The best part of waking up...

…is the aroma of coffee brewing in my kitchen.  Are you one of the millions who begin your day with a tall cup of joe?  To celebrate National Coffee Day, I thought it would be most appropriate to include a bit of insight in today’s blog post. 

Did you know that over 400 BILLION cups of coffee are consumed each year?  A worldly commodity only second to that of oil.  Thanks to a special goat herder in the 9th century Ethiopia, coffee was first discovered after he noticed the stimulating effects of coffee berries on his goats and began experimenting.  A century later, coffee began to be roasted and traded by the Arabs.  From there, the beans entered the Indian and European markets and the first coffee shop was opened in 1475!  (Pretty sure it wasn’t served in a cute white cup with a green logo.)

In the health world, coffee and caffeine is a hot topic.  Is coffee good or bad for me?  Well, I spoke to H3’s Director of Education, Bob Wright to get more information.  Here’s what he said:

Over the past 5-10 years, new research has shown that there may actually be more health benefits than risks.   As I don’t really promote coffee drinking, there is no real reason to avoid it.  Here at H3, coffee is available in the mornings to enjoy with breakfast, up until about 10:00 am.  The main reason we limit the serving time is due to the public health guideline which recommends limiting caffeine to 400 milligrams per day.  The typical 8 oz. coffee cup has about 100 milligrams of caffeine (not to be confused with a Starbucks Venti).  Keep in mind that it is best to drink black coffee, as most additions like cream, sugar and whipped toppings add unwanted calories and fat grams. 

To sum it up, coffee is like everything else, enjoy in moderation and choose your drink using ‘Unwise, Better, Best’ method.  So, drink up and enjoy!

**Hey H3 Facebook Friends – you still have until next Wednesday to upload your favorite recipe photos to win the prize!  Why not whip up a batch of the Sweet Potato Scones or Blueberry Muffins to enjoy with your morning coffee?