How are things going with establishing a social distancing routine? If you’re like many people, you might find yourself missing the small joys of life that are tough to find today. Things like a hair cut and color, a pedicure, and coffee from the local shop may have been put to the side while we wait for things to reopen.

Indulging in simple things like these can be our saving grace on a stressful day. While some things are impossible to replace (like our beloved hair dresser!), other things can be turned into a DIY project and done at home!

If you’re getting tired of the ol’ drip coffee maker and want to get some pampering back, we have a recipe for cold brew coffee at the end of this blog! But I’d be remiss if I didn’t talk about nutrition first! I want to share the several health benefits of coffee and how best to drink it.

HEALTH BENEFITS OF COFFEE

Let’s begin with the best news about coffee: it may increase your lifespan! A study was published in an internal medicine journal (JAMA Internal Medicine), that associated coffee with a longer lifespan and a lower risk of death from cancer and cardiovascular disease (these are two of the top five killers in the United States). Those participants who drank one cup of coffee per day had a 6% lower risk of death over ten years than those who drank less. Further, people who consumed more coffee per day had a greater protection (it capped out at eight cups per day for 14% lower risk of death). Other studies have been done and have found similar results, including a protective effect against death from heart disease, stroke, diabetes, kidney disease, and respiratory disease.

Okay, so maybe coffee helps prevent death from a number of diseases, but what about getting the diseases in the first place? Well, coffee may help prevent that too. Studies have shown that coffee may reduce the risk of developing Alzheimer’s, depression, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, Parkinson’s disease, and certain cancers (breast, prostate, liver, and colorectal). While the reason isn’t always clear, researchers believe it’s the antioxidant compounds called polyphenols that trigger gene expression. It may also be the anti-inflammatory nature of coffee that protects us from disease development.

As mentioned, coffee is packed with antioxidants, namely polyphenols. These compounds, found in fruit and vegetables, fight off free-radicals in our body. Free-radicals damage molecules in our body such as DNA and proteins. It is these antioxidants that scientists believe are the main factors of coffee that make it so health-promoting (and disease-avoiding). Several foods rank as containing high amounts of antioxidants such as various spices, berries, nuts, and dark chocolate. These foods contain more polyphenols per serving than coffee, however, most people drink far more coffee than they eat blueberries, chestnuts, or cloves (all of which contain more antioxidants than coffee). The typical person may be lucky to eat a handful of blueberries per day (and much less chestnuts or cloves), but he will statistically drink 2 to 4 cups of coffee per day. This makes coffee a much greater source of antioxidants than blueberries (even though blueberries contain more antioxidants per serving).

NEGATING THE HEALTH BENEFITS OF COFFEE

Although research shows that coffee confers healthy benefits, it does not necessarily mean that coffee is a healthy choice for you. Everyone is different in how they handle caffeine, so if you know you are a slow metabolizer of caffeine, struggle with insomnia, have hypertension, get jittery after drinking coffee, or have a cortisol imbalance, coffee may not be right for you. For these people, drinking coffee can perpetuate these conditions.

Further, be aware of what you put into your coffee that you aren’t negating its positive effects. Squashing the health benefits of coffee is done by adding a lot of sugar, artificial sweetener, and processed non-dairy creamers. Pesticides also blunt coffee’s benefits. If you drink coffee, only choose organic. Conventional coffee is one of the most chemically treated foods in the world.

THE COFFEE BRAND THAT WE RECOMMEND

In discussing the health benefits of coffee, keep in mind that not all coffee is created equal. Unfortunately, the way in which coffee is produced and processed can compromise it’s health benefits. For example, PAH’s (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons) are compounds that are created when a food is smoked, roasted, or barbequed. These harmful compounds are classified as persistent organic pollutants and are harmful to human health. When coffee manufacturers use high temperatures during the roasting process, PAH’s can form. At Healthy Connections, it is our goal to find and recommend the highest quality products for your health.

This is why we have sampled, researched, and can highly recommend Purity Coffee. Crafted consciously for health, Purity Coffee is a company that sources, processes, and roasts coffee beans in a way that focuses on its benefits through every step of production.

Purity Coffee is first of all organically grown, starting with green (raw) coffee beans that are free of pesticides. Then they take it a step further. Not only is their coffee free from pesticides, but it is also free from contaminants such as mold spores, mycotoxins, fungus, insect damage, and microorganisms.

Additionally, the acidic level of Purity Coffee is very low as compared to other coffees. Low acidic coffee is easy on the stomach and small intestine, making it an excellent choice for those with digestive problems or heartburn.

Further, Purity Coffee uses a roasting process that is smokeless and computer regulated. This results in coffee beans that contain only very low amounts of harmful PAH’s and acrylamides while retaining their high amount of antioxidants.

Lastly, Purity Coffee ensures that their beans do not become oxidized and stale. These can occur when beans are introduced to oxygen (usually through grinding whole beans and through sitting on a shelf, in contact with oxygen). For this reason, Purity Coffee only sells whole beans, never ground. And they use nitrogen, rather than oxygen, in their roasting and packaging process.

Coffee has several health benefits, as we have seen. Not only can it lead to a longer lifespan but coffee can also reduce the risk of getting a variety of chronic diseases. Coffee is also packed with antioxidants that are thought to be the main driver behind all these benefits. However, these benefits can be minimized or even destroyed by the quality of coffee we consume (and by all the sugar we put into it). This is why Healthy Connections has researched the best quality coffee manufacturer and can proudly recommend Purity Coffee as carrying the highest standards of quality and who focuses on the maximizing the health benefits of their product from start to smooth finish.

Right now, and for the foreseeable future, Purity Coffee is matching all orders with an equal donation of coffee to our medical professionals. These respected men and women are fighting to keep our country safe and healthy amidst this crisis. Help keep them energized and focused by allowing Purity Coffee to match your order!