Coffee is Better Than Red Wine!

Seriously, it is just about time that coffee starts taking the spotlight that it so deserves. Red wine has been hailed for years by health experts as the drink to boost your health, but coffee was actually just given a bad reputation by some inconclusive results in several studies where the coffee drinkers were also smokers, contributing to poor health. Terrible. The truth of the matter is that if you are even a moderate coffee drinker at 2 cups per day, you are 25% less likely to have colon cancer, 50% less likely to have gallstones, and 80% less likely to have cirrhosis of the liver. Wow, wow, and wow. Why has no one been celebrating coffee in this manner before? Also, because of the caffeine content in coffee, which is roughly 3 times more than soda or tea, coffee is known to prevent the development of Parkinson's disease. What are you waiting for? Brew yourself a cup of Joe right now!

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Easy Tips To Care For Your Home Espresso Machine

Now that you have invested in a beautiful home espresso system, you definitely want to treat it right and have it running for a long time. Am I right? I have some incredibly simple tips that will set you on the right track to premium espresso care and a longer life for your machine overall. Ready?

• Wipe down your machine daily with a soft washcloth or sponge.
• Run a cleaning solution through your machine with the blinder (the one with no holes) in your filter weekly.
• Descale your machine every three months to prevent lime buildup by using white vinegar or Urnex. Make sure that you run water through your machine several times afterward so that there is no contamination in your espresso taste.

And that is pretty much it! These are very simple tips to make sure that you are caring for your espresso machine in the best way possible and extending the life of your investment for many fine cappuccinos for years to come.

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Where Does Coffee Come From?

Yes, I know that you love to love your dark and rich Java every single day, but do you have any idea how it came to be in your cup? The country of origin where coffee was supposed to have been birthed is Ethiopia, and the story behind it is that there was a goat herder who noticed that his goats were pretty hyper after eating wild Ethiopian berries. What's that about? He then decided to brew those berries into a drink, and coffee was born! It is a lot more complex than that though, because it took until the 1600s for coffee to be imported into Venice and affect all of Europe, and we in the US didn't see the delicious bean until 1607 when John Smith brought it over into Jamestown. There is much more to learn about the decadent history of coffee, but that is a little bit of fun history for you to use as anecdotes to impress your friends. You're welcome.

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Which Coffee Grinder is Best For You?

Please tell me that you are already grinding your coffee beans at home. Whew. Now that we have that settled, we can discuss which coffee grinder is going to give you the best grind for your home coffee brew. So far, the jury seems to be leaning toward conical burr coffee grinders, which are fast moving and fairly quiet compared to the wheel burr grinder. The burr grinder is widely preferred over a blade coffee grinder because they do offer a more thorough and consistent grind, and conical burr grinders are high enough quality that the essential oils from your coffee beans will not clog the machinery. That is my two cents, but regardless of which grinder you choose, it is just wonderful that you are enjoying freshly ground coffee in your own home because that is the way that life should be.

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The Benefit of Microroasting

In short, microroasting is small level coffee roasting done by specific coffee craftsmen that want to make select coffee products unlike any other. When you are purchasing a coffee microroast, you can know that it is not mass-produced, and that the beans are selected specifically from farmers with the freshest standards, which are often fair trade or organic. We have discussed these methods of coffee production in previous blog posts, but basically you are getting the best taste and quality by going fair trade or organic, as well as being eco-friendly. Win, win! In a past post, I also talked about roasting coffee at home, so if you are loving the flavors that micro-roasting has to offer, then this is a great way to get started yourself. Coffee is not just for drinking, but it is for crafting the finest flavors possible. Drink up!

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Have You Tried Organic Coffee?

If you do not know what the term "organic coffee" even means, then I am here to tell you that it is a specific method of coffee production that is eco-friendly and lives up to organic certification standards. This means that the coffee crops are not farmed with harmful pesticides, and the farmers also use crop rotation to protect the fertility of the soil, as well as the earth. There are numerous organic coffee brands on the market today, and you can choose flavored, decaf, instant, or even ice cream -- you name it! Organic coffee is becoming increasingly popular as coffee lovers are becoming more conscious of the environment and the flavor profiles that they are looking for, so all you need to know is organic really does deliver. Mother Earth thanks you.


