Did you know people have been drinking coffee for thousands of years? The drink has been ingrained in international culture for generations upon generations, but we are still learning about new health benefits created by consuming the beverage. According to folklore about the origin of coffee, the positive mental and physical boost gained through coffee consumption was first noticed once upon a time in Ethiopia.

Nobody really knows the date of the origin of coffee, nor the exact circumstances under which it was found, but a tale passed along through many generations says that we can credit an Ethiopian goat herder for the fantastic discovery.

The goat herder named Kaldi is said to have been minding his herd one day when he noticed a strange occurrence. Some of the goats who were eating from a particular bush were behaving differently, in a more jovial mood than the other goats. They were acting excited, prancing around the fields, nearly dancing on their hind legs. Kaldi became curious as to why they were suddenly so lively. He studied the circumstance and made the connection between the pleasant activities of the goats and the bright red berries hanging on the mangled, half-eaten coffee plant.

Like most curious discoverers, inventors, entrepreneurs and risk-takers of the world, to whom we can credit the better portion of our world’s advancements, Kaldi swiftly decided to try the berries for himself. He tried one – or did he boil them? History can not relay the exact details, and different stories contradict each other regarding the exact circumstances, but regardless, he too noticed the strange energy gained by coffee consumption.

Folklore says he tasted the bitterness of the tree’s fruit, yet found it vaguely sweet and very satisfying. Refreshed, renewed and more alert, he set off to tell his wife about the fascinating discovery.

His wife compelled Kaldi to inform the monks of the strange berries. Strictly religious and highly suspicious of any mind or mood-altering substance, as they considered it, the monks swiftly decided to cast the “sinful” berries into a fire. The action led to the sweet aroma we now attribute to a fresh, delicious coffee brew. The monks, also curious, are said to have crushed the beans, raked them out of the fire and distilled the beans in a pot of boiling water.

According to folklore, it was only minutes before the heavenly aroma drew more monks towards the smell, all gathering to investigate the source of the blissful smell of roasting coffee. The monks tried the substance and were able to maintain energy all night long without sleep. They were pleasantly surprised by the productivity allowed by the drink, which gave them a renewed energy to continue their holy devotions. The abbot and the monks then thanked God for the gift, thinking he had given them the berries so they could pray all night.

Though the exact details for the origin of coffee might not be on record, it’s no surprise that coffee holds a special place in Ethiopia’s culture to this day. Coffee growing and picking produces the livelihood for over 12 million Ethiopians and brings in over two-thirds of the nation’s annual earnings. The nation’s coffee is still internationally recognized as some of the world’s finest.

Image Credit: Steve Evans

Pour yourself a fresh cup of coffee and relax: the he said/she said arguments over whether coffee increases productivity on the job have some scientific backing, thanks to a 2004 Harris poll. Productivity is a common debate for business management and employees. As they say, time is money, and with the right workplace standards, permissions and oversights, coffee-drinking could provide that little boost you and your colleagues need to get through the day – and that big presentation – with flying colors.

The research results from the poll revealed that the majority of the employees polled agreed that coffee increases productivity on the job.

• 79% of those polled said that access to coffee or tea makes them more productive
• 76% said that drinking a hot beverage is relaxing
• 79% said that they feel valued by their employers when they are provided with hot beverages at the workplace
• 47% said that they appreciate access to free or low-cost coffee provided by their office beverage service
• 63% said that having hot beverages served at the office allows them to grab a fresh coffee and get back to work, without having to leave the building to get that next kick of energy

Another study has shown that drinking coffee moderately throughout the day will help employees stay focused, especially when tasked with completing boring or endurance-based work. Those workers, according to the research, who consumed a moderate intake of coffee throughout the entire day were able to maintain their concentration levels until the end of the workday. In contrast, the workers who started their day off with a coffee at home or on the way to work and had no additional coffee throughout the day hit a productivity slump in the afternoon. The same was found for the workers who did not drink any coffee or caffeinated beverages throughout the day: their focus, energy and productivity decreased as the day progressed.

Why would coffee-drinking provide such a noticeable boost to workplace performance? Let’s take a closer look:

1. Coffee improves mental performance

That’s right, we all hoped it was the truth and now you can be sure. Drinking coffee doesn’t just help you stay awake – it improves alertness and concentration while delaying mental fatigue. It has also been suggested that coffee will improve your short-term memory.

