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Organic Coffee
Coffee and Weight Loss
You can find those on both sides of this issue. Is coffee a weight loss help, or a weight loss hindrance? On the one hand, coffee is a stimulant and it is addictive. There are those who even call coffee a drug. These are people who are firmly against the use of anything that could remotely be called addictive or a stimulant. They advocate abstinence from practically everything.
On the other side of this coffee and weight loss issue, you will find those who point out that there are no calories, no carbohydrates, and no fat in a cup of black coffee. Coffee has a satisfying taste that one can enjoy guilt free. These people agree that coffee is a stimulant, but they see that as a good thing. Coffee is recognized by many as a very natural appetite suppressant, which is an extremely desirable quality for those who are trying to lose some unwanted pounds.
Coffee as it comes from the pot is all natural, without any calories, carbohydrates, or fat at all. However, if you start adding "stuff" to it, like sugar, heavy cream, coffee-flavoring syrups, etc., these sterling diet qualities are lost. If you order a double latte at Starbucks, for example, you will blow your diet big time no matter whether you are counting calories, carbohydrates, or fat grams.
If you can drink coffee black or with an artificial no-calorie sweetener, then coffee can actually be a very good aid to your weight loss efforts. You will get a boast of energy and a natural appetite suppressant along with it. If, on the other hand, you insist on adding several spoons of sugar and a big gulp of heavy cream, you should probably scratch coffee off your allowed food and drink list.
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Decaf Coffee
Caffeine is a natural substance that is found in coffee. Caffeine is also found in tea, soft drinks, and chocolate. Caffeine is what helps to wake us up in the morning as we sip that first cup of coffee. It is what gives us that little added boost in the afternoon when our energy is flagging.
There is research that "proves" that caffeine is bad for us and good for us. It has been determined that caffeine is a stimulant, and some researchers see that as a good thing; while others see it as a bad thing. It is true that caffeine is somewhat addictive and there are those who are deeply opposed to anything and everything that might possibly be addictive in any way.
My point is that the caffeine might be called the "active ingredient" in coffee. So, of course, it can be removed. When the caffeine is removed from coffee, though, most of the taste goes with it. Coffee that has had its caffeine removed is called "decaffeinated," or "decaf."
There are at present two basic ways in which caffeine is removed from coffee. The two processes for decaffeination are known as (1) European Process; and (2) Swiss Water Process.
The European Process uses methylene chloride to wash the coffee beans. The chemicals absorb the caffeine. The beans are then washed to remove the chemical, roasted, and ground. The European Process actually leaves more flavor in the coffee beans, but there are those (surprise) who object to the use of chemicals.
The Swiss Water Process for removing caffeine from coffee beans is a multi-step process that only uses water and steam. The Swiss Water Process, however, removes more than just the caffeine from coffee beans. Many of the oils are also lost in the process, and the coffee made from beans that have been decaffeinated using the Swiss Water Process is pretty much tasteless. |
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Iced Coffee
Wow! The temperatures are soaring so it must be summer. Those nice hot cups of coffee that we were enjoying fully only a few months ago now just look…well…HOT, like the weather. Hot drinks certainly lose their appeal when the mercury climbs, but the taste of coffee never loses its appeal, so the answer is obvious. Serve iced coffee! Now, there is a great idea.
Coffee is taste that is great only at extremes. Hot coffee is wonderful, and iced coffee is just as wonderful. Anything in between those temperature extremes is just awful and totally unacceptable. Luke warm coffee, tepid coffee, slightly cool coffee -- they all taste bad. There may be a scientific explanation, but I have no idea what that explanation might be. All I know is that hot coffee is good, and iced coffee is good.
Now, you can't keep hot coffee hot for a long period of time. It tends to gain strength by the minute. But you can keep cold coffee cold for as long as you want. When you make a pot of coffee, immediately pour it into a container that can be refrigerated. Here is where you stir in any flavored coffee syrups, because they will dissolve well in the hot coffee. Then when the coffee cools, refrigerate it and you are all set.
To prevent a tall cold glass of iced coffee from being weakened by melting ice, you can also freeze some coffee in your ice cube trays and use them rather than regular ice cubes.
There are some ways to really jazz up the iced coffee that you serve your guests. Try one of the many iced coffee recipes that you can find on the Internet, and have fun! Many of the iced coffee recipes will call for the use of whipped cream, and you can also find recipes for flavored whipped cream that will make your iced coffee drinks really spectacular.
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Coffee To Go, River Coffee
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