Coffee 101: Fun Facts About Java

Coffee. Java. Cup of Joe. We have a lot of nicknames for the caffeine-packed brown liquid that is the life source to many. The truth about coffee is that there are a lot of things to know about it. Some of us drink coffee and do not know much more about it than it is delicious, wakes us up, and it comes from that machine over there. However, we plan to change that! We plan to educate you on the finer details about the stuff and make you a smartypants about coffee.

• The first thing you should know about coffee is that the bean we roast, grind, and brew actually grows inside little red berries; the beans are the pits of the berry. Some people affectionately refer to the berry as coffee cherries; yes, the berries are edible. So yes, you are consuming “fruit” when you have a cup of Joe; the coffee bean shares many similarities with the Brazilian acai berry, true story. As a national online coffee distributor, we think it is cool that we are technically distributing fruit. You are welcome for your health.
• Hawaii is the only state in the United States that grows coffee commercially. Coffee is commonly grown in areas of the world that are near the equator, like Brazil, Vietnam, etc. and Hawaii is the only US state that has the right climate to brew the stuff. Kona coffee is the popular coffee from the state.
• In Turkey, if your spouse did not provide you with coffee, it was grounds for divorce (beh-duh-tince!). This custom is not practiced anymore but at a time, it was. Still, watch out for the times when you brew some single cup coffee without making some for your spouse.
• The country to produce the most amount of coffee crop is Brazil, followed by Vietnam, and then Colombia. Brazil produces nearly twice as much crop as Vietnam and Colombia, on average; Brazil’s crop is a third of the crop in the entire world.
• It would take about 100 mugs of coffee to create a lethal dose of caffeine. Obviously, the amount differs for your caffeine tolerance and your body size, but on average, it would take approximately 100 cups.
• Most of the coffee enjoyed in the world is Arabica; nearly 70 percent of coffee on the market is Arabica. Robusta is at 30 percent. Robusta has nearly twice the caffeine that Arabica has.
• The Americano was created during World War 2 when American soldiers would order their espresso with water to dilute it; they thought the European way was too strong.

Now you can feel smart when drinking coffee because of all the cool facts you now know about the beverage.

How Coffee Affects Your Health

Coffee. A lot of people around the world drink it every single day. It is consumed by people of many ages. This black nectar of the gods is consumed at an incredible rate, most of us drink at least a few cups per day.

Since so many people drink so much coffee, one has to wonder, how does it affect our health? A recent medical study from the Harvard School of Public Health, we have news that will make you smile just as much as that black coffee you're drinking did.

• Six cups of coffee will not increase your risk of death from any particular cause. The medical study from the Harvard School of Public Health dispelled rumors saying six cups of coffee per day increased risk of heart diseases, among others. 
• If you have trouble regulating your BP or blood sugar levels, then the study suggests consuming a small amount of coffee or switching to decaf coffee K-Cups. 
• Pregnant women should avoid coffee during the duration of their pregnancy; even decaf coffee should try to be avoided as it does contain a small amount of caffeine. 
• Coffee that is brewed with a paper filter, whether the coffee is fresh bagged coffee or K-Cup coffee, will remove a substance in the coffee that has been linked to increased levels LDL cholesterol. 

The study from the Harvard School of Public Health conducted a study with 130,000 people. The study followed 40-50 year olds for 20 years. The study found that people who consumed six cups of coffee per day were at no more of a risk of death from any diseases than non-coffee drinkers. This shows that coffee is not a risk to your health, unless there are extenuating circumstances, such as an allergy to caffeine.  

Can you drink too much coffee? Yes, that amount varies from person to person. If you experience tremors, trouble sleeping, feeling stress or anxiety, agitation, etc. then you have likely had too much coffee. Always exercise moderation. 

gif source: https://www.tumblr.com/tagged/coffee-gif

When is the Best Time to Drink Coffee in the Morning?

Many coffee drinkers consume their life-giving coffee first thing after waking up. It sounds like a good idea. Coffee wakes you up and right after getting out of bed is when you seemingly need it most. Although, science has been telling us that the best time to drink coffee is around 10 AM.

