Sustainable gourmet coffee and fair trade coffee

How to really help someone by buying a cup of coffee.

Let me start by acknowledging I am the middle man you guys mention - I own Mission Grounds Gourmet Coffee and give all my profits to orphans. I own an IT company too so no one draws a salary so all the profits go to kids. I am a US citizen but own a coffee farm in Costa Rica. The family I bought the farm from still farm it for free - I buy my coffee from the Co-Op my farm belongs to in Costa Rica

Here are the problems with Fair Trade and here are the problems with buying coffee directly from the farmer. In Costa Rica and as in most coffee countries the farmers you want to help don't have any resources or assets. Most dont have telephones or computers or any other means to know about Fair trade, so 95% of the poor farmers we want to help don't even know what fair trade is. And they don't have the resources to set up an on line business or to even pay the transportation costs. Most barely have running water ; some might even have electricity. And none have a FDA import licensce or the money to set up the bonds needed for Dept. of Agriculture import inspections.

Secondly almost all sale their coffee to a co -op or coffee roaster - its the only market they know or have - local sales. Fair Trade was set up for Americans to then be the middle man and have Americans feel good about themselves. In theory its a great idea - in practice it has done very little to help the small farmer. and in this cycle the worse off - are the laborers and children who pick the coffee - making lless than a $1 per hour. Do you think the farmers who are fair trade certified pass their extra money to the laborers? or the ones who aren't.

And the thing that is wrong about Fair Trade is you only have to certify you paid $ 1.26 per pound for the coffee - it doesn't matter who you paid. So a Starbucks can pay the middleman or the roaster - $1.26 and its certified Fair Trade. And this middle man may have paid the farmer $.40 and eveyone drinking Fair trade coffee from Starbucks thinks they are helping a farmer. Please drink some coffee and wake up to the truth.

So unless you travel to that poor farmers farm you have no chance of helping him directly. They just don't have the communications, resources, distribution to get their coffee to you. Plus the US requires all coffee to be roasted before it comes here. So even green coffee is roasted 10%. In a third world country very few people have the resources to buy a coffee roaster. so the coffee roaster controls the coffee. And the money. And hes the guy who is Fair Trade certified. And he keeps the extra money Fair Trade brings. Amazing the Americans came up with an idea that helps the rich get richer. And we feel good about it.

If you want to truly help buy Thousand Hills Coffee - they use the proceeds to help farmers and laborers in Africa. Or buy Mission Grounds Coffee which helps orphans and homeless kids with their profits. and we buy our coffee from the farmers co op at $1.50 per pound.

What is Sustainability?

Sustainable coffee is produced on a farm with high biological diversity and low chemical inputs. It conserves resources,

protects the environment, produces efficiently, competes commercially and enhances the quality of life for farmers and

society as a whole.

A sustainable coffee should be developed with the following guiding principles:

Practices will promote the protection of biological diversity, soils, and clean water, and enhance global carbon

sequestration, not only through farm management but also by the protection of watershed vegetation and other

patches of natural vegetation, reforestation, minimal use of agrochemicals and compliance with wildlife protection

laws and the integrity of existing parks and reserves.

1.

2. All interested parties should have input into the development of criteria, particularly the farmers themselves.

3. Sustainable practices should be verifiable by disinterested party.

The quality of the product will be maintained or enhanced during the process of conversion to more sustainable

systems.

4.

5. Producers should have fair access to information and credit necessary to shift to more sustainable systems.

6. Producers should have ready access to new markets developed for sustainable coffee.

7. System should promote the economic diversification of producer families.

8. Production should comply with internationally recognized standards of treatment of workers and their families.

Practices should promote the protection of cultural diversity, particularly locally-based knowledge systems of

farmers.

9.

APPLICATION SYSTEMS

As we work to define criteria, we have to keep in mind how they will be used, the application systems. Do we want to just

reward the best producers or encourage many producers to improve? Should the standards be so strict that only the top 5

percent of producers can comply, or should they be flexible to engage the greatest number of producers? In the interest of

fairness, we advocate a ranking system that places farms in categories such as good, better and best Four-star systems, for

example, are commonly used to rate hotels, movies and records coupled with a set of minimum criteria that must be met.

Such a graded system could easily be adapted to existing classifications of shade management (see below) or to

transitional versus formerly certified organic practices.

It should be remembered that not all of the production criteria are under the control of the farmer. Some, particularly those

involving trade practices, should be seen as characterizing the relationship between farmer and merchant in the

marketplace. Finally, some of the goals of establishing sustainable coffee fall outside of the power of the farmer or

merchants and may need to be addressed outside of the following production criteria.

SPECIFIC ISSUES

Environmental Issues

Management of shade trees and other on-farm vegetation, such as riparian corridors and forest remnants to

conserve biodiversity.

l

l Provide healthy environments for workers and downstream communities.

l Protect waterways (buffer zones along streams, for example) and sources of drinking water.

Reduce soil erosion through shade management, employing agronomic techniques, and planting on hills with

appropriate slopes.

l

Manage and reduce or eliminate pesticide and chemical fertilizer use through use of biological control and other

organic practices.

l

l Use a pruning regime that will have minimal impact on biological diversity.

l Minimize use of fuel wood for drying.

l Encourage use of traditional varieties and varieties that are resistant to pests.

l Protect wildlife from direct threats such as hunting and collecting.

l Control pollution at mills, both wet and dry.

l Maintain machinery and equipment to avoid contamination from fuel, fluids and lubricants.

Social Issues

l Guarantee a fair and stable prices for producers.

l Provide access to credit to producers employing sustainable technologies.

l Promote democratization and community participation in all aspects of sustainable coffee production.

l Provide technical assistance and environmental education for farmers shifting to sustainable technologies.

l Insure adequate wages, housing, and health care for workers.

l Provide access to markets for all producers, irrespective of farm size.

SUGGESTED CRITERIA

Shade Management

To maximize biological diversity, shade trees of coffee plantations should be taxonomically and structurally diverse,

provide shade over most of the farm throughout the year, and support abundant epiphytes, mosses, lichens, and parasitic

plant assemblages. Tree pruning should be kept to a minimum and whenever possible be conducted at the onset or during

the rainy season. Snags and dead limbs should be maintained as much as possible. Native and evergreen tree species

should be used as much as possible.

