secondly, withdrawal can occur even in light caffeine users. And third, withdrawal reactions can be evident even when caffeine is withheld for just a few hours. Some people feel depressed or anxious if they're simply late for their morning or afternoon cup. That's not only a powerful motivation to consume the beverage, but it also creates an often-unidentified source of background stress. Caffeine Blues By Stephen Cherniske MS, page 112
Almost all of the research that has been done on caffeine agrees that it is definitely physically addictive. It is a mood-altering central nervous system stimulant. Though milder in its effects, caffeine manipulates the same neurochemical channels that amphetamines, cocaine, and heroin do. Overuse of caffeine can result in a variety of symptoms, including irregular heartbeat, sleeplessness, headaches, nervousness, tremors, irritability, and depression. Withdrawing from heavy caffeine use can cause symptoms, too, principally a nagging headache that is unaffected by aspirin or other over-the-counter painkillers, as well as fatigue, muscle pain, lethargy, and feelings of depression. To break a caffeine addiction, therefore, it is best to cut down gradually to avoid an uncomfortable withdrawal period. Prescription For Dietary Wellness by Phyllis A Balch, page 230
It's this "more" that is a double-edged sword. The initial high from caffeine is followed by mild withdrawal symptoms, one of which is fatigue. A vicious cycle can result as you drink more coffee to prevent the inevitable letdown. The fatigue, an irritable or depressed mood, and reduced work performance associated with caffeine withdrawal can begin within hours of the last cup and can last up to a week or more. People's tolerance to caffeine varies widely. Withdrawal symptoms are reported in some people even with small amounts of daily caffeine, such as one to two cups, while other people can tolerate higher doses with no problems. Food & Mood By Elizabeth Somer MA RD, page 105
Caffeine, which has come to be many Americans' "drug of choice," is highly addictive. A number of people suffer severe withdrawal symptoms—headache, fatigue, depression, muscle pains—when they abruptly stop their coffee or indeed their caffeinated tea intake. Caffeine also gives some people headaches and makes others quite anxious. Coffee in particular irritates the stomach and may stimulate the development of cysts in women's breasts. Manifesto For A New Medicine By James S Gordon MD, page 155
Caffeine is clearly addictive, completely unregulated, and its presence in our foods and beverages is often hidden! Almost daily I see a patient whose symptoms are made worse by the consumption of caffeine. The drug contributes to palpitations, panic attacks, hypoglycemia, gastritis, fatigue, insomnia, and PMS, to name a few. Some people are so sensitive to caffeine that they don't realize a fruit drink with hidden caffeine can cause their symptoms. Caffeine Blues By Stephen Cherniske MS, page 10
Many people are addicted to caffeine. While studies attempting to prove that caffeine is implicated in everything from heart disease to high blood pressure have never been conclusive, I believe that the damage excessive caffeine consumption does can't be ignored. Caffeine wreaks havoc on your metabolism and creates a real stress that could precipitate symptoms including headaches, fatigue, irritability, inability to concentrate, depression, and nervousness. Natural Prescriptions by Dr Robert M Giller, page 10
Telling whether you are addicted to caffeine is simple, says Dr. Griffiths. Just give up your caffeine sources—coffee, tea, soft drinks —for a couple of days and see if you feel tired, headachy, unmotivated, grumpy and depressed. Headaches and fatigue are the classic signs of caffeine deprivation. Food Your Miracle Medicine by Jean Carper, page 277
A significant cause of general fatigue is caffeine withdrawal. Since millions of Americans have caffeine addictions, caffeine-related fatigue is a common problem. When a person accustomed to large quantities of caffeine suddenly limits his or her intake, the result will be fatigue, probably accompanied by a headache. Eliminating dependence upon coffee and other caffeinated products is crucial to maintaining health and avoiding debilitating bouts with fatigue. Complete Encyclopedia Of Natural Healing by Gary Null PhD, page 104
Anyone with regular caffeine intake should truly consider withdrawing from their habit until they can reach a state of occasional use and enjoyment. For caffeine detoxification, it is important to support ourselves nutritionally while we eliminate or reduce our intake. If we are clearly addicted to caffeine products or if we become pregnant, we should quit totally. Breaking the habit by tapering down or going "cold turkey" will be better handled with a good diet and adrenal support. Staying Healthy With Nutrition by Elson M Haas MD, page 942
If your body doesn't get its caffeine quota, it can go through a week or two of withdrawal symptoms, including headaches, fatigue, intense cravings for caffeine, constipation, anxiety, and a dim bulb where you used to have bright ideas. Alternative Cures by Bill Gottlieb, page 137
It is important for people with hypoglycemic-induced fatigue to alter their diets, incorporating high-fiber, protein-containing complex carbohydrates, such as oatmeal, into their meals, and consuming nutritious snacks during the mid-morning and afternoon. Complex carbohydrates and high-protein (from fish and vegetable sources) diets can also be useful in combating fatigue resulting from caffeine withdrawal. Complete Encyclopedia Of Natural Healing by Gary Null PhD, page 106
"Although the phenomenon of caffeine withdrawal has been described previously, the present report documents that the incidence of caffeine withdrawal is higher (100 percent of subjects), the daily dose level at which withdrawal occurs is lower (roughly equivalent to the amount of caffeine in a single cup of strong brewed coffee or three cans of caffeinated soft drink), and the range of symptoms experienced is broader (including headache, fatigue and other dysphoric mood changes, muscle pain/stiffness, flu-like feelings, nausea/vomiting and craving for caffeine) than heretofore recognized." Caffeine Blues By Stephen Cherniske MS, page 189
Cut off from caffeine or limited to considerably less than they're accustomed to, caffeine junkies complain of headaches, depression, difficulty concentrating and fatigue. The Doctors Book of Home Remedies for Women, page 99
Some people run their bodies on caffeine and not on their basic life force and the natural energy of their hormones, such as adrenal and thyroid. Caffeine, although it is not seriously addicting, is very habit forming. It is not particularly good for athletes or anyone seriously interested in their health. Although it may improve muscular work and short-term performance in both physical and mental athletes, it creates depletion by its diuretic nutrients, and foods can help balance this. Staying Healthy With Nutrition by Elson M Haas MD, page 939
Do not consume any caffeine, alcohol, or sugar. Eating sugar in any form—including fructose and honey—promotes fatigue, increases pain, and disturbs sleep. If these substances have been a regular part of your diet, your symptoms may actually get worse for a short period as a result of the "withdrawal" effect, but after that, you should experience a noticeable improvement in your condition. Prescription For Nutritional Healing by Phyllis A Balch CNC and James F Balch MD, page 377
Fatigue is a common symptom when you're quitting caffeine. One way to beat it is to "thoroughly rub your ears and earlobes for a couple of minutes when you wake up in the morning," says Dierauf. Alternative Cures by Bill Gottlieb, page 138
Headache isn't the only side effect you may experience from quitting caffeine. It's just the most obvious. Your body, which has become accustomed to drug-induced stimulation, needs to recover its natural abundant energy supply. After all, most people consume caffeine to boost their energy levels, so restoring natural energy production once you're off the bean is critical. If you find yourself unable to muster the oomph to face the day, or crippled by "brain fog" that won't clear, you'll get discouraged quickly. Any program for quitting caffeine must provide a variety of successful methods to deal with fatigue so you don't go running back to caffeine. Caffeine Blues By Stephen Cherniske MS, page 336
Be aware that abrupt cessation of coffee drinking will probably result in symptoms of caffeine withdrawal, including fatigue, headache, and an intense desire for coffee. Fortunately, this withdrawal period doesn't last more than a few days. Encyclopedia Of Natural Medicine by Michael T Murray MD Joseph L Pizzorno ND, page 368
Tag : naturalnews.com
Using sugar as a quick fix for dwindling energy results in a temporary high. In the long run, it could create a vicious cycle. "The person suffering from chronic tiredness and depression who turns to sugary foods may relieve the fatigue and feel better for a short while, but the depression and fatigue return," says Dr. Chris-tensen. The person then must either reach for another sugar fix or seek help elsewhere. As opposed to the temporary sugar high, eliminating sugar and caffeine from the diet is a permanent solution. "Ninety percent of our patients went cold turkey [eliminated all sugar and caffeine from the diet}. They felt worse at first, but an overwhelming number of them felt better and had more energy within a week," says Dr. Christensen. Food & Mood By Elizabeth Somer MA RD, page 110
It is also interesting to note that several studies have found caffeine intake to be extremely high in individuals with psychiatric disorders. Another interesting finding is that the degree of fatigue experienced is often related to the quantity of caffeine ingested. In one survey of hospitalized psychiatric patients, 61% of those ingesting at least 750 mg/day (at least five cups of coffee) complained of fatigue, compared with 54% of those ingesting 250-749 mg/day, and only 24% of those ingesting less than 250 mg/day. Textbook of Natural Medicine Volumes 1-2 by Joseph E Pizzorno and Michael T Murray, page 433
"Caffeinism and chronic fatigue"
"Caffeinism" is a state of chronic toxicity resulting from excess caffeine consumption. Caffeinism usually combines physical addiction with a wide range of debilitating effects, most notably anxiety, irritability, mood swings, sleep disturbance, depression, and fatigue. Caffeine Blues By Stephen Cherniske MS, page 36
Although caffeine consumption provides temporary stimulation, regular caffeine intake may actually lead to chronic fatigue. While mice fed one dose of caffeine demonstrated significant increases in their swimming capacity, when the dose of caffeine was given for six weeks, a significant decrease in swimming capacity was observed. Encyclopedia Of Natural Medicine by Michael T Murray MD Joseph L Pizzorno ND, page 368
Caffeine does not provide energy—only chemical stimulation. The perceived "energy" comes from the body's struggle to adapt to increased blood levels of stress hormones. In most cases, this induced emergency state leads to well-defined side effects collectively known as caffeinism. Ironically, caffeinism is characterized by fatigue. Caffeine Blues By Stephen Cherniske MS, page 10
While coffee, tea and other substances containing caffeine may be used as stimulants to overcome the toxic effects of sedative drug poisoning, they tend to charge the adrenals and thus deplete the body's reserves. Planetary Herbology by Michael Tierra CA ND, page 241
Let's face it, remaining healthy and strong throughout life is a battle. Caffeine is the Trojan horse. It looks like a gift but instead delivers adrenal stress, low blood sugar, mood and energy swings, fatigue, depression, malnutrition, and disturbed sleep. By now, you are starting to see the full scope of how caffeine affects the quality of life. Caffeinism is a gradual and at first imperceptible disorder. Caffeine Blues By Stephen Cherniske MS, page 94
The truth about caffeine and energy is finally getting out. Physicians are starting to warn their patients about caffeine "rebound," and an article in U.S. News & World Report listed caffeine addiction as a major cause of fatigue, including a "crash" that occurs after caffeine "buzz" wears off. People who become aware of this powerful influence on energy and mood and take steps to improve their energy naturally can experience remarkable improvements in their quality of life. Caffeine Blues By Stephen Cherniske MS, page 119
"Adrenal fatigue"
The caffeine connection has been hidden by the fact that treatment for adrenal dysfunction disorders tends to be shortsighted and one-dimensional. As I have explained before, understanding the health effects of caffeine requires a long view, perhaps encompassing most of one's lifetime. And from that long-term view, a two-phase phenomenon is revealed. Caffeine Blues By Stephen Cherniske MS, page 205
Another concern is that caffeine addiction often occurs along with other substance abuses, nicotine and sugar most commonly. Caffeine, like sugar, over stimulates the adrenals and then weakens them with persistent or chronic use. First, sugar stimulates and weakens the adrenals, which creates fatigue. Then we use caffeine to keep us aware and awake, further depleting our adrenals, to which many respond by drinking more caffeine with sugar. In addition, people who overuse caffeine tend to need more tranquilizers and sleeping pills to help them relax or sleep. Staying Healthy With Nutrition by Elson M Haas MD, page 937
Reduce or eliminate caffeine from your diet. Caffeine puts additional stress on your adrenal glands. Enhancing Heart Health by Matthew budoff MD FACC, page 61
But caffeine overstimulates the nerves and glands. It drains the adrenal system, damages the thyroid, and can trigger heart arrhythmias. In female and male menopause, caffeine plays a role: Breast cysts and lumps are common in women, while men suffer from caffeine-induced prostate problems. Food Swings by Barnet Meltzer MD, page 56
In Phase 1 of the caffeine/adrenal relationship, stress hormones are pumped out in excessive amounts. This action suppresses immunity and increases risk for a number of health disorders, especially cardiovascular disease. It also lowers production of DHEA, a hormone critical to the optimum functioning of your immune, cardiovascular, reproductive, and nervous systems. Caffeine Blues By Stephen Cherniske MS, page 208
The active ingredient in kola nut is caffeine. It is used both for its stimulating action as well as its flavor and color in various soft drinks. Its use for depression and fatigue, therefore, is purely symptomatic. A continual reliance on such symptomatic treatments as this and others such as coffee or tea (Camellia sinensis) for tiredness and fatigue is bound to deplete further the body's reserves, setting one up for more chronic degenerative conditions. Fatigue and tiredness usually have a cause that should be discovered and treated at a deeper level with diet, herbs and appropriate physiotherapy and lifestyle adjustments. The Way Of Herbs by Michael Tierra, page 150
Although acute caffeine consumption provides stimulation, regular caffeine intake may actually lead to chronic fatigue. While mice fed one dose of caffeine demonstrated significant increases in their swimming capacity, when the dose of caffeine was given for 6 weeks, a significant decrease in swimming capacity was observed. Textbook of Natural Medicine Volumes 1-2 by Joseph E Pizzorno and Michael T Murray, page 433