For delicious Bolivian Primera Extra USDA Organic Coffee, you can find it today on my website!

Drink Coffee For More Antioxidants!

While coffee is not technically the richest source of antioxidants that you could have within your diet, it does happen to be the primary source of antioxidant intake for all American coffee drinkers. When you are sipping your Java in moderation, then you can know that you are in taking over 1000 mg of antioxidants per day from one to two cups. It is still incredibly important to eat a diet that is rich in antioxidant foods, but it is also great to know that your daily coffee intake is a huge part of preventing free radical damage that causes premature aging in your body and appearance. So, we have established that coffee is not only delicious, but good for your health as well? The nectar of the gods!

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Coffee Beauty!

Right now, for all of the coffee loving ladies and gentlemen out there, there are numerous skin care products on the market that use coffee and its caffeine content to smooth the appearance of your skin. I am a huge advocate of using all-natural ingredients in skin care, so it is wonderful to see that coffee is being used as a vasodilator and constrictor to reduce the appearance of cellulite. There are also numerous eye creams using this ingredient to tone and smooth under eye skin to reduce puffiness and fine lines. I would have to propose the idea that the best benefit to using coffee for beauty is that you can not only have a beautiful result, but your skin will smell like delicious Java too! I can't think of anything better...

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Use Coffee for Beauty!

If you are a do-it-yourself beauty lover who is always looking for interesting home remedies, then I have several to offer you as the best uses for coffee within your home skin care routine. Not only will you smell good, but you will also look good too! The first easy method is to mix a third of a cup of used coffee grounds with an egg white, and blend it into a scrub that you can use to cleanse your face with. Another idea is to brew a strong shot of espresso and apply it to your dry hair. You will leave it for 15 minutes, and rinse well to add shine and softness to your hair easily. Another great tip is that if you have a fishy or garlicky smell that you cannot get off your hands from cooking, then you can use old coffee grounds to rub over your hands as if you are washing them normally, and the odors will be neutralized. These are just some great home beauty ideas that I have come across using coffee, but please comment, and let me know some of your own!

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There is a New Decaf Coffee Plant!

Can you believe what science is coming up with these days? This is wonderful news for all coffee lovers who consider themselves to be caffeine sensitive because even regular decaf coffee is only up to 98% caffeine free. There are actually two process is used to decaffeinated coffee, the Swiss Water Process and the Chemical Solvent Method. The former is obviously free from chemicals, but it can be more expensive, and is used for gourmet and organic blends. The latter uses chemicals to remove the caffeine and often uses cheaper beans like Robusta. If you are looking for a better taste to your decaffeinated coffee, then keep your eye out for what is going on with this new species of a decaf coffee plant because scientists feel that it is very easy to breed and create different varieties of coffee beans. This means more flavor and better taste with zero caffeine, which is something that has never been heard of before in the coffee community. Decaf coffee lovers rejoice!

For delicious Ethiopian Coffee Beans- Longberry available in decaf, you can find them on my website today!

How To Find a Tasty Dark Roast Coffee

If you have not yet delved into the rich and aromatic world of dark roasted coffee, then I invite you to come aboard! Dark roasted coffee is actually when the roasting process is taken past the second crack and more oils are pulled from the beans, almost to the point of burning. It takes an extremely skilled roaster to bring out a smoky and flavorful profile from dark roasted beans without having a charcoal aftertaste. Look for blends like French, Italian Espresso, Spanish, and Viennese for dark roasts that will suit you, and if you are not sure where your tastes lie, then I have the perfect customized Java Questionnaire for you! With a dark roast you will find that it is complex and full bodied, yet may often have sweet undertones. If you feel that a dark roast is too heavy for your palette, then there are actually several varieties of blends that mixed medium and dark roasts for a lighter taste in the dark roast range. Now all that is left to do is sample the many high quality dark Javas to see what works best for you!

