5 ADDITIONAL Health Benefits to Drinking Coffee

Coffee drinkers tend to have up to a 25% reduced risk of colon cancer. Research completed in Germany identified a potent antioxidant compound in the popular brew that appears in animal studies to boost the activity of phase II enzymes, which are thought to protect against colon cancer, the second leading cause of cancer death in the United States. A study following over 60,000 Finish men and women – the heaviest coffee consumers in the world - found that even for people drinking 10 or more cups of coffee per day, there was no increased risk of colon cancer.

Coffee lessens the poisonous effect of alcohol on the liver and help prevent cirrhosis. A study of more than 125,000 adults (including both drinkers and non-drinkers ) found that one cup of coffee per day reduced the risk of alcoholic cirrhosis by 20% while four cups a day reduced the risk by 80%. This held true regardless of gender or ethnic backgrounds.

Regular coffee consumption is linked to a lower risk of gall bladder disease in both men and women. In one study of 46,000 men, those drinking 2-3 cups of coffee a day had a 40% lower risk of symptomatic gallstones and those drinking more than 4 cups of coffee a day had a 45% lower risk, compared with those drinking no coffee. A similar study of over 89,000 women found those women who drank one cup of coffee a day had a 9% lower risk of gallbladder disease compared with those who drank no coffee, those drinking 2-3 cups a day had a 22% lower risk, and those drinking more than 4 cups a day had a 28% lower risk of gallbladder disease. Both studies found no effect with decaffeinated coffee indicating that the effects seen were largely due to caffeine.

Drinking several cups of coffee daily appears to reduce women’s risk of developing endometrial cancer. A new Harvard School of Public Health study reported that women aged 34 to 59 who drank four or more cups of caffeinated coffee each day over 26 years reduced their risk for cancer originating in the uterus lining by 25%, compared with those who drank less than one cup per day.

Coffee consumption increases cognitive performance. Many people drink coffee to increase their short term recall, those who regularly drink coffee tend to perform better in tests of simple reaction time, choice reaction time, incidental verbal memory, and visuo-spatial reasoning, with a positive relationship between test scores and the amount of coffee regularly consumed. Elderly study participants were found to have the largest effect associated with regular coffee drinking. Another study reported that women over the age of 80 performed significantly better on cognitive tests if they had regularly consumed coffee over their lifetimes.

How much is TOO much? If you're drinking so much coffee that you get tremors, have sleeping problems, or feel stressed and uncomfortable, than obviously you're drinking too much coffee. Otherwise, the Harvard School of Public Health suggests there is no real negative effect of consuming up to six cups of coffee a day. In most research studies a "cup" of coffee is an 8-ounce cup with 100 mg of caffeine.

Also keep in mind that the research is typically based on coffee that is black or with only a little milk or sugar, but not with the kind of high-calorie coffeehouse beverages that have become popular over the past few years.

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Nicaraguan Coffee Culture

Coffee became Nicaragua’s principle crop in the 1870’s, holding that position until 1992 despite the increased production of other crops, such as rum, tobacco, and cotton.  Currently coffee accounts for 30% of Nicaragua’s agricultural exports. The culture of coffee has greatly impacted the Nicaraguan economy and environment, supporting over 48,000 families who own and operate small farms. In the late 1990’s, for example, coffee annually contributed $140 million to Nicaragua’s economy resulting in 280,000 permanent agricultural jobs. Coffee experts suggest the organic practices associated with shade grown coffee plantations produces some of the most flavorful coffee while supporting fair trade practices improves the financial well-being of the coffee farmers.

Location, Location, Location

Although Nicaragua’s first coffee cherries were planted on the Pacific’s plain mesa, most coffee is grown in the three regions within Nicaragua’s Central northern mountains – the Segovias, Matagalpa, and Jinotega regions. Coffee from the Segovias (Estelí, Madriz and Nueva Segovia )is known for its floral aromas, distinctive flavor, and bright acidity. The Matagalpa and Jinotega regions possess rich volcanic soils, a humid tropical forest climate, and lush vegetation, including a great variety of lichens, moss, ferns, and orchids. The outer regions of Matagalpa County border the BOSAWAS Natural Reserve, the largest land preservation initiative in Central America.

