Wednesday’s Helping: Coffee

A jolt of java keeps the joints jumpin'

Before Red Bull and other energy drinks, there was the original: coffee. The popular beverage is brewed using the seeds of the coffee plant. Most of the beans come from the family called Coffea. The plant originated in western Africa and was cultivated for trade by Arabs as far back as the 15th Century. Today, coffee is a prized commodity all over the world; however, the plants grow well in tropical regions. The beans are found in the plant’s berries. The beans must be dried, roasted, and ground before they can be used to brew a cup of coffee. Remember that coffee may be addictive because it contains caffeine. If it's decaffeinated, it must be labeled as such on the packaging. Coffee also comes in various varieties including Jamaican (a rich coffee that tends to be dark), Kona (a premium coffee that comes from the Kona region of Hawaii), and the extreme Kopi Luwak Civet (or Civet coffee is a South East Asian coffee that’s made from coffee beans that have passed through the digestive system of the cat-like mammal called a Civet). Look for coffee sold as whole beans or ground. Recent health studies have shown that consumption of coffee may play a role in lowering the occurrence of Type 2 diabetes or Parkinson’s disease. On the other hand, moderation is the general recommendation when consuming coffee, soda, or any other beverages besides water.