For me, it’s the smell that gets me first if I’m going through a phase of trying to avoid the ‘dirty bean juice’. When those aromas of smokey tobacco and deliciously rich dark chocolate enter my nostrils, it feels nearly impossible to ignore the cravings that come next. But this isn’t a bad thing, due to the many health benefits of coffee that I talk about in this post.
I now usually limit myself to one cup a day. There was a point where I would have around four cups a day, but it would leave me feeling drained and anxious at the end of the day, so I decided to cut down. One cup is usually enough to get me through the day now without it causing any major withdrawal headaches or anxiety when I decide not to have it.
Personally, I find coffee mentally stimulating. It heightens my creative thought process, while also narrowing my focus so I can concentrate more easily on tasks. It makes my thoughts feel less erratic and more flowing. It’s more than just energy giving, it’s medicine for my mind.
Recent studies are starting to reveal the multiple health benefits of coffee, which drove me to write this post. I wanted to share this good news with any fellow coffee loving earthlings out there. Read on to discover how coffee loves us back – or click here to skip to that section.
Deepening my love of coffee in Ecuador
When I was 23, I spent a month in Ecuador as a volunteer, mostly in the cloud forest and I was lucky enough to help out for a day on an organic coffee farm.
I’ll never forget the first time I saw a coffea plant growing. It had bright red berries peering out from between the emerald leaves.
We were asked if we’d like to taste the fruit. Immediately I was intrigued and held out my hand to receive a coffee berry. It was the first time I had ever seen coffee fruit before. It’s not something we ever see here in the UK. I wasn’t sure what flavour to expect, but to my delight it was incredibly sweet, almost like a tiny perfectly ripe mango.
I was amazed and in awe of this gift from the earth. Already a fan of coffee, I had a newfound appreciation for coffea plants. Not only do these plants produce beans for one of the world’s favourite beverages, but they also produce beautiful edible fruit.
Packed with antioxidants and polyphenols, the fruit of coffea is actually considered a superfood, but sadly, the fruits are usually discarded when the beans are extracted for roasting in order to make coffee. Coffee fruits are now often used to make an extract used in skin care products.
And so, I’ve decided to dedicate this blog post to coffee as a celebration of the wonderful benefits it brings to us as a species – a beautiful gift from the earth.
The health benefits of coffee
We’ve been advised for years by health professionals to avoid excessive caffeine consumption, giving coffee a bad name. And it is true to a certain extent, because caffeine sensitivity varies from person to person. But now there is more and more scientific evidence that suggests coffee could be really very good for us. This is music to my ears, and makes me feel a bit more OK about being sort of addicted* to it.
*Note: There is scientific evidence showing that caffeine does not induce dependence. Abruptly stopping caffeine consumption may however lead to withdrawal symptoms in some regular caffeine consumers, but these are generally mild and do not last long.
Coffee could be beneficial for cardiovascular health
A new study published in 2021 suggests that coffee could be doing our ‘tickers’ some good.
Dr. Judit Simon of the Heart and Vascular Center of Semmelweis University in Hungary published a study at the 2021 European Society of Cardiology, showing that drinking no more than three cups of coffee a day can reduce the risk of stroke and fatal heart disease.
In fact, the study suggests that light to moderate consumption of coffee, compared to no consumption at all, can reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases by 17%.
The study was conducted with more that 460,000 ‘healthy’ participants (with no signs of heart disease), making this the largest ever study on the effects of coffee on health. The researchers analyzed the relationship between daily coffee consumption and the function and function of the heart using MRI. They found that those who consume coffee on a daily basis had healthier functioning hearts than those who don’t.
Coffee is a vasodilator, meaning it causes blood vessels to expand, improving circulation.
Coffee and the liver
Another study published by Dr Oliver Kennedy in 2021, found that coffee consumption is beneficial for liver health. Researchers from the University of Southampton and the University of Edinburgh found that drinking coffee was associated with a reduced risk of developing liver diseases.