Quantitative measurement of these parameters, however, may be logistically difficult and the development of specific

values is probably beyond what is currently possible with existing peer-reviewed research results. Therefore, we

recommend that a gestalt classification of coffee agro-ecosystems be employed, similar to the one currently used in

Mexico. This system recognizes distinct nodes in the gradient of coffee plantation diversity (Figure 1) and can be modified

to include additional systems, such as monocultural deciduous shade, and monoculturalGrevillea plantations. In a graded

system we would set the minimum at commercial, evergreen, polycultural shade and provide additional achievement stars

for traditional polycultural and rustic plantations.

In addition, buffer zones of unmanaged native shrubs and trees should border watercourses. These buffer zones should be

scaled to either farm or stream size. A hedge row or living fence should border the plantation and plantation roads. The

question of forest protection is complex. Although I discussed the possibility of a prohibition against converting forest to

shade coffee plantation, it is possible that such a restriction would under some circumstances encourage deforestation to

other land uses (such as cattle pasture).

Agrochemical Use

In the long run, most chemicals are damaging to the environment and all efforts should be made to eliminate their use.

Organic growing techniques should be the first option used. The endpoint for the sustainable coffee criteria should be the

prohibition of chemical use except in emergency situations. Such an allowance is made under organic certification if a) all

nonchemical techniques have been implemented and failed; b) only the least toxic chemicals are used with carefully

controlled applications; and c) application is conducted with the consultation and oversight of the certifier. In addition, it is

recommended that the following classes of chemicals should never be used: herbicides, nematocides, and chlorinated

hydrocarbons. The use of organic techniques for soil improvement should be emphasized and chemical fertilizers avoided.

When chemical fertilizers are used, they should be mixed with organic fertilizers and direct application to waterways

avoided. A graded system could be adopted where farms using small quantities of pesticides in an Integrated Pest

Management system and low levels of chemical fertilizers receive a one star rating and strictly organic or transitional

organic a two star rating.

Pollution Control and Energy Conservation in Processing

Certification must be separate for the farm mills since the producer often has little control over post-harvest processing.

Agrochemicals should never be used in processing or storage. Coffee pulp should be used as natural fertilizer and never

dumped directly into waterways. Mills should employ waste processing and water-saving systems. When the appropriate

technology for residual water is available, it should be phased in. Pollution control to reduce air contamination should be

phased in as well. Fuel wood for drying should be minimized and obtained from sustainable harvested sources. Patio

drying should be used whenever feasible. Alternative fuels, such as coffee husks and trimmings or solar energy should be

used as much as possible.

Social and Economic Relationships

Brokers or roasters should provide a fair and stable price for producers using existing formulae developed by fair trade

organizations as a starting point. The price should include all costs that are incurred to transform and maintain

environmental sustainability including the cost of certification itself.

Help ensure access to credit for production, processing, marketing and conversion to environmentally sound technologies.

Technical assistance and environmental education should be available to all members of coffee growing communities. The

formation and maintenance of democratically run producer cooperatives should be supported. Laborers should receive

wages equal to or greater than the legally mandated minimum wage for agricultural workers. When workers are provided

housing, it should provide adequate living conditions. Health care and proper sanitation should also be provided. All

producers should have fair access to the newly forming sustainable coffee markets. Particular attention should be paid to

small-scale producers through the fostering of more direct relationships between producer and roaster.

A Comparison of Systems

Table 1 compares the recommended guidelines of this working group (Sustainable) to some systems that are either in

existence or far along in the planning process: organic, Fair Trade, Rainforest Alliance's ECO-OK label, Conservation

International's coffee program guidelines, and the point system of Thanksgiving Coffee.

Diagnosis

Two strategies exist for the promotion of sustainable coffee in the marketplace. We can work with the above existing

systems (organic and fair trade) which already have a significant market share, name recognition, and an established

infrastructure. Or we can develop a new, more holistic program that incorporates, from its inception, all of the aspects of

sustainable coffee.

Strategy 1. Working with existing seals

Overall, Organic and Fair Trade certification address different and complementary aspects of coffee production. The two

systems already interact to a great degree, particularly in the European market. Together the two seals cover many of the

concerns of sustainable coffee. However, they do not address all of the possible aspects of sustainable production. Most

notably missing from the environmental side of the equation are criteria concerned specifically with shade management

and the conservation of vegetation buffer zones and forest patches. In addition, organic certification does not directly

address many of the aspects of pollution control at the mill.

In terms of social issues, since fair trade targets small producers in cooperatives, there is little leverage for addressing the

concerns of farm labor--an issue that faces many coffee farms, but particularly larger farms. In addition, for a variety of

reasons, many de facto organic farms are not certified and therefore receive no particular compensation for what is

essentially good land stewardship in the marketplace. Although all issues that are not addressed by current seals probably

cannot be incorporated, many can. Discussions should begin with groups involved with organic certification and fair trade

to consider addressing some of the issues that have fallen between the cracks. Already OCIA has expressed an interest in

incorporating shade management in organic certification.

Strategy 2. Creation of New Seals

Although the Thanksgiving Coffee system takes an innovative approach which incorporates many facets of sustainable

production, it is not designed to be systematically verified or certified by a disinterested party and so I will not consider its

merits further here. This leaves the ECO-OK certification system and the Conservation International program as two

existing alternative programs. The advantage of promoting these new approaches is that the full complement of issues

underlying sustainable production can be incorporated from their inception, rather than added on. I have already listed

some of the issues not currently addressed by Fair Trade or Certified Organic.

Conservation coffees tend to be more inclusive in their approach, attempting to impact as much land under management as

possible. In order to achieve this, the systems tend to be more flexible or set lower minimum performance levels.

However, this may result in undermining the work that has already gone into the existing programs. ECO-OK, for

example, replaces strict adherence to certified organic practices with a more flexible and less rigorous approach to

agrochemical inputs. In addition, issues pertaining to small-scale farmers are largely ignored and a greater emphasis is

placed on enlisting large producers. By doing this ECO-OK may be addressing a relatively larger area initially and might

also have some impact on the treatment of workers and worker families on large plantations. ECO-OK calls for relatively

minimal changes in shade management practices and appears to rely more on informal incentives and further education to

promote more diversified shade systems. How ECO-OK could dovetail with Organic Certification is unclear.

The Conservation International program begins to incorporate the concept of a graded system and allows for the

incorporation of organic certification. Similar to ECO-OK, the CI program allows for entry with minimally diverse shade

management and calls for improvement of shade up the scale to traditional polycultural shade after inclusion into the

program. However, the program has no specific requirements or marketplace incentives for this to occur. While not

embracing Fair Trade, CI proposes some progressive economics including a guarantee of price over cost of production and

access to credit for small farmers.