2. Improve endurance and stamina in physical exercise

We’ll take any help we can get to make getting back into a regular exercise habit a little easier. Coffee could be the boost we all need to avoid early exhaustion by helping to improve our mentality, and therefore, our ability to exercise longer and harder while getting back into an exercise routine.

3. Improves socialization

As strange as it sounds, drinking coffee really does improve your ability to socialize. The scientific reasoning for this is coffee-drinking actually reduces stress by eliminating the hormone cortisol, which is responsible for irritability and other everyday stresses. Not only that, but the atmosphere created in coffee houses is carefully manufactured to help eliminate stress and encourage socialization, too.

So the next time your coworker starts swearing at the computer, treat them to a coffee – it might be the boost they need, and the rescue everyone else at the office wants!

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Drinking green tea is perhaps the simplest way to create and maintain a healthier new you. The health benefits of green tea are nothing new; it’s been studied since the Chinese began using the plant Camellia sinensis, from which black tea, white tea, oolong tea and green tea are extracted, about 4700 years ago. Research has been done into each of these varieties of tea, but most of the researchers’ focus has been on the health benefits of green tea.

Though not all studies support the same findings, green tea has been claimed to help and/or prevent atherosclerosis, LDL cholesterol, cancer, inflammatory bowel disease, diabetes, liver disease, weight loss, neurodegenerative and halitosis, among other things. Here are a few of the reasons you could benefit from drinking green tea daily:

1. Cancer Prevention

One of the top health concerns these days is cancer. Some studies, including those referenced in the New Scientist magazine, support claims that green tea protects against a variety of cancers, including breast, prostate, lung and gastric cancer. This, they say, is due to the powerful antioxidant epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) found in green tea that can slow the growth of cancer by drinking two to three cups a day.

2. Weight Loss

Clinical trials have suggested that green tea increases metabolic rates, speeds up fat oxidation, raises the body’s production heat, improves insulin sensitivity and improves glucose tolerance. These trials, conducted by the University of Geneva and the University of Birmingham, support the idea that green tea contributes to a body’s energy expenditure and endurance, allowing for greater weight loss.

3. Reduces Effects of Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)

Studies have shown that polyphenols, a property found in green tea, reduces intestinal inflammation by interrupting the reactions that cause the reactions found in patients with IBD.

4. Reduces Effects of Obstructive Sleep Apnea

Polyphenols have also been found to reduce or prevent the damaging effects of obstructive sleep apnea on the brain, in a study conducted by the University of Louisville.

5. Lower Risk of Strokes

Recent findings revealed at the 2009 International Stroke Conference showed that drinking three or more cups of green tea daily can reduce the risk of having a stroke by up to 21 per cent.

6. Lowers Severity of Rheumatoid Arthritis

A study has found that drinking green tea could reduce the severity of Rheumatoid Arthritis.

7. Prevention of Tooth Decay and Bad Breath

The bacteria-fighting polyphenols found in green tea stop the growth of some types of bacteria, particularly those that cause dental plaque and bad breath.

8. Slows HIV progress

A study referenced on BBC News stated that the antioxidant epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) can help to inhibit HIV binding, and could serve as a complementary therapy for HIV patients, though results were not convincing enough to suggest using green tea as a replacement for other treatments.

9. Reduces Effects of Depression

Several studies have supported the fact that drinking green tea daily, even after accounting for other variables, will reduce the severity of psychological distress and depression symptoms.

10. Reduces LDL Cholesterol

Green tea is claimed to help reduce the levels of LDL cholesterol by lowering the levels of triglycerides and increasing production of HDL cholesterol.

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Drinking one or two cups coffee each day might do more than give you – and your boss – that much-needed boost on those groggy mornings. In fact, it might just be the ‘fountain of youth’ everyone’s been looking for.

Researchers from the University of Athens say drinking coffee helps people live longer by improving the elasticity of arteries, which minimizes the chances of developing heart disease. And with heart disease as the leading cause of death in the United States, the finding has medical professionals and citizens taking a better look at the benefits of making coffee consumption a regular part of a healthy lifestyle.

The research findings come after an analysis of 485 people ages 65 to 100 with high blood pressure. Research participants were from the Greek island Ikaria, called the “land of longevity” and known for having about one-third of its residents reach their 90th birthday.