Shade Grown Coffee and Commerce in Nicaragua

Coffee farming supports the more than 45,000 families who own and operate small coffee farms, a major impact in a country of 6 million people with close to 50% unemployment. Ninety-five percent of Nicaragua’s coffee cultivation is considered “shade grown” where farmers cultivate shade coffee under the canopy of native and exotic trees. These trees combined with specific management practices help to sustain the ecosystem, impacting almost 267,000 acres of land, increasingly important in a country with high rates of deforestation, soil erosion, and water contamination. This is a far cry from the 76,000 acres of land used to produce coffee in 1891. 

Coffee is produced in a variety of ways due to the commercialization chains, but, in general, farm size directly relates to the different forms of coffee production and commercialization. Medium, large, and agro-industrial coffee plantations are more likely to maintain a permanent labor force than are the smaller farms.  These larger farms even occasionally export their own coffee while providing living quarters and food to farm worker families. Rural landless workers , however, continue to live in extreme poverty. During coffee harvest the larger plantations employ hundreds, sometimes  thousands of coffee pickers.

Estimates suggest 95% of Nicaragua’s coffee farmers are micro and small-scale producers where the family is the main labor source.  These households often produce corn and beans in addition to working on the farm. The small-scale farmers tend to employ day laborers during the coffee harvest. Many Nicaraguan small-scale farmers grow more than half of the food they eat, integrating bananas, oranges, mangos, and trees for firewood and construction within their coffee farms. 

Equal Exchange and the Growth of Fair Trade Cooperatives

Co-ops in Northern Nicaragua date back to the 1920s when Augusto Cesar Sandino formed Nicaragua’s first co-op in Wiwilí. By the early 1970s, however, only 11 cooperatives with an estimated 460 members were in existence in Nicaragua.  The Nicaraguan revolution in 1979 and subsequent Sandinista government, which lasted from 1980 to 1990, significantly influenced many of the current cooperatives. During this time, cooperatives were given land that was redistributed to those who were once farm workers.

In the mid-1980s Equal Exchange pioneered a trade model that valued and empowered both farmers and consumers. During this time US family farms were being replaced by industrial-scale, corporate-run agribusiness that relied on toxic chemical fertilizers, herbicides, and pesticides. Consumer food coops that offered their members organic and locally produced food blossomed in popularity. At this same time, the US specialty coffee market was burgeoning as coffee lovers were eager to find and make the perfect cup of coffee at home. In response, the founders of Equal Exchange chose Nicaraguan coffee as their first product. In 1986 President Reagan imposed n embargo on all products from Nicaragua’s Sandinista government.  Equal Exchange found a loophole and brought Nicaraguan coffee beans into the US with the assistance of the Dutch. These beans, however were promptly seized as soon as the Nicaraguan coffee arrived in Boston. The Us government then tried to stop Equal Exchange, resulting in several years of legal battles and congressional discussion.  Eventually, Equal Exchange won out, and the trade co-op began to grow.

Progressive church-based organizations in Europe, linked to liberation theology-inspired co-ops in southern Mexico, drove the initial demand for Fair Trade/Organic coffee in the late 1980s. After the revolutionary party was voted out in 1990, many co-ops collapsed.  Others began to unite and form secondary level organizations to secure land titles, later providing technical assistance and access to markets for their members. From 1993 to 2001, the total number of agricultural co-ops decreased by 40%, while co-op membership actually increased by more than 10%. As these co-ops began forming more direct connections to European Fair Trade and the US specialty roasters, they realized the need to unite even more to be able to focus on specialized commercialization practices and meet the increasing demands of the changing global coffee economy. These newer export-focused coops included specialized agricultural processing infrastructure, strong quality assurance programs, and highly trained professional staff, simultaneously strengthening their ability to support education, housing, and environmental projects among their members.

In addition to quality improvement, many of these co-ops have used their Fair Trade premiums to reinvest in their co-ops, creating social programs for their members. Several co-ops, for example, have built their own dry processing plants owned by the members. This enables the coffee farmers to better control for quality, to employ their members, and to cut down on production costs. Many co-ops have established educational scholarship programs for the members and their children. Others have used their Fair Trade premiums to create Women’s Savings and Loans Programs and to support income diversification projects including agro-ecotourism programs and beekeeping.

