That Morning Cup of Joe Coffee and Its Relationship to Your Health
What’s the first thing you do in the morning? For most of us in the United States, it’s one crucial task: getting that morning cup of joe. Our obsession with coffee is nothing new. A paper entitled“The Consumption of Coffee in the United States,”published July 18, 1861, noted that“the people of the United States habitually consume more coffee than the inhabitants of any other country.”Its popularity has only increased with time; people in the U.S. consume an estimated 400 million cups of coffee a day. Of course, we weren’t the first to find out how great coffee is. Long before anyone in the Americas enjoyed the beverage, legend has it that an Ethiopian goat herder discovered the amazing effects of coffee beans — on his goats. He noticed that after eating“berries”from a certain tree, his goats became so energetic they didn’t want to sleep. News spread around the Arabian Peninsula, and cafes began to pop up, known as“Schools of theWise”for the intellectual conversations that happened there. In addition to coffee’s long-standing popularity, science has found several reasons to give our morning habit the thumbs-up. In 2015, the U.S. Dietary Guidelines evaluated the effects of coffee and caffeine for the first time, concluding that coffee can be part of a healthy lifestyle “along with other behaviors, such as refraining from smoking, consuming a nutritionally balanced diet, maintaining a healthy body weight, and being physically active.”The guidelines cite “strong and consistent evidence” that consuming coffee within the moderate range (3–5 cups per day, or up to 400 mg of caffeine per day) is not associated with an
increased risk of major diseases. In fact, according to observational evidence, caffeine intake may be linked to reduced risk for certain diseases in healthy adults. Scientists think that antioxidants found in coffee, such as polyphenols, might contribute to its positive effects. There’s one major caveat, however. While coffee shows potential benefits when consumed in moderate amounts, the sugar and other additives that many of us like to put in it get a thumbs-down. The Dietary Guidelines also note that health alone isn’t a reason to start drinking caffeine. Folks with blood pressure concerns should be especially careful and should consult their doctor about how much coffee is okay to drink, as studies have shown evidence of increased blood pressure with caffeine consumption.
Everything in moderation, as the saying goes, at least when it comes to caffeine.
Take a Break!
PUMPKIN CHICKPEA FRITTERS
Ingredients
Directions
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1 can chickpeas, drained
1. In a large mixing bowl, mash
together chickpeas and pumpkin purée until the majority of peas are mixed with purée.
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1/2 cup organic pumpkin purée
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1/4 cup sunflower seeds
2. Add sunflower seeds, apple
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2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar 1 teaspoon garlic granules 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
cider vinegar, spices, and flour to mixture. Fold until fully integrated. 3. In a large skillet, heat oil on medium-high. 4. Formmixture into golf-ball-sized spheres and roll to coat in panko breadcrumbs. Pat into flat cakes and carefully drop into hot oil. 5. Fry fritters, flipping once, until golden and toasty, about 2minutes per side. 6. Transfer cooked fritters to a paper towel to dry and cool. Serve 5 minutes after cooking.
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1–2 teaspoons flour, for binding (optional)
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1 cup panko bread crumbs, for coating
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1/4–1/2 cup safflower or canola oil, for frying
Recipe courtesy of Healthy.Happy.Life
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