Coffee Coffee Everywhere
And these numbers are growing.
You may be aware of simple techniques to make a better cup of coffee. Use filtered water. Clean your coffee pot by running white vinegar through it. More serious connoisseurs will buy whole beans to get more freshness or even buy green coffee beans and roast them directly prior to grinding. I'm sharing tips below on how to make a better coffee without the extra equipment and with minimal time.
You may also be aware that coffee is widely viewed to have several negative side effects. It can increase body acidity, worsening some joint problems. It can leach minerals from the body, and make cardiovascular problems, like high blood pressure, worse. These are on top of increased sweating and the lethargic feeling of "coming down" off a caffeine buzz.
What you probably don't know is that coffee has therapeutic qualities for many people that are just beginning to be understood. Also, coffee is an herb, and not only can but should be added with other herbs. I'm sharing my coffee recipes along with the latest research on coffee's therapeutic benefits.
Coffee and Eggshells
The tradition goes back farther and was likely learned by those cowboys from their mothers. Chefs in many countries still use eggshells in making consomme. Uncle Phaedrus, finder of lost recipes, reports that old-timers knew of this effect of eggshells and used them to insure a clear cup of great-tasting coffee. Improving clarity also reduces bitternesss, and I can personally attest to this having used eggshells for months in my dark brews.
So, our first question should be how eggshells affect the chemical composition of the coffee we drink, and whether this changes the health implications. Eggshells are composed of calcium compounds almost entirely. The trick is to expose the most calcium to your drink as possible which means grinding the eggsshells as finely as possible.
Calcium tends to raise the pH of acidic solutions. Adding finely crushed eggshells can reduce much of coffee's natural acidity, preventing the acids from leaching minerals out of the body. Acids can also contribute to joint problems.
Try eggshells in your coffee. At least one coffeehouse in my hometown still brews all their joe in this manner, and it only makes sense. This is the easiest thing, besides filtered water and clean utensils, you can do for a cup of super-coffee.
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Mints
For the Best Cup of Coffee
Coffee used to cause me digestive problems. Anything I ate with the morning mug would just sit around and make me feel bloated. It took years before I understood the coffee was to blame, but once I did the solution was so simple and tasty.The major action of mint, whether its spearmint or peppermint or any of the hundreds of flavor varieties, is on digestion. Maude Grieve in her classic A Modern Herbal says mint also can help conditions like headaches and fevers, mainly through its cooling properties. Adding mint to your coffee is an excellent way to deepen the flavor and make your stomach happy.
This works out well, because mint is one of the easiest to grow pot-herbs, often doing just fine on a windowsill in a small pot. It doesn't need fertilizer (will do better without it actually), and it doesn't need much water. On top of this you have your choice when it comes to mint flavors.
Mint hybrids include apple mint, chocolate mint, pineapple mint, and the list goes on. These hybrids are 100% field-tested by Mother Nature quite unlike the artificially-flavored coffees bought in stores that contain untested chemicals which will assuredly harm the body over the longterm.
The cooling effect of mint makes an excellent counter-balance to the heating effect of coffee. Why use an artificial flavor when the real thing is so easy to grow and buy. I use both dried and crushed peppermint as well as the fresh leaves for my brew.
The Coffee Test
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health_advisor wrote...
Very informative.
Great lens. Rated it 5 stars.
Feel free to visit betterhealth Care.
Posted June 17, 2008
health_advisor wrote...
Very informative.
Great lens. Rated it 5 stars.
Feel free to visit betterhealth Care.
Posted June 12, 2008
FoxMusic wrote...
Cowboy coffee yum - the use this egg-shell trick to make clear broths for soups and such.
Thanks!!
Posted May 31, 2008
Anne_Cresacre wrote...
Hi emanon,
I'm a big coffee fan...actually sipping one as I write this! he he he!
I like the tip about adding mint, I'll have to try that as I sometimes get the bloated feeling too.
Thanks,
Anne Cresacre
Posted May 31, 2008
ms-giggles wrote...
Hi Emanon,
I love coffee!!! It's the one treat I won't give up. I'm so glad you did a lens on a healthier coffee. I will be putting fine ground egg shell in my coffee from now on.
5*****, lens roll and favorite to you.
Cheers Beth
AKA Ms-Giggles
Posted May 28, 2008
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Let Others Know...
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Do it through your favorite social bookmarking site and keep up as we explore the usefulness and tastiness of a variety of herbs in making the best cup of coffee.