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Where is the Best Coffee Grown in the World?

This is the question that is asked over and over by coffee lovers around the globe, and I would like to provide you with a few answers in the form of highlights of the greatest coffee producers worldwide. Let us begin.

• Ethiopia: This is where coffee was born, so look for beans hailing from the region of Harrar.

• Colombia: The beans are produced at the foothills of the Andes and offer amazing and rich tones to the flavor.

• Kona: Hawaii is actually the only US coffee producer due to the amazing tropical climate that enhances the flavor of the bean.

• Southern Mexico: This is the 7th largest coffee producer worldwide, and the beans will mainly come from the regions of Chiapas, Oaxaca, and Veracruz.

• Jamaica: The cool temperatures of the Blue Mountains provide the perfect location for a premium coffee harvest, and they yield one of the most expensive coffees in the world!

These are just a few of the top coffee producers worldwide, and I would love to hear back from you if you have any regions with amazing flavors that you would like to add to the list!

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Drink Decaf Coffee While Pregnant!

There have been many schools of thought surrounding whether or not it is a good idea to drink coffee during pregnancy, and from all of the studies I have seen, the results showed that one moderate cup per day is perfectly fine, but it is recommended to switch to decaf. After you have your baby, it is okay to increase your coffee intake to up to 3 cups, but just keep in mind that amount equals 300 mg of caffeine. Therefore, it is more advisable to use milligrams to measure your caffeine intake since coffee drinks can come in all shapes and sizes. One study actually did show that excessive coffee intake did increase women's risk of miscarriage during pregnancy, but the good news is that there are so many delicious varieties of decaf coffee available that you really don't have to miss out while you are protecting the health of your baby!

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Coffee May Prevent Skin Cancer!

As if I don't already have enough good things to say about coffee, there have been some recent studies coming out showing that coffee was actually placed on potentially cancerous cells in mice, and it suppressed the effects of that cancer by 72%. It is suggested that coffee will also be able to repair damage that you have to your skin from sun exposure, which can cause cancer or premature aging. Right now, there are several products on the market that use caffeine as a vasodilator to firm the skin and reduce the appearance of cellulite. The hopes are that potentially coffee will be added to sunblock products to help protect and repair your skin in addition to shielding it from the sun. I can think of nothing better than slapping on a coffee scented sunblock on my way to the beach, and I am loving the fact that coffee has one more major health benefit to add to its resume. Hurrah!

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How Do You Get the Freshest Coffee?

I am sure that you too have been completely frustrated by sipping a cup of stale coffee when you expected it to be fresh. I know that we would all prefer to taste the freshest and best coffee brew products, but you do need to be selective in the your coffee drinking to consistently enjoy the best and freshest taste. First, you will want to be purchasing your coffee beans from a roaster and enjoying them within one to two days for the best flavors. I know that I have said this before, but if you are purchasing pre-ground coffee beans, then they are already stale because freshly ground coffee will lose its freshness within two hours of grinding. Also, you may want to consider home roasting methods because you can freshly roast your coffee, grind it, brew it, and enjoy it in one fell swoop. This is the superior option if you have the means to do it, and I know it will make you a believer too!

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Add Salt to Your Coffee?

Yes, my friends, this is something that I actually do recommend that you try if you've ever take a sip of a bitter cup of Joe. Horrifying! Most bitterness in coffee actually comes from using a dirty machine that needs to be cleaned and descaled from the buildup of oils, so make sure that you check your coffee machine, and also use filtered water so that there is no bitterness from any chlorine content normally found in tap water. Otherwise, if you do happen to brew a bitter cup from time to time, don't despair because all you have to do is stir a pinch of salt into your steaming mug of coffee, and you will find that the edge is completely neutralized, and your cup of coffee is transformed and ready to be enjoyed. So easy!