If you are indeed the type of person who NEEDS their coffee as soon as they get up, this might not be wonderful news for you. So why is 10 AM the best time? Well, according to research from AsapScience, our cortisol levels peak between 8 and 9 AM; cortisol is the "stress hormone" which is how our bodies naturally wake themselves up.
If you are sipping your coffee during this time, the effect of the caffeine is not helpful.

Aside from 8-9 AM, our peak cortisol times are 12-1 PM (during most of our lunch times), and then at 5:30-6:30 PM.

We should mention that if you are waking up very early or much later than the average person (who wakes up between 7-8 AM), then your peak cortisol times are going to be different. If you are one of these people, just know your peak cortisol time is about an hour after waking up.

So there is another health benefit of drinking fresh ground coffee at home! Or even if you go out and buy your Starbucks coffee or another brand, as long as it's coffee!

15 Fun Things to Know About Coffee

Coffee is one of the most consumed beverages in the world, however, much of it still remains a history to much of the world. Where did it come from? Is it healthy? Who discovered it? Etc.

It started with some goats? Word has it that some shepherds in Ethiopia first saw something interesting with the behavior of their goats after eating some berries. Their goats became frisky and were even "dancing" and hopping around.

It was eaten in the beginning. When coffee beans were still relatively new to people, they were originally eaten, not consumed as a beverage. African tribes would mix the coffee berries with some fat to create some energy balls. The caffeine in the berries mixed with the fat would be a sustaining energy source.

Islam was a big part of the rise of coffee. The surge in popularity of Islam was a big contributor to the rise in popularity of coffee. The large reason is because of one big rule within Islam and the time in history. While water is safe to drink in many countries now, in the past, it was not safe to drink for just about anyone (no purification systems). Due to this, alcohol was the preferred beverage of choice (beer, whiskeys, vodkas, etc) because the process to create the alcohol would eliminate contaminants in the water. However, since Islam forbid the consumption of alcohol, Muslims turned to coffee as their beverage of choice.

There's always money in the bean belt. The Bean Belt, the nice name for the section of earth between the Tropics of Cancer & Capricorn, is where all the coffee of the earth is grown. Almost all of the coffee grown in the world is from outside the US, except for Hawaii, the only US soil to produce coffee beans.

Coffee shops, or houses, were once illegal. In the grand year of 1675, the King of England forbid coffee houses from the country. He believed that they were places where people would meet up to plan against him. Of course, this still allowed taverns to be a place to meet, so who knows his logic.

It's quite popular, you know! 70 percent of the world consumes coffee brewed from Arabica beans, which of the two are more aromatic and mild. The remaining 30 percent of the world prefers to drink coffee brewed from Robusta beans. Robusta beans are much more bitter-tasting yet have 50 percent more caffeine than Arabica.

It's not like it grows on trees. No, wait, it does. Coffee berries are from trees, these trees can grow up to 30 feet tall. However, for easier picking, the trees are cultivated around 10 feet tall.

It's from a berry. You may have noticed us saying "coffee berries", why? Well, the coffee bean is actually grown inside of a berry. These berries are bright red and sort of look like cherries. The berries are picked, dried, stripped down to the bean, and then the beans are roasted. The berry bit is used for other things.

It's a big trade item. Coffee beans are the 2nd most traded commodity on the planet. The first is oil. People appear to love dark liquids.

George Washington created instant coffee. No, not the first president of the US. This George Washington was a Begian man living in Guatemala; in 1906, he created the lovable instant coffee, which led the way to K-Cup coffee.

Espresso is a way coffee is prepared. Espresso coffee is the name for a certain way the drink is prepared, not the name of a bean or roast.

American GIs in WWII had a big effect on coffee. When American soldiers were in Italy, they found that the espresso was too strong, so they'd order their espressos with water to dilute it a bit, which created the Americano. In addition to that, the term, "Cup of Joe" was created when people realized that American GIs, or GI Joes, loved coffee.

Did this make you thirsty for a cup of coffee? Then quickly shop on Coffeevines and get your K-Cup coffee shipped to you quickly.

What Are Caffeine Withdrawal Symptoms?

Whether you are a coffee or a tea drinker, you are most likely a caffeine lover. It wakes us up in the morning and keeps us going all day long. This builds up a need for the caffeine and when that supply is stopped, people can experience caffeine withdrawal symptoms.

