It’s easy to be skeptical about the health effects of coffee drinking. Coffee retailers promote the health benefits of coffee – a lower risk of colon cancer, diabetes and Parkinson’s disease, as well as a smaller chance of cavities, treatment for headaches and possibly a treatment for Alzheimer’s disease. But what are the dangers of this mysterious drug?

There appears to be very few, and minor ones at that. Drinking anything in excess creates potential problems for the body’s self-regulatory processes that naturally correct imbalances and illnesses. Coffee itself has a few specific effects that, with the proper understanding, can be balanced by a healthy diet.

Boiled and unfiltered coffee are believed to contribute to an increase in cholesterol levels, due to two cholesterol-raising compounds cafestol and kahweol. In excess, coffee is also believed to alter the tone and function of blood vessels. Like all caffeinated beverages, it can affect natural heart rhythms by creating a rapid or irregular heartbeat. Similarly, the caffeine causes a temporary rise in blood pressure that can adversely affect those who already have a high blood pressure.

As the caffeine in coffee is a mild diuretic, it is important to remember to increase fluid intake when drinking coffee to avoid dehydration, and some studies have shown that it’s possible this diuretic effect leads to the urinary excretion of calcium. Therefore, if you plan on drinking more than three cups of coffee each day (600 ml), make sure you include some calcium in your diet to avoid osteoporosis, especially if you are pregnant.

Some also blame a lack of sleep on the caffeine found in coffee for several hours after coffee consumption. However, this effect varies from person to person and can be caused by a number of other caffeine-containing beverages and snacks, too. Some also consider caffeine a dependence-causing drug, so heavy drinkers may experience headaches for several days when they suddenly quit drinking coffee altogether.

Most doctors praise coffee-drinking for the health benefits of the beverage. While some studies are not conclusive, evidence has shown that the number of health benefits far outweigh the number of possible dangers. The benefits that are currently being flouted in relation to coffee consumption include a lower risk or smaller effects from a wide array of life-threatening diseases and illnesses. But coffee also contains antioxidants, which improve the quality of life for people who are already healthy. Antioxidants help to prevent oxidation, which is a process that contributes to damaged cells and aging.

In addition, those who drink coffee regularly have a significantly smaller risk of getting Parkinson’s disease. There is also a much smaller risk of getting type 2 diabetes in young and middle-aged women. It has also been suggested that coffee drinking protects against liver cirrhosis, gallstone formation, kidney stones and Alzheimer’s disease. It is also a fabulous asthma treatment, as caffeine opens airways and improves asthma symptoms. And another general benefit of coffee drinking is an alertness and improved mental functions.

Weigh out the pros and cons yourself and make your own decision: is too much coffee bad for you?

If you enjoyed this blog post, you might also like our Interesting Coffee Facts page.

Image Credit: flickr / people drinking coffee awkwardly

Jackie Robinson's son, David, making the rounds.

"Since its establishment in 1973, this organization has provided educational and professional opportunities to more than 1,400 disadvantaged students of color throughout the country. The Foundation's sterling reputation is well-deserved: 97% of Foundation scholars graduate from college - while the value of the experiences, mentorship, personal development, and practical training that the Foundation provides to its scholars has proven immeasurable." So says New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg in a letter welcoming all those attending the Jackie Robinson Foundation's Annual Awards Dinner.

So, needless to say, I was quite excited to attend this highly anticipated star-studded black-tie evening at NYC's famous Waldorf Astoria hotel, and I wasn't disappointed.

The evening began with access to the VIP cocktail party where Major League Baseball commissioner Allan (Bud) Selig and Grammy award winning opera singer Jessye Norman were joined by a plethora of captains of industry that hobnobbed prior to dinner.

During dinner, Bill Cosby hosted the formal event and introduced the award recipients:

With a compelling story, Allan (Bud) Selig was given a Lifetime Achievement award for his contribution to MLB's organizational structure dating back to 1992.

