It is a myth that instant coffee poses a significant health risk, or is any more dangerous than regular coffee.  The main negative health consequences you can get from drinking instant coffee are the caffeine, unless you drink decaffeinated, and the various toxins that are present in low quantities in all types of coffee. Healthfulness of instant coffee versus brewed coffee Chemically, instant coffee and brewed coffee are virtually the same, the only difference is in the way the products are produced.  Instant coffee is either freeze-dried or spray dried after the brewing process in order to dehydrate the coffee.  The consumer simply rehydrates the coffee when he places the instant coffee grounds in a couple of hot water. But the coffee itself that is processed by the digestive system is virtually the same.  There are no added chemicals or additives in instant coffee that should pose a danger to […]

A coffee enema has the same net effect on the body as a powerful laxative in that it helps to eliminate constipation, but its main health benefit lies in its ability to speed and aid the removal of toxins from the bloodstream. Coffee enemas are thought to stimulate bile production by the liver which enhances the filtering of impurities from our body.  The caffeine in the coffee enlarges the veins of the liver and expands the bile duct which increases the flow of bile. Bile is produced and stored in the gallbladder, but it is released in the small intestine to help in the digestive process of lipids, which are fat molecules and cholesterol. Bile acts as a surfactant in the small intestine, helping to break down the fat molecules and triglycerides. The coffee enema has an added health benefit of improving symptoms of constipation.  It stimulates peristalsis, which is […]

If you love to drink coffee like I do, you may have heard that regular coffee drinkers tend to have higher cholesterol levels than those who do not partake.  Well, research has shown that there are certain methods of brewing coffee that have a more negative effect on your cholesterol level than others. Many coffee connoisseurs prefer the taste of French press coffee to other methods.  Rather than using a paper filter, a French press uses a metal mesh to filter the coffee grounds from the liquid. This method of filtering allows more of the natural oil from coffee beans to pass through to the final product, giving the taste more depth and complexity. Coffee brewed without a paper filter may pose a risk of higher cholesterol levels It turns out that the use of the paper filter during the brewing process is beneficial to health because it not only […]

In America, dandelion is known more as a weed than a food source.  But in Eastern cultures and especially China, dandelion is revered as having special medicinal properties.  It is recognized as an herbal treatment for a wide range of medical symptoms from inflammation to liver problems. In many cultures, dandelion can also serve as a substitute for coffee.  The dandelion roots are roasted, dry, chopped, and ground and they then have a similar texture and taste as coffee beans. The practice of using ground dandelion roots as a substitute for coffee dates back to the early 19th century when it was discovered that bush people were utilizing the herb in this fashion.  Since then, the practice has become more commonplace and many outdoors people and those close to nature choose to make dandelion coffee. But the health conscious are also taking advantage of the health benefits of dandelion, and […]

Non dairy coffee whitener is seemingly ubiquitous wherever coffee is served these days. Unless you’re at an upscale shop like Starbucks they probably are not going to offer fresh cream or milk, but instead will have little packets of coffee creamer available. There is definitely a convenience factor to coffee whiteners like Coffee Mate because they don’t need to be refrigerated and they have a very lengthy shelf life. It is also quite cheap, and you can buy a container that will last you months or years for just a little bit of money. Most people don’t give a glancing thought as to any negative impacts that these creamers could have on their health. We have become so accustomed to them, and the serving size is so small that we think they just can’t really have any negative health impacts. Unhealthy ingredients including trans fat in coffee whitener The fact […]

I love coffee and I used to drink it everyday. In fact for about 20 years I ground my own coffee beans and brewed my own pot of coffee every morning. I love the robust taste and the deep complexity of flavors you can get with different types of coffee beans. My favorite brand of coffee was of course Starbucks and I knew all the different kinds of beans they have and tried them all. I had my favorite, which was Sulawesi that I always came back to. I never really gave too much thought to whether it was healthy or not, because it made me feel good when I drank and that was good enough for me. But is it really healthy to drink that much coffee? Coffee is one of those foods that you can find arguments on both sides of the fence as to whether it is […]

Is drinking decaf coffee harmful to children? You’ve may have heard the saying that drinking coffee will stunt your growth, but that is just a clever saying that a parent came up with to convince his child not to drink it. Is there really any truth to it? Coffee contains some substances which could be harmful to children, but it will not hurt them if ingested in moderation. And “moderation” is the key word here. The bigger problem is that there is really no nutritional value to coffee, other than the minimal antioxidants it contains. We normally want our children to always consume food and drinks that have a high nutritional quality, specially because this is during their formative years and anything they eat could play a part in their growth and development. No long-term studies that I know of have been performed on the effects of coffee with kids. […]