Caffeine depletes the body of B vitamins, which you need for proper brain and nervous system functioning and for converting food to energy, says Michael Murray, N.D., a naturopathic physician in Seattle and author of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: Getting Well Naturally. To make matters worse, it also prevents iron absorption, says Dr. Murray, which can lead to anemia, a condition in which you have too few oxygen-carrying red blood cells and which is a major contributor to fatigue. The Complete Book Of Alternative Nutrition by Selene Y Craig, page 389
"After prolonged 'caffeinism,' your body enters a state of adrenal exhaustion"
Habitual caffeine use ultimately leads to Phase 2, what has been called adrenal insufficiency or adrenal exhaustion. This condition bears more than a casual resemblance to the post-traumatic stress syndrome experienced by soldiers returning from combat. In effect, the adrenal glands simply wear out from chronic stimulation. Caffeine Blues By Stephen Cherniske MS, page 206
But with caffeine, we don't provide the glands anything to make that hormone out of—we just cry "emergency" and force them to figure it out, one way or another. So the body reaches down into its reserves and makes more hormone because it thinks it is the right thing to do. Caffeine forces your glands to secrete when they don't have much left to give, and they have to keep digging deeper and deeper, making you more and more tired over time. And over the years, it takes more and more coffee to get the same result. Some people reach the point of drinking half a dozen or more cups a day and it's barely keeping them awake. That's severe adrenal depletion. Herbal Defense by Ralph T Golan ND, page 280
Another concern is that caffeine is often consumed along with other substances such as nicotine and sugar. Like sugar, caffeine overstimulates the adrenals and then weakens them with persistent or chronic use. A cycle develops where first sugar stimulates and weakens the adrenals, creating fatigue to which we then respond by drinking caffeine to stay awake. In addition, people who overuse caffeine tend to need more tranquilizers and sleeping pills to help them relax or sleep. Caffeine is a lifetime drug for many. We begin at a young age with hot chocolate or chocolate bars, move into colas or other soft drinks, and then add coffee and tea. The New Detox Diet by Elson M Haas MD, page 30
Dr. Hibbs describes a male patient suffering from many effects of stress, including fatigue and constipation. The patient relied heavily on coffee to keep him going physically and had developed chronic adrenal fatigue. Dr. Hibbs took him off caffeine and sugar, which are both stimulants and were taxing his system. Appropriate exercise and dietary changes were made and he was put on adrenal supportive supplements containing glandular tissue, herbs, and nutrients. His bowel habits normalized quickly and remained that way when he stopped the adrenal supplements several months later. Alternative Medicine by Burton Goldberg, page 688
The adrenal exhaustion/stress/fatigue/hypoglycemia syndrome is tied to caffeine use as well. Caffeine has an overall effect of increasing blood sugar (especially when it is sweetened), as it stimulates the adrenals. Both stress and sugar use tend to pressure and weaken the adrenal function. Recovery from the resulting fatigue requires rest, stress reduction, and sugar avoidance, but caffeine can override this fatigue and restimulate the adrenals. This process can eventually lead to chronic fatigue, adrenal exhaustion, and subsequent inability to handle stress and sugar intake. Caffeine will then be of little help. Staying Healthy With Nutrition by Elson M Haas MD, page 942
Research is revealing that cortisol and DHEA, both produced in the adrenal cortex, hold an inverse relationship. As serum cortisol increases, DHEA levels fall. It may be that stress and caffeine create such a high need for cortisol that the exhausted adrenals simply cannot maintain production of DHEA at optimal levels. Caffeine Blues By Stephen Cherniske MS, page 68
Caffeine is undeniably an effective central nervous system stimulant. It stimulates the brain, increases the secretion of adrenaline (epinephrine), and boosts heart rate. Although relatively safe, long-term use in excess of 250 to 300 mg daily may cause numerous health problems. Caffeine has been known to raise blood-cholesterol levels, deplete B vitamins, irritate the stomach and bladder, exhaust the adrenals, and possibly lead to breast and prostate problems. Off The Shelf Natural Health How To Use Herbs And Nutrients To Stay Well By Mark Mayell, page 112
Far too many people overconsume caffeine, however. This occurs, I think, because people simply do not have enough natural energy. Instead of getting enough sleep, nutrients, and exercise to provide the energy they need, people depend upon caffeine to push them through the day. The short-term price for this dependency is nervousness, irritability, insomnia, and a "rebound effect" of lethargy and mental lassitude. The long-term price is burnout of the adrenal glands, and a body that has been exhausted by artificial stimulation. Brain Longevity by Dharma Singh Khalsa M.D. with Cameron Stauth, page 266
Fatigue, childbirth, or injury to the kidney-adrenal area, also steroid drugs or excess use of stimulants, including caffeine, to the point of adrenal exhaustion, can all harm sexual strength for men and women alike. Muscles can become weak. Blood circulation and nerve sensitivity can become impaired. These are important factors in sexual strength. Some sexologists think of the vagina as a muscle. Asian Health Secrets by Letha Hadady DAc, page 423
According to Leon Chaitow, N.D., D.O., dizziness when standing after sitting or lying down can be an indication of adrenal exhaustion. The individual should take action to restore adrenal health by stopping the use of stimulants (caffeine, tobacco, alcohol) and via rest and normalization of lifestyle and nutritional balance. Alternative Medicine by Burton Goldberg, page 1014
"In other words, caffeine affects your body just like any drug: Addiction and withdrawal"
Caffeine is the most widely used drug in the world. Studies show that abstinence induces a withdrawal syndrome of fatigue, headache and drowsiness within 24 hours and lasts about a week, on giving up the habit. Bartrams Encyclopedia of Herbal Medicine by Thomas Bartram, page 83
The second way that caffeine contributes to depression is, of course, the withdrawal reaction, the most prevalent symptoms being headache, depression, and fatigue. Three facts are important to grasp in regard to withdrawal. First of all, each of the symptoms compounds or magnifies the depressive effect. Secondly, withdrawal can occur even in light caffeine users. And third, withdrawal reactions can be evident even when caffeine is withheld for just a few hours. Some people feel depressed or anxious if they're simply late for their morning or afternoon cup. That's not only a powerful motivation to consume the beverage, but it also creates an often-unidentified source of background stress. Caffeine Blues By Stephen Cherniske MS, page 112
Almost all of the research that has been done on caffeine agrees that it is definitely physically addictive. It is a mood-altering central nervous system stimulant. Though milder in its effects, caffeine manipulates the same neurochemical channels that amphetamines, cocaine, and heroin do. Overuse of caffeine can result in a variety of symptoms, including irregular heartbeat, sleeplessness, headaches, nervousness, tremors, irritability, and depression. Withdrawing from heavy caffeine use can cause symptoms, too, principally a nagging headache that is unaffected by aspirin or other over-the-counter painkillers, as well as fatigue, muscle pain, lethargy, and feelings of depression. To break a caffeine addiction, therefore, it is best to cut down gradually to avoid an uncomfortable withdrawal period. Prescription For Dietary Wellness by Phyllis A Balch, page 230
It's this "more" that is a double-edged sword. The initial high from caffeine is followed by mild withdrawal symptoms, one of which is fatigue. A vicious cycle can result as you drink more coffee to prevent the inevitable letdown. The fatigue, an irritable or depressed mood, and reduced work performance associated with caffeine withdrawal can begin within hours of the last cup and can last up to a week or more. People's tolerance to caffeine varies widely. Withdrawal symptoms are reported in some people even with small amounts of daily caffeine, such as one to two cups, while other people can tolerate higher doses with no problems. Food & Mood By Elizabeth Somer MA RD, page 105
Caffeine, which has come to be many Americans' "drug of choice," is highly addictive. A number of people suffer severe withdrawal symptoms—headache, fatigue, depression, muscle pains—when they abruptly stop their coffee or indeed their caffeinated tea intake. Caffeine also gives some people headaches and makes others quite anxious. Coffee in particular irritates the stomach and may stimulate the development of cysts in women's breasts. Manifesto For A New Medicine By James S Gordon MD, page 155
Caffeine is clearly addictive, completely unregulated, and its presence in our foods and beverages is often hidden! Almost daily I see a patient whose symptoms are made worse by the consumption of caffeine. The drug contributes to palpitations, panic attacks, hypoglycemia, gastritis, fatigue, insomnia, and PMS, to name a few. Some people are so sensitive to caffeine that they don't realize a fruit drink with hidden caffeine can cause their symptoms. Caffeine Blues By Stephen Cherniske MS, page 10
Many people are addicted to caffeine. While studies attempting to prove that caffeine is implicated in everything from heart disease to high blood pressure have never been conclusive, I believe that the damage excessive caffeine consumption does can't be ignored. Caffeine wreaks havoc on your metabolism and creates a real stress that could precipitate symptoms including headaches, fatigue, irritability, inability to concentrate, depression, and nervousness. Natural Prescriptions by Dr Robert M Giller, page 10
Telling whether you are addicted to caffeine is simple, says Dr. Griffiths. Just give up your caffeine sources—coffee, tea, soft drinks —for a couple of days and see if you feel tired, headachy, unmotivated, grumpy and depressed. Headaches and fatigue are the classic signs of caffeine deprivation. Food Your Miracle Medicine by Jean Carper, page 277
A significant cause of general fatigue is caffeine withdrawal. Since millions of Americans have caffeine addictions, caffeine-related fatigue is a common problem. When a person accustomed to large quantities of caffeine suddenly limits his or her intake, the result will be fatigue, probably accompanied by a headache. Eliminating dependence upon coffee and other caffeinated products is crucial to maintaining health and avoiding debilitating bouts with fatigue. Complete Encyclopedia Of Natural Healing by Gary Null PhD, page 104
Anyone with regular caffeine intake should truly consider withdrawing from their habit until they can reach a state of occasional use and enjoyment. For caffeine detoxification, it is important to support ourselves nutritionally while we eliminate or reduce our intake. If we are clearly addicted to caffeine products or if we become pregnant, we should quit totally. Breaking the habit by tapering down or going "cold turkey" will be better handled with a good diet and adrenal support. Staying Healthy With Nutrition by Elson M Haas MD, page 942
If your body doesn't get its caffeine quota, it can go through a week or two of withdrawal symptoms, including headaches, fatigue, intense cravings for caffeine, constipation, anxiety, and a dim bulb where you used to have bright ideas. Alternative Cures by Bill Gottlieb, page 137
It is important for people with hypoglycemic-induced fatigue to alter their diets, incorporating high-fiber, protein-containing complex carbohydrates, such as oatmeal, into their meals, and consuming nutritious snacks during the mid-morning and afternoon. Complex carbohydrates and high-protein (from fish and vegetable sources) diets can also be useful in combating fatigue resulting from caffeine withdrawal. Complete Encyclopedia Of Natural Healing by Gary Null PhD, page 106
"Although the phenomenon of caffeine withdrawal has been described previously, the present report documents that the incidence of caffeine withdrawal is higher (100 percent of subjects), the daily dose level at which withdrawal occurs is lower (roughly equivalent to the amount of caffeine in a single cup of strong brewed coffee or three cans of caffeinated soft drink), and the range of symptoms experienced is broader (including headache, fatigue and other dysphoric mood changes, muscle pain/stiffness, flu-like feelings, nausea/vomiting and craving for caffeine) than heretofore recognized." Caffeine Blues By Stephen Cherniske MS, page 189
Cut off from caffeine or limited to considerably less than they're accustomed to, caffeine junkies complain of headaches, depression, difficulty concentrating and fatigue. The Doctors Book of Home Remedies for Women, page 99
Some people run their bodies on caffeine and not on their basic life force and the natural energy of their hormones, such as adrenal and thyroid. Caffeine, although it is not seriously addicting, is very habit forming. It is not particularly good for athletes or anyone seriously interested in their health. Although it may improve muscular work and short-term performance in both physical and mental athletes, it creates depletion by its diuretic nutrients, and foods can help balance this. Staying Healthy With Nutrition by Elson M Haas MD, page 939
Do not consume any caffeine, alcohol, or sugar. Eating sugar in any form—including fructose and honey—promotes fatigue, increases pain, and disturbs sleep. If these substances have been a regular part of your diet, your symptoms may actually get worse for a short period as a result of the "withdrawal" effect, but after that, you should experience a noticeable improvement in your condition. Prescription For Nutritional Healing by Phyllis A Balch CNC and James F Balch MD, page 377
Fatigue is a common symptom when you're quitting caffeine. One way to beat it is to "thoroughly rub your ears and earlobes for a couple of minutes when you wake up in the morning," says Dierauf. Alternative Cures by Bill Gottlieb, page 138
Headache isn't the only side effect you may experience from quitting caffeine. It's just the most obvious. Your body, which has become accustomed to drug-induced stimulation, needs to recover its natural abundant energy supply. After all, most people consume caffeine to boost their energy levels, so restoring natural energy production once you're off the bean is critical. If you find yourself unable to muster the oomph to face the day, or crippled by "brain fog" that won't clear, you'll get discouraged quickly. Any program for quitting caffeine must provide a variety of successful methods to deal with fatigue so you don't go running back to caffeine. Caffeine Blues By Stephen Cherniske MS, page 336
Be aware that abrupt cessation of coffee drinking will probably result in symptoms of caffeine withdrawal, including fatigue, headache, and an intense desire for coffee. Fortunately, this withdrawal period doesn't last more than a few days. Encyclopedia Of Natural Medicine by Michael T Murray MD Joseph L Pizzorno ND, page 368
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26.11.08
The hidden dangers of caffeine: How coffee causes exhaustion, fatigue and addiction
The hidden dangers of caffeine: How coffee causes exhaustion, fatigue and addiction (1)
Most a.m. coffee drinkers don't realize it, but their morning cups of coffee set their bodies up for a rollercoaster day of highs and lows, only to bottom out at the point of exhaustion. Just a few hours after consumption, when the artificial high dies down, many people may reach for more coffee or something sugary to get another lift, leading to daily fluctuations in energy and alertness, and possibly to eventual chronic adrenal exhaustion.