Final Comment

We may find it impossible to develop a fully unified approach to certifying and promoting sustainable coffee. My feeling

is that the mission of Fair Trade is so focused and well defined that it will have to stand separately as the environmental

criteria are hammered out. Because the infrastructure and markets already exist, I would argue that all efforts should be

made to broaden the issues approached in Organic Certification. When shade management is fully incorporated into

Organic Certification using a graded classification system, then these coffees can be promoted to the larger potential

markets concerned with such issues as bird conservation. Thinking of the systems in the broader sense, it seems that the

more flexible guidelines of conservation coffee and the more rigorous criteria of Organics could be incorporated into a

Source: Free Articles from ArticlesFactory.com

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

boake moore owns mission grounds gourmet coffee

www.missiongrounds.com

History of Jamaican Coffee

The history of Jamaican coffee begins half a world away in France in 1723 when King Louis XV sent three coffee plants to the French colony of Martinique, some 1200 miles to the SW of Jamaica. Five years later in 1728 the governor of Jamaica, Sir Nicholas Lawes, received one coffee plant as a gift from the Governor of Martinique. The plant took root with vigor and only nine years later, in 1737, coffee exportation began with an initial shipment of 83,000 lbs. The Jamaican coffee industry was born.

Coffee plants thrive in the naturally potash, nitrogen and phosphoric acid rich soil of Jamaica. Coffee trees prefer high altitudes and are perfectly suited for the mountain slopes that are otherwise unsuitable for the other agricultural endeavors such as sugar cane, banana, cocoa and citrus, none of which, interestingly, are native to the island yet vital to the economy of Jamaica.

Coffee is grown in all parts of the island and at all elevations, however, the finest Jamaican coffee comes from an area on the eastern side of the island, just north of Kingston in the Blue Mountains known, appropriately enough, as the Blue Mountain Region. Coffee grown outside the Blue Mountain Region is referred to as Jamaican High Mountain, which is comparable in body and balance but tends to be a bit more acidic to the refined tastes of the connoisseur. Lower grown coffees are referred to as Blue Mountain Valley coffees, they are medium bodied, delicate to bland in flavor and rather rich in acid.

Many Jamaican coffee brands claim their product is Jamaican Blue Mountain but in fact may be a Jamaican High Mountain or even a Blue Mountain Valley variety and is only milled within the boundaries of the Blue Mountain Region.

True Jamaican Blue Mountain coffees are full-bodied, moderately acidy and richly complex, though occasionally marred by a slight mustiness, which is characteristic of many Caribbean coffees.

The Jamaican coffee market has had its share of setbacks from worker shortages around the turn of the 20th century to the complete shut down of production for two years due to hurricane devastation in 1988. Early in the exportation of Jamaican coffee, Canada was the largest consumer with over 60% of all coffee exports bound for this country. In 1943 the Canadian government declared the quality of Jamaican coffee unacceptable and stopped all importation.

In 1944 the Jamaican government established the Central Coffee Clearing House, where all coffee bound for export was cleaned, inspected and graded, in an attempt to raise the standard of Jamaican coffee. In 1950 the Jamaican coffee growers established their own governing body, the Jamaican Coffee Industry Board, to improve and maintain the quality and reputation of Jamaican coffee.

The JCIB successfully accomplished its goal through setting and enforcing standards for growing, harvesting, processing and marketing of its product. Today, Jamaican coffee is known for its high-quality. Annual production of Jamaican coffee stands around 6,600,000 lbs. of which about 85% is exported to Japan. The remaining 15% is distributed mostly between the U.S. and the U.K. gourmet specialty markets where it can fetch up to US$40/lb.

© Copyright Randy Wilson, All Rights Reserved.

Source: Free Articles from ArticlesFactory.com

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Randy works with his son on Ultimate Coffees Info. Randy owned and operated a very successful storefront/mailorder business from 1988 to 2003. Currently full time owner/operator of several online businesses.

Health and Coffee Issues

Regrettably, one of the many health and coffee issues are the health risks to people in some countries and how it affects their ability to drink coffee safely. Doctors and health care officials have been taught that coffee is an unhealthy beverage to drink. These teachings have been based on 40+ year old research methods which have been shown by current research to be incorrect. But, since the doctors are not current on these new facts, they convey the inaccurate picture of coffee as being unhealthy to coffee drinkers and health organizations.

In fact, current studies have proven that coffee drinking in moderation can be good for your health.

In part coffee is more than caffeine and yellow teeth. With the chemical make up of coffee, studies have shown new and very and beneficial properties for coffee and health issues. One of the discoveries is the effect in the chemical make up of the dissolvement of Chlorogenic Acid, a property in the chemical make up of coffee. It has been found that Chlorogenic Acid is a strong antioxidant which helps in the reduction of oxidative tissue stress and some anti-inflammatory issues.

It has also been found that coffee drinking can help prevent possible drug addictions and may act as an anti-depressant. An interesting issue of coffee and health is how consumption affects brain functions. Coffee may coincide with anti-drug addiction properties.

Coffee has chem-protective properties that can provide defense against Hepatitis C, Gallstones, Alzheimers Diesease and Parkinson's Disease. It has also been shown to halt the
development of Type 2 Diabetes in the later years of adulthood with a modest amount of coffee consumption on a daily basis. When a person is having an asthma attack and they do not have an inhailer available, the next best thing would be drinking a cup of coffee.

Side Effects of Coffee Drinking from the Caffeine Content

1. Helps Develope Creative Thoughts
   
2. Better Decision Making
   
3. Short and Long Term Memory Improvement
   
4. Increase Endurance during Physical Activities
   
5. Halt the risk of Type 2 Diabetes in later years of Adulthood

In research of around 126,000 men and women, it was discovered that if people consumed more pure coffee it would reduce the chances of people developing Blood Sugar Disease compared to people who didn't or don't drink as much coffee.

In a study of men and the consumption of coffee, men who drank up to 5 cups a day lowered their chances contracting type 2 diabetes. The benefits for women were somewhat less, but still beneficial.

Previous health and coffee studies showed the average american coffee drinker drank about three cups a day. Research done by Harvard University combined all previous studies to come up with a new average, namely 1 to 2 cups of coffee a day.

Even though in these health and coffee studies of type 2 Diabetes chances were decrease with coffee consumption, researcher's don't recommend increasing your consumption of coffee to try to decrease or prevent the chances of developing diabetes.

