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Coffee To Go
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.
See Also:
Irish Coffee -- With a Twist
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A Simple Cup of Coffee
Coffee Shop Charm
Coffee shops that are very uniquely American can be found all over this great country of ours. There are coffee shops in big American cities and coffee shops in dusty little off-the-beaten-path towns that you have probably never heard of. Now I am not talking about big chain coffee shops like Starbucks here. I'm talking about the locally famous coffee shop that are the gathering places for friends or an escape hatch for those who can't stand being chained to a desk for even one more minute.
In many of the large American cities, locally famous coffee shops offer wi-fi Internet service, sometimes even for free. In those small, out-of-the-way towns, there is rarely a wi-fi connection offered, but you can find out who is getting married, divorced, having a baby, or the going price of cows and hogs.
There is one thing that coffee shops all over America have in common, though. They all smell the same. There is a particular smell of an American coffee shop that you will find in no other place on earth. It is impossible to describe this unique smell accurately. There is, of course, the smell of coffee, and maybe that is the predominate smell; but it certainly isn't the only one. Underlying the smell of the coffee is the smell that cannot be described, but that you recognize immediately when you walk into an American coffee shop. The smell is clean, warm, and welcoming and like no other.
The local coffee shop is where life happens, whether the "local" is in a big city or in a small town. People arrange to meet at the local coffee shop…lovers, business associates, friends, etc. Everybody knows where the local coffee shop is, and that it is "neutral" territory and a natural gathering and meeting place. |
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More articles:
Shock Coffee - Website by Twist Image, Montreal Quebec
Does Coffee Raise Blood Pressure? (INeedCoffee.com)
Comment on wanna buy a coffee shop/wine bar/book store? by Paul H
Health
Coffee Klatch (read: Chemo Klatch) -- Part I
Coffee and Alzheimers
How to Make Good Coffee
The definition of a "good" cup of coffee is relative. It all depends upon the taste buds of the person determining whether the cup of coffee is good or bad. Haven't you ever wondered why there are so many different brands of coffee? Yep…just like horse racing, it's the difference of opinion that makes the coffee industry tick, keeps the competitive spirit alive, and the prices down so most of us poor schmos can afford to buy coffee by the 13-ounce "pound" at our local supermarkets.
No matter what "brand" or "grind" of coffee makes the best cup of coffee in your opinion (and your opinion is the only one that counts), or whether you prefer drip coffee or perked coffee, there are a few simple things that will make your cup of coffee just taste better.
The number one "secret" of all good coffee is to begin the brewing process with a clean coffee maker. It doesn't matter whether the coffee maker is an automatic drip coffee maker, a percolator, a fancy espresso machine, or a plain pot that will be heated over a campfire to make river coffee. The cleanliness of the coffee maker has a great deal to do with the quality of the coffee that is made. Coffee makers can be cleaned with baking soda, cream of tarter, of any of the commercially sold coffee maker cleaners that are available on the market today.
The second factor for making a good cup of coffee is the water that is used at the beginning of the coffee-brewing process. Most all of the water that is delivered through a tap has been treated with several chemicals. These chemicals affect the taste of brewed coffee. Use bottled water to make your next pot of coffee. You will be amazed at the improved taste.
The third factor for making a good cup of coffee is the ratio of coffee grounds to water. Remember that the more grounds that you use per cup of water, the stronger the coffee will be. Strength of coffee is a personal choice, so a little experimentation might be in order.
Related Topics: The Daily Coffee Grind,
Perked Coffee, The Specialty Coffee Industry
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