French Press Increases LDL Cholesterol

According to current research, drinking coffee can be very healthy for you – but watch how you brew it!  Recent studies have found conclusively that coffee brewed without filters (such as percolator coffee, Scandinavian boil brewing, and yes, even the oh-so-ubiquitous and beloved French press coffee maker) can actually be harmful to your health.

The problem is unfiltered coffee’s effect in increasing your LDL (bad) cholesterol.

According to an Auburn University study, “unfiltered coffee (such as French-press coffee, Turkish coffee, or Scandinavian boiled coffee, or coffee prepared in a percolator), specifically two diterpenes, cafestol and kahweol,” are potent stimulators of LDL cholesterol levels.

Why is coffee brewed with paper filter methods healthier?

Cafestol is found in the oily fraction of coffee, and when you brew coffee with a paper filter, the cafestol gets left behind in the filter.  “…For people who have high cholesterol levels,” says one Harvard University 2012 study, “or who want to prevent having high cholesterol levels, it is better to choose paper filtered coffee or instant coffee, since they have much lower levels of cafestol than boiled or French press coffee.”

What about Espresso coffee?  Is that safe?

Espresso is moderately acceptable for your health; it has less cafestol than boiled or French press coffee, but more bad LDL cholesterol than paper filtered coffee.

–  s  —

So if your Aunt Louise wants to get you that chic French Press coffee brewer for your holiday gift this year, tell her that you’ve decided to get off your statins this year and switch to a ceramic cone drip brewing system and unbleached paper filters.  If she’s unsure where to get these brewers, you can find some of them on WiseCoffee.com or on Amazon.com. 

Here are some links to our favorite sources of sound brewing equipment and supplies:

• HIC Porcelain Coffee Filter Cone on Amazon.com

o   No. 2 and No. 4, starting at only $12.49 with free 2-day shipping

o   http://www.amazon.com/HIC-Porcelain-Coffee-Filter-Cone/dp/B001W6Q53C/ref=sr_1_10?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1356053332&sr=1-10&keywords=cone+coffee+maker+glass

• Porcelain No 1 Cone, $6.50 at WiseCoffee.com 

o   http://www.wisecoffee.com/shop/supplies-and-gear-c2.php

 

• Unbleached paper filters at WiseCoffee.com

o   Coffee Filters, Natural Brown, 40-100 Count

o   No. 1, No 2, No. 4  starting at $2.00.

o   http://www.wisecoffee.com/shop/supplies-and-gear-c2.php

• Chemex 8-Cup classic glass coffee brewer on Amazon.com

o   $38.85 with free 2-day shipping

o   http://www.amazon.com/Chemex-Coffee-Maker-Cup-Classic/dp/B000I1WP7W/ref=sr_1_8?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1356053249&sr=1-8&keywords=cone+coffee+maker+glass

Coffee Song of the Month: "Java Jive" by the King Sisters (1941)

In each issue, we'll be highlighting a song or musical composition whose theme is all about coffee!  This month's selection is the coffee tune classic "Java Jive" first sung by the Ink Spots in 1940, rising to #15 in the song charts. 

In this clip from a 1941 movie, the four King Sisters (Luise, Alyce, Donna, and Vonnie), accompanied by Alvino Rey and his Orchestra, with Skeets Herfurt and Dick Morgan, perform the song The Java Jive, written by Milton Drake and Ben Oakland.

Java Jive - The King Sisters (1941)

The King Sisters were Mormons who later had a lot of kids and were supposedly a model for The Osmond Family.  Interesting factoid:  meant they were not allowed to drink coffee - even tea.

The Health Benefits of Coffee

Coffee has gotten a bad reputation.  Doctors used to warn us of its adversity, such as high acidity and ulcers, jitters from Caffeine, and a plethora of other negative side effects.

Well, times have changed – and science has finally caught up.  We did our research to seek out current scientific findings, only using studies that included a wide survey of people who drink coffee regularly.  According to the Harvard School of Public Health, the National Cancer Institute, the Annals of Internal Medicine, and the American Heart Association’s journal Circulation Heart Failure, coffee is proven to actually good for you.  The results were amazing – and extensive.  Here are some of the findings.