More recent research has shown that coffee consumption leads to healthier blood sugar levels. A study of Swedish women showed that drinking at least 2 cups of coffee daily were less at risk for diabetes than women who drank none or less than 2 cups daily. However, researchers have been unable to determine which chemical compound of the hundreds found in coffee actually helped to reduce the risk of diabetes. Coffee consumption reduced the risk for diabetes despite other factors involved such as smoking, drinking and otherwise unhealthy lifestyles.

Related Health and Coffee Issues

• Alzheimers Disease
  
• Coffee as an Antidepressant
  
• Antioxidants
  
• Asthma
  
• Coffee colonics
  
• Diabetes
  
• Exercise Performance
  
• Gallstones
  
• Healthy Coffees
  
• Hepatitis C
  
• Mental Alertness
  
• Parkinson's Disease
  
• Physical Fitness
  

More to that first cup of Coffee

Research has found that your first cup of coffee in the day could shield you against colon cancer.

In a study by German researchers on an enzyme called Methylpyridinium it was discovered to prevent or protect against colon cancer. Using animals to test this highly potent antioxident researchers found that it excites production of Phase ll Enzyme's which are believed to protect against colon cancer pulpitation's. This is according to a recent magazine article about the relationship between health and coffee. Methylpyridinium is an anticancer compound that is in coffee which has for years been thought to protect against Colon Cancer and now has been identified as doing just that.

A professor at the University of Musnter, an Institute for Food Chemistry has said that until human studies are done we won't know the total effects of coffee on colon cancer development. He also noted that in comparison to medium roast coffees, espresso has 2 to 3 times the amount of cancer fighting agents. Even instant coffee has the same anticancer compounds found in caffeinated and decaffeinated coffees.

Coffee colonics detoxify the liver, as well as cleanse the colon. Some people claim that they provide immediate relief to toxicity symptoms, such as congestion, indigestion, pain and headaches. There are even some small studies that suggest that coffee in enema form can aid in the treatment of pancreatic cancer.

Source: Free Articles from ArticlesFactory.com

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Randy's son David owns http://www.ultimate-coffees-info.com. Randy helps with the copywriting and operations of the Coffee website.

One6 Kopitiam

Contact:
No. 48, Jalan BP 6/9, Bandar Bukit Puchong, 47120 Puchong, Selangor.
Tel: 603 8061 0258

http://one6kopitiam.wetpaint.com/

Old Brew, Old Style - Gourmet Coffee

Sometimes in our hurried world it pays to take your time. Brewing your coffee the old fashion way is just one good example. Enjoy trying the Costa Rica coffee maker

About twenty years ago almost every home, restaurant and office kitchen in Costa Rica was equipped with a gourmet coffee making device called Chorreador de café or simply café makero. It consisted of an unvarnished wooden frame about 33 cms. tall, with a round hole at the top where a wire rimmed cloth filter or strainer was placed. Fine ground gourmet coffee was placed in the filter and boiling water was poured in filtering down to the gourmet coffeepot below.

This humble device is losing ground fast to modern percolators, gourmet coffee makers and Mr. Gourmet coffee machines. The reason usually given is that the new devices are said to be faster and more convenient. In our home the Chorreador de café lives on. Why? The gourmet coffee simply tastes better.

You don't need gourmet gourmet coffee to brew a great gourmet coffee. Gourmet coffee making is an art where every step should be followed closely. Some advice given below may seem superfluous but should be rigorously adhered to.

This information applies to those who live in or will be visiting Costa Rica. The gourmet coffee we will be using is not export or imported gourmet coffee. We will be using two off-the-shelf pure gourmet coffees that you can buy in supermarkets anywhere in Costa Rica. I will call them brand A and B. will not publish brand names here because I am not endorsing or publicizing brand names though there is only one gourmet coffee that helps children. The gourmet coffee should be fine ground, brand A and B mixed 50 - 50%, then stored in an airtight glass container. The two brands seem to complement one another creating a special blend. Now you know how they make a breakfast blend gourmet coffee.

Bring the water to a boil. The water should be fresh tap water and not reheated from water left in the gourmet coffeepot. Filtered water is even better; collected rainwater works well to make a great gourmet coffee.

Place two tablespoons of fine ground gourmet coffee into the filter, then mount the filter on the wooden stand. Two tablespoons of gourmet coffee produce four cups of gourmet coffee. Use a non toxic paper gourmet coffee filter, a non bleach type. Use a papersack or pantyhouse if no filter is available.

To make the best gourmet coffee please place a glass or stainless steel receptor under the filter and begin to slowly pour the boiling water into the filter or gourmet coffee. You may have to stop occasionally so that the level of water drops. Continue pouring as needed until you have the four cups. Do not introduce metal spoons into the filter to agitate the mixture.

In the future you can experiment by adding a touch of cinnamon or vanilla or chocolate or cloves to the coffee mixture. Smell the gourmet coffee and if you must - foolishly top the gourmet coffeepot and serve.

You must always use a perfectly dry filter. If you prepare gourmet coffee two or more times a day, you will probably need two filters so one can dry while you use the other. A wet filter causes wet coffee. The reason for this is that if you use only one, it is likely that it will not be totally dry the next time you brew gourmet coffee. By using alternating filters you will always have a dry one on hand. Filters are best dried by a hairdryer or in the sunlight.

For daily use you should carefully rinse the filters in running tap water to remove all residue. It is natural that it will stain. You should now worry about this as it is normal.You should wash the filter weekly. Please never wash the filter in bleach or soap or detergent, wash it only with salt water to remove the accumulated grease. This can be done by generously salting the damp bag and virgorously rubbing it. Afterwords you should sufficently wash and rinse the filter to remove all traces of grinds and salt.

If you are in a hurry, go ahead use instant gourmet coffee or your Mr. Gourmet coffee maker, but if you want a REAL cup of gourmet coffee, you are going to have to put some effort into preparation. I hope that this article inspires those Americans and Costa Ricans who have forgotten this charming way of brewing gourmet coffee. For those woodshop owners and handyman experts here is a detailed explanation. Anyway you look at it - if your are using Costa Rica gourmet gourmet coffee you will for sure have a great cup of gourmet coffee.