What are the symptoms?
The symptoms depend on the person and their level of caffeine consumption.

• Chills
• Reduced alertness, concentration, thinking
• Depressed behavior
• Fatigue/tiredness
• Headaches -- these are some of the most common
• Irritability -- this is also a very common one
• Muscle aches
• Sinus congestion

When do the withdrawal symptoms occur?
These symptoms often start between 12 and 14 hours after the caffeine consumption has stopped. Once the consumption has been stopped for 24 to 48 hours, the symptoms are often at their worst. Generally, the more caffeine a person has consumed, the worse their symptoms will be.

No matter the reason for someone to give up caffeine or they go an extended period of time without it for whatever reason, these symptoms will happen. Nearly half of people who consume coffee who then give it up experience the withdrawal symptoms; 13 percent of these people will experience severe symptoms.

What to do about it?
Well, the best solution is to go and get yourself some coffee, tea, or even soda (if that is the only caffeine source you have on hand). If you can't find coffee quickly, then shopping from Coffeevines is a great way to reduce your caffeine withdrawals. If you have purposefully cut it out of the diet, then you can wean yourself off of it. If you are a big coffee fan but cannot handle the caffeine or want it out of your diet, then buy decaf coffee. You can also find caffeine-free tea.

Which Professions Drink the Most Coffee?

Journalists and reporters consume more coffee than other industries, according to a recent study that studied the coffee habits of 10k people. Especially since the invention of the coffee K-Cup machine where coffee is made quickly.

Apparently, 85 percent of the participants stated that they consume at least three cups of coffee per day while another 70 percent believed their work quality would suffer if they went without their daily coffee.

It would seem that drinking coffee is a must for business professionals, states Pressat survey researchers, the group that conducted the study. Some of the professionals in PR, the industry that ranks 1st, consume as much as 6 cups of coffee per day. Those with stressful jobs/careers consume the most, which makes sense since PR is often ranked in the top 3 for stressful jobs.

After public relations, police officers come in 2nd, then teachers, plumbers and other trade professionals, nurses and doctors, company execs, telesales, IT support, retai
l, and drivers (truckers, limo, buses, etc).

One hypothesis includes the possibility that professionals are being overworked, overstretched and pushed beyond limits.

The recommended dosage of caffeine is 200 mg per day; this over consumption can lead to health concerns.

So if you need coffee to get through the day, make shopping for it less stressful and buy from Coffeevines- we will deliver right to your door with easy UPS shipping. Shop for brands like Starbucks, Green Mountain, Peet's, and more.

How Is Decaf Coffee Created?

Decaf coffee is one of the most popular ways to consume coffee. It's great for times when you want to some coffee but you do not want to be kept awake by the caffeine, or, perhaps you can't handle the caffeine for other reasons. Regardless, one of the most frequently asked questions is how they remove the caffeine from the coffee beans?

Before we get into the processes to remove caffeine, let's take a look at what exactly it means to be "decaf". This is when you separate caffeine from the coffee bean, seeds, or the leaves from their natural ways. Caffeine is not bad in coffee, it is there naturally. To be decaf in the US, 97 percent of the caffeine must be removed. Due to it being a natural part of the coffee bean, it is hard to remove it 100 percent.

There are three methods for decaf coffee:

1. The natural process: When it comes to the natural process, the coffee beans are put through a steam process, or it is soaked in water; either way, the caffeine is easier to extract. Once either of these processes are done, the caffeine is removed via ethyl acetate and water. Once that combo is used, the beans are again steamed, this process will remove any residue that is left on the beans. If you are wondering what ethyl acetate is, it is a perfectly natural compound that is extracted from veggies and fruits. 
2. The direct process: To start this process, the beans are soaked in water and also steamed. A liquid is then mixed with the beans that will remove the caffeine. Once that is done, the beans are again steamed and then allowed to dry, this will remove the caffeine from the beans. What is the decaffeinating agent? This is a substance that is utilized to remove the caffeine from the beans; there are different agents used depending on the specific process. 
3. The water process: This process starts off by soaking the beans in intensely hot water for a specific period of time and the caffeine is leached out. Once that happens, the solution is then moved though a filter that is made out of carbon; this will grab the larger caffeine molecules and will allow for the smaller oil and flavor molecules to stay. The beans are finally dried. 

