Coffee& HCV

http://www.hcvadvocate.org/news/newsLetter/2007/advocate0907.html#5

Coffee

Alan Franciscus, Editor-in-Chief

In the process of researching the lead article on the potential benefits of coffee in regards to liver cancer, I came across a lot of interesting information about coffee that I thought I would share with our readers.  Just so you know, I have been a coffee drinker for many, many years and my love of coffee can be viewed by some as creating a certain bias when writing about the potential health benefits of coffee.

History
Coffee consumption can be traced back to the ninth century in Ethiopia and its use spread to Egypt, Yemen and reached Persia, Turkey, and northern Africa by the fifteenth century.

It eventually spread to Italy where it was revered by the wealthy in Venice.  From there coffee consumption spread to the rest of Europe and eventually the seeds of the coffee bean were obtained and planted by the European colonialists in other parts of the world.  In the U.S. coffee was not widely consumed until the Revolutionary War.  The switch from coffee to tea was a necessity because the U.S. was at war with England – the largest supplier of tea to the colonies.  In some circles switching from tea to coffee was considered patriotic.  Today, coffee is one of the most widely consumed beverages in the U. S. and around the world.  Starbucks is probably the most well-known of the coffee store chains.  In the near future, Starbucks will have as many stores as there are McDonalds in the U.S. If you want to get an idea of the popularity of Starbucks and coffee go to www.starbucks.com and enter your zip code into the store locator for a list of stores within a 5 mile radius.  Probably the highest density of Starbucks of any city in the U.S. is in New York City.  When I typed the NYC zip code 10036 the store locator listed a staggering 203 stores in a 5 mile radius.

Coffee
The coffee plant is a member of the group of flowering plants called the Rubiaceae.  A coffee plant can grow up to more than 16 feet tall.  It has glossy green leaves and fragrant white flowers.  The coffee beans are actually green berries that are processed and roasted before they are consumed.

There are two main types of coffee – coffea  robusta and coffea arabica.    The most popular type and the one considered to have the best flavor is arabica which accounts for about 75% of cultivated coffee.  Robusta tends to have more of a bitter taste compared to the Arabica.  Robusta is easier to grow because it is more disease resistant and also contains more caffeine than Arabica.  For these reasons and because it is cheaper to grow, it is the type that is usually used in more inexpensive forms of coffee.

Once the coffee beans are picked by hand, the seeds are processed to remove the pulp,  dried and sorted.  At this stage the seeds are green in color.  The next step in the process is roasting the green coffee beans.  This is the step that dictates the appearance and taste of the brewed coffee.  The darker the color of the roasted bean the smoother the flavor.  However, the lighter roasts contain the most caffeine.

Caffeine
Caffeine is a substance that is found in certain plants such as coffee.  When a person drinks a cup of brewed coffee it is quickly absorbed into the blood stream and passes into the brain.  Caffeine is used for quick “pick me ups” but, because it is not stored in the body, the effects are short term.   However, caffeine is a stimulant so there is a potential for addiction, although it is considered a mild addiction in most people.  Withdrawal from caffeine usually produces mild symptoms such as headache, drowsiness, nausea, and irritability.  If possible slowly reduce the intake of caffeine to reduce any withdrawal symptoms.

The side effects of consuming excessive amounts of coffee can include nervousness, excessive urination, nausea, vomiting, anxiety, depression, upset stomach, appetite suppression, and difficulty sleeping.

Decaffeinated coffee
Decaffeinated coffee is processed in two ways – the European Process and the Swiss Water Process.  The European Process involves soaking the beans in water and then washing them in methylene chloride to absorb the caffeine.  After the beans are soaked they are rinsed off to remove the chemicals, and the beans are dried.  The Swiss Water Process  involves using hot water and steam to remove the caffeine from the coffee.  The next step involves putting the water solution through activated charcoal filters to remove the caffeine.  Once the caffeine has been removed, the beans are soaked in the decaffeinated solution which allows for the re-absorption of the fluid into the coffee beans and restores most of the flavor.  It is interesting to note that the caffeine used in various products such as energy drinks, diet drinks, over the counter stimulants, and medications is the by or end-product of the decaffeination process.

Preparing Coffee
Coffee is purchased in whole beans or already ground up.  Whole beans must be ground up before making a cup of coffee.  Coffee purists will swear that the only way to truly make a good cup of coffee is to grind up the coffee just before brewing.  The grind (course, medium, fine) will also influence the taste and texture of the brewed coffee.

Once the coffee is ground it can than be brewed by boiling (Turkish), percolation (an old American standard), pressing (French press), espresso (forcing hot water under pressure through finely ground coffee), and, the most popular in this country, the drip process.

You will note that this article does not mention instant coffee – this is my bias because the thought of drinking instant coffee is abhorrent to me.

Health Claims
There have been many studies that have found various health benefits from consuming coffee.  But many of these benefits have been refuted by other studies.  Similarly, the health risks of drinking coffee have been widely studied, but there is also data that refutes the claims.   However, the number of studies on the benefits of coffee on the liver suggests that there might be some truth in the notion that light to moderate coffee consumption may be healthy for the liver.

Safe Levels
It is recommended that healthy adults can consume up to 3 cups (8 oz) a day without any health risks.  It is also generally recommended that pregnant women and people with coronary heart disease or ulcers refrain from consuming caffeinated beverages.  Children should be closely monitored so that they don’t consume too much caffeine. It is important to remember that caffeine can be in other food and drinks including sodas, teas, and chocolate as well as some medications; so always check the product label. Check in with your medical provider to find out if there are any potential interactions between any medications you are taking and caffeine.