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How To Use a Moka Pot

If you have not yet stumbled across the fun brewing option of a Moka Pot, then I am about to rock your coffee loving world. The Moka Pot is a truly simple contraption that involves upper and lower chambers that are separated by a coffee filter basket. You will fill the lower chamber with water, and then attach the filter basket, which you will then fill with fine espresso grounds. You can place the Moka Pot directly on your stove over a low to medium heat, and you will hear it begin to bubble as the water is forced up through the grounds into the top chamber. You will know it is done when the bubbling sound begins to cease, and your top chamber is filled with your coffee product. Your final resulting brew will range from the taste of espresso to Turkish coffee, and all you have to do is sip your Java and enjoy. Mmm...

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Mexican Coffee Does Not Have Swine Flu!

I personally hope that this thought has not crossed your mind in any way, but the truth of the matter is that there are many American coffee drinkers currently shunning Mexican coffee beans because of the bad cloud created by the swine flu epidemic coming from Mexico. So before you don your surgical mask when coming across Mexican coffee beans, know that there is no possible way that they can be infected with the virus. A not so fun fact is that there is actually a company named the Mexican Coffee Company, which has seen a significant dip in their sales since the swine flu scare, and they happen to be based in the UK. They do get their beans from a high quality distributor in Mexico, which is safe, so please do not let your prejudices extend toward high quality coffee companies that are just trying to do their job!

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Learn How To Roast Coffee Beans in a Popcorn Popper

This may sound a little sketchy and dangerous, if you are looking for a variety of ways to add to the flavors in your home roasting process, then using a hot air popcorn popper is one of them. This does involve potential risk so be extremely careful to always watch every moment of your roasting process, and to also have a fire extinguisher on hand if the worst does happen. Know that using your popcorn popper for this process will void your warranty, so kiss that goodbye.

From there you can begin by pouring about 3 ounces of green unroasted beans into the hot air popper, and stirring them without the lid on. Make sure that you put a large bowl under the popcorn popper chute to catch all of the chaff that will begin to appear after about two minutes, and you can put your lid back on the popper. The first crack of your bean will be at around five minutes and will give you a light City roast, so you can stop the roasting process if this is the product that you are looking for. If you continue till the second crack, which is in about two more minutes, then you will have a medium French roast, so you can again stop there if that is your desired roast type. You can roast for a few more minutes for a darker roast, but do not go any longer or else your beans will taste like charcoal!

After that, pour your roasted beans into a mesh colander, and sift them outside so that the chaff will not be too messy. Cool your beans at room temperature, and be sure to grind them freshly to enjoy an amazing cup of coffee created by yours truly!

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Why, Oh Why, Did Coffee Get a Bad Rap?

If you have been wondering why the research on coffee has taken a 180° turn lately, then I can tell you why. Coffee was actually given a bad reputation from studies in the past saying that it was bad for your health, but now it is being hailed for all of the health benefits and protections that it has to offer. Hmm, has someone had a change of heart? The truth of the matter is that the research that was done previously was actually done on coffee drinkers who were also smokers, and that wasn't taken into account. The point is that many of the health issues that were found in those coffee drinkers was simply because of smoking. Now that coffee is standing on its own, study after study is coming out to show that it is a health champion that we should feel lucky to drink every day. I know I do.

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Bring Out the Inner Barista in You

Are you sick of constantly drinking the same drip brewed coffee? Are you ready to embark on a wild coffee journey that will allow you to learn expert knowledge and put it into practice? If the answer to either of these is yes then it is time for you to begin to acquire your own barista and coffee sommelier skills. The art of coffee itself is something that can be compared to a fine wine, so your first order of business is to begin researching specific flavor profiles and custom coffee blends so that you can distinguish every single taste with your highly trained taste buds. From there, take the time to practice over and over your coffee brewing skills so that you can then begin to make your own signature beverages that will cause you to be renowned within your circle of family and friends. If you want to take it to the next level, then make your goal to attend the World Barista Championships where you have the opportunity to be judged on the A to Z of every single one of your coffee and espresso skills. Good luck and Godspeed!

