Talking About Green

These days, everyone is talking about living healthy.  And there are more ways than ever to do it with fad diets like Atkins, South Beach, and the Cabbage Soup Diet (what?), as well as exercise routines or classes like spinning, Pilates reformer, Zumba, and P90X.  In all honesty, it’s lucky that there are so many options since what works for one person may not work for the next.  However, embracing a healthy diet and exercise routine that involves eating more of the right kinds of foods, portion control, cardio, and light weight training is going to show positive results for the majority of the population.  And you might be surprised to learn that you can incorporate organic coffee into your new and improved lifestyle.

For years, people have bemoaned the fact that coffee is “bad”.  In fact, this is patently untrue, especially when touching on the topic of organic goods.  Coffee is a stimulant, which leads some people to believe that it can negatively impact their bodily systems, particularly the heart.  But studies now show that there is no relationship between coffee and high blood pressure (or other heart disease), so you can drink your daily cup (or cups) and still rest easy (as long as you don’t drink it too late in the day).  The only real caveat comes from what you add to coffee, such as cream, sugar, and maybe a donut.  But coffee by itself actually has several health benefits that should have you rushing to buy organic beans.

For starters, it can definitely aid in weight loss, so if you are one of the many people looking to lose a few pounds, think about adding a cup or two to your diet.  It is a known appetite suppressant (helping to stop those mid-morning cravings) and it gets your body burning more calories.  The effects don’t last very long, but while they do, you’ll have less trouble sticking to your diet.  Even better, those who drink coffee regularly have a significantly reduced risk of developing type-2 diabetes, according to studies.

And while coffee stimulates your digestive system, it is also stimulating your brain.  It increases the production of both adrenaline and cortisol, increasing memory and focus (amongst other cognitive functions).  And it can help with your long-term memory, as well.  Several studies have now shown a positive correlation between coffee-drinking and the reduced risk for Alzheimer’s and dementia.  So start drinking coffee now and you may not have to face memory-loss later on.

Of course, there are a ton of other benefits.  Specialty coffee is packed with antioxidants, which are famous for ridding your body of the free radicals that can lead to aging and tissue damage.  As a result, it may prevent some cancers.  In addition, coffee may stave off cirrhosis of the liver, gout, and gallstones, not to mention Parkinson’s disease.  Pretty great, right?  But that’s not all.  If you choose to drink organic coffee, you’ll ensure that your body remains free of the chemical toxins from fertilizers and pesticides that pollute regularly-grown coffee beans.  So if you’re looking to adopt a healthier lifestyle, consider some of the many benefits that come from organic coffee.  Then set your sights on your coffee-maker and brew up a fresh cup of java.

Sarah Danielson is a writer for Jamaican Coffee Online where you can purchase and learn about coffee from the Blue Mountains.