 

Disease Suppression and Reduction

Studies found that consuming two cups of coffee a day can have great health benefits:

• Due to its chlorogenic acid content (a chemical in coffee that reduces blood glucose levels, boosts insulin sensitivity, and decreases fat and carbohydrate storages), drinking as little as one cup of coffee a day reduces the risk of Diabetes by 13%.
• Decreases gall stones by 50%
• Cuts Cirrhosis of the liver by 80%
• Cuts Parkinson ’s symptoms by 80%; in fact, regular, moderate coffee drinkers are ½ as likely to get the disease due to coffee’s increase the amount of dopamine being produced by the body.
• Improves mood
• Stops headaches due to vasodilation from caffeine

Wise Partners: ECO Caters

ECO Caters is by far one of the most amazing caterers in all of Los Angeles.  This is a big statement for a foodie town like LA.  We say this not only because of their incredible food, beautifully crafted event design, attention to detail and wildly happy clients.  We say this because of their integrity and dedication to their mission to provide the highest quality catering with handcrafted foods made 100% from scratch while minimizing their impact on the environment.  In our day-to-day work, we see much of the “behind the scenes” of what goes on (for real) in the food industry, and it’s not all what it seems out there.  But by far, ECO Caters leads the pack with its extraordinary standards in taste, design, and sincerity of purpose.

ECO Caters Partners wtih Wise Coffee

Eco Caters is proud to announce our new partnership with Wise Coffee.  We now provide Wise Coffee at all of ourLos Angeles area events.
by Eric Nigg, Social Media Coordinator for Eco Caters


Wise Coffee is 100% organic and that’s important to us here at Eco Caters. We like to see our venders holding themselves to the same quality standards that we hold ourselves, too. Wise Coffee goes above and beyond by packaging their coffee with recycled and sustainable materials. They have thought of everything.

Beyond the fact that Wise Coffee is 100% organic, it’s just great tasting coffee! They sacrifice nothing in flavor. They roast in small batches to keep their level of quality up and to make sure each cup of coffee you brew is perfect. The passion Ryuichi and Sheila have for their coffee is evident upon your first sip.

Ryuichi and Sheila are far from a couple Coffee junkies, their knowledge and articulation of coffee is more inline with that of a sophisticated wine connoisseur. They started their website (wisecoffee.com) in 2005 as a hub for caffeinated enthusiast such as themselves. The website grew out of a frustration at the bountiful amount of poorly roasted coffee bean options and a lack of awareness coffee drinkers had in choosing their beans. The website is loaded with educational information and it is also broken down quiet nicely, making it easy to swallow.

You don’t need to cater an event with Eco Caters, our Los Angeles catering company to taste Wise Coffee, they are more than happy to talk with you personally and suggest a roast to fit your taste buds. Their website offers bags of coffee starting around $12. Give them a try! You won’t regret it.

August 2012 Coffee Song of the Month: "40 Cups of Coffee" by Ella Mae Morse

In each issue of The Coffee Talk News, we'll be highlighting a song or musical composition whose theme is all about coffee!  This month's selection is a well-known ditty that rose to #26 on the Billboard Top 100 charts in 1953, "40 Cups of Coffee" sung by Ella Mae Morse.

The Texas-born Morse was one of the most talented "Va-Va-Voom" vocalists of 1940s and 50s, starting at the tender age of 14 in the Jimmy Dorsey band. Her larger than life performances knocked 'em dead! Ella blended Jazz, Country, Pop, and R&B, coming remarkably close to what would soon be known as Rock & Roll. Elvis Presley even once praised her for teaching him how to sing.

Composer Danny Overbea's hit song from 1953 was also recorded by Les Brown and Bill Haley.

Click here to read full lyrics

Wise Partners: Cynthia Saito of Treehouse Tykes

Wise Coffee, Inc. is honored to have incredible partnerships with fantastic companies and communities.  In each issue of "The Coffee Talk News," we'll interview one of our partners and talk with them about their businesses, what makes them tick, and where they and their companies are going.  These are the people to watch! 

We sat down with Cynthia Saito, Co-founder and Vice President of Merchandising for Treehouse Tykes.  Treehouse Tykes is the leading venue for children's furniture, bedding, gear, accessories and apparel at up to 70% off. Membership is free and 10% of our net proceeds go to the school or charity of your choice.

