A new study shows that caffeine in moderation is safe during pregnancy

A new study has emerged that tell us it is fine for pregnant women who love their morning coffee to be able to consume a moderate amount of caffeine at maximum of 200 milligrams per day.

The new findings could bring some elation to women who suffer from fatigue and really miss that latte or cup of joe to get the day started.  Scientists warn, however; not to consume too much caffeine in the early stages of pregnancy in order to avoid a miscarriage.

Chocolate lovers may also benefit from the new results.  The maximum amount of consumption recommended is now approximately six candy bars per day.  This is for the dark chocolate variety, which contains antioxidants and less fat and sugar.

A great way to enjoy your coffee while pregnant is in a blended iced drink like the revamped Starbucks Frappuccino.  Those who are sensitive to the lactose in milk can make their drinks with soymilk.  Other alternative includes rice milk, almond milk, goat’s milk, and hemp milk sold in the natural section of most grocery stores.  It has also been reported by many coffee drinker that organic blends reduce any adverse affects on the stomach.

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Starbucks is now offering free Wi-Fi Internet to customers

Recently McDonald’s made it’s Wi-Fi Internet service available free in around 12,000 locations in the United States.  This trend is has been growing over the last few years, and now Starbucks has decided to go in on the deal in its locations in the United States and Canada.

Starbucks hopes to encourage patrons to stay longer and purchase more products through offering free Wi-Fi.  Over the last year coffee sales have been way down as the economy has driven consumers to make their own drinks at home.  As a result Starbucks has had to close down a large number of its smaller stores.

The free Wi-Fi service at Starbucks is welcome to customers who utilize various venues to operate their own ventures.  Those who just want to visit for coffee and socializing are concerned they may not have a place to sit as tables are taken for long periods of time.

Many coffee shops already offer free Wi-Fi, including Borders, Tulley’s, and various locally owned businesses.  While there may be less seats available in certain locations, the company could increase its product sales and keep customers coming back for more.  It doesn’t look like free Wi-Fi will be going out of style anytime soon.

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Magic Power Coffee may be dangerous for your health

When visiting the Magic Power Coffee website you will find a sparkling cup of joe underneath a couple who apparently just had a drink, but what the enticing page doesn’t tell the reader is that the FDA has put an official warning out to consumers that this love concoction could spell disaster for your health.

The makers of Magic Power Coffee use a potent ingredient called, hydroxythiohomosildenafil, which is behaves similarly to sexual enhancement drugs like Viagra.  They have combined this with horny goat weed, goji berry, and ginseng, all of which are herbs that should be ingested with caution.  The FDA is particularly concerned with the horny goat weed, also known as epimedium, which is known for lowering blood pressure.  Anyone with a heart condition could particularly be at risk while drinking Magic Power Coffee.

The instant blend advertises itself as an herbal blend to aid in sexual enhancement and enjoyment.  The FDA has not had any reported cases of ill effects, but fears that the potent mixture could lead to some if consumers are not careful because of the risk of lowered blood pressure to dangerous levels and impair brain function.  Anyone considering an herbal supplement should always consult with their physician first, especially if they are taking other prescription medications.

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The Fair Trade organic coffee industry is increasing, which is great news for farmers

Producers of coffee need to take notice of a growing demand for Fair Trade organic beans.  In 2009 alone the market sales were at 1.4 billion dollars, which blows away the standard coffee competition.

This is evidenced in the last four years where organic coffee demand has increased by 21 percent on average, compared to only one percent for regular coffee.  That is a substantial difference and is expected to continue to rise.

Organic coffee is popular for several reasons.  First, it’s healthier.  The beans do not contain harmful chemicals or pesticides.  Second, it’s great for the environment because growers use responsible practices that actually replenish the soil.  And third, it helps support small organic coffee growers, especially in third world countries, and their prospective economies.

There are around 40 countries that currently produce organic coffee, all of which are accountable to the Organic Trade Association and that guarantees to consumers that the coffee is one hundred percent organic.  These countries include Mexico, Brazil, Costa Rica, North America, Bolivia, El Salvador, and Nicaragua.  The OTA was formed in 1975 in North America and has around 1,400 members today.

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The new logo design was created by a company called Creature in Seattle

Since it’s small beginnings in 1970 Seattle’s Best Coffee company has been serving up fresh brewed coffee to thousands of coffee drinkers in cafes, stores, airports, and so on.  Now that it is a part of the Starbuck’s corporation since 2003 the organization has been given a completely revamped logo, which is advertised on their website.

The new look is clean and contemporary and easy to spot.  The coffee and its flavors will not change.  Right now Seattle’s Best Coffee sells over thirty different types of ground and whole bean coffee and is famous for its rich, mellow flavors.  In addition to this there are also baked goods that are offered as well as teas, blended drinks and merchandise.

Starting this July moviegoers will also have the benefit of getting Seattle’s Best Coffee at all AMC theater locations in the United States.  A handful of these theaters will be equipped to serve espresso beverages as well.   Later in September Burger King will also partner with the coffee company to serve its fresh brew daily.

The new look of Seattle’s Best Coffee is a positive move for Starbucks, which plans to create more business partnerships in the near future and expand the brand to many more locations.

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Natural flavored coffee is new from Starbucks

About sixty percent of Starbucks customers purchase flavored coffee drinks, which has spurred the company to take action and begin packaging flavored coffee in grocery stores beginning this June, just in time for summer iced coffee fun.

The new flavors are quite familiar to current Starbucks drinkers: caramel, cinnamon, and vanilla.  Any other flavors have not been added to the list, but this is a good start since the Japanese have been enjoying powdered coffee called Via since last April with record sales.  The United States version will be ground, not powdered, and called Natural Fusions.  Packages will be sold in $8.99 11-ounce sizes, which is a standard ground coffee bag choice.

