For the Love of Coffee

Another recent study indicates that YES, coffee may indeed have many health benefits! Music to my ears.

Behold:

• Coffee drinkers may be at lower risk of liver and colon cancer, type 2 diabetes, and Parkinson’s disease.
• Coffee-drinking men seemed to have a lower risk of advanced or lethal prostate cancer than other men, and middle-aged people who drank moderate amounts of coffee — three to five cups a day — had the lowest risk for dementia and Alzheimer’s disease later in life compared to less (or more) frequent drinkers.
• Polyphenols or flavonoids, the type of antioxidants found in coffee, are also found in other foods and drinks, like tea, red wine, and chocolate. All three have been proven to moderately help brain function, a benefit that can’t be chalked up to caffeine
• Coffee may even have a hormone-like effect in the body, …A compound known as trigonelline “can act like estrogen,” he says.

These quotes, taken from the recent article published on CNN Health, are just a few of the possible benefits mentioned.

I found the tidbit about the estrogen-like hormone to be the most interesting. If true, could this be supporting evidence for why coffee seems to help my mood swings when suffering from PMS and other hormonal fluctuations? I have already seen how coffee can help with headaches and mental alertness. For me, the proof is in the pudding. Or the coffee, as the case may be.

Wouldn’t it be neat if the answer to the search for a perfect fuel source could be found in coffee? Maybe it can.

One group of students at the University of Missouri is experimenting with coffee grinds in an effort to process the oil from them into a biodiesel. Imagine a brighter future where we all do our part by drinking our cuppa joe every morning - or two or three or four- and that in turn keeps our cars running!

Wouldn’t that be cool? WHAT - one can dream, right? =)

Well, I DID it! I finally placed the Gevalia order I’ve been talking about making. It’s been a long time since I’ve ordered their coffees and a long time since I have bought whole coffee beans so I was QUITE excited!

3 boxes, 3 bucks - who wouldn’t be?!

But would you BELIEVE I messed up my order? I was so focused on narrowing down 3 flavors that I neglected to select the BEANS option instead of the ground option. Oh yes, I did. I noticed it as soon as I got the email confirmation and I called to see if I could change the order before it went out.

Oh well, I suppose I’ll drink ground coffee this time. It is, after all, what I have been drinking for the past nine years or so. I’ll make sure I pay more attention on the next order!

None-the-less, I’m still excited. In 1-2 weeks I’ll receive their signature blend, Peruvian organic blend and the one I’m most anticipating…Dark Chocolate Truffle. MMMmmmmm. It was hard to choose: Dark Chocolate Truffle or Chocolate Raspberry, Peruvian Organic or Rainforest Organic?? So many decisions. I’ll have to take turns trying them all..

You can take advantage of Gevalia’s 3 for 3$, too - or any of their other current promotions:

Full Disclosure: As a Gevalia affiliate I earn a small commission on orders generated through my promotions, thank you for your support!

Click here for details.

Did you know that today is National Coffee Day?

Starbucks is celebrating this national Coffee Day with free coffee and coupons at their coffee shops today!

<Click here for the rest of the story over at This Side of Eternity!>

Thanks, Kristie, for the heads up about Coffee Day!

Starbucks and AT&T team up to provide free coffee and wi-fi for those displaced by the California wildfires.

Starbucks Corp. and AT&T Inc. have paired to provide relief to those displaced by the Station fire in the form of free coffee and free Internet service. Coffee will be donated to fire staging areas and Red Cross evacuation centers, Starbucks said in a statement.

{Read the rest of the article at the LA Times here.}

In other news…

A unique coffee shop shut its doors at two locations in Southwest Florida. And although the economy may be to blame, some say its colorful name may be another reason for its closure.

Tea, Coffee May Reduce Stroke Risk

Feb. 19, 2009 — The odds of having a stroke may be lower for tea drinkers and coffee drinkers.

That’s according to two studies presented today in San Diego at the American Stroke Association’s International Stroke Conference 2009.

Read the rest here.