Here's what you'll need: A 5" X 18" X 1/2" Maple or your choice of wood. A 6" X 8" X 3/4" Maple or your choice of wood. Finish nails Glue

Cut the base out of 3/4" maple, 7 1/2" X 6". Chamfer a 45 degree cut 1" in from each corner. Cut the two short sections, one on each end, 15 degrees. Cut two supports from 1/2" pieces 9" long at 5 degrees on each end. Make sure the angles go the same direction on each end. Please cut the top out of 1/2" wood, 6" X 4 1/2". Please carefully draw and then chamfer a 45 degree cut 1" from each corner. Please carefully draw and then cut a notch on each end of the top and base to fit the 1 1/2" supports using a dado blade. Set up the miter with a small piece of wood at the base to give the notch a 5 degree angle. Use a piece of backing on your parts to keep them from breaking out.

Mark the center of the top and draw a 4" circle. Cut out the circle with a scroll saw or saber saw.

Glue and nail the pieces together and you are almost ready to start making gourmet coffee. The Basket Maker: find a cone or use the basket from a stiff wire like a clothes hanger and a piece of cotton. Carefully mark and thenBend the wire to make a handle and a 4 1/4" circle of coffee beans.

So then use your coffee maker; add a filter and add the finest Costa Rica coffee beans and add hot water. Want to be a cowboy use some old pantyhose as your coffee filter. Want to be a homeless person - use an brown sack as your coffee filter. Want to be really rugged - use some leaves. As long as its Costa Rica coffee bean the flavor will still shine through. Its the anticipation that counts.

Source: Free Articles from ArticlesFactory.com

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Our main focus is to help orphans and children in need the most: impoverished children in third world countries and homeless children in inner city neighborhoods in the United States Mission Grounds Gourmet Coffee, http://www.missiongrounds.com , its is a non profit organization, a 501 C Corporation, dedicated to helping children.

blackshadow

http://www.blackshadowfilms.com/site_map.htm

Coffee House stairway

how to brew the perfect cup of coffee - if i only knew how you brew

Here are the basics to brewing a great cup of coffee : add hot water to coffee beans. But how are you adding the coffee beans

Here are the basics to brewing the perfect cup of coffee: You take some coffee beans from a coffee plant. Roast them as desired. Grind them a lot or a little. Add hot water, ideally around 195 - 200 degrees F. Wait. Either filter to remove the grounds or leave them to settle to the bottom. Optionally add spices, milk product, chocolate, sugar, fat free lactose milk falsa; then SIP; Drink. Smile . Wasn’t that easy?

First we must determine how you are brewing the coffee – most people know about their own method but there are one very common and six less - common methods. The most common is the plug in drip coffee maker which most of us grew up with or currently have. The key to the aut drip coffee maker is: keeping everything clean; making sure the water is heated to the right temperature and that everything is clean.

Here are the other six:

The first method, which I refer to as “Turkish Coffee” is popular in both the middle east and my house. It involves using extremely finely ground coffee boiled in water, typically with sugar. Some choose to add various spices to the coffee, such as cardamom. There is no straining nor filtering, the coffee, grounds and all, are poured into cups for an excellent drinking experience. Great for surprising an unexpected house guests.

The French press method is typically chosen by “gourmet coffee tasters”, and as well as coffee snobs. It actually gives the maker a lot of control over the final product. Coarsely ground coffee is placed in a glass carafe. Hot water is added and a lid with a plunger is placed on top. After approximately 5 minutes, the plunger is pushed down, taking most of the grounds with it. The coffee is then immediately poured into cups. The French press can make a perfect cup of coffee.

Percolation is one of the oldest ways to make coffee and luckily its not used much anymore. One way to destroy a perfectly good coffee bean is to boil the grounds. Then keep boiling. Then boil some more. This is percolating and ends up with a thin and bitter drink. Obviously, this is not my “cup of tea” but there are those who, for some reason, like this result. Like bus drivers and security guards.

The Far East or Vietnamese Coffee is an excellent coffee when its only you or a special friend drinking coffee that morning or evening – its also an excellent after diner coffee. An excellent way to brew a single cup of coffee that is unique in many ways. The final product is often described as “drinking a cup of melted coffee Häagen-Dazs ice cream.” Made with condensed milk, it is great hot or served over ice for a summer drink

Some folks have purchased expensive home espresso coffee makers. Espresso is made when fine ground coffee is infused with hot water at high pressure for a short time. The resulting coffee is full bodied, strong flavored, and typically has a “crema” or foam on top. Combined with steamed milk for a latte or cappuccino, espresso is quickly becoming an American favorite. High density intense coffee.

Our sixth method is Vacuum brewing is definitely cool to watch. The method uses a device composed of two globes, one on top of the other, with a filter between them. Coffee grounds are placed in the upper globe, water in the lower. When heated, the water, due to pressure from the resulting steam, travels up a tube into the upper globe, mixing with the coffee. As the device is allowed to cool, the water (now coffee) filters into the lower globe. A mediocre cup of coffee usually ensues.

So the key to all these types of coffee brewing: Use good quality gourmet Arabica beans – I prefer Columbia; Costa Rica or Brazil beans. Use whole beans and only grind them right before you brew them. Keep them in a tightly sealed tuber-ware like container. Use fresh bottled or mineral water. Heat it to 200 degress. Now sip the perfect cup of coffee.

Source: Free Articles from ArticlesFactory.com

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Boake Moore is an IT Testing Specialists by trade and founder of Mission Grounds Gourmet Coffee - a non profit dedicated to helping children around the world: www.missiongrounds.com

Arabica Coffee House

4148 Erie Street
Willoughby, Ohio 44094
(440) 942-5282

http://www.igougo.com/dining-reviews-b327212-Willoughby-Arabica_Coffee_House.html

The Best Commercial Coffee Grinder For Your Money

If you've ever thought about the best way to grind coffee beans you've found the answer in this article. However be prepared to spend a little bit of cash to get the best grinder for your needs. Many models that lay below the $50 mark may be cheap imitation of the real coffee grinders and may only have a fraction of the life span. If you want to grind the best coffee at a fraction of the cost of the most expensive coffee grinders this may be just for you. Be ready to spend more than $50 however.

There are so many Commercial coffee grinders on the market which ones are the best? We've found one coffee grinder that ranks high up in the upper echelon. Some of the top quality coffee grinders are going for $1000 or more and while good are not the best because their price is simply to high. For around $300 a great alternative to the thousand dollar Commercial Coffee Grinders can be found. Ready to find out what model is right for you?

La Pavoni Jolly Commercial Burr Coffee Grinder is a great coffee grinder at around $299. These are great for two things either you own a small little diner that wants to offer the freshest coffee without spending a fortune or having the coffee taste like a store bought rip off or you love home coffee and want something that grinds easy and quickly on a professional scale making only the freshest coffee. Standing about 12 inches high this commercial coffee grinder can hold about a 1/2 LB. of whole coffee beans. This coffee grinder also features a 100 volt / 95 watt powered motor and grinds quickly and easily with little mess or clean up. Similar models can be found for around $1000-$1200 and still do not offer the warranty that we offer on this product. This La Pavoni Jolly Commercial Burr Coffee Grinder comes with a one year warranty and the model comes in black or chrome.