Now, you don't have to explain your coffee addiction to me. I worked as an espresso barista for four years, so I know what it's like to drink coffee and espresso constantly. Throughout college, I drank about four espresso drinks a day, most of them doubles, and that's a conservative estimate. I only slept two or three hours most nights, but once a week or so, I would completely crash and sleep for twelve or thirteen hours straight. Since I graduated from college, I've also graduated to only drinking one cup of coffee a day and sometimes none at all. I feel much better and now I even have a somewhat normal sleeping schedule.
You probably don't drink as much coffee as I drank, but just one caffeinated drink – whether it's a soft drink, caffeinated tea or coffee
– will put your body on the caffeine rollercoaster. When you consume caffeine, the drug begins its effects by initiating uncontrolled neuron firing in your brain, according to Stephen Cherniske in his book, Caffeine Blues. This excess neuron activity triggers your pituitary gland to secrete a hormone that tells your adrenal glands to produce adrenalin.
Adrenalin is what gives athletes that winning burst of energy and Good Samaritans the ability to rescue people by lifting cars. Adrenalin is also the source of our "fight-or-flight" response, which enabled our prehistoric ancestors to escape from saber-toothed tigers and other predators. By stimulating your adrenal glands to produce adrenalin, caffeine puts your body in this "fight-or-flight" state, which is useless while you're just sitting at your desk. When this adrenal high wears off later, you feel the drop in terms of fatigue, irritability, headache or confusion.
At this point, you may reach for another "hit" of caffeine, followed by another, and another and maybe even one more. If you constantly keep your body on a caffeine high, you're constantly keeping your body in "flight-or-flight" mode.
Cherniske explains your body's "perspective" of this constant state: "Imagine you lived in a country that was always under threat of attack. No matter where you went, there was a perpetual state of alert. Not only that, but your defenses were constantly being depleted and weakened. Does that sound stressful? Caffeine produces the same effect on your body, like fighting a war on multiple fronts at the same time." Cherniske calls your body's constant state of alert "caffeinism," which is characterized by fatigue, anxiety, mood swings, sleep disturbance, irritability and depression.
After prolonged "caffeinism," your body enters a state of adrenal exhaustion. Your caffeine consumption has simply pushed your adrenal glands so much that they've burned out. Ralph T. Golan, ND, describes this unfortunate state in his book, Herbal Defense: "Caffeine forces your glands to secrete when they don't have much left to give, and they have to keep digging deeper and deeper, making you more and more tired over time. And over the years, it takes more and more coffee to get the same result. Some people reach the point of drinking half a dozen or more cups of coffee to get the same result and it's barely keeping them awake. That's severe adrenal depletion."
In other words, caffeine affects your body just like any drug. You start taking it slowly, but as your body develops a tolerance to it, you need more and more to feel the same effects. Eventually, your body reaches a point where it can't be without it; otherwise, you will start to experience withdrawal symptoms.
You may think that you don't drink nearly enough to become addicted to it, but you probably already are. "Careful research conducted by the department of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine shows that low to moderate caffeine intake (as little as one 14-ounce mug per day) can quickly produce withdrawal symptoms," writes Cherniske. Yes, caffeine is a drug, even though it's something that you ingested in your beloved chocolate bars and colas since early childhood.
Instead of reaching for your morning cup of coffee, you can do your body a big favor by eating a healthy breakfast instead. A good breakfast, maintained by a healthy lunch, will keep you energetic all day. You can read News Target's page on breakfast to learn to distinguish between the good and bad breakfast foods, but whatever you do, don't wash it down with a cup of coffee.
The experts speak on caffeine, exhaustion and fatigue:
"Caffeine's immediate effects on your body"
It doesn't take a genius to see that there might be a downside to all of this neuron activity. In fact, uncontrolled neuron firing creates an emergency situation, which triggers the pituitary gland in the brain to secrete ACTH (adrenocorticotrophic hormone). ACTH tells the adrenal glands to pump out stress hormones—the next major side effect of caffeine. Caffeine Blues By Stephen Cherniske MS, page 56
Within five minutes after you drink your morning coffee, the caffeine begins to stimulate your central nervous system, triggering the release of stress hormones in your body, causing a stress ("fight or flight" ) response. The stress hormones are useful if you need to prepare yourself to fight or flee a dangerous situation, but if you are simply sitting at your desk you may feel a short charge of alertness, quickly followed by feelings of agitation. Within the next hour or so, after the stress response dissipates, you will probably feel more tired and hungry. At these low-energy times, many people reach for another cup of coffee, or eat a snack that is often high in sugar to "pep up" and stay alert. However, both caffeine and sugar only give you temporary feelings of increased energy, which quickly dissipate. For some people, this cycle of low energy followed by an infusion of caffeine or food continues the entire day -- leaving them feeling exhausted and unable to focus by 3:00 p.m. because they are drained from the ups and downs in energy their body endured throughout the day. Active Wellness By Gayle Reichler MS RD CDN, page 12
Among other things, it stimulates the production of adrenaline, one of the hormones secreted by the adrenal glands to help us in extreme emergency situations. Our adrenals evolved to give our early ancestors the extra strength and alertness needed to escape a saber tooth tiger attack, but we don't often need that much adrenaline these days. Like sugar, coffee constantly stimulates the production of adrenaline, putting excessive wear and tear on the adrenal glands. And let's not forget that green tea and black tea contain caffeine, and even decaf still contains some caffeine. If you're sensitive to caffeine it can keep you awake at night even if you haven't had any since noon. If you're suffering from insomnia, your best bet is to drink nonstimulating herbal teas such as chamomile or mint in the evening. If you need a boost in the afternoon, try a cup of ginseng tea. Prescription Alternatives by Earl Mindell RPh PhD and Virginia Hopkins MA, page 388
Caffeine triggers a stress response that involves a surge in adrenal hormones and the classic fight-or-flight "emergency," affecting virtually every cell in the body. Caffeine Blues By Stephen Cherniske MS, page 98
Everybody "knows" that caffeine makes you more alert and clearheaded. Think again. A cup of coffee gives you a wakeup jolt because it triggers a stress response. Your adrenal glands are prompted to kick out the same stress hormones that are released when you perceive an external threat or danger. Your muscles tense, your blood sugar elevates for extra energy, your pulse and respiration rates speed up, and your state of alertness increases so you're ready to wrestle with or run from environmental dangers. You may be only sitting at your table or desk drinking a cup of coffee, but your body doesn't know that. It's preparing for action. The Memory Solution by Dr Julian Whitaker, page 261
Caffeine increases the stimulating neurohormone, noradrenaline, and reduces the calming neurotransmitter, serotonin. The Crazy Makers by Carol Simontacchi, page 191
Caffeine also stimulates the production of norepinephrine, another stress hormone that acts directly on the brain and nervous system. Epinephrine and norepinephrine are responsible for increased heart rate, increased blood pressure, and that "emergency" feeling. In fact, the emergency is quite real. caffeine can trigger a classic fight-or-flight stress reaction with all of the results listed in Illustration. Caffeine Blues By Stephen Cherniske MS, page 57
I particularly recommend that you avoid caffeine. What caffeine actually does is set off a stress response. It stimulates your adrenal glands to make epinephrine and norepinephrine—the same stress hormones that are produced in response to any stressor. This sets the stress response in motion, causing tense muscles, elevated blood sugar, and increased pulse and respiration. You may feel mentally sharper because your brain is high on adrenaline. It's ready to rumble. One cup of coffee for most people isn't damaging. But as you may recall from our discussion of the three stages of the stress response, if stress hormones remain elevated, the body is thrown into a state of chronic stress. By sipping on coffee, tea, or caffeinated soda all day long, you are forcing your adrenal glands to continue to pump out stress hormones. The Memory Solution by Dr Julian Whitaker, page 165
Caffeine works by mimicking a hormone that tells the adrenal glands to crank out more adrenaline. The adrenal glands think there is a stressful situation and that they are supposed to be making more adrenal hormone. Herbal Defense by Ralph T Golan ND, page 280
A dosage of 50 to 100 mg caffeine, the amount in one cup of coffee, will produce a temporary increase in mental clarity and energy levels while simultaneously reducing drowsiness. It also improves muscular-coordinated work activity, such as typing. Through its CNS stimulation, caffeine increases brain activity; however, it also stimulates the cardiovascular system, raising blood pressure and heart rate. It generally speeds up our body by increasing our basal metabolic rate (BMR), which burns more calories. Initially, caffeine may lower blood sugar; however, this can lead to increased hunger or cravings for sweets. After adrenal stimulation, blood sugar rises again. Caffeine also increases respiratory rates, and for people with tight airways, it can open breathing passages. Caffeine is also a diuretic and a mild laxative. The New Detox Diet by Elson M Haas MD, page 30
Caffeine and nicotine overstimulate the adrenal glands. When these substances, other stressors, and a generally poor diet are combined, the adrenals can enter into a state of emergency. They become depleted of important vitamins, such as B-complex vitamins and vitamin C. Complete Encyclopedia Of Natural Healing by Gary Null PhD, page 233
Although we think of caffeine in coffee as the "wake-me-up" chemical, chronic use of it may cause fatigue, headache, moodiness, and depression in some people. Because caffeine boosts energy through increasing the production of ATP, the basic unit of energy production in your body, one school of thought suggests that chronically stimulating this system may deplete it, sort of like overworking the soil in farmland. Recommendation: If you are a caffeine junkie (more than 3 cups of coffee a day) and can't get through the day without your coffee fix, you may be promoting your fatigue with caffeine and need a rest period. Go slowly with your reduction to zero caffeine to avoid developing overwhelming sleepiness and a bad headache. Doctors Complete Guide Vitamins Minerals by Mary D Eades MD, page 324
Caffeine can have a detrimental effect on blood sugar. When caffeine is ingested, the nervous system is stimulated. Adrenaline is released and, in turn, the liver begins to emit stored blood sugar. Insulin is then released, and blood sugar drops below normal—a common seizure trigger for people with epilepsy. Caffeine can also constrict blood vessels in the brain. It is important for people with epilepsy to know that caffeine can be an ingredient in medications, including some antihistamines and decongestants. Disease Prevention And Treatment by Life Extension Foundation, page 739
For an optimal response to our plan, we recommend eliminating or sharply reducing your caffeine intake. Caffeine raises levels of adrenaline, causes overexcitation, increases stress, and impairs the relaxation response. It's hard to be at peace when you're revved up on caffeine. Ultraprevention by Mark Hyman MD and Mark Liponis MD, page 241
Watch out for coffee. The caffeine in coffee can upset blood-sugar levels, leaving you fatigued and longing for a quick-pick-me-up snack. Limit coffee to two cups a day. Food & Mood By Elizabeth Somer MA RD, page 57
Caffeine, in fact, is the most widely used cognitive-enhancement product in our society. Numerous tests have proved that, when used in moderate amounts, caffeine boosts concentration and alertness. Because it is a stimulant, it increases output of adrenaline, and can temporarily improve memory and mood. Brain Longevity by Dharma Singh Khalsa M.D. with Cameron Stauth, page 266
Caffeine acts directly upon the central nervous system. It brings about an almost immediate sense of clearer thought and lessens fatigue. It also stimulates the release of stored sugar from the liver, which accounts for the "lift" coffee, cola, and chocolate give. But these benefits may be far outweighed by the side effects: Vitamin Bible for the 21st Century by Earl Mindell, page 315
Caffeine doesn't add energy to your system, it just burns up your reserves at a faster pace. You get a short-term boost at the expense of long-term jitters and fatigue. The Unofficial Guide to Beating Stress by Pat Goudey, page 136
On the physical level, we need a steady source of energy to accomplish our goals. Nothing is more frustrating than to be motivated, to have a great plan, but no energy to carry it out. When I ask patients about their reasons for drinking coffee, the most common response is: "I need the energy." The irony is that caffeine is a major cause of fatigue. Depending on caffeine to get you through the day might work for a while, but in the long run it will make your dreams harder and harder to achieve. Caffeine Blues By Stephen Cherniske MS, page 43
Avoid caffeine -- it increases the stress hormones and adrenaline, which causes a spike in blood sugar. Ultraprevention by Mark Hyman MD and Mark Liponis MD, page 306
"Constant 'fight-or-flight' mode and the caffeine rollercoaster"
If you continue to drink coffee or other beverages containing caffeine throughout the day, your adrenal glands will be constantly stimulated and you will find yourself in a chronic state of stress. Extra stress, I guarantee, you don't need—it takes a toll on your body and brain. And even though most people think caffeine makes them mentally sharper, studies demonstrate that, in fact, the opposite is true. The Memory Solution by Dr Julian Whitaker, page 261
Cut back on sugar and caffeine. These quick-fix solutions to lagging energy and poor mood fuel your fatigue and depression and aggravate food cravings. You can achieve the same neurotransmitter "fix," but provide your body with a sustained energy boost and mood elevation, by switching to fiber-rich carbohydrates, such as breads, rice, pasta, low-sugar cereals, and starchy vegetables. Coffee is a mixed bag. One to two cups a day boosts energy and mood, but more than that -- especially in people who are unknowingly sensitive to caffeine—can fuel the fatigue spiral. Never consume sugar and caffeine together, and include the occasional sweet treat with a meal -- don't eat sweets alone. Food & Mood By Elizabeth Somer MA RD, page 274
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Most a.m. coffee drinkers don't realize it, but their morning cups of coffee set their bodies up for a rollercoaster day of highs and lows, only to bottom out at the point of exhaustion. Just a few hours after consumption, when the artificial high dies down, many people may reach for more coffee or something sugary to get another lift, leading to daily fluctuations in energy and alertness, and possibly to eventual chronic adrenal exhaustion.