Treehouse Tykes is a supporter of Wise Coffee, and our second online event with them is coming up on August 24th.

Best Ever Summertime Iced Coffee

Yield: 1 serving

Prep Time: 15 min

There is something about am ice cold glass of freshly brewed iced coffee on a hot summer’s day.  Sweet, creamy and satisfying, it’s the treat you crave.  Here’s how to make a perfectly balanced iced coffee beverage – that is organic and good for you, too!


Ingredients:

1 cup of ice cubes

1 strong cup of freshly brewed Wise Coffee Summertime Roast Organic Coffee

2 Tablespoons of organic cream, milk, or half and half

1 to 2 teaspoons of granulated organic sugar or light agave syrup

Directions:

1. Brew a cup of Wise Coffee Summertime Roast Organic Coffee using double the amount of beans. 
2. Add organic sugar to the hot coffee and stir to dissolve.  Let cool 15 minutes.
3. Fill a glass to the top with ice cubes.
4. Pour organic cream or milk over ice.
5. Slowly pour sweetened, cooled coffee mixture to the cup of ice and milk.
6. Watch and enjoy as the silken threads of milk swirl through the ice with the dark, rich coffee.  Stir (if you must) and enjoy!

Tips:

• Be sure to use dark, rich coffee like the Wise Coffee Summertime Roast Organic Coffee for your iced coffee.  Lighter coffees are weak and watered down.  Even if you don’t like drinking French Roast coffee hot, you’ll adore it in this recipe.  In fact, doubling the amount of coffee grinds that you use in your brewing of the coffee will only enhance the depth of flavor you’ll be rewarded with in the end.
• Melt your sugar into the hot coffee right after it’s brewed, don’t just spoon it into the iced coffee after everything is mixed.  This will ensure that you will not have the gritty sugar layer at the bottom of your iced coffee glass and that the entire drink is evenly sweetened.
• Don’t pour hot coffee over ice directly.  This will only melt the ice and cause a watery, disappointing result, and may also cause the iced coffee to be bitter.  Be patient and wait the full 15 minutes of cooling time for the coffee before adding it over the ice.

© 2012 Wise Coffee, Inc.  Download the recipe.  To buy a pound of Wise Coffee’s Summertime French Roast, visit us at www.wisecoffee.com/shop.

Why Freshness Is So Important to Coffee Quality

Nothing is better than a fresh cup of coffee. But how fresh IS your “fresh” coffee?  Does it matter?

Yes, say many of the experts in the coffee profession.  Freshness, in fact, is the number one consideration for a superior brewed cup-a-joe than where the beans are from or even brewing method.  And do you want to take advantage of the health benefits of coffee?  Then read on…

The Truth About Coffee Freshness

Once roasted, the coffee beans immediately begin degenerating from fresh to stale.  Whole beans are best to purchase, since whole beans (stored properly) will stay relatively “fresh” and continue to yield an optimal brewed result for up to 3-4 weeks.  After that, the coffee is officially stale.

Never buy ground coffee.  Coffee beans, once ground, start oxidizing and lose aroma, taste, AND health benefits within 24 hours.  Stored properly, you can continue to coax out a good result for up to one week. 

Also, never EVER grind your coffee in a shared public grinder, like those found in your supermarket.  This will mix your new beans with other, older, oxidized beans from who-knows-when and it will taint your coffee’s quality.

So, if staleness is the enemy of coffee quality, then what constitutes “fresh?”

The measure of freshness for coffee relies on four factors: 

1. Time from roaster to retail shelves;
2. How long it sits on the shelves once it’s there;
3. How you store it once you get it home; and
4. How long you store it for.

Obsessively Searching for a Great Cup of Coffee

How Wise Coffee Was Born


   Ryuichi Okabayashi
   Roaster & Founder

   Wise Coffee, Inc.

Wise Coffee’s founder, Ryuichi Okabayashi, has been obsessed with coffee since his childhood in Japan, where they’ve perfected the art of roasting and brewing amazing coffee for over 50 years.  There, coffee is a sensual and satisfying experience, honed by years of Japanese obsession for process and perfection in striving for a perfect cup of coffee that is rich and memorable, honoring all that coffee can be.

