The debates and health studies about coffee abound…if you are really interested in taking your mind down that maze you can spend a lot of time reading all about the pros and cons online, in newspapers, magazines, books.

Bottom-line, most experts agree that moderation in coffee drinking is  less than four to five cups a day depending upon one’s build and size . The timeless pearl of wisdom of “Moderation in all things," applies to most everything in life if we seek a well balanced and healthy lifestyle.

And more importantly, is the quality of the coffee! As more and more people come to know what makes health and what helps to create dis-ease, if we can eat and drink foods and beverages that are free of pesticide residues, synthetic additives, preservatives and hormones we are seeking a much healthier way of being kind to our body.

Caffeine
1,3-7 trimethylxanthine-is the most famous ingredient in coffee, but coffee also contains the related stimulant chemicals theobromine (also found in chocolate) and theophylline (also found in tea). Coffee is not the only source of caffeine, however it’s present in the cola nut and South American teas mate and guarana. Caffeine is an anti-fungal agent and is assumed to be part of the plant’s defense mechanism.

90% of the caffeine in ground coffee is extracted in the first 60 seconds of contact with hot water. Some caffeine evaporates into the air during roasting, which is one reason coffee roasters are careful to send roasting smoke up through chimneys –otherwise workers would have caffeine overdoses all day long.  A 1977 study found detectable levels of caffeine coming from coffee-roasting plants in New York City air.

Excerpt from: Los Angeles Times, Sept. 12, 1991, The Coffee Revolution

The Decaf Dilemma
The idea of taking the caffeine out of the coffee beans before roasting began in Europe but has caught on mostly over here. The Tea and Coffee Trade Journal reports that about one cup out of every four in this country is decaffeinated. Americans may consume 60% of all the decaf produced.

 Taking out caffeine inevitably means taking out some of the flavoring elements in the coffee. You apparently have to accept a trade-off between caffeine and flavor.

The process of decaffeinating coffee involves soaking the beans in methylene chloride, a solvent that removes the caffeine. Experts say much of this chemical evaporates in the process. They also recommend to be on the safe side, only by the trademarked "Swiss Water Process.” The American College of Rheumatology (1/8/02) stated that in a study of 31.336 women between 55-69 years old who drank 4 or more cups of decaffeinated coffee every day had twice risk of developing the crippling bone disease of those who never drank it. They found that regular coffee was in no way linked to the disease.

Pesticides
Only a very small amount of coffee in the world is produced pesticide free. 

All Keopu Mauka Lani Plantation Kona coffee is pesticide free!

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