If you love fresh ground coffee and want to grind and brew your own then do so at an affordable price. Watch spending over $500 on a coffee grinder as you may be over paying for an only slightly more powerful model. Another similar model we have seen that we felt was over priced (we will not name the product by name) only offered a slightly more powerful motor at 110 watts and was over $395 more expensive! Although it preformed almost as well it was over double the price. Don't pay for a name pay for the best quality for the right price.

To find this model visit Best Commercial Coffee Grindersor Find more Buy Coffee Grinders and Coffee Makersor Coffee Wine and Gifts Home page at Buy Premium Gourmet Coffees

Source: Free Articles from ArticlesFactory.com

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Michael BrownLover of Coffee and fine Wines.

How To Choose A Coffee Filter

What's worse than running out of coffee first thing in the morning? Running out of coffee filters! I experienced this horrible feeling recently and such was my yearning for a cup of joe I swallowed my pride and made myself a cup of instant to keep me happy until the store opened. Hey, that instant wasn't so bad but I couldn't drink it on a regular basis.

So what about coffee filters? Ever pay much attention to them? I bet no one really does but they have quite an interesting history as you are about to discover in this article.

The History Of The Coffee Filter

It must have been a "Newton" moment for coffee filters back in the 1700's when a sock was used to make the first cup of filtered coffee. The story goes something like this... a person couldn't stand the sight of coffee grounds in his cup so used a smelly sock to filter it out. The idea must have had some merit because it caught on and the coffee filter was born. Metal filters followed and of course, present day, it's the paper filters which adorn the cupboards of most households who indulge in the little "black stuff."

Did You Know?

Paper coffee filters are said to benefit people battling high cholesterol levels. Oils are trapped and prevented from getting into the cup and while the taste of the coffee is not as flavorsome, the end result is less oils in the body.

What Type Of Coffee Filter Do You Prefer?

Believe it or not, coffee filters come in gold! No, not gold blend but actual gold filters. It's said they are designed to allow the coffee's natural oils into the cup and this in turn provides a better taste. But, being gold, they are likely to be pricey so may not be everyone's "cup of tea." The advantage with gold coffee filters is their durability and they will last for quite some time.

The paper coffee filter is the most common filter on the market and many will say they can give a paper like taste to the coffee. It's a personal thing really and from my viewpoint, I think they are fine. Probably not the preferred filter of choice for the true coffee connoisseur but at least you don't end up with grounds in the bottom of your cup.

Melitta Coffee Filters

Melitta Benz started something special just after the turn of the 20th century with her filters and they are just about the most widely used today. These paper filters are said to have benefits in keeping harmful cholesterol levels low because of the oils which are trapped in the filter. Again, it's personal taste and also being a lover of percolated coffee, I don't give the oils too much thought. However, if you need to keep a check on your cholesterol levels then Melitta coffee filters are the ideal filter.

Other Types Of Filters

You'll get a debate on the subject of coffee most times and it seems it's no different with filters. Paper, metal or cloth. Cloth will certainly be the environmental choice and will give good service for several months while metal obviously costs more but lasts a long time and has good environmental qualities. Paper traps most of the oils but some prefer they get through yet it is very inexpensive and the mess factor is very low. It's the good thing about coffee. It's all personal taste. So, what is your filter preference?

Source: Free Articles from ArticlesFactory.com

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Dean Caporella is a professional broadcaster who has a passion for all things coffee. Find out why coffee filters play such an important part in producing great coffee. Plus, get all the latest coffee related news and information at:http://www.coffeemakerheaven.comCoffee filters could be the difference between producing a great or average cup of coffee.

The Perfect Gourmet Coffee

Can a gourmet coffee be too perfect? That's the criticism leveled at the coffees from Costa Rica – too much flavor, too balanced, too clean, and too smooth. And Mission Grounds Gourmet coffee is considered by most as the finest Costa Rica gourmet coffee by the locals – so why would you not drink the best gourmet coffee– the gourmet coffee considered to be too perfect and blessed by all.

Part of the Pacific Ring of Fire Circle, Costa Rica has over 200 identifiable volcanic formations dating back over 65 million years. Today 100 or so show signs of volcanic activity and five are classified as active volcanoes. Most of the volcanoes in Costa Rica lie in the northern part of the country and in the Central Highlands; these are prime gourmet coffee growing regions. The volcanoes are a key part of this country’s spectacular natural diversity. This is because they have played an important role in how the lush landscape of this region has come into being. Due to the many volcanic eruptions over the past millennia, the soil in Costa Rica is rich in many minerals and very fertile. This natural fertility contributes to the production of unique and exceptional coffee. Mission Grounds uses the finest shade grown top of the volcano coffee, the only pure number one select coffee. The number one grade is only grown in small quantities and we purchase all of it. So if you want the highest grade of Tarrazu gourmet coffee– you have to purchase Mission Grounds Gourmet Coffee. Buying any other gourmet coffee is settling for second best.

Our coffees stem from the jungles of Costa Rica. Costa Rican Coffees are known to be full-flavored, with lively acidity, and are very fragrant and tangy. Arabica is the only species of gourmet coffee that Mission Grounds Gourmet coffee sells. It is the sole source of fine gourmet coffee and comes from a more delicate, higher-altitude tree and grows at a lower temperature than the Robusta bean. The higher the altitude, the finer the gourmet coffee will be. Arabica coffees receive only 2 hours a day of direct sunlight. The Arabica bean is harder and has a denser aroma. It is the bean of choice for gourmet coffee connoisseurs. It is the reason Mission Grounds Gourmet Coffee is the finest Costa Rica gourmet coffee. The best Costa Rican gourmet coffee beans, which are grown above four thousand feet and hand selected, are designated as "strictly hard bean". However, because not all gourmet coffee beans which grow at the higher altitudes are "Strictly Hard Bean", we sort the gourmet coffee beans for the hardest gourmet coffee beans and remove the softer -"Cataula" gourmet coffee beans. The softer gourmet coffee beans are called Cataula to designate them as a byproduct of this sorting. Most of the Costa Rica coffees contain these softer less flavor gourmet coffee beans – but not Mission Grounds Gourmet Coffee. Just another reason Mission Grounds is the finest gourmet coffee.