Now, you don't have to explain your coffee addiction to me. I worked as an espresso barista for four years, so I know what it's like to drink coffee and espresso constantly. Throughout college, I drank about four espresso drinks a day, most of them doubles, and that's a conservative estimate. I only slept two or three hours most nights, but once a week or so, I would completely crash and sleep for twelve or thirteen hours straight. Since I graduated from college, I've also graduated to only drinking one cup of coffee a day and sometimes none at all. I feel much better and now I even have a somewhat normal sleeping schedule.
You probably don't drink as much coffee as I drank, but just one caffeinated drink – whether it's a soft drink, caffeinated tea or coffee
– will put your body on the caffeine rollercoaster. When you consume caffeine, the drug begins its effects by initiating uncontrolled neuron firing in your brain, according to Stephen Cherniske in his book, Caffeine Blues. This excess neuron activity triggers your pituitary gland to secrete a hormone that tells your adrenal glands to produce adrenalin.
Adrenalin is what gives athletes that winning burst of energy and Good Samaritans the ability to rescue people by lifting cars. Adrenalin is also the source of our "fight-or-flight" response, which enabled our prehistoric ancestors to escape from saber-toothed tigers and other predators. By stimulating your adrenal glands to produce adrenalin, caffeine puts your body in this "fight-or-flight" state, which is useless while you're just sitting at your desk. When this adrenal high wears off later, you feel the drop in terms of fatigue, irritability, headache or confusion.
At this point, you may reach for another "hit" of caffeine, followed by another, and another and maybe even one more. If you constantly keep your body on a caffeine high, you're constantly keeping your body in "flight-or-flight" mode.
Cherniske explains your body's "perspective" of this constant state: "Imagine you lived in a country that was always under threat of attack. No matter where you went, there was a perpetual state of alert. Not only that, but your defenses were constantly being depleted and weakened. Does that sound stressful? Caffeine produces the same effect on your body, like fighting a war on multiple fronts at the same time." Cherniske calls your body's constant state of alert "caffeinism," which is characterized by fatigue, anxiety, mood swings, sleep disturbance, irritability and depression.
After prolonged "caffeinism," your body enters a state of adrenal exhaustion. Your caffeine consumption has simply pushed your adrenal glands so much that they've burned out. Ralph T. Golan, ND, describes this unfortunate state in his book, Herbal Defense: "Caffeine forces your glands to secrete when they don't have much left to give, and they have to keep digging deeper and deeper, making you more and more tired over time. And over the years, it takes more and more coffee to get the same result. Some people reach the point of drinking half a dozen or more cups of coffee to get the same result and it's barely keeping them awake. That's severe adrenal depletion."
In other words, caffeine affects your body just like any drug. You start taking it slowly, but as your body develops a tolerance to it, you need more and more to feel the same effects. Eventually, your body reaches a point where it can't be without it; otherwise, you will start to experience withdrawal symptoms.
You may think that you don't drink nearly enough to become addicted to it, but you probably already are. "Careful research conducted by the department of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine shows that low to moderate caffeine intake (as little as one 14-ounce mug per day) can quickly produce withdrawal symptoms," writes Cherniske. Yes, caffeine is a drug, even though it's something that you ingested in your beloved chocolate bars and colas since early childhood.
Instead of reaching for your morning cup of coffee, you can do your body a big favor by eating a healthy breakfast instead. A good breakfast, maintained by a healthy lunch, will keep you energetic all day. You can read News Target's page on breakfast to learn to distinguish between the good and bad breakfast foods, but whatever you do, don't wash it down with a cup of coffee.
The experts speak on caffeine, exhaustion and fatigue:
"Caffeine's immediate effects on your body"
It doesn't take a genius to see that there might be a downside to all of this neuron activity. In fact, uncontrolled neuron firing creates an emergency situation, which triggers the pituitary gland in the brain to secrete ACTH (adrenocorticotrophic hormone). ACTH tells the adrenal glands to pump out stress hormones—the next major side effect of caffeine. Caffeine Blues By Stephen Cherniske MS, page 56
Within five minutes after you drink your morning coffee, the caffeine begins to stimulate your central nervous system, triggering the release of stress hormones in your body, causing a stress ("fight or flight" ) response. The stress hormones are useful if you need to prepare yourself to fight or flee a dangerous situation, but if you are simply sitting at your desk you may feel a short charge of alertness, quickly followed by feelings of agitation. Within the next hour or so, after the stress response dissipates, you will probably feel more tired and hungry. At these low-energy times, many people reach for another cup of coffee, or eat a snack that is often high in sugar to "pep up" and stay alert. However, both caffeine and sugar only give you temporary feelings of increased energy, which quickly dissipate. For some people, this cycle of low energy followed by an infusion of caffeine or food continues the entire day -- leaving them feeling exhausted and unable to focus by 3:00 p.m. because they are drained from the ups and downs in energy their body endured throughout the day. Active Wellness By Gayle Reichler MS RD CDN, page 12
Among other things, it stimulates the production of adrenaline, one of the hormones secreted by the adrenal glands to help us in extreme emergency situations. Our adrenals evolved to give our early ancestors the extra strength and alertness needed to escape a saber tooth tiger attack, but we don't often need that much adrenaline these days. Like sugar, coffee constantly stimulates the production of adrenaline, putting excessive wear and tear on the adrenal glands. And let's not forget that green tea and black tea contain caffeine, and even decaf still contains some caffeine. If you're sensitive to caffeine it can keep you awake at night even if you haven't had any since noon. If you're suffering from insomnia, your best bet is to drink nonstimulating herbal teas such as chamomile or mint in the evening. If you need a boost in the afternoon, try a cup of ginseng tea. Prescription Alternatives by Earl Mindell RPh PhD and Virginia Hopkins MA, page 388
Caffeine triggers a stress response that involves a surge in adrenal hormones and the classic fight-or-flight "emergency," affecting virtually every cell in the body. Caffeine Blues By Stephen Cherniske MS, page 98
Everybody "knows" that caffeine makes you more alert and clearheaded. Think again. A cup of coffee gives you a wakeup jolt because it triggers a stress response. Your adrenal glands are prompted to kick out the same stress hormones that are released when you perceive an external threat or danger. Your muscles tense, your blood sugar elevates for extra energy, your pulse and respiration rates speed up, and your state of alertness increases so you're ready to wrestle with or run from environmental dangers. You may be only sitting at your table or desk drinking a cup of coffee, but your body doesn't know that. It's preparing for action. The Memory Solution by Dr Julian Whitaker, page 261
Caffeine increases the stimulating neurohormone, noradrenaline, and reduces the calming neurotransmitter, serotonin. The Crazy Makers by Carol Simontacchi, page 191
Caffeine also stimulates the production of norepinephrine, another stress hormone that acts directly on the brain and nervous system. Epinephrine and norepinephrine are responsible for increased heart rate, increased blood pressure, and that "emergency" feeling. In fact, the emergency is quite real. caffeine can trigger a classic fight-or-flight stress reaction with all of the results listed in Illustration. Caffeine Blues By Stephen Cherniske MS, page 57
I particularly recommend that you avoid caffeine. What caffeine actually does is set off a stress response. It stimulates your adrenal glands to make epinephrine and norepinephrine—the same stress hormones that are produced in response to any stressor. This sets the stress response in motion, causing tense muscles, elevated blood sugar, and increased pulse and respiration. You may feel mentally sharper because your brain is high on adrenaline. It's ready to rumble. One cup of coffee for most people isn't damaging. But as you may recall from our discussion of the three stages of the stress response, if stress hormones remain elevated, the body is thrown into a state of chronic stress. By sipping on coffee, tea, or caffeinated soda all day long, you are forcing your adrenal glands to continue to pump out stress hormones. The Memory Solution by Dr Julian Whitaker, page 165
Caffeine works by mimicking a hormone that tells the adrenal glands to crank out more adrenaline. The adrenal glands think there is a stressful situation and that they are supposed to be making more adrenal hormone. Herbal Defense by Ralph T Golan ND, page 280
A dosage of 50 to 100 mg caffeine, the amount in one cup of coffee, will produce a temporary increase in mental clarity and energy levels while simultaneously reducing drowsiness. It also improves muscular-coordinated work activity, such as typing. Through its CNS stimulation, caffeine increases brain activity; however, it also stimulates the cardiovascular system, raising blood pressure and heart rate. It generally speeds up our body by increasing our basal metabolic rate (BMR), which burns more calories. Initially, caffeine may lower blood sugar; however, this can lead to increased hunger or cravings for sweets. After adrenal stimulation, blood sugar rises again. Caffeine also increases respiratory rates, and for people with tight airways, it can open breathing passages. Caffeine is also a diuretic and a mild laxative. The New Detox Diet by Elson M Haas MD, page 30
Caffeine and nicotine overstimulate the adrenal glands. When these substances, other stressors, and a generally poor diet are combined, the adrenals can enter into a state of emergency. They become depleted of important vitamins, such as B-complex vitamins and vitamin C. Complete Encyclopedia Of Natural Healing by Gary Null PhD, page 233
Although we think of caffeine in coffee as the "wake-me-up" chemical, chronic use of it may cause fatigue, headache, moodiness, and depression in some people. Because caffeine boosts energy through increasing the production of ATP, the basic unit of energy production in your body, one school of thought suggests that chronically stimulating this system may deplete it, sort of like overworking the soil in farmland. Recommendation: If you are a caffeine junkie (more than 3 cups of coffee a day) and can't get through the day without your coffee fix, you may be promoting your fatigue with caffeine and need a rest period. Go slowly with your reduction to zero caffeine to avoid developing overwhelming sleepiness and a bad headache. Doctors Complete Guide Vitamins Minerals by Mary D Eades MD, page 324
Caffeine can have a detrimental effect on blood sugar. When caffeine is ingested, the nervous system is stimulated. Adrenaline is released and, in turn, the liver begins to emit stored blood sugar. Insulin is then released, and blood sugar drops below normal—a common seizure trigger for people with epilepsy. Caffeine can also constrict blood vessels in the brain. It is important for people with epilepsy to know that caffeine can be an ingredient in medications, including some antihistamines and decongestants. Disease Prevention And Treatment by Life Extension Foundation, page 739
For an optimal response to our plan, we recommend eliminating or sharply reducing your caffeine intake. Caffeine raises levels of adrenaline, causes overexcitation, increases stress, and impairs the relaxation response. It's hard to be at peace when you're revved up on caffeine. Ultraprevention by Mark Hyman MD and Mark Liponis MD, page 241
Watch out for coffee. The caffeine in coffee can upset blood-sugar levels, leaving you fatigued and longing for a quick-pick-me-up snack. Limit coffee to two cups a day. Food & Mood By Elizabeth Somer MA RD, page 57
Caffeine, in fact, is the most widely used cognitive-enhancement product in our society. Numerous tests have proved that, when used in moderate amounts, caffeine boosts concentration and alertness. Because it is a stimulant, it increases output of adrenaline, and can temporarily improve memory and mood. Brain Longevity by Dharma Singh Khalsa M.D. with Cameron Stauth, page 266
Caffeine acts directly upon the central nervous system. It brings about an almost immediate sense of clearer thought and lessens fatigue. It also stimulates the release of stored sugar from the liver, which accounts for the "lift" coffee, cola, and chocolate give. But these benefits may be far outweighed by the side effects: Vitamin Bible for the 21st Century by Earl Mindell, page 315
Caffeine doesn't add energy to your system, it just burns up your reserves at a faster pace. You get a short-term boost at the expense of long-term jitters and fatigue. The Unofficial Guide to Beating Stress by Pat Goudey, page 136
On the physical level, we need a steady source of energy to accomplish our goals. Nothing is more frustrating than to be motivated, to have a great plan, but no energy to carry it out. When I ask patients about their reasons for drinking coffee, the most common response is: "I need the energy." The irony is that caffeine is a major cause of fatigue. Depending on caffeine to get you through the day might work for a while, but in the long run it will make your dreams harder and harder to achieve. Caffeine Blues By Stephen Cherniske MS, page 43
Avoid caffeine -- it increases the stress hormones and adrenaline, which causes a spike in blood sugar. Ultraprevention by Mark Hyman MD and Mark Liponis MD, page 306
"Constant 'fight-or-flight' mode and the caffeine rollercoaster"
If you continue to drink coffee or other beverages containing caffeine throughout the day, your adrenal glands will be constantly stimulated and you will find yourself in a chronic state of stress. Extra stress, I guarantee, you don't need—it takes a toll on your body and brain. And even though most people think caffeine makes them mentally sharper, studies demonstrate that, in fact, the opposite is true. The Memory Solution by Dr Julian Whitaker, page 261
Cut back on sugar and caffeine. These quick-fix solutions to lagging energy and poor mood fuel your fatigue and depression and aggravate food cravings. You can achieve the same neurotransmitter "fix," but provide your body with a sustained energy boost and mood elevation, by switching to fiber-rich carbohydrates, such as breads, rice, pasta, low-sugar cereals, and starchy vegetables. Coffee is a mixed bag. One to two cups a day boosts energy and mood, but more than that -- especially in people who are unknowingly sensitive to caffeine—can fuel the fatigue spiral. Never consume sugar and caffeine together, and include the occasional sweet treat with a meal -- don't eat sweets alone. Food & Mood By Elizabeth Somer MA RD, page 274
Tag : naturalnews.com
25.11.08
Taking Common Painkiller (acetaminophen) with Coffee is Extremely Toxic to the Liver
Taking Common Painkiller (acetaminophen) with Coffee is Extremely Toxic to the Liver
NaturalNews Combining caffeine with the active ingredient in Tylenol (acetaminophen) may be extremely dangerous for the liver, according to new research conducted at the University of Washington and reported in the journal Chemical Research in Toxicology.