Next, a ROBIE achievement in industry award was given to Joseph Plumeri, Chairman and CEO of Willis Group, one the world's leading insurance brokers.  On a side note, Willis Group recently purchased the tallest building in the western hemisphere - the former Sears tower in Chicago.

Another ROBIE achievement in industry award was given to Paul Polman, CEO of mega-company Unilever. It was interesting to hear how this company has been expanding its sales force using women in third world countries; in effect, helping them create their own employment and improve their standard of living.
Finally a Robie humanitarian award was given to Jessye Norman, performing artist. Norman has received many esteemed awards in the United States in recognition of her outstanding contribution to the arts.

These joined a long list of award winners, which includes notables such as Robert Redford '09, George Lucas '08, Spike Lee '07, and Hillary Clinton '06.

At this point you’re all probably wondering what the coffee angle is to this story?  As you may know, Carson (c'est moi) is a coffee guy. You are probably aware that Jackie Robinson, on top of being a world-class baseball player, also broke the MLB's color barrier in 1946 by being the first African American professional baseball player in the Major Leagues.  He was also quoted as saying 'the value of a man is determined by one thing: the size of his contribution to the world.'

Jackie Robinson's son, David, must have heard that mantra many times.  Believing in this too, he gave up the comforts to which he was accustomed and moved to Tanzania and entered the world of coffee farming. David has formed a coffee cooperative of approximately 650 small coffee farms which, rather than selling its raw coffee to multinational buyers in Tanzania, is marketing it's product directly in North America. The name for this venture: Sweet Unity Farms - touted as the 'Cabernet of Coffee' by the New York Times.

David is spearheading a new model for progressive economic development that transforms poverty into equality. In the shadow of his father's legend, David Robinson's Sweet Unity Coffee is a great story and a great cup.

The entrance to the Waldorf Astoria Hotel where the Annual Awards Dinner was held.

The excellent line-up of speakers for the evening.

To view more photos from the Jackie Robinson Foundation Awards Dinner, please visit the new CoffeeMarvel flickr stream.

We are having our biggest sale of the year so far! Save 25% on many of our Whole Bean Coffee, Ground Coffee and Coffee Pod products.  Hurry!  Sale ends March 21, 2010 at 9:00 pm.

Here are some of the savings you can take advantage of this week:

SAVE 25% on select Reunion Island 12 oz Whole Bean Coffee
SAVE 25% on Donut Shop Whole Bean Coffee
SAVE 25% on Donut Shop Ground Coffee
SAVE 25% on Donut Shop Coffee Pods
SAVE 25% on select CoffeeMarvel Whole Bean Coffee
SAVE 25% on Wolfgang Puck Ground Coffee
SAVE 25% on select Wolfgang Puck Coffee Pods
SAVE 25% on select Reunion Island Ground Coffee
SAVE 25% on select Reunion Island Coffee Pods
SAVE 25% on select Melitta Coffee Pods

New study results are suggesting that several cups of coffee each day could be all it takes to avoid Alzheimer’s, or even to reduce the effects of Alzheimer’s in people who have already been diagnosed with the disease.

The study, conducted by US scientists, showed that drinking five medium-sized cups of coffee each day might reverse memory problems that include Alzheimer’s disease. Five cups of coffee might sound like a lot, but it’s really equivalent to about two-and-a-half large-sized coffees or even less. And if you prefer drinking espressos, cappuccinos or lattes, an extra shot cuts down the total drinking amount down to only one cup.

That’s because the University of South Florida study, which tested the effects of caffeinated water and coffee in 55 mice, showed that the true benefit results from the caffeine in coffee. The exact amount of caffeine that they gave each mouse was 500 milligrams per day for two months. The mice originally showed memory impairment symptoms, but after two months of caffeine intake, their memory and thinking skills seemed to be on par with mice that never suffered from memory problems. At the time of publishing the study’s results, the scientists weren’t sure if the effects were permanent.

While it was unknown whether the same effect would be seen in people, previous studies had already shown that drinking coffee could delay Alzheimer’s and protect against vascular dementia. The new research led scientists to begin research on the idea that drinking coffee could possibly reverse some elements of memory impairment.