The results are especially significant for the aging population who are looking for a way to counteract high blood pressure. Aging naturally leads to the stiffening of blood vessels, which sends the risk of high blood pressure soaring.

The research findings also, interestingly, found that varying from one to two cups of coffee per day by drinking less or more does not provide the same benefits.

Dr. Christina Chrysohoou, the head of the study, presented the findings to the European Society of Cardiology Congress. Chrysohoou explained that the university sought to discover why the island’s residents had such unusually long life expectancies and acknowledged that researchers have previously found conflicting results about whether coffee helps or harms the heart.

The results were based on groups of research participants divided into those who drank little or no coffee each day (33%), those who drank one to two cups of coffee each day (56%) and those who drank three or more cups a day (11%).

In the end, oddly enough, imaging scans revealed that those in the middle group who drank one to two cups of coffee a day had a 25% greater blood vessel elasticity than those drinking little to no coffee, but had five times greater elasticity than the heavier coffee drinkers in the latter group.

The study also revealed that those in the middle group were less likely to have high cholesterol, diabetes, cardiovascular disease or to be overweight.

The coffee that study participants drank was mostly traditional Greek coffee in small, espresso-sized cups. Greek coffee is generally much stronger and has more caffeine than the standard American coffee. Greek coffee is also unfiltered and unboiled, allowing it to retain more of the other beneficial components of coffee, including flavonoids, magnesium, potassium, niacin and vitamin E.

More skeptical medical professionals question the results, wondering if they could be duplicated or whether there was a false connection made between longevity and coffee consumption. They also suggested that the social aspect of coffee drinking, which is often in a relaxing, comfortable atmosphere absent from stress, could be a large factor in the findings. The daily momentary escape from stress while drinking coffee could also help avoid high blood pressure.

Organic coffee is increasingly the choice of big box retailers and it’s showing up increasingly on the shelves of grocers large and small.
 
Is the higher price tag worth making the switch to organic coffee beans?
 
Organic farmers use farming processes that bypass dependency on harmful substances added to the soil and to crops such as pesticides and fertilizers. In the world of organic coffee farming, many farmers who grow organic beans also take environmentally friendly measures such as avoiding soil depletion or clear-cutting forested areas. This leads to a slower harvest and to lower yields than mass farming methods linked to economies of scale.
 
So what are the advantages of spending more per cup?
 
Physically, organic coffee beans may seem identical to the lower-priced nonorganic bean, but there’s a world of difference that doesn’t meet the eye.
 
When you look at how organic coffee is grown, you’ll notice shade plants often on steep hillsides with fragile soil that can easily be eroded. Crops are regularly rotated to avoid depleting the soil and are typically fertilized with compost and disease-resistant mulch. Rotation benefits farmers by having a secondary crop and it also maintains fertility in a delicate ecosystem which can easily become depleted.

In independent studies of organic coffee farming, organic farms were observed to contain a higher number of tree species, and shared more tree, bird, and ant species with forests than uncertified farms.

Organic coffee farmers and the fair trade associations that support them are often affiliated with social initiatives in developing countries. This leads to a higher standard of life.

Organic coffee delivers up a variety of antioxidants that can protect your cells from damage to prevent disease and premature aging. Coffee that matures more slowly offers more natural sugars and results in a superior tasting bean. Organic coffee beans are richer in flavor because they are grown in the purest possible conditions.

Non-organic coffee, on the other hand, is one of the most chemically-treated crops in the world. Pesticides and insecticides used to control fungus and insects can contaminate the bean itself. Toxins that are added to the crops leads to compromised biological system including the air and water supply. Not only are the crops exposed to dangers but the farm workers handling chemically-treated crops are at risk.

To make room for expansive coffee plantations, large tracts of lands in South America, Central America, Mexico and Africa have been cleared. The clearing of tropical land has led to expansive deforestation. Over the past forty years, approximately two-thirds of rainforests in Central America were lost due to synthetic coffee farming.

In the beginning of coffee cultivation, all coffee was organic and shade grown. By its nature, coffee is an “understory” shrub that can’t tolerate direct sunlight that was planted under shade trees which helped to maintain a fertile soil rich with nutrients.

Today, organic coffee is grown in over 40 countries with total sales exceeding $1.4 billion dollars.
 
Sustainability, health and sometimes even livelihood and empowerment: it all starts with a cup of organic coffee.

Photo Credit: Jasleen Kaur