Researchers performed the study on E. coli bacteria that had been genetically modified to produce a human liver enzyme that breaks down the pain killing chemical paracetamol, also known as acetaminophen. A toxic byproduct of this enzyme's activity is what leads to liver damage in cases of paracetamol overdose.
When the scientists expose the bacteria to a large combined dose of caffeine and paracetamol, production of the toxic byproduct tripled. According to researchers, this translates to three times the risk of permanent liver damage.
According to British health expert Dr. Simon Thomas of the University of Newcastle, paracetamol is the culprit in 40 percents of drug overdoses in the United Kingdom, leading to 100 deaths or liver transplants yearly. But Thomas said that it would be hasty to draw too many conclusions about the human liver from a study conducted on bacteria.
"There are a million miles between E. coli and humans in terms of how paracetamol and caffeine are metabolized," he said.
Prior studies have shown that caffeine exacerbates paracetamol-induced liver damage in rats, and that mixing alcohol with the painkiller intensifies its effects on the liver. However, this is the first study to provide evidence that a mix of paracetamol and caffeine may be dangerous.
But the researchers noted that the doses they used in the study were enormous, and that there is as yet no evidence what dose would be required to be dangerous to humans. Because of this uncertainty, however, they advised caution in mixing the two drugs.
"The bottom line is that you don't have to stop taking acetaminophen or stop taking caffeine products, but you do need to monitor your intake more carefully when taking them together, especially if you drink alcohol," said researcher Sid Nelson.
Tag : naturalnews.com
NaturalNews Combining caffeine with the active ingredient in Tylenol (acetaminophen) may be extremely dangerous for the liver, according to new research conducted at the University of Washington and reported in the journal Chemical Research in Toxicology.
Researchers performed the study on E. coli bacteria that had been genetically modified to produce a human liver enzyme that breaks down the pain killing chemical paracetamol, also known as acetaminophen. A toxic byproduct of this enzyme's activity is what leads to liver damage in cases of paracetamol overdose.
When the scientists expose the bacteria to a large combined dose of caffeine and paracetamol, production of the toxic byproduct tripled. According to researchers, this translates to three times the risk of permanent liver damage.
According to British health expert Dr. Simon Thomas of the University of Newcastle, paracetamol is the culprit in 40 percents of drug overdoses in the United Kingdom, leading to 100 deaths or liver transplants yearly. But Thomas said that it would be hasty to draw too many conclusions about the human liver from a study conducted on bacteria.
"There are a million miles between E. coli and humans in terms of how paracetamol and caffeine are metabolized," he said.
Prior studies have shown that caffeine exacerbates paracetamol-induced liver damage in rats, and that mixing alcohol with the painkiller intensifies its effects on the liver. However, this is the first study to provide evidence that a mix of paracetamol and caffeine may be dangerous.
But the researchers noted that the doses they used in the study were enormous, and that there is as yet no evidence what dose would be required to be dangerous to humans. Because of this uncertainty, however, they advised caution in mixing the two drugs.
"The bottom line is that you don't have to stop taking acetaminophen or stop taking caffeine products, but you do need to monitor your intake more carefully when taking them together, especially if you drink alcohol," said researcher Sid Nelson.
Tag : naturalnews.com
24.11.08
Human Behavior and Emotions Altered by Scents
Human Behavior and Emotions Altered by Scents
NaturalNews) A new study finds that just the smell of coffee alone may provide important antioxidant benefits all the while soothing your frazzled nerves. Humans have been consuming coffee for a thousand years and for a lot of us, the aroma of freshly brewed coffee is as good, sometimes better, than the taste.
Now we learn from the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry that the pleasure of smelling coffee might provide for humans a powerful antioxidant that protects nerve cells from stress related damage.
The study was partially funded by the Winter Institute Program of the Korea Science and Engineering Foundation and the Japan-Korea Industrial Technology Foundation.Han-Seok Seo, study leader of the Seoul National University in South Korea and his colleagues conducted their tests on four groups of adult male Wistar rats stressed from sleep deprivation.
The aim of the study was to demonstrate influences of roasted coffee aroma on rat brain functions and evaluate the impact.
After testing, the impact was conclusive; roasted coffee bean aroma changes the mRNA and protein levels of the rat brain. This showed for the first time that valuable proteins with healthy antioxidant properties, which are important in protecting cells from stress, were found in the brains of the coffee-sniffing rats.
We don't know if ancient cultures tested aroma impact on rodents, but we do know that bottles of medicinal aromatics discovered in tombs were widely used by the ancient Egyptians. Writings have been found from other ancient cultures indicating that the Greeks, Romans, Chinese and Hebrews used aromas for healing.
One of the fastest growing fields today in alternative medicine is aromatherapy. A holistic treatment using botanical oils that are inhaled or massaged into your skin, these oils work on the brain and nervous system by stimulating the olfactory nerves.
Of our five senses, the sense of smell is the most complex and unique in structure. A major pathway for information to be distributed to the brain is the limbic system where emotions and responses of the body are processed. It is the hippocampus, a part of the forebrain, which is responsible for short term memory.
The effect of scent on the human mind and its implications have not been fully researched yet, but brain scientists are now confirming what herbalists and aroma researchers have long believed; a good aroma evokes our deepest emotions. Alan Hirsch, M.D., neurological director of the Smell and Taste Research Foundation in Chicago agrees.
Smell, odor, scents are powerful tools for bringing back memories or eliciting emotional responses which ultimately affect our overall health. Experts are learning that when odor is paired with a learning task, that recall will be 50% improved. The implications of this for children with learning difficulties or brain trauma victims are promising.
Zoladz and Raudenbush (2005) have examined the effects of cinnamon and peppermint odor on participants and found improvement in their ability to pay attention, their recognition & working memory, visual-motor response speed, mood and energy.
Another similar study was conducted by Barker, Grayhem, Koon, Perkins, Whalen and Raudenbush (2003) to assess whether peppermint would actually increase the alertness of clerical workers in an office environment. The overall improvement in typing accuracy, speed, increased performance and ability to alphabetize improved significantly.
In 1996 another group, Kliauga, Hubert, and Cenci, studied the improvement of participants who proofread pages of text with misspelled words and found similar results of significant improvement.
New buildings in Japan are designed using an innovative HVAC system that incorporates calming lavender and rosemary scents to soothe waiting customers, whereas employees in banks are being kept alert with stimulating aromas like lemon and eucalyptus.
While researchers unravel the complexities of aromas and the link to our physiological and emotional behavior, we know there is a definite link up between the nose and the brain and it smells pretty good.In Good Health,
Tag : naturalnews.com
NaturalNews) A new study finds that just the smell of coffee alone may provide important antioxidant benefits all the while soothing your frazzled nerves. Humans have been consuming coffee for a thousand years and for a lot of us, the aroma of freshly brewed coffee is as good, sometimes better, than the taste.
Now we learn from the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry that the pleasure of smelling coffee might provide for humans a powerful antioxidant that protects nerve cells from stress related damage.
The study was partially funded by the Winter Institute Program of the Korea Science and Engineering Foundation and the Japan-Korea Industrial Technology Foundation.Han-Seok Seo, study leader of the Seoul National University in South Korea and his colleagues conducted their tests on four groups of adult male Wistar rats stressed from sleep deprivation.
The aim of the study was to demonstrate influences of roasted coffee aroma on rat brain functions and evaluate the impact.
After testing, the impact was conclusive; roasted coffee bean aroma changes the mRNA and protein levels of the rat brain. This showed for the first time that valuable proteins with healthy antioxidant properties, which are important in protecting cells from stress, were found in the brains of the coffee-sniffing rats.
We don't know if ancient cultures tested aroma impact on rodents, but we do know that bottles of medicinal aromatics discovered in tombs were widely used by the ancient Egyptians. Writings have been found from other ancient cultures indicating that the Greeks, Romans, Chinese and Hebrews used aromas for healing.
One of the fastest growing fields today in alternative medicine is aromatherapy. A holistic treatment using botanical oils that are inhaled or massaged into your skin, these oils work on the brain and nervous system by stimulating the olfactory nerves.
Of our five senses, the sense of smell is the most complex and unique in structure. A major pathway for information to be distributed to the brain is the limbic system where emotions and responses of the body are processed. It is the hippocampus, a part of the forebrain, which is responsible for short term memory.
The effect of scent on the human mind and its implications have not been fully researched yet, but brain scientists are now confirming what herbalists and aroma researchers have long believed; a good aroma evokes our deepest emotions. Alan Hirsch, M.D., neurological director of the Smell and Taste Research Foundation in Chicago agrees.
Smell, odor, scents are powerful tools for bringing back memories or eliciting emotional responses which ultimately affect our overall health. Experts are learning that when odor is paired with a learning task, that recall will be 50% improved. The implications of this for children with learning difficulties or brain trauma victims are promising.
Zoladz and Raudenbush (2005) have examined the effects of cinnamon and peppermint odor on participants and found improvement in their ability to pay attention, their recognition & working memory, visual-motor response speed, mood and energy.
Another similar study was conducted by Barker, Grayhem, Koon, Perkins, Whalen and Raudenbush (2003) to assess whether peppermint would actually increase the alertness of clerical workers in an office environment. The overall improvement in typing accuracy, speed, increased performance and ability to alphabetize improved significantly.