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How You Can Make a Perfect Cappuccino

I am sure that you have fooled around on your home espresso machine before only to be disappointed by the results in your cappuccino creation. I am here today to give you some very easy tips that will set you on the way to a wonderful espresso brewing process with a flawless final product.

• Make sure that your metal pitcher is completely chilled and filled with fresh milk.
• Do not steam your milk any higher than 150° because the milk temperature itself will rise as it rests.
• Steam your milk at a diagonal angle with the wand just below the surface of your milk for perfect foam.
• After you have steamed your milk, place the pitcher back in the refrigerator to chill for 30 more seconds so that the foam will set.
• Be sure to avoid any bubbles at all in your steamed milk.
• You can then freshly brew your espresso into your cappuccino cup, and begin by pouring in the steamed milk and then spooning your microfoam on top.
• For a drier cappuccino, you will use all foam.
• For a wet cappuccino, you will use more steamed milk with a smaller amount of foam on top.

Wasn't that easy? Now all you have to do is enjoy!!

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What is Fair Trade Coffee?

If this is a term that you have heard tossed around lately, then it is your advantage to discover what exactly Fair Trade Coffee entails so that you can be even more educated in your coffee purchases. The good news about Fair Trade Coffee is that it is developed within a system that guarantees fair wages to the coffee farmers, which means that they are not only being protected but they are also able to use this equalizing income to provide an even higher quality crop under regulated conditions. These farmers are even more likely to cultivate shade grown coffee, which turns out to be good for the environment since they are less likely to use pesticides and cut down forests to make room for their crops. Fair Trade Coffee is not a type of coffee bean, but rather, it is a label for you to look out for to make sure that your coffee purchases are both benefiting you in terms of flavor, as well as the environment in terms of safety. Don't you feel good??

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Drink Coffee For Powerful Antioxidants!

Have you heard the buzz in the last few years about the need for an antioxidant rich diet to protect your health? Of course you have! The even better news for all you coffee freaks out there that has me clapping my hands with glee is that you can now sip your cup of Joe and know that you are getting an excessive amount of antioxidants that you can pair with your already healthy nutritional plan. Yay! In a recent study, the average coffee drinker was getting 1299 mg of antioxidants from around 2 cups of coffee per day. To put this in perspective, you can compare this with the 76 mg of antioxidants that you will get from your average banana. That is a ridiculous landslide in favor of coffee, and not to mention you will get an energy boost and a delicious flavor profile. Win, win.

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Do You Like Mold in Your Coffee?

Hopefully your answer is yes since there had been a few discoveries in the past years pointing to the fact that fungi found within certain regional coffee beans is actually responsible for the complexity and robustness of the flavors that we so enjoy. Flavors like caramel, chocolate, and toast are some that have been traced back to the result of the mold found within the coffee bean itself. This mold is actually not harmful, which is a good thing since I am sure that is what you can attribute the delicious taste of your cup of coffee to. Right now, there are researchers all over the world hoping to isolate and discover what specific mold is bringing certain characteristics to the coffee of their region so that they can reproduce and re-create these flavors for a more premium coffee blend. Fancy!

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Are You Using a French Press Yet?

To all of the guilty parties out there that are still only relying on a drip brewed coffee maker, I have a little something to say. Have you tried the French press yet?? This is something that is actually fairly easy and will not take up too much of your morning coffee brewing time. Basically, just make sure that you are using fresh ground coffee and hot, but not boiling, water. You can then pour it into your French press containing fresh coffee grounds, and quickly stir to disperse the grounds into the water. Place the top of your French press on so that the coffee can steep for around four minutes, and there you have a nearly perfect cup of Joe. Why, you may ask? When you are brewing your coffee through a filter, then just know that it is also filtering out the invigorating essential oils of the bean that give the coffee its true flavor profile. In a French press, those essential oils are making it into your cup. Don't miss out!