It seems that in this case, consumption of between three and four cups a day, regardless of caffeine content, had the most potent effect on liver health. Drinking coffee, particularly freshly ground coffee, is associated with a 21% reduction in the risk of developing chronic liver disease, and a 20% reduced risk of developing chronic or fatty liver disease. The risk of death from liver disease is reduced by 49%.
Ground coffee has a higher level of Kahweol and cafestol compared with instant coffee. Both these molecules are beneficial against liver disease according to studies on animals.
There is also evidence that drinking coffee can help protect the body against liver cancer.
Coffee and the brain
As mentioned previously, coffee is a vasodilator, but it seems to have a particular effect on the blood vessels in the brain and this is beneficial in the fight against all forms of dementia. Coffee also stimulates brain activity.
The Cardiovascular Risk Factors, Aging and Dementia (CAIDE) study showed that middle-aged people who drank 3-5 cups of coffee per day were found to have a 65% decreased risk of dementia in later life. The study tracked more than 1,400 people over the course of 21 years and looked at a broad range of diet and lifestyle choices.
A note about caffeine
It’s still wise to be sensible with caffeine, as overconsumption can have some negative effects on the body and increase the likelihood of withdrawal symptoms if you suddenly cut your intake. There is a handy article on the Healthline website all about caffeine’s effects on the body.
Everyone’s tolerance is different, so it’s probably not wise to start guzzling coffee if you know you’re particularly sensitive to caffeine.
It’s also important to remember that a freshly brewed cup of coffee offers the most benefits. Drinking four caramel lattes a day could counteract any benefits due to the sugar content.
The best organic coffee for Espresso Machine lovers
I’ve put together a list of my favourite coffee brands below. Pretty much every cup of coffee I drink at home at the moment is created using my trusty Nespresso machine. These brands are all mostly certified organic, so not only are they tasty, but they are better for the environment and thus the health of the planet as a whole. You can read more about why organic farming is so important here.
Cru Kafe
Of all the organic coffee pods I’ve tried, Cru Kafe is my #1 favourite. Not only does their coffee taste amazing but they have an ethos that considers people and the planet.
Cru Kafe coffee is both Soil Association certified organic and fair trade. I’m also a fan of their beautiful minimalist style packaging design.
Like , they are also part of Podback, a free nationwide recycling scheme for coffee pods, so you can pop them in with your other aluminium pods and return them to one of the many collection points around the country.
Nespresso
also has a small range of organic coffee pods. Although not all of Nespresso’s pods are organic, they have a very good fair trade and . They are part of the AAA sustainable quality programme, which is ‘a coffee sourcing program designed to ensure the continued supply of high-quality coffee while improving the livelihoods of farmers and their communities, and protecting the environment.’
For frothy milk fans, I’d also recommend Nespresso’s . It works really well with Oatly Barista milk!
Try Nespresso’s for an elegant and fruity coffee.
Grind
is another really great option for your Espresso Machine.
Rather than recyclable aluminum pods, their pods are compostable. According to the website, ‘29,000 plastic and aluminium pods go to landfilll every minute. When composted, Grind coffee pods break down in weeks – but even in landfill they’ll break down hundreds of times faster than their plastic or aluminium cousins.’ Unless non compostible pods are properly recycled, there is always a chance they will end up in landfill, so this is something to bear in mind when purchasing coffee pods. If you can commit to recycling them, then great. But it’s not always easy to do, in which case compostable pods may be a better option.
They offer new customers their with code GETSTARTED. Plus you’ll get a free Grind tin to keep your pods in.
*Price correct at time of writing this post but may be subject to change.
As well as coffee pods, they also sell their own . If Espresso machines arn’t your thing, you can buy the to grind at home.
All of Grind coffee pods are organic, although they state on their website that they work with some small scale farms that can’t afford certification. Read more
also own a number of coffee shops across London, where you can sit in and enjoy their delicious coffee!
Happy sipping! And as always…
Have a beautiful day
~ Faine
Disclosure: Some of the links featured in this post are affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a small commission if you click through to these products and make a purchase. I will only ever recommend products that I personally use and benefit from. For more information, please click here.
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