Single Origin Coffee: Estate or "varietal" coffees are unblended coffees grown on specific estates or farms in specific regions of Costa Rica. With this designation the consumer is made aware of gourmet coffee varietal used, social practices and environmental practices (land conservation, recycling, natural fertilizers & no chemical sprays for example – (like our Signature Roast the Natural Organic coffee) employed in the production of their coffee. Our estate Signature Roast is considered by most the finest most flavorful organic gourmet coffee in the world. Costa Rican coffee has set the standards for fine wet-processed coffee for the rest of Central and South America and the world. The most famous coffees by region are the Tarrazu – the best of the Costa Rica coffee. And Mission Grounds Gourmet Coffee is the best Tarrazu coffee – making it the best coffee in the world.

Source: Free Articles from ArticlesFactory.com

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Boake Moore helps homeless children by selling Mission Grounds Gourmet Coffee and donating the profits. He also happens to sell the world's best gourmet coffee:www.missiongrounds.com - the church coffee, the Costa Rican coffee and a great tasting gourmet coffee helping children.

A1 Perfect Coffee fo Coffee Lovers

Coffee is loved by millions just about the entire population relies upon it. imagine if all of a sudden it vanished.

A gift basket loaded with elegant gourmet coffee and gifts is a present sure to be accepted by any coffee lover. Coffee gift baskets and coffee beans are available, for those who enjoy the flavor, and regular coffee, for the caffeine addicts we all know well.

If you are looking for that special blend of spectacular tastiness and you are tired of spending lots of money on pre-roasted and pre-ground crap, then you should consider buying coffee online. Buying coffee online is the way to go. Whether you are that single morning cup of Joe lover or an espresso geek, buying coffee at home and having it delivered fresh right to your door when you need it, is all you need to know. The ability to browse literally hundreds of roasters and wholesalers, all eager to sell you top line coffees at discount prices will make your coffee buying experience nice.http://typesofcoffee.com

Throughout the entire world, coffee is enjoyed by millions if not billions and"just to be frank many of which just can't live with out it". Coffee has many advantages; Coffee is actually one of the healthiest beverages billions of people consume regularly. Coffee containing with bitter orange, hydroxycitric acid, and chromium can encourage an increase up to 30% in metabolic rate. Coffee with exercise when taking 300mg averages a 20% increase in energy and fatigue while burning fat increased 107% greater than without caffeine.

• Caffeine in coffee keeps our brains alert and receptive of new information.

• Regular consumption of coffee decreases the risk of type II diabetes and many other health risks. http://typesofcoffee.com

Even more advantages coffee offers is all the fruits of joy that come with it, It perks you right up when you need it giving you that extra burst of energy, coffee food are usually tasty, donuts, coffee, coffee rolls, and many coffee flavor's. There so many different types of coffe one could go absolutely nuts over it. They even have coffee bar's, and no not a coffee shop but Yes a coffee bars where you can choose from the wide varieties of coffee favors to espresso cappuccino and may others as well.

Source: Free Articles from ArticlesFactory.com

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Adam Archer is the webmaster and author of all content at http://typesofcoffee.com.com If you need a great gift that would be loved by anyone, visit our site for some of the greatest you'll ever find!

The largest coffee co-op

there is a powerful agency pulling together the coffee farmers of many latin america countries for the benefit of both the gourmet coffee farmers and the gourmet coffee dconsumer

The Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) is a specialized agency of the Inter-American System, and its purposes are to encourage and support the efforts of its Member States to achieve agricultural development and well-being for rural populations.

With more than six decades of institutional life, the Institute is responding to new mandates issued by the Heads of State and Government of the Americas, the General Assembly of the Organization of American States (OAS) and the ministers of agriculture of the Americas, to reposition itself so that it can meet both the new challenges facing agriculture and the requests for support it receives from its member countries.

As it pursues its vision and carries out its mission, the Institute has competitive advantages it can draw on to carry out its new role. It has accumulated a wealth of knowledge regarding agriculture, rural territories, the diversity of peoples and cultures, and the agro-ecological diversity of the hemisphere, all of which are important for crafting creative solutions to a wide variety of problems and challenges.

Its presence in all of the Member States gives the Institute the flexibility it needs to move resources between countries and regions in order to promote and adapt cooperation initiatives intended to address national and regional priorities, facilitate the flow of information and improve the dissemination of best practices.

The Institute has its Headquarters in Costa Rica, and Offices in 34 countries of the Americas, an Office in Miami, which is responsible for the Inter-American Program for the Promotion of Agricultural Trade, Agribusiness and Food Safety, as well as an Office for Europe, located in Madrid, Spain. The Directorate for Strategic Partnerships works out of the IICA Office in Washington, D.C.

Vision

To be the leading agricultural institution in the Americas and the partner of choice by virtue of the quality of the technical cooperation it provides in response to the needs of Member States, and its contributions to sustainable agricultural development, food security and rural prosperity.

Mission

IICA is the specialized agency for agriculture and the rural milieu of the Inter-American System, whose purpose is to provide innovative technical cooperation to the Member States, with a view to achieving their sustainable development in aid of the peoples of the Americas.

Institutional Values

In order to achieve its vision and provide quality services to its Member States, IICA will continue to guide its future actions in the hemisphere on the basis of its fundamental principles and values, which will be reflected in its internal policies and relations with the Member States and strategic partners. These are:

Responsabilidad social y ambiental. Promover una mayor responsabilidad social y ambiental, así como el desarrollo de una agenda que reconozca que el Instituto no puede desentenderse de los problemas del desempleo, los marginados, la pobreza, el poco acceso a la educación y a los servicios de salud, etc.

• Social and environmental responsibility. Promoting greater social and environmental responsibility and the development of an agenda that recognizes that the Institute cannot dissociate itself from the problems of unemployment, marginalization, poverty and limited access to education and health services, etc.
• Respect for diversity. Respecting cultural diversity and promoting tolerance of multi-ethnicity.
• Partnerships to enhance impact. Promoting the concept of partnership and “working together” in cooperative relations with strategic partners at the national, regional and hemispheric levels, with a focus on networking.
• Leadership through excellence. Promoting the concept of effective leadership and technical excellence in each of the strategic priorities, to ensure that IICA will be recognized by its clients and partners for the quality and timeliness of its contributions.
• Adherence to rules and regulations. Fostering ethical conduct among staff members based on the highest values: impartiality, integrity, professionalism, flexibility, discretion, loyalty, prudence and responsibility, and on respect for the rules and regulations of the Institute In Annex II, each value set forth in IICA´s Code of Ethics is defined..
• Efficiency, transparency, financial prudence. Promoting operational efficiency, transparency, accountability and prudent financial management at the national, regional and hemispheric levels.
• Interdisciplinary approaches. Promoting the Institute as an interdisciplinary team focused on resolving some of the most critical problems of agriculture and rural development in the Americas.
• Teamwork. Facilitating teamwork, decentralizing operations, promoting a results-based institution that links local demands to opportunities in the hemisphere.
• Excellence in performance. Promoting excellence in performance and continuing to implement an incentive system that rewards superior performance, creativity and innovation.
• Education as a basis for technical cooperation. Adopting participatory processes and procedures that respect local realities and ensure that institutional partners can acquire information and knowledge.