Buy your next box of decaf coffee from Coffeevines. 

The Differences Between Dark Roast Coffee & Light Roast Coffee

When it comes to K-Cup coffee, or any coffee for that matter, roast matters. Not all coffee roast are the same since they all feature different flavors, caffeine levels, roasting time, etc. Dark roast, medium roast, and light roast coffee are the three main ones but there are roast levels within those.

The roast is one of the aspects about coffee that completely changes the drink depending on which one you go for. If you are into roasting your own coffee beans, then depending on which bean you have, it requires a different roast. So how are the roasts different and why should you care? Let's find out.

• Light roast: This coffee is light in color, as figured by the name. When you want a mild coffee, then you will want to order a light roast because the typical coffee flavor is not as potent; however, the amount of caffeine is greatest. The beans do not have oil on the surface. 

• Common names for light roast include: light city, half city, cinnamon, and New England. 
• Medium roast: The beans are a medium brown in color and have a bolder flavor than mild roast. Still, there is no oil on the surface of the beans. This is the roast that Americans tend to enjoy the most. 
• Common names for this roast include: City, American, and Breakfast. 
• Dark Roast: The coffee is really dark brown, much richer and bolder than the other coffee roasts. There is some oil on the surface to a lot of oil on the surface. There is much more bitterness with dark roast. This roast has the least amount of acid and caffeine in the coffee. 
• Common names for dark roast include: high, continental, New Orleans, European, Espresso, Viennese, Italian, and French. 

If you want to try a roast that you are not used to having, then an easy place to purchase coffee is www.coffeevines.com! We have these roasts with plenty of brands to choose from. 

10 Things You Need to Know About Coffee

We love coffee, especially our single cup coffee, and while we sit and drink it everyday in the United States, there is so much to be known about it! We have 10 rather interesting facts to know about the wonderful beverage that is coffee.

1. When coffee manufacturers decaffeinate coffee, they then sell the caffeine to soda manufacturers and pharmaceutical companies. These companies use caffeine in their products and need a great resource to get it from; no caffeine is wasted here! 
2. We spend a lot of money on coffee; the average American (who enjoys coffee) spends $1,092 on the stuff per year! That's a lot of coffee. 
3. Have you ever wondered where the name "Starbucks" came from? The founders of the coffee chain named the place after Captain Ahab's first mate. It was actually debated if they should name it after his ship instead, Pequod. 
4. The coffee shops, "Chock full o' Nuts" is named after the founder's nut stores that he switched over to coffee places. So no, there are no nuts in the coffee. 
5. The writer, Honore de Balzac, reportedly consumed up to fifty cups of java a day to keep his writing going. This is all according to legend, who knows if he actually did. That's a heck of a lot of coffee. 
6. For their passage to the 1932 Olympics, the Brazilian olympians piled bags of coffee on the ship and sold it along the way to pay for their way there. In case you didn't know, those Olympics were in Los Angeles. 
7. Did you know British women once wanted to ban coffee? In 1674, British women wanted to ban it because they believed it turned men into useless individuals. So, they wanted the beverage banned for anyone under the age of 60. Crazy, huh?
8. Coffee was actually banned in the city of Mecca back in 1511. Why? It was believed to fuel inappropriate things like radical thinking and "hanging out". 
9. Researchers at Cambridge utilized the first webcam to monitor a coffee pot. Yeah, they wanted to keep an eye on how much coffee was left (and who was taking it) without leaving their desks. 
10. Back in 2008, a Starbucks barista gave her kidney to a customer to save her life. 

Those are some mind-blowing facts, huh? My head is tired from all that knowledge; I think it's time for an organic coffee K-Cup. Maybe something bold, like dark roast coffee. 

American Coffee Trends in 2014

Coffee used to be something that people would just order because they knew it tasted good but more importantly, it woke us up. Nowadays, that is not quite the case. The amount of coffee we drink has changed as well as how we drink it.

