Drink up, cup o' joe may have health benefits
How to keep from getting too jittery
10:18 p.m. Sunday, June 22, 2008
As owner, head roaster and chief bottle washer of Fresh Coffee Roastery, Annie Lin does know beans about java.
She says studies, like the one that came out this week in the Annals of Internal Medicine showing coffee may stave off heart disease, might cause some people to increase their coffee consumption, but if caffeine is a concern, there are some coffee basics they should know like the difference between light and dark varieties.
Web link
For more on the coffee study and other health issues relevant to women over 40, visit BoomerGirl.com.
Read more about the research on the Web site for the Heart and Stroke Foundation.
"When people mention dark coffee, usually it's roasted darker than light coffee. And, actually, it has less caffeine content than the lighter coffee, because the way you roast longer, caffeine just -- you reduce the caffeine," Lin said. "So when you drink a cup of dark coffee, actually, it tastes strong but not with strong caffeine."
Another important factor to consider is where in the world the beans came from, and at what elevation they were grown.
"The robusta coffee has more caffeine content than Arabica coffee," she said. "Arabica coffee is -- they grow on the higher altitude. The robusta one grows [in the] lower land."
When asked how many cups of coffee per day Lin drinks, she replied three to five.
That amount, suggested by the same study, could reduce Annie's risk of heart disease by a whopping 34 percent.
The study's authors say further investigation is needed.
Post a comment
(Requires free registration.)