The Starbucks quality with this new line of coffee will remain in tact.  All three flavors will be derived from natural sources and without the use of chemicals or spray on artificial flavors, which is found in many other flavored coffees.

Just how many stores will be carrying this new line of coffee will be up to Starbucks, which currently plans to promote the Starbucks Natural Fusions in around 200,000 grocery stores in the United States.  The company expects sales to be high, which may prove to be a bigger sell than its instant coffee line.

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The Smartcup Xpress Lid is a disposable french press

Coffee shops are trying a new form of coffee making on their customers with the use of SmartCup Xpress, a revolutionary way to get your pick-me-up on the go with a gourmet and robust flavor.

One store in New York City, BKoffie, uses the Xpress cups to sell their delicious coffee from African beans.  The cups act as a disposable French press, with a lid and plunger to do the job.  The barista adds the coffee, water and sugar if desired to the cup, fastens the lid and the customer is on their way to a fresh brew in about three minutes.  At this point you are able to add condiments like half and half or milk.

For about the same price as a latte or Americano, coffee drinkers are now able to enjoy the full robust flavor of the drink the way it was meant to be brewed, in a French press.  All of the flavors are contained in the brew because the grounds are pressed with a mesh, rather than paper.  If tea is your choice the Xpress cup works well with loose tea.

This is an entirely new concept for French press coffee to go and only time will tell to see the feedback from customers on whether they prefer a regular brew or the Xpress style.

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Enjoy coffee and lower your risk of uterine cancer

If you are a woman who drinks at least two and a half cups of coffee a day there is good news for you from the Mayo Clinic.  You could be decreasing your risk of getting uterine cancer.

Their study involved 20,000 women and compared those who drank two and a half cups of coffee a day versus those who drank none.  What is amazing is that those who drank the coffee were on the wining side of decreasing their cancer risk while those who did not drink coffee were not.

Caffeine was a factor in the tests, and scientists concluded that tea and chocolate did not have the same effect as the coffee.  Instead they found that the women’s insulin and estrogen levels were affected by their intake from the caffeine in just coffee.

Doctors warn that women who are age 35 and up and are over weight, have a family history of colon cancer, or have started their menopause late may be at a higher risk for uterine cancer due to the higher level of estrogen.  It is recommended that if you think you are at risk to discuss this with your gynecologist.

Female coffee connoisseurs who are at a lower risk for uterine cancer and who drink coffee every day can enjoy the health benefits. But beware that consuming too much caffeine can also be a negative.  Doctors suggest women stick to the maximum two and a half cups per day.

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Coffee Cup

How one drinks their cup of Joe is a matter of taste, choice, or habit. Does it really matter what kind of cup you choose to drink your coffee from?  The coffee cup comes in many shapes and sizes, we all have our favorites.

Most of us have a travel mug for the commute, for the hike.   And who doesn’t need a shot of Java in the morning to get going?   But what is that cup made of?  Stainless steel is best as it isn’t porous and retains heat well.  The flavor stays intact and it doesn’t need to be rinsed before use.

Avoid plastic, paper or Styrofoam as they may transfer their own flavor into your coffee as well as the flavor of your coffee can erode as it sits.  Worse yet, there is some debate as to whether these materials release toxic elements into your coffee due to the high temperature it is served at.

Consider the good old porcelain coffee cup.   They are not porous and they maintain the temperature of your coffee longer preserving the flavor.  Since they are reusable they are environmentally friendly and easy to find in any store in a variety of shapes, sizes and decorated with many designs to suit your fancy.

Wash your cup daily with warm soapy water, you wouldn’t want to have a ring around your cup and as bad as that can look worse yet it can alter the taste of your coffee.  Oils in the coffee slowly leach out and stick to the inside of your cup altering the taste of your fresh new brew.  A little vinegar can remove stubborn stains when soaked for an hour or so.  Rinse well and you’re ready for a fresh cup ‘o Joe.

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Illy Cup

Born to a Hungarian-Italian chocolate maker Francesco Illy, Ernesto was destined to perfect the cup of coffee.  Francesco, an officer in WWI, came to Italy and created the famous Illy brand in 1933.

Ernesto majored in Chemistry at the University of Bologna and spent his entire life creating the perfect cup of coffee for the average coffee drinker.  He took over the company in 1956 and created a high-tech manufacturing process for espresso coffee.

Referred to as the Bell Labs of coffee in Trieste, Ernesto Illy built a laboratory equipped with sophisticated instrumentation like infrared emission pyrometers, flame ionization detectors and gas chromatographs.

In 1999 the Universita del Caffe was established in Naples and then moved to Trieste to promote and disseminate the culture of quality coffee.  Using a wide array of courses people from managers to restaurant owners, bartenders, hotel managers, and coffee growers to consumers learn all about coffee.

The Universita del Caffee has branches in Brazil, India, China, South Korea, Egypt, the Netherlands, France, Germany, Croatia, Great Britain, the U.S., Greece, Turkey, the Czech Republic and Malaysia, with over 10,000 people attending courses each year.

The rules for a perfect espresso using Illy coffee

* Water temperature should be 90°-95°C

* Coffee in cup temperature should be 80°-85°C

* Dosage should be 6-7 grams per espresso cup

* Volume in cup should be 30 ml

* Time extraction should be 25-30 seconds.

“Fine espresso paints the tongue”, he was quoted to have said of his favorite beverage of which he indeed made perfect.  Ernesto Illy passed away on February 3, 2008, his dream fulfilled.

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