Cricketscoffee Blog

Drinking a few cups of coffee a day may help people avoid clogged arteries - a known risk factor for heart disease. Researchers in Korean believe. A studied of more than 25,000 male and female employees who received routine health checks at their place of work. Employees who drank a moderate amount of coffee, three to five cups a day,  were less likely to have early signs of heart disease on their medical scans. The findings reopen the debate about whether coffee is good for the heart or not.    Some studies have linked consumption to heart risk factors, such as raised cholesterol or blood pressure, while others suggest the beverage may offer some heart protection. None of the employees included in the Korean study had outward signs of heart disease, but more than one in 10 of them were found to have visible calcium deposits on their scans. The researchers then compared the scan results with the employees' self...

  If you’re looking for the healthier versions of chocolate, look for the term ‘dark chocolate. That’s going to be on the label, and then look for a higher percentage.   Other benefits of cocoa powder, the main ingredient of dark chocolate, may include raising good cholesterol levels, the high density lipids or HDL, while lowering bad cholesterol levels, the low density lipids or LDL.   Dark chocolate with at least 70-percent cacao contains fiber and is high in antioxidants. Antioxidants are really important because they help to protect us against certain diseases like cancer, and macular degeneration from aging.   Chocolate can be part of a heart healthy lifestyle but in small portions. You still have to count calories. For example, a serving of miniature Hershey’s Special Dark, five of them, is around 200 calories.    Enjoy, but in moderation.

   The FDA regulations specify that for coffee to have a decaffeinated label, 97% of the original caffeine must be removed from the beans. So, yes, there’s caffeine in decaf coffee. But it’s not very much, right?   The average 12-ounce cup of decaf coffee – a Starbucks tall – usually contains between 3 and 18 milligrams of caffeine. (By comparison, an 8.4-ounce can of Red Bull contains 80 milligrams of caffeine) The average of amount of caffeine in regular coffee can vary significantly, usually between 140 and 300 mg.   While 97 percent of the caffeine must be removed, the Robusta bean will have more caffeine left over than the Arabica bean after the decaffeination process is completed, which can lead to a lot of variance among brands. So a 97% decaffeinated Arabica bean coffee will have less caffeine Than a 97% decaffeinated Robusta bean coffee.  

Deodorize Your Fridge/Freezer Something in the fridge gone bad? Once you throw out the offending item, fill a bowl with dried coffee grounds and place in your refrigerator. In a few days, the spoiled smell will be gone, replaced with a pleasant coffee aroma. This also works in your freezer when you need to remove those food odors that are making your ice cubes taste funny. And Your Car! Coffee is so fragrant that you can use old coffee grounds wherever you have an odor problem. Try it out in the car, especially if you have kids, pets, or are the designated carpool driver. First, dry out the grounds on a baking sheet. Then fill an old dress sock or nylon stocking with the grounds and tie it off the end. Instant air freshener! Clean Pots and Pans While we wouldn't recommend dumping old coffee grounds down your drain, you can use them to clean pots and pans. Just sprinkle some grounds on the caked-on, baked-on mess and scrub thoroughly. It works great on cast iron, too...

Coffee and Your Mood   Coffee may help fend off the blues. Several research papers have shown the caffeine in coffee may increase the amount and activity of the brain chemical serotonin. Low levels of serotonin have been linked to depression. And this serotonin boost may help explain why a study from the U.K. found people who drink coffee in the morning feel friendlier, happier, and more content.   However too much caffeine can heighten your feelings of tension and anxiety, so sayes a study from Singapore. It can also crank up your stress levels if you’re already feeling frazzled. “Too much” depends on how much caffeine your system is used to dealing with, the authors say. So if you’re a two-cup-a-day person, you’d probably have to drink double that amount to feel these negative mood effects. At the same time, if you don’t drink much coffee, smaller doses of caffeine could trigger anxious feelings, the authors say.

