Organic vs Regular

I came cross this article about Organic coffee and what makes it so different from regularly grown coffee. Many people know the term "organic" but do not know much more except that it usually means something is more expensive than usual. This article reveals the true meaning and makes it clear why someone would choose to only drink organic coffee. I provided a passage from the article below:
"Organic Coffee vs. Traditional Coffee, A Tale of Two Heavyweights"
By Scott A Wilson


To begin, organic coffee production differs from traditional company in that organic coffee plants grow under shade trees, which serve to purify the soil and prevent water contamination. Given the limited number of shade trees, many coffee growers have opted to produce bigger crops in the middle of pesticide and fertilizer infested territory given the larger surface area. Unfortunately, there is no way to produce non-organic coffee without the use of synthetic chemicals that have been known to harm the environment. Since pesticides pollute the soil, much question has been raised over the declining taste of coffee and its effects on health.


........As you can see, Organic does mean more than expensive and in some cases it can mean avoiding a health risk down the road. Although I personally will drink either regular or organic coffee, I think it is important to know where are food (and drink) comes from because since there is such a demand for low prices right now, people are willing to do almost anything in order to make a profit, even if that means growing a product that they would never eat (or drink) themselves.

The Meaning.

I decided to research a little bit about he actual meaning of the word "coffee" and stumbled upon this article. I was really surprised to discover that the word coffee can be traced back to the Arabic language, specifically the word 'Qahwah' which in Arabic means "coffee drink."And, that at one time the word actually meant something that was defined as "dark stuff" or sometimes even wine! The article also goes on to explain that many different cultures have had many different words for the drink and that at time it was a controversial topic because the spelling of the word, which for a time was a variation of kahua", "kahoueh", "kaffa" or "kahwa, has been changed so many times.

I think it's so cool that the drink as we know it today is something completely different than when it was first invented, and that the word has been around for years, changing over time with people and time periods. Even today, we have different nicknames for coffee such as the title of this very blog, Java!

Here's the article so that you can read more..."Origin of the Word Coffee"

It's Not That Bad :)

To further add to my previous post about whether or not caffeine (mostly commonly found coffee) is a health hazard, I have included two articles that tell the postive sides of drinking coffee/ caffeine.

The first article, "Coffee:The Good News Is Filtering Through" explains how much of the hype over the negative effects of caffeine is mostly geared towards people who drink an extremely abnormal amount of coffee per day, proving that everyone who drinks their cup of coffee in the morning (like me) should not have to panic about developing some weird disease that stems from caffeine. The article also gives a couple of examples of how caffeine can actually be useful!

The second article, "Coffee controversy: Does a Cup of Joe really give you the jolt and boost you desire?" is just a funny article that makes light of the whole debate, stressing the fact that there is nothing wrong with having a cup of coffee in the morning to feel that little extra boost that most people need after a long night.

I'll let you guys decide for yourself about the whole debate, but as for me, you'll still catch me in class with my morning cup of joe!

Caffeine Controversy

For years there has been an on-going controversy over whether or not coffee is unhealthy because of its main ingrediet:caffeine. Some people firmly believe that coffee has no beneficial effects and only cause problems later on down the road. Others believe that as long as coffee is consumed in moderation, there are no harmful effects. Here's an article that explains in more detail the risks that many are worried about when consuming coffee.

The Coffee Controversy

At the end of the article it states that "Individual responses to the chemicals found in coffee are highly varied, due in majority to differences in age, detoxification by liver, use of BCP, HRT, pregnancy status, and neurotransmitter sensitivity. The amount ingested and rate of ingestion may also account for response differences. Despite the controversies of coffee ingestion side effects, 2 cups/day is safe for the vast majority of asymptomatic coffee users" So it's hard to tell exactly how many people the problems mentioned effect....

Just a few fun facts about coffee that many people may not know!
My favorite is "people who buy coffee primarily at drive through windows on their way to work will spend as much as 45 hours a year waiting line." I'm going to need to learn how to use my coffee maker!

A Few Facts about Coffee
from Brian Martell
Coffee is the second most traded product in the world after petroleum. World wide coffee production tips the scales at about 6 million metric tonnes.

It takes five years for a coffee tree to reach maturity. The average yield from one tree is the equivalent of one roasted pound of coffee.

People who buy coffee primarily at drive through windows on their way to work will spend as much as 45 hours a year waiting in line.

Of the various botanical species of coffee trees in the world, only two are extensively cultivated commercially; Arabica and Robusta.

The average person who buys coffee outside the office to consume at work will spend the equivalent value of a round trip plane ticket to Florida every year.

The first coffee house in Europe opened in Venice in 1683, while coffee was available in Europe as early as 1608, mostly for the rich.

The expression “a cup of Joe” to denote coffee, was first coined during WWII, when American servicemen (G.I. Joe) were identified as big coffee drinkers.

The largest coffee-producing nation, Brazil, is responsible for 30 to 40 % of total world output.

In the late 1800’s, Chase and Sanborn put out a flier on how to read the coffee grounds at the bottom of the cup (like a fortune teller).

Coffee cherries usually contain two “beans”, except for the single bean peaberry anomaly. Cherries with three beans are deemed to be a sign of good luck.

A Belgian living in Guatemala invented the first instant coffee in 1906 and later immigrated to the United States. His name, ironically enough, was George Washington.

Coffee Talk.

I recently just started working at a Wholefoods Market and have totally fell in love with about it...especially the coffee! I was browsing the store website and came across this really cute list of popular "coffee talk" and thought I should share...

Coffee Talk: How to Sound Like a Pro
Just like wine, coffee has its own distinct lingo. The next time you’re sipping the java, keep these gems in mind:

•Acidity: Also called “brightness”, this is actually a positive term that refers to the lively, sparkling, palate-cleansing quality in coffees grown at high altitudes.
•Body: This term is used to describe the weight of coffee on your tongue. For the record, Latin American coffees are generally light-to-medium bodied, while Indonesians are typically fullest in body.
•Flavor: Use this to describe the total impression of aroma, acidity and body in coffee. Just like wine, flavors can be everything from spice and fruit to nut and chocolate.
•Aroma: This is the easy one; it’s the fragrance of brewed coffee. Often distinctive and complex, you might hear coffee pros use terms like caramel, carbon (for dark roasts), floral, malt (like cereal), rich or round to describe aromas.

http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/products/guide-coffee.php

Meant for Sharing

I believe drinking coffee is an experience that is meant to be shared. I have been a coffee drinker for as long as I can remember and have come to appreciate almost everything about it: the aroma, the taste, the texture and even the color. But one of the greatest things about coffee is it's knack for bringing people together. Some of the most profound conversations are said over a cup of coffee. Well at least some of MY most profound conversations have been said over coffee. In high school, my friends and I would always meet at the neighborhood Starbucks to hang out and gossip. The atmosphere was always relaxing and we could literally stay there for hours chatting and people watching. There is just something about coffee and conversation that works well together, but it is an experience that you can only appreciate first-hand (me telling you about my high school trips to Starbucks probably doesn't mean much to you at all). So, if you are someone that grabs their joe to go, I would definitely recommend taking the time to sit and enjoy a cup with someone special; it makes a world of a difference!