Coffee's Essential Ingredients

Coffee contains a number of compounds that contribute to the flavor and bioactivity of the brew. Complex reactions take place during roasting at high temperatures and modify considerably coffee's chemical composition, with some beneficial compounds degraded and some created. A small amount of harmful compounds is also created during roasting; however, the beneficial compounds appear to predominate.

To obtain a functional, healthy coffee, it is important to consider every aspect of coffee production, starting with high-quality seedsroasted to light-medium to dark-medium color degree, preferably a low to medium temperatures. Medium-roast coffees contain relatively high amounts of antioxidant compounds compared with other food products, a considerable amount of niacin, low acylamide content, and typically no PAHs.

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Artwork: Coffee Beans on the Roasting Machine
Source:
Coffee: Emerging Health Effects and Disease Prevention by Yi-Fang Chu

Peanuts High in Fat, Nutrients and Health Benefits

Despite being high in fat, peanuts are still an excellent food choice because they provide a variety of important nutrients. They contain protein, fiber, and healthy monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, which all improve health and lower the risk of chronic disease.

In a study conducted with over 15,000 peanut consumers, it was determined that people who ate peanuts had higher levels of vitamin A, vitamin E, folate, magnesium, zinc, iron, calcium, and dietary fiber than people who did not eat peanuts.

Peanuts are high in arginine, an amino acid that is a precursor to nitric oxide, which helps decrease blood pressure. They contain resveratrol which improves longevity and performance as well as reduces inflammation. Peanuts also have phytosterols that work to lower cholesterol and may inhibit cancer development.

Research has shown that peanuts are able to decrease lipid levels and may reduce inflammation, which is a cause of chronic disease. And, researchers have also found that mortality decreases as the frequency of eating nuts like peanuts increases.

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Artwork: Virginia Peanut Seeds

Coffee and Blood Pressure

Caffeine has long been accused of increasing blood pressure and possibly causing hypertension, but the comprehensive analysis of 16 control trials discussed in the article "Coffee and Cardiovascular Diseases" in Coffee: Emerging Health Effects and Disease Prevention found that while caffeine definitely elevates blood pressure, the caffeine in brewed coffee has a less pronounced effect.

"The increase in blood  pressure produced by caffeine tablet ingestion was two to three times higher than that produced by regular coffee consumption despite equal mean doses of caffeine," the article reads.

Researchers suspect that something in coffee or the way it is prepared lessens the pressor effect of caffeine in its pure form.

"Taken together, these results show that coffee raises blood pressure acutely, but there is insufficient evidence to show that long-term coffee consumption causes hypertension," the authors conclude.

Coffee: Emerging Health Effects and Disease Prevention by Yi-Fang Chu

Wiley-Blackwell, 2012

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Coffee and Alzheimer's

"Coffee is only one component of the diet that may be preventative. Other studies support a role for the Mediterranean diet, which is rich in fruits, nuts, legumes, cereals, and fish, and indicate the importance of physical activity in preventing or delaying cognitive decline with aging.

"Alzheimer's disease is not curable but is preventable... Given the high coffee consumption worldwide and the aging population in many countries, coffee's apparent ability to protect cognition could have important implications. It is too soon to make specific recommendations regarding the optimum amount of coffee to prevent cognitive loss, but moderate consumption appears best."

Coffee: Emerging Health Effects and Disease Prevention by Yi-Fang Chu

Wiley-Blackwell, 2012

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Coffee is Life-Extending

Drinking coffee can not only boost your energy but also your longevity, as long as you don't smoke.

A National Institutes of Health study published in the New England Journal of Medicine, indicated that caffeinated and decaf coffee drinkers who did not smoke were less likely to die from heart disease, respiratory disease, stroke, injuries and accidents, diabetes, and infections.

"In this large prospective study, coffee consumption was inversely associated with total and cause-specific mortality," reported Neal Freedman and fellow researchers at the NIH National Cancer Institute.

"During 5,148,760 person-years of follow-up between 1995 and 2008, a total of 33,731 men and 18,784 women died. In age-adjusted models, the risk of death was increased among coffee drinkers. However, coffee drinkers were also more likely to smoke, and, after adjustment for tobacco-smoking status and other potential confounders, there was a significant inverse association between coffee consumption and mortality."

Not only did the results show a clear association between coffee and longevity, but they also indicated people who drank the most coffee tended to have greatest health benefits.

Source: PubMed.gov

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Colour of the Cup Makes the Cocoa

New research suggests that hot chocolate tastes better in an orange or cream coloured cup than in a white or red one.

"The colour of the container where food and drink are served can enhance some attributes like taste and aroma," says Betina Piqueras-Fiszman, researcher at the Polytechnic University of Valencia (Spain).

Piqueras-Fiszman and colleague Charles Spence of the University of Oxford conducted an experiment in which 57 volunteer participants evaluated samples of hot chocolate served in four different types of plastic cup. Each cup was the same size but of different colours: white, cream, red and orange with white on the inside.

Results of the experiment revealed that the flavour of chocolate served in orange or cream coloured cups was better for the tasting volunteers.

While the sweetness (not the flavour of the cocoa) and the aroma (the smell) were not influenced by the colour of the cup, the participants mentioned that the chocolate was slightly sweeter and more aromatic in a cream coloured cup.

"There is no fixed rule stating that flavour and aroma are enhanced in a cup of a certain colour or shade," says Piqueras-Fiszman. "But the truth is that, as this effect occurs, more attention should be paid to the colour of the container as it has more potential than one could imagine."

The results are relevant to scientists interested in understanding how the brain integrates visual information and to chefs, catering professionals and packagers who select the colour of crockery and packaging.

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The Importance of a Local Catch

The average Spanish consumer prefers fish from Spain, according to a study published in the 'Food Quality and Preference' journal.

Scientists at the Institute for Research and Technology in Food and Agriculture (IRTA) interviewed nearly 900 consumers from nine Autonomous Communities (Andalusia, Asturias, the Balearic Islands, the Canary Islands, Cantabria, Catalonia, Galicia, Madrid and Murcia) about their preferences when buying fish. Evaluated factors included the country of origin (Spain, Morocco and Norway), whether they were fished or farm-raised, their conservation method (fresh or frozen) and the price (6€/kg, 12€/kg and18€/kg).

The results reveal that the place of origin (Spain in this case) is the most important factor for consumers when buying fish. The statistical analyses outline that the relative importance of the country of origin stands at 42.96%, whereas the other three variables are less than half: 20.58% for storage conditions, 19.13% for price and 18.01% for whether the fish is wild or farm-raised.

Spain is the largest producer of fish in the European Union but in recent years its population has consumed less fish, especially seafood.  The nation has a longstanding tradition of fishing and its homeland products are considered to be fresher than their imported counterparts.

Photo: Cantabrian Hake

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