Coffee: Good or Bad?

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Per request, today's blog topic will be the health benefits/concerns of coffee as they are known to me. As you all know, I do drink coffee, though I try to stick to one or two cups per day. I believe that drinking this amount balances out what may be good or bad about it.

First off I will begin by saying that research is a bit inconclusive about how bad or good coffee is for your health. One study suggests that regular coffee consumption can reduce the risk of developing Alzheimer's Disease, Parkinson's Disease, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, cirrhosis of the liver, and gout. Also, people who regularly drink coffee during their midlife are less likely to develop dementia and Alzheimer's disease in their late life. However, coffee can also increase the risk of acid reflux and related diseases.

The main health benefit of coffee that I'm familiar with is the antioxidants it contains. Antioxidants aid in protecting cells from damage by free radicals in the environment. Coffee also contains polyphenals which interfere with iron absorption. So, if you are prone to anemia, this could be an adverse affect for you. However, since iron is considered a carcinogen to the liver, coffee can be associated with decreasing risk for liver cancer.

The most negative thing about coffee is caffeine. For a more in-depth look at caffeine, see my blog post on it. Caffeine draws moisture out of your body, so to avoid risk of dehydration make sure to drink at least one glass of water per cup of coffee. Caffeine is linked to decreasing headaches, yet those who consume it regularly can then develop headaches from lack of it (during withdrawal). Caffeine is also considered an antidepressant. It can block inhibitory affects of adenosine on dopamine nerves in the brain.

This is about all I know about coffee right now. I drink it every day in moderation. You can take this information and make your own decision about how much coffee you want to drink.

Shade-Grown Coffee vs. Sun-Grown Coffee

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I learned something new yesterday. It happened while I was in HealthSmart. Chad picked up a bag of coffee beans and put them on the counter. They were in an earthy brown bag with birds on the front. They owner asked me if I had seen the brochure about it. I hadn't, so she showed it to me. It's called "bird-friendly coffee". It's bird-friendly because it's shade-grown. Apparently, most coffee farmers produce sun-grown coffee beans, which means they have to cut down trees to grow the coffee plants in full sun. These trees house many varieties of migratory birds and many of them are not returning to the area because of the lack of trees. I did not know anything about this. All I knew was that I like coffee.

Shade-grown is the way that farmers had traditionally farmed coffee beans, but due to higher demand, over half of these farms have switched to sun-grown to increase production. Here is a quote for you from the Smithsonian brochure: "In addition to being havens for birds, shade coffee plantations provide habitat for myriad insects, orchids, mammals, reptiles, amphibians, and other less well known denizens of tropical forests. Furthermore, shade trees protect fragile tropical soils from erosion, provide nutrients, and suppress weeds, thus reducing or eliminating the need for chemical herbicides and fertilizers, and lowering farming costs. Farmers also harvest an assortment of fruits, firewood, lumber, and medicines from the shade trees. These products make farm families less vulnerable to coffee price fluctuations on the world market."

I think that sums up the issue pretty well and I'm on board. Americans drink one-third of the world's coffee, so if we choose to buy shade-grown coffee, we can make a big impact. If you buy coffee beans with the Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center logo, you can be sure that it's legit. The farms must also meet organic certification standards in order to be eligible to be bird-friendly.

Here are some facts for you to sum up my blog for today:

-In some Central American countries, shaded coffee plantations represent a large percentage of the remaining forest cover.

-Of the 6.9 million acres of coffee planted in northern Latin America, 40% has been converted into sun coffee.

-Shade coffee plantations can support well over 150 species of birds.

-Many coffee connoisseurs maintain that shade-grown coffee tastes better than sun-grown coffee. (I agree with this.)

So, ask for shade-grown coffee and be environmentally friendly.