How is the Institute governed?

The Institute has two governing bodies:

The Inter-American Board of Agriculture (IABA), comprising its 34 member countries, which meets every two years.

The Executive Committee, comprising 12 Member States chosen on the basis of a system of partial rotation and equitable geographic distribution, which meets on a yearly basis.

Executive Organ

The General Directorate is the Institute’s executive organ. It comprises the technical and administrative units through which IICA’s activities are coordinated and executed.

The Special Advisory Commission on Management Issues was created on the initiative of the General Directorate, by means of an IABA resolution. The purpose of this high-level advisory body, comprising representatives of nine Member States elected on the basis of a system of partial rotation and equitable geographic distribution, is to facilitate dialogue with the Member States

Of strategic importance

The Heads of State and Government of the Americas have recognized that agriculture and rural life have a key role to play in reducing poverty and fostering integral development in the countries.

Taking into account this strategic role of agriculture, and current trends in the world economy, the Institute has been assigned a leadership role in the institutional architecture taking shape in the Americas to contribute to achieving the Millennium Development Goals, especially that of reducing poverty and hunger by 2015, and to support the Summit of the Americas process.

The OAS, at its Thirtieth General Assembly (Canada, June 2000) gave the IABA a new dimension and recognized it as the primary ministerial forum for analyzing and building consensus on policies and strategic priorities for the improvement of agriculture and rural life in the hemisphere.

At the Third Summit of the Americas (Quebec, April 2001), IICA’s role was expanded beyond the provision of technical cooperation services, to fostering dialogue and consensus building on critical aspects of agricultural development, the environment and the rural milieu, within the framework of integration and the search for hemispheric prosperity.

Priorities for Strategic Action

In pursuit of its vision and mission, IICA focuses its actions in six strategic areas:

• Contributing to the repositioning of agriculture and rural life and to a new institutional framework
• Promoting trade and the competitiveness of agribusinesses
• Promoting the development of rural communities based on a territorial approach
• Promoting agricultural health and food safety
• Promoting the sustainable management of natural resources and the environment
• Promoting the introduction of technology and innovation for the modernization of agriculture and rural development

Technical Cooperation Agendas

The Institute’s new style of technical cooperation calls for the broad participation of national authorities in the conceptualization, implementation and evaluation of IICA’s actions. It also involves working with the Member States and its strategic partners in preparing technical cooperation agendas at three levels: national, regional and hemispheric.

The national agendas are prepared jointly with the public and private sectors of the countries, and are the basis for IICA’s cooperation activities.

The regional agendas address problems common to a group of countries, and include the Institute’s commitment to support integration processes through existing mechanisms that operate at the regional and subregional levels.

The hemispheric agenda is developed through dialogue with the major stakeholders of the community of agriculture and rural life. The focus is on issues and mandates derived from the Summit of the Americas process, the IABA and other hemispheric forums.

Source: Free Articles from ArticlesFactory.com

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Boake Moore imports gourmet coffee from Costa Rica to help homeless children in Atlanta - www.missiongrounds.com

11 Effects of Caffeine on The Body

Caffeine is big business. There are new coffee shops popping upall over the place. You can’t go far without running into aStarbucks. "Let’s get together for coffee. Time for a coffeebreak. Coffee pot goes off before my feet hit the floor. Travelmugs for sipping coffee on your way to work. I’ll just have thischocolate bar to pick me up this afternoon." Caffeine - It’severywhere! It’s everywhere!

Many people have grown so accustomed to having their morningcoffee or soda that they don’t even consider the damaging effectscaffeine has on the body. On the contrary, most will tell youthat they NEED their jolt to get them moving in the morning or tokeep them upright throughout the day. Caffeine is present notonly in coffee, but also tea, soda, chocolates and in certainpain relievers, such as aspirin or acetaminophen. It is alsosometimes used in combination with an antihistamine to overcomethe drowsiness caused by the antihistamine.

If you don’t think it’s addicting, try going off caffeine, coldturkey. See if you don’t have a headache for two to nine days. That’s caffeine withdrawal! You don’t need to be a coffeeholicto experience negative physical symptoms. Even as little as oneto two cups a day can negatively affect you.

You may be experiencing a number of physical ailments that couldbe caused solely from caffeine. The most common side effects ofcaffeine include dizziness, headache, irritability, muscletension, nausea, nervousness, stuffy nose, unusual tiredness andjitters.

Too much (overdose) of caffeine can give you all sorts of griefsuch as stomach pain agitation, anxiety, restlessness,confusion, seizures, dehydration, faster breathing rate, fastheartbeat, fever, frequent urination, increased sensitivity totouch or pain, irritability, muscle trembling or twitching, vomiting, sometimes with blood, fibrocystic breast disease,ringing or other sounds in ears, seeing flashes of “zig-zag”lights, and trouble in sleeping. If you are diabetic or insulinresistant, caffeine causes your body to produce more insulin andyou don’t want that. Caffeine makes all aspects of a menstrualcycle worse. Isn’t that bad enough some months?

The next time you experience any of the above symptoms, trycutting back on caffeine. That may be all it takes to take careof the problem. Reduce caffeine intake gradually to prevent anysymptoms of withdrawal. Cut back on your intake or combine amixture of caffeinated and decaffeinated beverages until you’retotally weaned off. People can, and do, survive ridding theirbodies of all caffeine. And they’re feeling much better forit!

The information contained in this article is for educational purposes only and is not intended to medically diagnose, treat or cure any disease. Consult a health care practitioner before beginning any health care program.

Source: Free Articles from ArticlesFactory.com

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Emily Clark is editor at Lifestyle Health News and Medical Health News where you can find the most up-to-date advice and information on
many medical, health and lifestyle topics.