Coffee

Is coffee bad for you or is coffee good for you?
There are many conflicting studies that suggest both, but most agree that a daily dose of 1 to 3 cups of coffee filtered with filter paper are least likely to affect the drinker. The filter paper removes the toxins that increase your cholesterol level according to one study. It will take from 200 to 300 cups of coffee drunk continuously to kill you, but you will get caffeine intoxication before you manage to drink that amount.


There are many coffee studies available for perusal, some are unreliable others are accurate and precise. There are experiments on mice and lab rats investigating cancer and other diseases that are unlikely to be duplicated on primates and have caused unnecessary alarm when published. Simple surveys produce some statistics but can be manipulated by loading the questions to give a desired result. Possibly the most reliable are the cohort studies made over some decades. One interesting fact to come from these studies is that to get the most effects from coffee, positive or negative, one has to drink six or more cups per day which is two to three times the recommended daily dosage.

Coffee is at its best after it has been roasted, many of the antioxidants and flavonoids are formed during the roasting process, in particular the much touted anticancer compound methylpyridinium. This compound is found in roast coffee and in instant coffee in both caffeinated and decaffeinated versions. The flavonoids used to be called vitamin P because of their restorative effect on the body. More antioxidants and oils are released during espresso extraction than other brewing methods; this would explain why the local barista makes a better cup of coffee than you, but he or she could also be giving you high cholesterol.

There is no guarantee, but three cups of coffee a day may offer protection against some common cancers, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease, depression, diabetes, inflammation, cirrhosis, and pain management. Coffee does not make you smarter, you only think you are. If nothing else it is a good source of antioxidants and gives a feeling of wellbeing. Pregnant women should not drink coffee or caffeinated drinks. If you are a moderate coffee drinker why worry about any adverse effects of coffee, they may be exaggerated.

If you can’t drink coffee you can still benefit by rubbing it on your body or bald head. It is available in pharmaceuticals, ointments, hair restorers, cosmetics, beauty products, skin products, and soaps. Check with your local pharmacy.

Coffee has been grown in Australia since the nineteenth century and has won many prizes for quality. This year, 2012, has produced a bumper crop and growers will be looking to expand their export market. Some Australian producers produce such a high quality coffee, that they sell at about 10 times the world coffee market price.
Check out some of the growers at:
Skybury Tropical Plantation
Mackellar Range Australian Coffee
Three Valleys Coffee
Kahawa Estate Coffee
Ewingsdale Coffee Estate
Ashtons Australian Coffee