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How to Easily Descale Your Coffee Maker

I'm sure that you are well aware that even after purchasing the best of the best in a coffeemaker, your coffee's taste and flavor begins to fade over time. What gives? The answer is lime deposits- dun dun dun! This is something that happens from a buildup of mineral deposits within your machine, so as a preemptive strike, be sure that you are using distilled water in your brewing process to prevent this corrosion and build up. Otherwise, you can take a 50% vinegar and 50% distilled water solution, and brew it through your coffeemaker with a fresh filter three times every three months. Make sure that you also brew about three cycles with regular distilled water after that so there is no remaining vinegar taste in your coffee. This is a very simple process, but it will add years of life to your trusted coffee making device. And doesn't it deserve the best?

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How to Roast Your Own Coffee at Home

Roasting your coffee at home is seriously a dream come true for a coffee connoisseur like myself, so I am going to get right down to business.

You will need:

• a deep cast iron pan
• a whisk
• an oven thermometer
• a timer
• a box fan

What you are going to do is heat your pan from cool to 200F, taking about 10 minutes. After that you can put your beans in the pan, and begin to stir constantly until they begin to pop like popcorn at around 10 minutes. They will begin to brown, and after the first cracks, they will technically be done as a light roast. If you keep roasting for about five more minutes, you will get a medium or City roast, and if you wait beyond the second crack or popping of the bean, then you will have your darker roast type. Do not go any longer than this because there will be no more oils from the beans so they will in essence, burn. Cool the beans in a strainer over your fan (preferably outdoors because it may be messy) for five minutes to end the roasting process. After that, all you have to do is experiment and perfect your art! Bravo.

For the best home roasting Puerto Rico Green Arabica Coffee Beans, you can find them on my site!

You Drank What??

I am sure by now that you have heard of the rare Kopi Lawuk coffee Bean is actually roasted after it is ingested and excreted by tree cats that prowl coffee plantations in Indonesia. My first thought is- who actually thought to dig through the cat poop to re-roast these beans, but who am I to judge? The whole point of the matter is that these fine beans taste so amazing due to the stomach acids of the felines in digestion that they are actually being sold for $100-$600 per pound, and $33 per cup at a single location in Queensland, Australia, which is known to be the only coffee shop that serves these beans worldwide. This may be something that you have to try to believe, but as a true coffee connoisseur this is not something that you can miss. Don't say I didn't tell you so!

For some high quality Puerto Rican coffee beans, you can find them at my site today!

Coffee is a Growing Trend in Asia!

The Asian culture in the past has seen to be stereotyped by their love for fine teas, but the latest news is that coffee culture as a whole is on the rise in Asia. The biggest countries contributing to this are Indonesia, China, and the Philippines, and it is supposed to be because of the fact that Asians are bringing back these coffee habits from their visits to Europe and the US. I myself am always happy when I am served a steaming pot of tea at a Chinese restaurant, but more power to all of these Asian countries for making delicious coffee become a part part of their culture! Most Asian cities are actually leaning toward Starbucks, probably because they see most celebrities in the media drinking from these chains. A shameless plug! Regardless of the reason for this turn of events, I am more than happy to see the love of coffee spread worldwide and infecting another continent. Mwahahaha.

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Is Starbucks Anti-Union?

You may have heard recently about the whole Starbucks debacle where a Starbucks in Minneapolis is actually being charged with 17 counts of labor rights violations. Shocking! As it turns out, this is actually not Starbucks's first rodeo because they were recently charged under the same counts and convicted in a federal court in New York. Basically, Starbucks has been hurting due to their decline in sales from the recession so they are laying off and cutting hours, while expecting the remaining employees to bear the brunt of the workload. The employees then formed a union to protect themselves, and Starbucks has been allegedly treating them unfairly and trying to bust up their union practices. This seems shocking in this day and age, but maybe it goes hand-in-hand with all of the trends that we are seeing in home coffee brewing that been on the rise lately. Is it time to become your own barista?

Drink Coffee to Hallucinate?

