| What’s in your coffee cup? |
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Although coffee remains the most popular drink in the world (an estimated 400 billion cups of coffee are consumed globally each year) much stigma has been attached to the effects of caffeine on the human body. Many coffee myths have generated fears in regular coffee drinkers that have had them turning away from their regular brew and seeking out supposedly “healthier” alternatives such as black and herbal teas.
There is an ongoing belief that the level of caffeine in your regular cup of coffee is enough to establish an addiction to the drug. Such myths have been that caffeine contributes to the risk of Cardio-vascular disease (CVD), though this has not been proven, even when large amounts of coffee were consumed on a daily basis (ie four or more cups). In March this year, a study by the American Medical Association revealed that drinking more than three cups of coffee per day could reduce the risk of Type II Diabetes. Caffine increases rapid information processing by 10%, and instantly increases both alertness and concentration. Coffee contains natural anti-oxidants which help boost immunity levels and fight disease (recent studies have suggested that your average cup of coffee contains 400% more anti-oxidants than green tea) Recent studies have shown support that drinking moderate levels of coffee on a regular basis reduces your risk of colon cancer, gallstones, Parkinson’s disease, asthma attacks, and decreases the chances of liver diseases It is important to emphasise that caffine should be consumed in moderation due to its dehydrating diuretic effect. The changing faces of coffee… So now we can recognise that coffee can in fact be beneficial to our health, it’s time to decipher the myriad of styles that can be found in café’s all over the world:
Espresso – pure espresso served as a shot (also known as a short black) |