Though the research, at this point, is still speculation, the scientists do know that caffeine was able to cut down the amount of a dangerous protein most commonly found in the brains of dementia patients in the mice being tested. The protein, called beta amyloid, was reduced by 50 per cent in the brains of the mice. They also know that the inflammation in the brain of the mice, which mimics Alzheimer’s disease in humans, was reduced. Researchers hope that the effects will be the same on human patients.

A similar study by Finnish and Swedish researchers showed that middle-aged people who drank between three and five cups of coffee each day had a significantly lower risk of developing dementia and Alzheimer’s in the future. The researchers found that the study participants had a 60 to 65 per cent lower risk of developing memory problems about two decades later in life. They were unsure why the coffee seemed to create such great benefits, but thought that the strong antioxidants found in coffee, which are known to counter Alzheimer’s, might play a role in the phenomenon.

The health benefits of caffeine, as a result of drinking coffee, have been long tested and proven through numerous studies. This history of studies has shown that long-term caffeine consumption will reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes, Parkinson’s disease, liver cirrhosis, liver cancer, colorectal cancer and suicide.

Health officials prefer to say that coffee should be considered as having therapeutic effects, rather than a healing effect, as more studies need to be conducted before the full effects of coffee consumption are validated.

K-Cups and coffee pods both have unique benefits for the coffee enthusiast who is looking for a better brew. The cost of each different brewing machine will pay off in saved time and cleanup by brewing singe-cup servings in only an instant. If you're looking to take the next step up from using an out-of-date drip machine, you should consider whether K-Cups or coffee pods are what you're looking for.
 
K-Cup coffee is brewed with a Keurig single-cup brewing system. K-Cups, small plastic cups filled with pre-ground coffee, a filter and a seal that locks in freshness, are placed in the brewer to make a quick, great-tasting cup of coffee. The machine will puncture a hole in the k-Cup and send pressurized water through the cup to make your favourite choice of hot drink. The system even works for tea and hot chocolate!
 
So what can K-Cup coffee do for you? Coffee is brewed instantly, cleanup is reduced to tossing out the empty plastic cup, there's no more need to grind coffee beans and each cup of coffee is as fresh as the first. K-Cup drinkers have a variety of brands to choose from: the technology has been licensed to Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, Diedrich/Gloria Jeans, Timothy's World Coffee, Van Houtte, Caribou Coffee, Celestial Seasonings, Bigelow Tea Company, Twinings, Tully's, Coffee People and Newman's Own. Demand for the K-Cup system is climbing fast, and with a price of only about $11 for a 24-pack box of K-Cups, the value is undeniable.
 
Coffee pods are another new coffee-brewing method to consider. This style of coffee brewing has its own unique benefits, including more flexibility in regards to brewing equipment. Coffee pod makers vary in price and are produced by a number of brands, including Wolfgang Puck, Senseo and Melitta. You also have the choice to purchase an espresso coffee pod maker, with the only drawback being that it must be purchased separately from the regular coffee pod makers.
 
Coffee pods, which resemble tea bags, are small pods of pre-packaged coffee grounds in single-serve filters. Like K-Cups, the only setup is placing the coffee pod inside the machine. The coffee pod maker will force hot water through the pod, creating a cup of freshly brewed coffee in only one minute. And cleanup is even easier: just toss the used pod and you're done. What could be easier than an instant cup of freshly brewed coffee? Coffee pods also offer the advantage of more variety in coffee brands and flavors for sale and prices range to suit your individual needs. They can be bought in a number of sizes, such as small packages of 18 for about $6 to bigger packages of 160 for about $50.
 
With two great choices, there's no wrong decision here when it comes to selecting the coffee brewing method that suits your lifestyle. Faster speed, better freshness, price variety, easy cleanup and single-serve selections are all available in these new coffee brewing trends. In today's fast-paced world, both K-Cups and coffee pods offer a more efficient and modern method of coffee brewing.