The amount of Americans who drink a cup of coffee everyday has dropped down to 61 percent this year, a two percent drop from last year. However, those who drink java have become more prone to ordering drinks that are more espresso-based, like lattes or cappuccinos; these coffee drinkers have increased by 18 percent, a 5 percent increase from last year.

Gourmet coffee has taken a big increase in popularity, increased 31 percent since last year to a total of 34 percent of coffee drinkers opting for gourmet coffee everyday. Gourmet coffee is anything that is espresso-based as well as coffee made by beans that have been deemed gourmet.

Single cup coffee has also taken a sharp leap in popularity. With sales increasing 3x over the past few years. According to studies, 29 percent of American coffee drinkers claimed they brew their coffee from k cups, up 20 percent from last year. More and more Americans are buying single serve coffee brewing systems and finding their coffee online from online coffee retailers. 

Nearly 15 percent of American coffee drinkers reported that they have at least one single cup coffee brewer in their home or office. Those who use drip brewers have fallen to 53 percent since last year, that's more than cut in half than last year's numbers.

Drought in Brazil is Affecting the Coffee Crop

Brazil, a country located in South American and is one of the biggest producers of coffee in the world. Due to the country's location, they are no stranger to the heat and having droughts, however, the one they are in the middle of right now has lasted longer than those in the past and is taking its toll on the countries crops.

The drought is really hitting Brazil's breadbasket region, located in southeastern Brazil, is where most of their crops come from such as crops for food and coffee. Scientists who are analyzing the drought for Brazil say that it will not end soon and that the worst is still yet to come. For many farmers, what is left of their crop is minimal since most of it has been destroyed or producing very little. This is in stark contrast to last year when the region's rivers flooded.

The scientists in Brazil are saying that the regions where a lot of coffee is planted, like the areas that are lower elevations, will see the heat increase as the drought goes on; predictions for the coffee plantations is that some will have to be abandoned. If that were to happen, Brazil could lose some coffee crop, as much as 10 percent, in the next six to seven years.

There are rumors about coffee shortages but those are not true, according to analysts.

If you are looking to purchase some k cup coffee then make your way to Coffeevines. 

Two Mistakes to Make With Coffee

Do you like to enjoy a single cup of coffee in the morning, afternoon, or perhaps even evening? Whether you are an avid coffee drinker or only have it once in a while, you may or may not be guilty of committing one or both of these mistakes. Doing the right thing with coffee can seem tricky but the reality is that you just have to know the basics, unless you want to be a coffee guru.

One of the most common mistakes to make when brewing coffee, even with k cup coffee, is to use unfiltered water or tap water. Why is this bad news? Well, when you have a cup of coffee, you are drinking a cup of something that is roughly 98 percent water. When you use tap water, the things in the tap water can alter the flavor of the coffee that is being brewed and you may end up with a cup of coffee that is actually less than ideal. This is especially true if your tap water is less than ideal; if it tastes funny, then so will your coffee (we mean it is hard water or well water, if it looks or tastes different than normal, contact authorities). If you can, use cold, filtered water. One of the best ways to always have some cold, filtered water on hand to brew your coffee with is to have a water pitcher that has a built in filter; now you always have ice cold water that is clean (make sure to change the filter when instructed).

The second most common mistake to make with coffee is to store your k cups in the freezer, or if you buy in bulk, then the coffee canister. This is a no-no. Coffee should be stored in a dry, cool place; hear that? Dry. This means that you should keep it away from the moisture of the freezer (and for that matter, the fridge). When you keep your coffee in the freezer, the moisture condenses on the coffee and makes it wet. The ideal place to keep your coffee will keep it away from light, heat, air, and moisture; a cupboard not right by the fridge is often a great spot.

Wild And Interesting Facts About Tea

So tea is one of the most consumed beverages in the world, it ranks right up there with coffee and water. As online coffee retailers, we knew that you would love to know about the great and interesting facts about tea. There is a good chance that many of us on Earth have had at least one cup of tea in our lifetimes, so why not expand our knowledge about it?

1) In order for something to be considered "tea", it has to have leaves from the tea plant, or scientifically known as Camellia sinensis. If it just a bunch of herbs and leaves of plants that are not the Camellia sinensis, it is actually called Tisanes. Typically, when you find something marked "tea" in the grocery store, you are actually drinking a tisane.