Impact of Fair Trade on Nicaraguan Farming Practices

Fair Trade, also referred to as Free Trade, not also helped improve trading conditions for coffee farmers – free trade also promotes sustainable coffee farming practices. Although Fair trade does not require   organic production, it does encourage farmers to work toward organic practices when economically practical. For coffee to be sold as Fair Trade certified, coffee must be produced organically. Organic products are in high demand, but limited in supply due to the stringent requirements of organic certification. Organic coffee represents between 4 and 5% of Nicaragua’s coffee exports, but comprises a large part of the coffee produced by small-scale farmers organized into Fair Trade co-ops. Receiving organic certification is a three-year long process, necessitating substantial commitment from the farmer.  

Eighty percent of the 48,000 coffee farms are micro-producers with less than 8.5 acres. Coffee farms that are larger than 8.5 acres produce more than 85% of the coffee harvest due to more intense management and the associated higher yields common to larger farms. Small scale farms have now transitioned to organic farming. 

Note: My Perfect Coffee carries coffee from the Selva Negra Coffee esate in the region of  Cordillera Isabelia Sierra in Matagalpa, Nicaragua.This coffee is often described as having chocolate, lemon, plum, and honey undertones. As with all of our coffee, Selva Negra is availble custom roasted, making this the freshest coffee available. Try it  solo or in a sampler pack.

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Organic Coffee: An Introduction

Many small- and large-scale coffee growers have started to use organic practices.

What, exactly, does this mean?

Organic, Described

The continuous use of chemical fertilizer in coffee farming has harmed the soil, reducing coffee production levels. Organic methods have a low impact on the environment, shying away from toxic pesticides and fertilizers and leaning more toward natural methods to build a biologically diverse agriculture.  Farmyard manure and agricultural compost are combined to form a compost used to fertilize the plants. Compost provides most of the nutrients the coffee plants need for growth and slowly releases the nutrients are slowly released thereby avoid the build-up of toxic residues in the soil, which in turn can cause ground water pollution. Composts also aid in water retention inside the coffee farm. The hydrogen ion concentration of coffee soils is maintained at neutral ph which is ideal for growing coffee.  

Worm Composting

Crops grown with compost are healthy and beneficial to the environment since they recharge the soil. Billions of microorganisms are activated in healthy soil for the benefit of the farming community. Repeated use of compost in coffee farming enriches the soil, improving the physical, chemical and biological properties of the soil. The Selva Negra Coffee Estate in Nicaragua, for example, has a worm composting program.

The following video is the Nicaraguan Organic Farmer Portrait.

Certified Organic

Coffee sold as “certified organic” must meet standards for organic production and be certified by an agency accredited by the US Department of Agriculture.  Coffee meeting US requirements for organic production has been produced on farms that avoid synthetic pesticides or other prohibited substances for at least three years and use a sustainable crop rotation plan thereby preventing erosion, depletion of soil nutrients, and controlling for pests.  

US Market for Organic Coffee

Findings from the North American Organic Coffee Industry Survey 2009 report approximately 89 million pounds of organic coffee were imported into the United States and Canada in 2008, a 12% increase from 2007, with most of the $1.3 billion in sales taking place in the U.S.

Organic Coffee Labels, Demystified

The USDA Organic seal appears on any coffee product containing at least 95% percent organic ingredients and that has been certified as organic by a certification agency accredited by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The coffee may also carry a label saying “100% organic” or “Organic.”

Fair Trade certification focuses on labor and trade standards to provide small-farmer co-operatives a guaranteed price above the conventional market.  Although not all Fair Trade Certified coffee is necessarily organic, the Fair Trade certification does require rigorous protection of local ecosystems by prohibiting the use of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and the most hazardous pesticides. Fifty nine percent of all Fair Trade Certified coffee imported into the United States in 2008 was certified organic. In the United States, transactions must be audited by Fair Trade USA to use a Fair Trade Certified label. Certified organic producers of Fair Trade coffee receive at least $1.55/lb.