Let me just say that I, Chuggin McCoffee, will never anyway advocate you to stop your coffee drinking habit and adoration. But what I will tell you is that everything is best in moderation, as one recent study has just pointed out. As it turns out, in normal functioning adults there is a risk of hallucinations caused by the overuse of caffeine, upwards of three strong cups of Joe. These hallucinations can also be caused by combining your coffee with other caffeinated substances, like energy drinks, so just make sure that you are splitting your caffeine use up throughout the day so that you are not crashing, having withdrawals, or... hallucinating. Just a friendly tip on the best way to drink your Java!

Drink Coffee to Hallucinate?

Let me just say that I, Chuggin McCoffee, will never anyway advocate you to stop your coffee drinking habit and adoration. But what I will tell you is that everything is best in moderation, as one recent study has just pointed out. As it turns out, in normal functioning adults there is a risk of hallucinations caused by the overuse of caffeine, upwards of three strong cups of Joe. These hallucinations can also be caused by combining your coffee with other caffeinated substances, like energy drinks, so just make sure that you are splitting your caffeine use up throughout the day so that you are not crashing, having withdrawals, or... hallucinating. Just a friendly tip on the best way to drink your Java!

What to Do About Coffee Withdrawal Headaches

If you are a coffee drinker who is worth your salt in any way, then I’m sure you too have suffered from a pounding or splitting headache when you skip your morning coffee. That’s the worst! The news about this fact is that studies have proven that a caffeine headache is a legitimate side effect from withdrawals for coffee drinkers. These coffee drinkers also experienced fatigue, low energy levels, and problems concentrating in addition to their caffeine withdrawal headache. The good news for you is that with some clever planning you can stop this problem before it starts. First, make sure that you drink more than enough water throughout your day. Second you can also take some advice that I published in a previous blog, which is to divide up your coffee drinking throughout the day so that you are not experiencing any dips or crashes in your energy level. Coffee is your friend, so use it to treat yourself right!

Drink to Your Health with Coffee!

One study that you may or may not have heard of is that coffee can now protect against cirrhosis of the liver and liver damage. If you are an alcohol drinker, it is great to know your daily cups of coffee are actually doing more than you think to protect you from liver damage. This does not excuse late night drinking binges, but if you couple coffee with a moderate lifestyle, then you are 40% less likely to have cirrhosis of the liver. The interesting thing about these facts is that this is not true for all caffeinated beverages, though the jury is still out as to the exact reason why coffee alone is providing this kind of protection. I am not one to question, but I will pour myself a large mug of Java and enjoy!

Buy Your Coffee Beans Fresh!

You may have heard this point over and over again, but the only way to truly enjoy the best flavor and deliciousness in your morning cup of Joe is by grinding your coffee beans fresh. This may seem like a little more effort than you want to put forth when you roll out of bed every morning, but I think that you can handle throwing a handful of beans into your coffee grinder and pressing a button. If that is all that it takes to make the flavor of your coffee skyrocket, then it seems well worth it. Even though you may feel that you are already buying a premium pre-ground coffee, I can already tell you that you are wrong because ground coffee will only stay fresh for up to two hours. Unless you literally grind the coffee beans at the store where you bought them and then went home and brewed immediately, there’s pretty much no way you’ll be getting the best cup from what you bought. Food for thought?

Go Green with Your Java Choice

As you are learning more about the precious black gold that we call our beloved coffee, you may have heard certain phrases like fair trade, organic, and shade grown. Let me give you a rundown on all three of these coffee growing methods so that you can make an informed coffee decision that will benefit both yourself and the environment.

• Fair trade: This type of coffee is actually regulated by agencies to protect the farmers and give them their wages so that they do not resort to unfair methods of harvesting your coffee and compromising the quality of the bean.
• Organic: Short story long, this coffee is harvested without nasty pesticides to ensure your safety.
• Shade grown: This type of coffee is harvested under large shade trees to protect the crop and also let the farmers grow two crops in one field- it also benefits the birds of the region. Win, win!

This is a super brief tutorial on eco-friendly types of coffee that are out there, but keep in mind when you are choosing one of these varieties, they are not only good for you, but they are good for Mother Earth. And doesn’t that feel good?