Think your coffee tastes extra bitter today? You may want to switch mugs. The color of your cup may be affecting the taste of your morning brew, says a new study.     The idea for the study was inspired by a barista who overheard customers claiming they thought coffee drunk from a white mug tasted more bitter than drinking from a clear glass container.  Researchers conducted a series of experiments where participants drank coffee from white, clear and blue mugs and were then asked to analyze taste.  The study found that coffee drunk from a white cup tastes “significantly more intense”—aka less sweet and more bitter—than drinking from a clear or blue mug. The reason?  People tend to associate color with flavor and white is associated with bitterness. The brown color of the coffee “contrasts” significantly with a white drinking cup. Conversely, drinking from a clear cup enhances a drink’s “perceived sweetness.” Blue mugs apparently amplify both swe...

   If your morning cup of joe isn't tasting as good as usual, the problem could be a dirty coffee pot. Glass or stainless steel carafes should be cleaned after every use to prevent the oily build-up that makes coffee bitter. Wash in warm soapy water or in the dishwasher on the top rack. If pot is stained, fill it with equal parts water and white vinegar, allow it soak for 15-20 minutes, then wash.  Using filtered water is a huge help in keeping you coffee maker clean. Distilled water is what I use as it "softer" than even bottled of just filtered water.

  The waste production of the K-Cup, the non-recyclable, single-serve coffee pods that Keurig machines use, has long been noted. Keurig Green Mountain pledged to create a full recyclable version of its main product by 2020, but estimates say that the Keurig pods buried in 2014 would already circle the Earth 12 times.   Meanwhile, the Keurig’s popularity has made it ever more ubiquitous, bringing it to offices and homes across the country. The company sold a total of 9.8 billion Keurig-brewed portion packs last year, which include the new multiple-cup pods.

  According to a new study by Boston Medical Center, about 15 % of 2-year-olds drink as much as four ounces of coffee a day .     Between 2% to 3% of the infants  studied were drinking coffee. At two, that number grew to 15 %. drinking on average a little more than an ounce of coffee a day.   “Our results show that many infants and toddlers in Boston – and perhaps in the US – are being given coffee and that this could be associated with cultural practices,” said Dr. Anne Merewood, director of the Breastfeeding Center at BMC and associate professor of pediatrics at Boston University School of Medicine.    Official guidelines for children’s coffee consumption is lacking, but there are some alarming potential health effects. Previous hospital studies have shown that coffee and caffeine have been associated with depression, type 1 diabetes, sleep disturbances, substance abuse and obesity in children and adolescents.   Ano...

Tired of your usual cup of coffee? Try out this easy way to make your coffee different. Garnish it with whipped cream and cinnamon for a nice treat- or double up the recipe for afternoon guests. Ingredients 1 Cup milk 3 Teaspoon sugar (or more for a sweeter drink) 1/8 Teaspoon vanilla extract 3 Teaspoon pure cocoa 1 Teaspoon instant coffee 1 Teaspoon brown sugar Pinch of salt **Optional: Whipped cream and cinnamon for garnishing Preparation Step 1: Heat milk in a small saucepan over medium heat. Step 2: When milk is simmering, add in sugar, vanilla, cocoa, instant coffee, brown sugar, and salt. Step 3: Stir until all ingredients are dissolved. Step 4: Pour into a mug and garnish with whipped cream and cinnamon, enjoy!

  With a study in their hands that finds electronic cigarettes may expose users to high levels of formaldehyde. the California senate has introduced a bill that would define the controversial devices as tobacco products and treat them as such.       Filed Monday by state Sen. Mark Leno (D-San Francisco), the bill would subject e-cigarettes -- battery-powered tubes that vaporize liquid nicotine instead of burning tobacco -- to the state’s existing anti-smoking laws, effectively banning "vaping" in workplaces, schools, restaurants, bars, hospitals, public transit and everywhere else traditional cigarettes are forbidden.      For those of you who think this is for the good health of California. It's not tobacco you have been smoking to much of. E cigarettes are a response to the bands on tobacco. Ban E cigarettes and the maket will find a new way around the ban.     The bill is sponsored by the American Cancer Society, the ...