The Bird Friendly® name can only be used by operators who meet inspection and certification requirements established by the Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center. All certified Bird Friendly® coffee must also be certified organic. Bird Friendly® certification requires that the coffee be shade-grown with a wide variety of native shade trees and other shade-providing species.  No synthetic chemicals can be used in the processing of Bird Friendly® coffee.  Bird Friendly standards are the strictest of the third-party environmental standards, and certified coffees carry this seal.

Now….wouldn’t you rather drink organic coffee – produced responsibly for both you and the environment?

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5 Health Benefits of Drinking Coffee

Did you know:

BENEFIT #1: Coffee drinkers, compared to nondrinkers, are less likely to have type 2 diabetes. Data from 15 published studies links coffee consumption with decreased likelihood of diabetes. In one study of more than 193,000 people, those who said they drank more than 6 or 7 cups daily were 35% less likely to have type 2 diabetes than people who drank fewer than two cups daily. There was a smaller perk -- a 28% lower risk -- for people who drank 4-6 cups a day. The findings held regardless of sex, weight, or geographic location (U.S. or Europe). Drinking coffee reduces the risk of prostate cancer.

BENEFIT #2: Coffee-drinking is linked to reducing the risk of prostate cancer in men who drank more than 6 cups of coffee a day. According to the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, those who drank the most coffee had a 20% lower risk of developing prostate cancer. Coffee protected even more against the most lethal form of prostate cancer. Among those drinking one to three cups a day, the risk of lethal prostate cancer declined 29%, compared to that of non-coffee drinkers. Among those drinking six or more cups daily, the risk for deadly prostate cancer was reduced 60% compared to that of non-coffee drinkers.

BENEFIT #3: Coffee consumption is linked to a decreased chance of developing breast cancer. A recent study suggests drinking 5 cups of coffee a day reduces the likelihood of developing breast cancer in women over the age of 50 years. Researchers found that people who drink coffee are often able to reduce the possibility of malignant tumors by 20%.

BENEFIT #4: Drinking coffee decreases the chance of developing Parkinson's disease. An analysis of 30 years of dietary records of more than 8,000 Japanese-American men with an average age of 53 revealed those who did not drink coffee were three times more likely to develop Parkinson's disease. Those men who drank 28 ounces, three to four cups or more, however, were one-fifth less likely to develop the disease. Similarly, a study at the Harvard School of Public Health involving approximately 135,000 people of mixed demographics demonstrated that men who drank four to five cups of coffee daily cut their risk of developing Parkinson's almost in half.

BENEFIT #5: Coffee consumption can reduce your chance of developing dementia. A study tracking over 1 thousand adults for 21 years found that those who consumed between three and five cups of coffee each day were 65% less likely to develop dementia than other participants to drank less than two cups each day.

Antioxidants seem to be the key element to improving health: they help the body fight infections and illnesses by combating free radicals found in the body. Our cells need oxygen to function normally, and as our bodies use this oxygen, oxidation takes place. The result are free radicals which are harmful to the body and need to be eradicated.

This is where antioxidants enter the process.

Antioxidants, very effective in eliminating free radicals from the body, are nutrients that help prevent tissue damage caused by molecules called oxygen-free radicals. Consuming foods rich in antioxidants every day, and supplementing our diets with antioxidants can eliminate the damage caused by free radicals along with keeping infections and illnesses away. Free radicals have been linked to tumors and cancer cells in the human body.

As to coffee, the most recent research suggests the darker the roast the better, and fresh roasted is best. Avoid the milk, though, as coffee with no milk is a much better source of antioxidants than coffee with milk.

Think I'll go brew a cup. . . . .

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Irish Coffee Day: January 25

Counties of Ireland

January 25, National Irish Coffee Day, begins National Irish Coffee Week – an entire week to celebrate this wonderfully warm rich coffee drink. As with many food and beverage holidays, the holiday origins are sketchy, but the origin of the first Irish Coffee is well documented.

The first Irish Coffee (Caife Gaelach in Gaelic) is generally attributed to Joseph Sheridan, head chief at the restaurant located at the Foynes Terminal, County Limerick, Ireland. And, yes, there is a story attached to the creation of this deliciously warming drink.