2) Decaffeinating tea on your own is possible. When you want a cup of tea for its warmth and wonderful flavor and aroma, it can
be hard to find tea that is non-caffeinated when all you have around you is the perky stuff! So how do you get the tea without the caffeine when you have no seemingly possible way to get it? Decaffeinate it yourself. Rumor has it that all you have to do is brew the tea for 30 seconds or brew it twice (after throwing away the tea from the first brew). In order to do decaffeinate it yourself, you have to brew the tea for about 10 minutes (this removes about 90 percent of the caffeine). Then brew it again.

3) Soy lecithin actually isn't bad for you. Soy lecithin has been found in many kinds of teas and originally, it was thought that it was bad for you. However, researchers found out that when in moderation, it can be good for things like ulcerative colitis.

4) While tea can have caffeine and that stuff can wake you up, it has been found that the intense effects of the stuff is diminished when consumed via tea instead of coffee. This is because tea has something called L-Theanine. L-theanine has beneficial effects on the brain like being able to induce meditative states; it can help you relax but doesn't make you feel drowsy. It has even been found to help with stress and anxiety.

5) In the United States, we often drink something called a chai tea latte; tea mixed with lots of spices and milk. However, in many Asian countries, this drink will get you some awkward looks because chai  just means "tea" in many of those languages. So a chai tea would be redundant. "Can I have a tea tea?"

6) In some countries, like Burma, they drink tea but they also eat it. Yep, they eat it. They pickle the leaves and call it lephet. The tea leaves are softened, cooled, rolled, and aged.

7) In some countries, mostly in ancient times, they would use tea for something besides eating and drinking; they would use it to practice witchcraft; a ritual was performed that was called Tasseomancy.

Hopefully now you feel smarter about the tea you drink and can whip out some of these awesomely cool facts at tea parties. If you have a love for tea but not the time to shop for it in stores, then visit Coffeevines and purchase your tea online! Even though we are online national coffee distributors, we also have a vast selection of teas and hot chocolate.

Coffee Roasts & Their Differences

If you are into coffee, then you should know that there are different coffee roasts; not all coffee beans are roasted the same way. If you are new to coffee and didn't even know roasting the beans was a thing, well, we'll help you with that.

Roasting a process that is done to the beans that heats the beans from the weird looking raw greenish bean into the brown, fragrant, magical wonder that we often see in coffee shops and stores. When the beans are raw, they can be kept in that way for quite a long time; once roasted, use them or lose them.

Roasting coffee beans is not something considered for those new to coffee; roasting is considered an art form and takes years to master. It has been said that roasting coffee beans takes a quick mind and quick hands.

So why roast? It makes the bean have that delicious flavor and smell. If you were to eat or smell a raw bean, it would probably remind you of grass. Imagine drinking a grassy liquid (not like the grass shots from Jamba) instead of the coffee we know and love today.

So what are the different kinds of coffee roasts?

• Light roasts, or mild roasts. These beans are lighter in color, like a light brown. The mild roast is used for softer, or milder, coffee blends. Common names for mild roasts include: light city, cinnamon, half city, and New England. 
• Medium roasts. This roast is obviously a medium brown color, like a milk chocolate color. These beans have a heartier flavor and aroma. The medium roast is perhaps the most popular in the United States. Some common names for this roast include city, American, and breakfast. 
• Medium-dark roast. This kind is a bit darker than medium and has a bit more flavor and aroma while not being as intense as dark roast. It has a more bittersweet taste. A common name for this roast is full city. 
• Dark roasts. These beans have the most shine to them due to the longer roasting process. Due to the longer process, they have a more bitter flavor than the other kinds of roasts; however, coffee that is dark roast tends to have less acidity than the others as well. You can find variety in the dark roast arena; beans range from slightly dark to charred. Some common names for dark include high, continental, New Orleans, European, espresso, Viennese, Italian, and French. 

You can find light, medium, and dark roasts on our site from Coffeevines. As an online coffee retailer, we enjoy bringing the love of coffee to anyone in the country. 