In 1996 another group, Kliauga, Hubert, and Cenci, studied the improvement of participants who proofread pages of text with misspelled words and found similar results of significant improvement.
New buildings in Japan are designed using an innovative HVAC system that incorporates calming lavender and rosemary scents to soothe waiting customers, whereas employees in banks are being kept alert with stimulating aromas like lemon and eucalyptus.
While researchers unravel the complexities of aromas and the link to our physiological and emotional behavior, we know there is a definite link up between the nose and the brain and it smells pretty good.In Good Health,
Tag : naturalnews.com
23.11.08
Maverley's Coffee Menu
Maverley's Coffee Menu
All of our Coffees come Freshly Ground for your Automatic Drip Coffee Maker. The average size bag is 2oz. which is equal to 12 - 8oz. cups. We believe this is perfect for you to sample each brand and flavor.We like to keep a variety of Coffees for you to sample. In order to accomplish this we will periodically change our Coffee menu.
At Maverley?s Unique Products many of our gifts and gift baskets have been specially designed to accommodate corporate gift giving. If you would like to customize our Coffee of the Month club Please call 1-877-987-1100 to speak with a Gift Consultant. We will help you establish a corporate gift giving program and rates that best fit your needs and budget.
BERRIE HOUSE Toasted Almond: Just like the ice-cream bar, a blend of fresh roasted almond pieces and almond flavoring. Hazelnut: A smooth blend of Hazelnut and hazelnut flavoring
DIEDRICH Morning Edition Blend: Is a signature blend created by Martin Diedrich to be ideal as a first cup of morning coffee. It is roasted and blended to be hearty, delicious and to bring clarity to anyone's morning. Morning Edition Blend is a full-bodied, full roast with creamy vanilla sweetness, aromas of leather and spice and a hearty satisfying finish. French Roast: This is the darkest of our roasts. It is a blend of coffees that lend themselves particularly well to being roasted so heavily, producing a very hearty taste with a light desirable toasty flavor. It is a strong, but not bitter or burnt taste, and is certainly not for the faint of heart. Diedrich Coffee's French Roast is often enjoyed as an accompaniment to after-dinner dessert or simply as a great "stand alone" cup of coffee.
GHIRARDELLI Raspberry Chocolate: Richest, creamiest chocolate blended with a sweet-tart raspberry, dusted with more cocoa to create a fine confection coffee. Double Chocolate: The richest, deep chocolate flavor brought to peak with an additional dusting of cocoa. The ultimate chocolate lover`s coffee. Chocolate Hazelnut: Rich, creamy chocolate enhanced with the finest European Hazelnut and dusted with more cocoa - a definite dessert lover`s favorite.
GODIVA Creme Brulee: A delicious medium-bodied blend, delicately flavored with vanilla and caramel. Vanilla Hazelnut: A rich roasted coffee offering a scent of vanilla and the sweet taste of hazelnuts. Chocolate Creme: The unusual coffee features the chocolate taste Godiva lovers will love, with just a hint of vanilla.
GREEN MOUNTAIN Rain Forest Nut: A subtly, sweet, delightful coffee with tastes of vanilla, caramel, cashew, and real slices of Brazil nuts. Fair Trade certified French Roast: This is our most intense roast and the most pronounced in terms of dark, deep roasted flavor and smokiness. It's wonderful not just for after dinner, but to add character to your own home blends as well. Nantucket Blend: One of our most complex coffees, this one blends all the coffee attributes together like a spectacular tapestry African winey tones, Indonesian body, and zesty flavors from the Americas. We've also added just a touch of French Roast.
MILLSTONE Cafe Midnight: Dark coffee lovers will enjoy this unique blend of coffees from Latin America and the Islands of Indonesia, which are roasted in our Satin Dark Roast style to bring out a smooth rich flavor. Kahlua Vanilla Creme: Make any day an occasion! Indulge in the wonderful aroma and unique taste of Kahlua
PARK SIDE Central Park: The smooth taste of the breakfast blend will start every day perfectly5th Avenue: Several different roasts create this mild, meduim-bodied Moke Java blendSoHo: A delicate, organic blend is a bird-griendly medium roast.
REUNION ISLAND The story behind Reunion Island Coffee: Some 500 miles off the coast of Madagascar, in the middle of the Indian Ocean, lies one of the world's most perfect islands: La Runion. Many of the world's finest coffees had their origins in the rich volcanic soil of this island's mountains. Island Reserve:
Rich, caramel-nut to winey, fruit-like flavor. House Blend: Nutty with slight winey aftertaste.
STARBUCKS
House Blend: Welcome to Starbucks own House Blend. Easy to drink, with light-to-medium body and a faint hint of toasted nut flavor, this is Starbucks timeless signature blend and (not surprisingly) a simply wonderful cup of coffee. Breakfast Blend: From Guatemala to Colombia to Mexico to Ethiopia, Starbucks pursues coffee beans with an unequaled passion. They then buy on taste alone, regardless of price, and roast each variety to its natural flavor peak. Clean and flavorful, distinguished by its gentle, sparkling acidity. Makes a bright impression and a wonderful accompaniment to the beginning of the day. Cafe Verona: Caf? Verona? is a complex blend of Latin American coffees with the richness of Indonesian coffees. A touch of dark roast adds depth and sweetness. Great any time of the day, it's an excellent pick-me-up and fantastic with chocolate. French Roast: This is not for the timid. The hardiest of Latin American coffees withstand our darkest roast - an intensity which would burn less rugged beans. Blunt, smoky flavors are the objective of the roasting process and there's only a slight, residual acidity. Although it's a powerful blend, the body is light.
WOLFGANG PUCK Toscana Blend: Inspired by the intimate trattorias of the Tuscan Countryside. Smooth, sweet with well rounder flavors. This Milder, lighter roast has a wonderful rich sweet aroma. Drink Toscana all day and day! Traditional light roast. Sorrento Blend:Classic Italian. Alive and vibrant. Romantic, like the Isle of Capri. Rich, diverse blend with just a hint of dark roast flavor. Sweet and dark Yet never bitter or over roasted. Medium dark roast.
Tag : maverleys.com
All of our Coffees come Freshly Ground for your Automatic Drip Coffee Maker. The average size bag is 2oz. which is equal to 12 - 8oz. cups. We believe this is perfect for you to sample each brand and flavor.We like to keep a variety of Coffees for you to sample. In order to accomplish this we will periodically change our Coffee menu.
At Maverley?s Unique Products many of our gifts and gift baskets have been specially designed to accommodate corporate gift giving. If you would like to customize our Coffee of the Month club Please call 1-877-987-1100 to speak with a Gift Consultant. We will help you establish a corporate gift giving program and rates that best fit your needs and budget.
BERRIE HOUSE Toasted Almond: Just like the ice-cream bar, a blend of fresh roasted almond pieces and almond flavoring. Hazelnut: A smooth blend of Hazelnut and hazelnut flavoring
DIEDRICH Morning Edition Blend: Is a signature blend created by Martin Diedrich to be ideal as a first cup of morning coffee. It is roasted and blended to be hearty, delicious and to bring clarity to anyone's morning. Morning Edition Blend is a full-bodied, full roast with creamy vanilla sweetness, aromas of leather and spice and a hearty satisfying finish. French Roast: This is the darkest of our roasts. It is a blend of coffees that lend themselves particularly well to being roasted so heavily, producing a very hearty taste with a light desirable toasty flavor. It is a strong, but not bitter or burnt taste, and is certainly not for the faint of heart. Diedrich Coffee's French Roast is often enjoyed as an accompaniment to after-dinner dessert or simply as a great "stand alone" cup of coffee.
GHIRARDELLI Raspberry Chocolate: Richest, creamiest chocolate blended with a sweet-tart raspberry, dusted with more cocoa to create a fine confection coffee. Double Chocolate: The richest, deep chocolate flavor brought to peak with an additional dusting of cocoa. The ultimate chocolate lover`s coffee. Chocolate Hazelnut: Rich, creamy chocolate enhanced with the finest European Hazelnut and dusted with more cocoa - a definite dessert lover`s favorite.
GODIVA Creme Brulee: A delicious medium-bodied blend, delicately flavored with vanilla and caramel. Vanilla Hazelnut: A rich roasted coffee offering a scent of vanilla and the sweet taste of hazelnuts. Chocolate Creme: The unusual coffee features the chocolate taste Godiva lovers will love, with just a hint of vanilla.
GREEN MOUNTAIN Rain Forest Nut: A subtly, sweet, delightful coffee with tastes of vanilla, caramel, cashew, and real slices of Brazil nuts. Fair Trade certified French Roast: This is our most intense roast and the most pronounced in terms of dark, deep roasted flavor and smokiness. It's wonderful not just for after dinner, but to add character to your own home blends as well. Nantucket Blend: One of our most complex coffees, this one blends all the coffee attributes together like a spectacular tapestry African winey tones, Indonesian body, and zesty flavors from the Americas. We've also added just a touch of French Roast.
MILLSTONE Cafe Midnight: Dark coffee lovers will enjoy this unique blend of coffees from Latin America and the Islands of Indonesia, which are roasted in our Satin Dark Roast style to bring out a smooth rich flavor. Kahlua Vanilla Creme: Make any day an occasion! Indulge in the wonderful aroma and unique taste of Kahlua
PARK SIDE Central Park: The smooth taste of the breakfast blend will start every day perfectly5th Avenue: Several different roasts create this mild, meduim-bodied Moke Java blendSoHo: A delicate, organic blend is a bird-griendly medium roast.
REUNION ISLAND The story behind Reunion Island Coffee: Some 500 miles off the coast of Madagascar, in the middle of the Indian Ocean, lies one of the world's most perfect islands: La Runion. Many of the world's finest coffees had their origins in the rich volcanic soil of this island's mountains. Island Reserve:
Rich, caramel-nut to winey, fruit-like flavor. House Blend: Nutty with slight winey aftertaste.
STARBUCKS
House Blend: Welcome to Starbucks own House Blend. Easy to drink, with light-to-medium body and a faint hint of toasted nut flavor, this is Starbucks timeless signature blend and (not surprisingly) a simply wonderful cup of coffee. Breakfast Blend: From Guatemala to Colombia to Mexico to Ethiopia, Starbucks pursues coffee beans with an unequaled passion. They then buy on taste alone, regardless of price, and roast each variety to its natural flavor peak. Clean and flavorful, distinguished by its gentle, sparkling acidity. Makes a bright impression and a wonderful accompaniment to the beginning of the day. Cafe Verona: Caf? Verona? is a complex blend of Latin American coffees with the richness of Indonesian coffees. A touch of dark roast adds depth and sweetness. Great any time of the day, it's an excellent pick-me-up and fantastic with chocolate. French Roast: This is not for the timid. The hardiest of Latin American coffees withstand our darkest roast - an intensity which would burn less rugged beans. Blunt, smoky flavors are the objective of the roasting process and there's only a slight, residual acidity. Although it's a powerful blend, the body is light.
WOLFGANG PUCK Toscana Blend: Inspired by the intimate trattorias of the Tuscan Countryside. Smooth, sweet with well rounder flavors. This Milder, lighter roast has a wonderful rich sweet aroma. Drink Toscana all day and day! Traditional light roast. Sorrento Blend:Classic Italian. Alive and vibrant. Romantic, like the Isle of Capri. Rich, diverse blend with just a hint of dark roast flavor. Sweet and dark Yet never bitter or over roasted. Medium dark roast.
Tag : maverleys.com
22.11.08
Coffee Menu
Espresso Drinks
Espresso - 1.5 ounces
Macchiato - 3 ounces (espresso, bit of steamed milk)
Cappuccino - 6.5 ounces (espresso, steamed milk and denser foam)
Latte - 11.5 ounces (espresso, steamed milk and lighter foam)
Americano - 11 ounces (espresso and hot water)
We use Counter Culture’s Espresso La Forza
Non-Espresso
12 ounce or 16 ounce cup of the ‘house’ single-origin coffee, made using French Press
17 ounce made-to-order personal pot of a single-origin selection
(to make sure the coffee we serve you is always fresh, decaf coffee is available for purchase as a decaf americano only)
Tag : bigbearcafe-dc.com
Espresso - 1.5 ounces
Macchiato - 3 ounces (espresso, bit of steamed milk)
Cappuccino - 6.5 ounces (espresso, steamed milk and denser foam)
Latte - 11.5 ounces (espresso, steamed milk and lighter foam)
Americano - 11 ounces (espresso and hot water)
We use Counter Culture’s Espresso La Forza
Non-Espresso
12 ounce or 16 ounce cup of the ‘house’ single-origin coffee, made using French Press
17 ounce made-to-order personal pot of a single-origin selection
(to make sure the coffee we serve you is always fresh, decaf coffee is available for purchase as a decaf americano only)
Tag : bigbearcafe-dc.com
21.11.08
Tips for Better Storage and Brewing
Tips for Better Storage and Brewing
Store Beans in an Airtight, Opaque Container (No Fridge or Freezer!)