It was a dark and stormy night…..

The wind was howling…..

All right, enough drama……

Late one evening in the winter of 1943, a flight left Foynes bound for Newfoundland. After flying for several hours in poor weather conditions, the pilot decided to return to the Foynes Terminal to wait out the bad weather. When the plane landed the passengers were ushered into the terminal restaurant for hot food and drink.

When asked to prepare something warm for the thoroughly chilled passengers, Chef Sheridan decided to add some good Irish whisky to their coffees. One of the passengers later approached the Chef to thank him for the wonderful coffee, asking if the Chef had used Brazilian coffee.  Chef Sheridan then answered, “No, that was Irish Coffee!”

A few weeks later, Chef Sheridan showed the airport manager this new drink in a stemmed glass asking about the eye appeal. The airport manager called him a genius, and Irish Coffee has been served from that time on. 

Irish Coffee arrived in the Unites States when Chef Sheridan introduced it to San Francisco’s Buena Vista Café, now world famous for its Irish Coffees. This café is noted as selling more Irish coffees every day than anywhere else in the world.

A plaque honoring Chef Sheridan’s  achievement can be seen outside the Joe Sheridan Cafe Bar in Shannon International Airport - now the new gateway to the southwest of Ireland. Every summer, the people of Foynes celebrate the Irish Coffee Festival with parades, a carnival, traditional Irish music and the World Irish Coffee Championship.  Waiters, waitresses, and bartenders from all four corners of the world vie for the title of World Irish Coffee Making Champion.

Let’s celebrate with a few good recipes for Irish Coffee.

Chef Sheridan’s Original Irish Coffee Recipe – courtesy of Foynes

1. Place a spoon inside a stemmed whiskey glass. Heat both by filling the glass with boiling water for five seconds, leaving the heated spoon in the glass.
2. Pour a shot of Irish whiskey into the glass. Add a teaspoon of brown sugar.
3. Fill the glass to about a half inch below the rim with very hot, strong black coffee. Mix with the heated spoon to ensure the sugar melts completely.
4. Now comes the tricky part. Carefully pour fresh cream over the back of the heated spoon so that it floats on top of the coffee. Pouring the cream over the back of the spoon adds a bit of fluffiness.
5. Do not mix. Enjoy the beverage by sipping it through the layer of cream.

Irish Coffee Recipe - courtesy of the Buena Vista Cafe

1. Fill glass with hot water to pre-heat it.
2. Pour piping hot coffee into warmed glass until it is about 3/4 full.
3. Add 1 tablespoon brown sugar and stir until completely dissolved.
4. Blend in Irish Whiskey.
5. Top with a collar of slightly whipped heavy cream by pouring gently over a spoon. Enjoy while piping hot.

An Alcohol-Free Irish Coffee - based on The Buena Vista Cafe recipe

1. Fill glass with hot water to pre-heat it.
2. Pour piping hot coffee into warmed glass until it is about 3/4 full.
3. Add 1 tablespoon brown sugar and stir until completely dissolved.
4. Blend in 1/8 teaspoon vanilla extract.
5. Top with a collar of slightly whipped heavy cream by pouring gently over a spoon. Sprinkle ground cinnamon gently over the cream. Enjoy while piping hot.

Alcohol-Free Irish Coffee - courtesy of Return to the Green

1. Start by brewing your coffee in a French Press press or drip machine.
2. Fill stemmed glass with hot water to pre-heat it.
3. While the coffee is brewing, combine 1 cup heavy whipping cream and 2 tablespoons Irish Cream syrup in a mixing bowl. Using a mixer (either hand or stand), beat until the cream just starts to thicken.
4. Once the coffee has finished brewing, empty the hot water from your stemmed glass and put 1 tablespoon of Irish Cream syrup in the empty glass.
5. Pour in the coffee and add 2 teaspoons light brown sugar (OR 2 teaspoons table sugar and 1 teaspoon molasses, stirring to dissolve.
6. Carefully add the whipped cream to the top of the drink, and enjoy!

Do you have a favorite Irish Coffee recipe? Share it below! We'd love to hear about it.....

Slainte  (Gaelic for “Cheers”)

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