2 Cups of Coffee a Day Keeps the Doctor Away

We have heard things going back and forth about whether or not coffee is actually good for you or not; however, as the studies about coffee have progressed, the results of the studies are actually finding more benefits to moderate coffee drinking than health hazards. Recent studies have shown that consuming two cups of coffee a day have a good impact on your overall health; this is particularly helpful when you consider K cup coffee and brewing just a single cup takes seconds.

In that study from 2012 (New England Journal of Medicine), it used 400,000 people for the study and found that those who drank 2 cups a day had their risk of dying reduced by 10 percent; moderate coffee drinking can help you live longer. This was the largest study ever done on the issue; the people in the study were men and women ages 50-71 and taken from around the country. . It is safe to say that the results turn coffee from a guilty pleasure to a part of your healthy diet. The key factor is to do it in moderation, however, as the say, everything in moderation; even water should be consumed in moderation, believe it or not.

In the study, 42,000 of the people did not drink any coffee while the rest were varying coffee drinkers; most of them drank the moderate amount of 2 cups a day while only 15,000 of the study's participants drank 6 or more cups a day. It was found that the 10 percent reduction to the risk of death was for men and women, it was as much as 13 percent. Even the participants who did see some results, they saw a 6 percent reduction for the gentlemen and a 5 percent reduction for the ladies. It was found that caffeine did not play a large role in the results.

So how does coffee help you reduce your chance of death? It was found to help with respiratory disease, diabetes, stroke, liver, and the brain. Both single cup coffee and traditional drip methods give the same results.

Now, you should remember that coffee won't make you live forever or is guaranteed to help you live longer, but this study, as well as many others, are showing that coffee has the ability to be helpful instead of harmful, like we'd all previously thought.

If you want the chances of coffee being helpful to increase, try to cut back on the cream & sugar.

Dinner…From a Coffee Maker?

Living in the 21st century, we as humans never stop striving to figure out the next crazy thing. Throughout history, coffee makers have been known to make, well, COFFEE. You put the coffee grounds in the filter or the coffee pod in the tray and what is the result is what you expect to be the result: a wonderful aroma and a liquid that is a life source.

However, in recent months, a new trend has emerged and it is making something in a coffee maker that is not coffee, it's food. People have figured out the ability to make breakfast, lunch, and dinner in a coffee pot.

So what are some of the foods that you can whip up in a coffee pot?

• Oatmeal
• Empty some packs of instant oatmeal into the pot. Put in some fruit or honey for flavor. Place a fruity flavored herbal tea into the filter basket. Pour around 9 ounces of water into the maker and turn it on. 
• Poached chicken
• Take a chicken breast, butter, and salt and place into the coffee pot. Let it brew (only hot water, of course) for 15 minutes, flip chicken, brew again. The hot water cooks the chicken. 
• Grilled cheese
• This one seems a bit more logical. You simply use the coffee pot burner like a griddle. 
• Hard-boiled eggs
• Put the eggs in the pot and let the hot water brew and sit in the hot water for 7-8 minutes. 
• Rice
• Pour 1/2 cup of instant rice (per person) into the pot. Brew the appropriate amount of water and leave it for 5-10 minutes so the rice can cook. 
• Chocolate fondue
• This one is a bit messy but doable. Heat up some cream in the pot for about 15 minutes and mix in some chocolate (break it up). Let it heat for 10 minutes and stir. 
• Corn on the cob
• Put corn in the pot and brew water for about 8 minutes. 
• Ramen 
• This is another logical one. Put the ramen in the pot and brew some water and let it sit until the noodles are tender. 
• Steamed veggies
• Place the veggies in the pot and brew some water. 
• Chicken pesto pasta
• Sear the chicken on the burner. Then use a coffee grinder for the pesto. Cook the pasta in the pot. Mix & eat. 
• Quesadillas
• Put the quesadilla together and cook on the burner. 
• Poached fish steaks
• Make sure the steaks are about 3/4 inches thick. Put in the filter. Brew water so it runs over the fish. Do 10-11 cups of water through the maker. Flip the fish & repeat. 

Hungry yet? Possibly. Thirsty for some coffee? Not in that coffeemaker but yes. As national online coffee distributors we love seeing all the fun ways that coffee and coffeemakers are used in the world. 