Light and oxygen are enemies of fresh coffee. Both will steal flavor. Storing your coffee beans in an airtight, opaque container keeps your coffee at its freshest.
At home you might use something as low-tech as the bag that the coffee comes in and put it in a zip-lock bag. Or you might use the kind of airtight container you would use for flour or sugar.
Start with Filtered Water
Coffee is comprised of approximately 80% water. If you don’t like the taste of your water, you won’t like the taste of your coffee.
Use the Right Equipment
A low-tech device like a French press or a pour-through brewer will give you the best flavor. Both use very hot water and provide great flavor extraction.
Use the Proper Grind for Your Brewing Equipment
If you’re not sure what the right grind is, let us grind it for you at the shop.
Use the Right Ratio of Coffee to Water
Using 1 tablespoon ground coffee per 4 ounces of water is best.
Don’t Leave Coffee on the Burner
Do not leave coffee on a burner—it will burn! Immediately consume your brewed coffee or put it into an air-tight thermos of some type to preserve freshness without adding heat.
Tag : thecommonplacecoffeehouse.com
Store Beans in an Airtight, Opaque Container (No Fridge or Freezer!)
Light and oxygen are enemies of fresh coffee. Both will steal flavor. Storing your coffee beans in an airtight, opaque container keeps your coffee at its freshest.
At home you might use something as low-tech as the bag that the coffee comes in and put it in a zip-lock bag. Or you might use the kind of airtight container you would use for flour or sugar.
Start with Filtered Water
Coffee is comprised of approximately 80% water. If you don’t like the taste of your water, you won’t like the taste of your coffee.
Use the Right Equipment
A low-tech device like a French press or a pour-through brewer will give you the best flavor. Both use very hot water and provide great flavor extraction.
Use the Proper Grind for Your Brewing Equipment
If you’re not sure what the right grind is, let us grind it for you at the shop.
Use the Right Ratio of Coffee to Water
Using 1 tablespoon ground coffee per 4 ounces of water is best.
Don’t Leave Coffee on the Burner
Do not leave coffee on a burner—it will burn! Immediately consume your brewed coffee or put it into an air-tight thermos of some type to preserve freshness without adding heat.
Tag : thecommonplacecoffeehouse.com
20.11.08
“This is the best coffee I’ve ever had!”
“This is the best coffee I’ve ever had!”
We get that a lot. Every day, actually. Why do so many people tell us that our coffee is the best they’ve ever had? It’s simple:
Fresh Coffee Tastes Better
Next time you’re in the supermarket, have a look at the “freshness” date on a bag of corporate coffee. It’s likely a date 6 months hence.
Think about the trip that coffee has been on, from a commercial roasting facility, to a bagging facility, to a warehouse, to a truck, to a grocery distribution center, to the store shelf, and finally to your house.
Now think about the Commonplace Coffeehouse & Roasters: twenty feet from the roaster to the bag you take home. That’s why people tell us “this is the best coffee I’ve ever tasted” every day.
Tag : thecommonplacecoffeehouse.com
We get that a lot. Every day, actually. Why do so many people tell us that our coffee is the best they’ve ever had? It’s simple:
Fresh Coffee Tastes Better
Next time you’re in the supermarket, have a look at the “freshness” date on a bag of corporate coffee. It’s likely a date 6 months hence.
Think about the trip that coffee has been on, from a commercial roasting facility, to a bagging facility, to a warehouse, to a truck, to a grocery distribution center, to the store shelf, and finally to your house.
Now think about the Commonplace Coffeehouse & Roasters: twenty feet from the roaster to the bag you take home. That’s why people tell us “this is the best coffee I’ve ever tasted” every day.
Tag : thecommonplacecoffeehouse.com
19.11.08
How To Froth / Steam Milk
How To Froth / Steam Milk
1. Always use the correct stainless steel jug for milk (either a straight jug or a belly jug, do not use a 'V' shaped jug as the milk will boil too easily).
2.Half fill jug with fresh cold milk (recommended maximum temperature 2-4°C).
3. Open the steam tap for 5 seconds before frothing begins. Turn steam tap off. This ensures good steam pressure.
4. Move steam arm/nozzle into position using a clean, non-abrasive, damp cloth. Lower steam arm/nozzle into jug ensuring the nozzle does not touch the base – fully open steam tap. Warm the milk from the base and start swirling motion.
5. After 5 seconds, bring steam nozzle to just below the milk surface. Always keep steam nozzle under the milk surface or milk will not froth.
6. Reduce the steam pressure to an audible growl and move the steam nozzle into the middle of the jug. The volume of milk should have doubled. Listen for the change in sound.
7. Keep your hand on the side of the jug to determine how hot the milk is getting. Never let the milk boil. If the jug becomes too hot to touch, the milk will be boiled, discard immediately. Boiled milk will not refroth.
8. When milk reaches the correct temperature, turn steam tap off, wipe steam arm/nozzle with a clean, non – abrasive, damp cloth and return the steam arm/nozzle to its original position.
9. Gently rock the frothed milk onto the coffee to obtain correct ratio of steamed and frothed milk for cappuccino OR pour without ‘rocking’ the steamed milk onto the coffee for caffe latte.
10 To refroth milk, always bring the temperature of the milk in the jug down by adding cold milk. If the milk boils, it should be discarded immediately as it has a bitter, burnt taste and cannot be refrothed.
11. Always clean the steam arm immediately after use. Use a clean, non-abrasive, damp cloth, never touch with hands.
Tag : caffesociety.co.uk
1. Always use the correct stainless steel jug for milk (either a straight jug or a belly jug, do not use a 'V' shaped jug as the milk will boil too easily).
2.Half fill jug with fresh cold milk (recommended maximum temperature 2-4°C).
3. Open the steam tap for 5 seconds before frothing begins. Turn steam tap off. This ensures good steam pressure.
4. Move steam arm/nozzle into position using a clean, non-abrasive, damp cloth. Lower steam arm/nozzle into jug ensuring the nozzle does not touch the base – fully open steam tap. Warm the milk from the base and start swirling motion.
5. After 5 seconds, bring steam nozzle to just below the milk surface. Always keep steam nozzle under the milk surface or milk will not froth.
6. Reduce the steam pressure to an audible growl and move the steam nozzle into the middle of the jug. The volume of milk should have doubled. Listen for the change in sound.
7. Keep your hand on the side of the jug to determine how hot the milk is getting. Never let the milk boil. If the jug becomes too hot to touch, the milk will be boiled, discard immediately. Boiled milk will not refroth.
8. When milk reaches the correct temperature, turn steam tap off, wipe steam arm/nozzle with a clean, non – abrasive, damp cloth and return the steam arm/nozzle to its original position.
9. Gently rock the frothed milk onto the coffee to obtain correct ratio of steamed and frothed milk for cappuccino OR pour without ‘rocking’ the steamed milk onto the coffee for caffe latte.
10 To refroth milk, always bring the temperature of the milk in the jug down by adding cold milk. If the milk boils, it should be discarded immediately as it has a bitter, burnt taste and cannot be refrothed.
11. Always clean the steam arm immediately after use. Use a clean, non-abrasive, damp cloth, never touch with hands.
Tag : caffesociety.co.uk
18.11.08
Getting more from your coffee menu
Getting more from your coffee menu
With basic barista training, drinks that take just a minute to make can look incredibly imaginative on coffee menus. Ian Boughton investigates
Serving decent espresso-based drinks is in itself a genuine skill and one to be respected, but training staff in coffee-making goes beyond that. The emergence of the signature drink, a venue's own item based on espresso coffee and put on menus at a premium price, has suddenly turned coffee into a creative and profitable art form.
As the Beverage Service Association recently observed, this has led to the previously unknown concept of the "rock-star barista", which is the coffee equivalent of the hero mixologist. However, it's now widely realised that drawn back to practical levels, the world of espresso offers staff the way to achieve both respect and self-respect, and it can give a café the same kind of buzz and add profitable items to the coffee menu.
Article continues below
Drury Tea & Coffee has already set its barista trainer, Fabrizio Liverani, to work on quick espresso recipes, typically a 30-second combination of vanilla, whipped cream, and espresso, which can easily retail at £2. For this month's Caffè Culture show, Liverani is expected to demonstrate A Shot in the Dark, a cocktail involving espresso and Vov, an Italian egg liqueur. The longest part of the preparation is the 30 seconds in the cocktail shaker.
Boundaries
The How of Wow is a programme devised by the Metropolitan Coffee Company which takes up the same challenge - how to devise speciality drinks which add appeal and profit to a menu, but which don't take ages to make.
"We're trying to stretch the boundaries of the coffee menu and we've already been excited by discovering what can be achieved," says Metropolitan's managing director Angus McKenzie. "Every 15 minutes at Caffè Culture we'll be showcasing things to do with beverages. A simple example is to colour your whipped cream, which gives an entirely different presentation to a mint mocha or a chocolate drink.
"You need no fancy equipment and with a little imagination anyone can do this. We guarantee people will take away some ideas they can use in their own cafés. And some of the most successful drinks are not complicated - you can make an astounding coffee with espresso, steamed milk, a dark chocolate sauce and a Monin syrup called Rose - if you were blindfolded, you'd think you were drinking Turkish delight. So many effective ideas are so simple, so we're encouraging everybody to do something different this summer."
Experimented
Metropolitan has experimented a lot with the Monin flavoured syrups, distributed in the UK by Bennett Opie. The newest product, which brings a lot of ideas for transforming coffee drinks, is Monin's collection of chocolate sauces. These can be used to transform conventional drinks, such as creating a white mocha, and impressive 'coffee art' toppings can be put together.
"Sauces are more versatile than syrups in their applications," says Darril Ling, brand manager at Bennett Opie. "While they haven't replaced syrups, the need for both a chocolate sauce and syrup has reduced. The viscosity of the sauce allows greater flexibility of use in greater numbers of drinks and culinary applications. These are a very rich, milk-based product, of a viscosity which is such that you need to use comparatively little of it. You can use it to make a good mocha - we've tested it, and JD Wetherspoon uses it for that."
Wetherspoon's is not alone in taking a new interest in coffee menu items. The Krispy Kreme doughnut store chain, which launched in the UK with bean-to-cup machines, has changed to traditional machines to introduce some theatre to coffee-making and all staff now attend fortnightly refresher courses at Drury. As an incentive, the best performing staff got a trip to the Rancilio espresso machine factory in Milan, and Richard Cheshire, vice-president of operations, says coffee sales have almost doubled since he began the programme.
Other established giants are taking a fresh interest. At Caffè Culture, Kenco's barista trainers will demonstrate latte art, which is the skill of drawing patterns on the froth of a coffee. The Nescafé Coffee Company is also developing ideas such as Mint Madness, a mocha-type recipe based on its Aero Bubbly Hot Chocolate Drink. And virtually every major high-street chain now has an in-house barista competition which challenges staff to come up with recipes.
Is all this just artistic theory, or does it work in real catering? There really is a history of cafés using this kind of training to create attention-getting coffee drinks. The biggest name doing so is Coffee Republic, which is just about to bring back the idea of recreating chocolate bars in coffee form. Several independent cafés have tried this, for instance, using coconut flavouring to replicate a Bounty, and caramel to replicate a Mars bar.
Previously, names had to be misspelled on menus to get around any danger of being sued, but Coffee Republic has done a deal with major brands and will serve sticky-toffee coffee under the Toffee Crisp name, a Rolo latte, and perhaps milk drinks featuring Jaffa Cake and Jammie Dodger. Last summer Coffee Republic tested Iced Café Mocha Mint Matchmakers, a large iced coffee made with chocolate and mint syrup topped with cream, chocolate sauce and chopped nuts, finished off with a red straw and a long mint Matchmaker. Not that difficult, and retailing at about £3.
Inventiveness
The UK Barista Championship, to promote inventiveness in coffee, is run by the Speciality Coffee Association of Europe and this year's final has just shown again the difference between intellectual drinks for competition and realistic drinks for everyday catering. One entrant from the Caffè Ritazza chain entered his Happy Feet drink, a blend of cardamom seeds, fresh mint, single cream and chocolate, topped with espresso and served on top of a block of ice inside which were frozen mint and coffee beans, which turned out to be the competition's top-scoring drink.
And the reigning champion, Jim Hoffmann, liquidised a doughnut in a centrifuge before combining it with espresso, which might be considered unrealistic for the everyday bar.
Other competitors were more retail-orientated. Jon Armstrong of Clements coffee bar in Belfast recreated a Guinness in espresso using a combination of molasses, espresso, cream and a little fizzy water - the result can be served in a catering scenario in about 90 seconds. Rival Hugo Hercod of the Relish deli in Wadebridge, Cornwall, presented a hazelnut mocha which used a praline, blitzed in a blender, with a little vanilla added to the steamed milk. When customers see it on the menu, he points out, they know what to expect and are more likely to choose it.