Effects of Coffee on Your Health

Coffee is a drink that is consumed by most of the world and by many generations of people; it is coffee drinkers are drinking the stuff at a pace of a few cups a day. Due to the mass consumption of coffee, one wonders how it affects the body. However, after a study performed by the Harvard School of Public Health, we have some news that can make a coffee drinker smile.

• The study found that drinking around six cups of coffee a day is not linked to a higher risk of death from any cause; the study dispelled rumors that consuming six cups of coffee a day can increase your chances of death from cancer or heart disease. 

• The study did find that those who have trouble regulating their blood pressure or blood sugar should maintain a small consumption of coffee or at least switch to decaf. This finding also applied to pregnant women; pregnant women are encouraged to try and avoid coffee during the pregnancy. 

• Coffee that is brewed with a paper filter (yes, this does include single cup coffee since the filter is built into the coffee pod). This is important because the filter helps remove a substance in the coffee that has been linked to an increase in LDL cholesterol. 

The study found that the link between coffee and an increased risk of death from any cause, like cancer or heart disease was not true after conducting a study utilizing 130,000 volunteers. What the study did was follow 40-50 year olds for 18-24 years and monitored them. They found that those who consumed coffee, even as much as six cups a day (a cup was 8 ounces and with no cream or sugar), were at no more of a risk of dying than those who consumed no coffee. This was an important finding because it showed people that drinking coffee is not a risk on your health (unless there are extenuating circumstances like a health condition or disease that reacts to coffee). If you are a coffee drinker and wish to improve your health, this study shows that your overall diet and lifestyle choices are great places to start. 

Is there such a thing as too much coffee? Yes, but that depends on each person. You will know if you have had too much coffee if you have tremors, trouble sleeping, feeling stressed when you normally wouldn't, agitated, etc. then you know you have had too much coffee. 

As with everything, moderation is key; however, now you know there is no real risk if you are a coffee lover. 

Interesting Facts About Coffee

Coffee is a rather interesting drink with a rich history, almost as rich as some of the many, many blends available in single cup coffee packs. But seriously, this beloved beverage has a lot of history behind it that shows this drink has had quite an impact on the world and not just to perk it up.

• It all started when a sheep herder in Ethiopia was with his sheep in a field. While watching over his sheep, the herder noticed his livestock eating some berries; he didn't think much of it at the time because animals tend to eat whatever edible objects they find. However, he did notice later that his sheep were unusually active and even dancing; people realized later that what they goats had eaten were coffee berries. Of course, it was not yet called coffee. 
• Once coffee started to catch on, it became more widely available. However, in coffee's early days, it was not consumed via the cup but rather eaten. 
• Coffee managed to find its way to religion, no, not like that; rather, due to the rise of Islam, coffee gained much more popularity and at a fast pace. The rules of Islam prohibited the consumption of alcohol but they did not prohibit the consumption of coffee. 
• The coffee in the world is grown in the region labeled, "The Bean Belt." This region is between the Tropic of Cancer and Tropic of Capricorn. The only state in the United States that grows coffee is Hawaii. 
• In 1675, the King of England decided that coffee houses were risky to his throne so he had them banned from the kingdom. He believed that the coffee houses were where people would go to conspire against the King. 
• The vast majority of coffee drinkers in the world consume Arabica coffee (approximately 70 percent) while the rest of the world drinks the bolder Robusta coffee (30 percent). 
• Money may not grow on trees but coffee does. The coffee grows inside of berries on the trees (red berries). 
• The two most traded commodities on the planet are black liquids: Oil and then coffee. 
• Americano coffee started with the US GIs in WWII. The strong blends overseas were sometimes a bit too much for the American soldiers and so they would order their coffee blended with water to dilute the drink.
• Coffee wakes you up but how does it do it? Well, in your brain you have receptors that catch signals from the body saying it is tired. Coffee contains caffeine which when consumed, the caffeine blocks those receptors in the brain so your brain never actually receives those signals; thus, your body does not feel tired. However, your brain is a smart device and realizes the situation; consequently, it creates more receptors, this is when you start to feel tired again and need more coffee to not feel tired. 

Feel smarter about the coffee you're drinking? Good! FYI, these facts will make for great conversation while talking over a cup of the stuff! So go and enjoy your coffee, smartypants.