In February, First Choice Coffee hosted the BaxterStorey Barista Championships, where William Munoz from the company's L'Oreal site in London took first prize for his signature drink, Seduction, containing cherry liqueur, Green and Black's Fairtrade chocolate ice-cream, chilli powder, milk and coffee. "It just goes to prove that proper training and imagination can conjure up innovative new drinks for the customer," says managing director Elaine Higginson.
Java Republic, the Irish roaster which has won Great Taste Awards and which launched into UK delis and restaurants last year, recently awarded its own barista title to Alicja Kuziel of Kylemore for an item that's quick enough and profitable enough to go on a restaurant menu. To make Alicja's Delight, the barista dips the edge of the cocktail glass in water and then into chocolate and pops an After Eight dinner mint into the bottom. The coffee is a double espresso and latte-style milk, finished with a design in chocolate sauce, a slice of strawberry and a sprig of mint.
John Sherwood, executive co-ordinator of the UK Barista Championship, says certain competition drinks could appear on a restaurant or café menu. "In my capacity as an international judge I have experienced and, in some cases, suffered, many different styles of drink. Signature drinks are getting more and more complex and I've judged in India, where a large proportion of the drinks were totally overdone, like ice-cream sundaes, and this is certainly not desirable.
Performance
"However, in the Lebanon, one entrant distilled fresh rose petals on stage using an antique still. The drink he prepared was simple and had a wonderful aroma and taste of roses which went incredibly well with espresso. The whole performance wouldn't be possible in a café but, using ready-prepared rose distillate, the drink would."
One who has done a lot of work in exciting short-order coffee menu items is Paul Meikle-Janney of Coffee Community, who worked with the Beverage Service Association on the soon-to-be-launched City & Guilds VRQ barista certification, writes the barista exams for the Speciality Coffee Association of Europe, produced the barista skills CD/DVD which is handed out under the names of several espresso-machine brands, and devised the recipes for a series of chocolate and coffee drinks for the Barry Callebaut company.
"I've recently done a lot of training on speed of service," he says. "Espresso is the à-la-carte coffee which you don't produce until it's ordered and it's quite reasonable for managers and employers to want to know how to make the menu exciting, profitable, and quick.
"The spin-off is one of the reasons I still love working in a bar, because I enjoy the feedback from making a good drink. This is where good barista training can certainly make your staff enjoy their job and I very much believe that learning a skill like this makes your staff feel an inch taller."
Tag : caterersearch.com
With basic barista training, drinks that take just a minute to make can look incredibly imaginative on coffee menus. Ian Boughton investigates
Serving decent espresso-based drinks is in itself a genuine skill and one to be respected, but training staff in coffee-making goes beyond that. The emergence of the signature drink, a venue's own item based on espresso coffee and put on menus at a premium price, has suddenly turned coffee into a creative and profitable art form.
As the Beverage Service Association recently observed, this has led to the previously unknown concept of the "rock-star barista", which is the coffee equivalent of the hero mixologist. However, it's now widely realised that drawn back to practical levels, the world of espresso offers staff the way to achieve both respect and self-respect, and it can give a café the same kind of buzz and add profitable items to the coffee menu.
Article continues below
Drury Tea & Coffee has already set its barista trainer, Fabrizio Liverani, to work on quick espresso recipes, typically a 30-second combination of vanilla, whipped cream, and espresso, which can easily retail at £2. For this month's Caffè Culture show, Liverani is expected to demonstrate A Shot in the Dark, a cocktail involving espresso and Vov, an Italian egg liqueur. The longest part of the preparation is the 30 seconds in the cocktail shaker.
Boundaries
The How of Wow is a programme devised by the Metropolitan Coffee Company which takes up the same challenge - how to devise speciality drinks which add appeal and profit to a menu, but which don't take ages to make.
"We're trying to stretch the boundaries of the coffee menu and we've already been excited by discovering what can be achieved," says Metropolitan's managing director Angus McKenzie. "Every 15 minutes at Caffè Culture we'll be showcasing things to do with beverages. A simple example is to colour your whipped cream, which gives an entirely different presentation to a mint mocha or a chocolate drink.
"You need no fancy equipment and with a little imagination anyone can do this. We guarantee people will take away some ideas they can use in their own cafés. And some of the most successful drinks are not complicated - you can make an astounding coffee with espresso, steamed milk, a dark chocolate sauce and a Monin syrup called Rose - if you were blindfolded, you'd think you were drinking Turkish delight. So many effective ideas are so simple, so we're encouraging everybody to do something different this summer."
Experimented
Metropolitan has experimented a lot with the Monin flavoured syrups, distributed in the UK by Bennett Opie. The newest product, which brings a lot of ideas for transforming coffee drinks, is Monin's collection of chocolate sauces. These can be used to transform conventional drinks, such as creating a white mocha, and impressive 'coffee art' toppings can be put together.
"Sauces are more versatile than syrups in their applications," says Darril Ling, brand manager at Bennett Opie. "While they haven't replaced syrups, the need for both a chocolate sauce and syrup has reduced. The viscosity of the sauce allows greater flexibility of use in greater numbers of drinks and culinary applications. These are a very rich, milk-based product, of a viscosity which is such that you need to use comparatively little of it. You can use it to make a good mocha - we've tested it, and JD Wetherspoon uses it for that."
Wetherspoon's is not alone in taking a new interest in coffee menu items. The Krispy Kreme doughnut store chain, which launched in the UK with bean-to-cup machines, has changed to traditional machines to introduce some theatre to coffee-making and all staff now attend fortnightly refresher courses at Drury. As an incentive, the best performing staff got a trip to the Rancilio espresso machine factory in Milan, and Richard Cheshire, vice-president of operations, says coffee sales have almost doubled since he began the programme.
Other established giants are taking a fresh interest. At Caffè Culture, Kenco's barista trainers will demonstrate latte art, which is the skill of drawing patterns on the froth of a coffee. The Nescafé Coffee Company is also developing ideas such as Mint Madness, a mocha-type recipe based on its Aero Bubbly Hot Chocolate Drink. And virtually every major high-street chain now has an in-house barista competition which challenges staff to come up with recipes.
Is all this just artistic theory, or does it work in real catering? There really is a history of cafés using this kind of training to create attention-getting coffee drinks. The biggest name doing so is Coffee Republic, which is just about to bring back the idea of recreating chocolate bars in coffee form. Several independent cafés have tried this, for instance, using coconut flavouring to replicate a Bounty, and caramel to replicate a Mars bar.
Previously, names had to be misspelled on menus to get around any danger of being sued, but Coffee Republic has done a deal with major brands and will serve sticky-toffee coffee under the Toffee Crisp name, a Rolo latte, and perhaps milk drinks featuring Jaffa Cake and Jammie Dodger. Last summer Coffee Republic tested Iced Café Mocha Mint Matchmakers, a large iced coffee made with chocolate and mint syrup topped with cream, chocolate sauce and chopped nuts, finished off with a red straw and a long mint Matchmaker. Not that difficult, and retailing at about £3.
Inventiveness
The UK Barista Championship, to promote inventiveness in coffee, is run by the Speciality Coffee Association of Europe and this year's final has just shown again the difference between intellectual drinks for competition and realistic drinks for everyday catering. One entrant from the Caffè Ritazza chain entered his Happy Feet drink, a blend of cardamom seeds, fresh mint, single cream and chocolate, topped with espresso and served on top of a block of ice inside which were frozen mint and coffee beans, which turned out to be the competition's top-scoring drink.
And the reigning champion, Jim Hoffmann, liquidised a doughnut in a centrifuge before combining it with espresso, which might be considered unrealistic for the everyday bar.
Other competitors were more retail-orientated. Jon Armstrong of Clements coffee bar in Belfast recreated a Guinness in espresso using a combination of molasses, espresso, cream and a little fizzy water - the result can be served in a catering scenario in about 90 seconds. Rival Hugo Hercod of the Relish deli in Wadebridge, Cornwall, presented a hazelnut mocha which used a praline, blitzed in a blender, with a little vanilla added to the steamed milk. When customers see it on the menu, he points out, they know what to expect and are more likely to choose it.
In February, First Choice Coffee hosted the BaxterStorey Barista Championships, where William Munoz from the company's L'Oreal site in London took first prize for his signature drink, Seduction, containing cherry liqueur, Green and Black's Fairtrade chocolate ice-cream, chilli powder, milk and coffee. "It just goes to prove that proper training and imagination can conjure up innovative new drinks for the customer," says managing director Elaine Higginson.
Java Republic, the Irish roaster which has won Great Taste Awards and which launched into UK delis and restaurants last year, recently awarded its own barista title to Alicja Kuziel of Kylemore for an item that's quick enough and profitable enough to go on a restaurant menu. To make Alicja's Delight, the barista dips the edge of the cocktail glass in water and then into chocolate and pops an After Eight dinner mint into the bottom. The coffee is a double espresso and latte-style milk, finished with a design in chocolate sauce, a slice of strawberry and a sprig of mint.
John Sherwood, executive co-ordinator of the UK Barista Championship, says certain competition drinks could appear on a restaurant or café menu. "In my capacity as an international judge I have experienced and, in some cases, suffered, many different styles of drink. Signature drinks are getting more and more complex and I've judged in India, where a large proportion of the drinks were totally overdone, like ice-cream sundaes, and this is certainly not desirable.
Performance
"However, in the Lebanon, one entrant distilled fresh rose petals on stage using an antique still. The drink he prepared was simple and had a wonderful aroma and taste of roses which went incredibly well with espresso. The whole performance wouldn't be possible in a café but, using ready-prepared rose distillate, the drink would."
One who has done a lot of work in exciting short-order coffee menu items is Paul Meikle-Janney of Coffee Community, who worked with the Beverage Service Association on the soon-to-be-launched City & Guilds VRQ barista certification, writes the barista exams for the Speciality Coffee Association of Europe, produced the barista skills CD/DVD which is handed out under the names of several espresso-machine brands, and devised the recipes for a series of chocolate and coffee drinks for the Barry Callebaut company.
"I've recently done a lot of training on speed of service," he says. "Espresso is the à-la-carte coffee which you don't produce until it's ordered and it's quite reasonable for managers and employers to want to know how to make the menu exciting, profitable, and quick.
"The spin-off is one of the reasons I still love working in a bar, because I enjoy the feedback from making a good drink. This is where good barista training can certainly make your staff enjoy their job and I very much believe that learning a skill like this makes your staff feel an inch taller."
Tag : caterersearch.com
17.11.08
How To Backflush A Traditional Espresso Machine
How To Backflush A Traditional Espresso Machine
1. Fit your rubber blanking disc (or blind filter basket) into a filter handle, ensuring that you remove the filter itself first.
2. Add one heaped tablespoon of cleaning powder (we recommend Nuova Ricambi Clean Express) into the handle and place in the machine as if you were about to make a coffee.
3. Press the single coffee button as you would if you were making a coffee. Count to ten and repeat this three times (in some machines you may see froth coming from the bottom of the group head via the exhaust tube, on others where this part is internal you will see nothing).
4. Then remove the filter handle and gently clean the group seal using a circular motion with the group head cleaning brush.
5. Finally, flush until clean with water by running the continuous flow button.
6. This should be repeated for each group head.
Tag : caffesociety.co.uk
1. Fit your rubber blanking disc (or blind filter basket) into a filter handle, ensuring that you remove the filter itself first.
2. Add one heaped tablespoon of cleaning powder (we recommend Nuova Ricambi Clean Express) into the handle and place in the machine as if you were about to make a coffee.
3. Press the single coffee button as you would if you were making a coffee. Count to ten and repeat this three times (in some machines you may see froth coming from the bottom of the group head via the exhaust tube, on others where this part is internal you will see nothing).
4. Then remove the filter handle and gently clean the group seal using a circular motion with the group head cleaning brush.
5. Finally, flush until clean with water by running the continuous flow button.
6. This should be repeated for each group head.
Tag : caffesociety.co.uk
16.11.08
Care and Storage of Coffee Beans
Care and Storage of Coffee Beans
1. Always store coffee beans in a cool, dry place.
2. It is important to ensure that the grinder bean hopper is only replenished whenever possible, with full bags of coffee, thereby eliminating the possibility of any remaining beans in the bag becoming stale.
3. If you don't sell enough coffee to do the above, then always ensure the bag is as tightly sealed as possible. You could use adhesive tape or elastic bands.
4. Do not keep coffee beans in the fridge. Fridges are full of moisture, beans should always be kept as dry as possible.
5. Do not fill the grinder bean hopper with full bags of coffee at the end of the day. It is far better to fill it at the start of business the following day so that the coffee is as fresh as possible.
Tag : caffesociety.co.uk
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