But when Ryuichi came to the US in the mid-80’s, he was flabbergasted that he was unable to find a descent cup of coffee.  He expected that America would have great coffee, as drinking coffee was a well-known national obsession in the US.  However, at that time the coffee offerings in Southern California were limited to the old American diner style coffee experience that was a left-over from decades past. “The worst coffee I’ve had to date in the US – anywhere – was at a deli in midtown LA,” he comments. “It was hot and brown, but I wouldn’t call it coffee.  It was very frustrating.”

With the premium coffee trend of the 1990’s brought on by Starbuck’s, Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf and other retail coffee outlets, coffee got more expensive, but not much better.  Ryuichi was still not satisfied.  He was still chasing the great coffee experiences he’d remembered from his life in Japan.  Ryuichi often tells people, “Until you’ve had great coffee, you really don’t know what you’ve been missing.  But once you have an amazing cup of coffee, freshly roasted and respectfully brewed, you’ll never be able to go back to retail coffee again.”

Roast Levels Decoded

There are several levels of roasting that each brings out a certain taste and aroma of the coffee bean.  These are determined by how long the bean is in the roaster and at what level they are cooled off to stop the roasting process.  Setting the characteristic levels such as “light” and “dark” are subjective offerings that are reflective of the experience and preferences of the roaster. 

The process of roasting has associated with it certain definitive standards which are tied to the physical properties of roasting.  While roasting, the green beans break out of its shell, much like popcorn.  This is called the “crack” of the bean.  There are two different “cracks” that happen during the roasting process, called the “first crack” and the “second crack.”  Depending on the desired level of roasting, the beans may or may not be heated all the way through to the second crack.

Here is a chart of the Wise Coffee Roast Levels and how we determine the labeling of our beans:

What's So "Wise" About Wise Coffee?

We know that micro-roasted, organic (and fair trade wherever possible) coffee is the best possible way to enjoy coffee.  But why do we call it “Wise” coffee?

• Organic.  “Wise” coffee is coffee that is 100% organic (and fair trade wherever possible) - the wise choice to make when buying coffee.  Wise Coffee is free of the pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, chemical fertilizers, and other potentially harmful chemicals used in the production of conventionally grown coffee.  Wise Coffee allows you to take advantage of the healthful benefits of coffee while protecting the environment (and the people who grow the green beans) from the effects of harmful chemicals. 

• Healthy.  Wise Coffee is the smart choice for better health.  Recent research suggests that drinking moderate amounts of coffee (two to four cups per day) provides a wide range of health benefits.  In addition to coffee containing 4 times the amount of cancer-fighting anti-oxidants as green tea, moderate coffee drinking may lower the risk of colon cancer, gallstones, cirrhosis of the liver, Parkinson’s disease, and asthma (and in some studies – coffee even lowers the rate of suicide).

• Fresh.  Wise Coffee is the choice for a micro-roasted fresh cup of coffee every time, never stale or stockpiled.  Obviously, drinking coffee that has been freshly roasted and properly brewed is more beneficial (and tasty) than suffering coffee that is terminally stale or badly brewed.  In fact, coffee starts losing its freshness and health benefits as soon as you roast it and can be reasonably acceptable to drink for only a few weeks if stored properly.  Moreover, as soon as you grind the coffee, the taste and benefits fall away almost immediately (which is why we sell only beans so that ground coffee is not going stale on our customers’ countertops).  Just as a comparison, retail outlets (such as Starbuck’s) roast in massive batches of coffee that are stored, whole bean and ground, for months prior to sale.  In-store retails options, such as Folgers, allow a “freshness standard” that includes 2-3 months for coffee to be process and be delivered to the store shelves, up to 1 year of shelf life in the store, and a recommended 6 months to 1 year of recommended shelf life, after you get it home.  Wouldn’t you rather be “Wise?”

 

Wise Coffee's Commitment to Organic

Wise Coffee is 100% Organic and Fair Trade wherever possible. We sell USDA Certified Organic coffees and Fair Trade USA is our certification organization where fair trade beans are available.

In fact, our entire company, Wise Coffee, Inc.,  is based on the principles of environmental responsibility and following through with what we offer to our customers – and how we run our business.

This includes:

• Coffee Bags. Our coffee bean bags are made from 40% recycled and 25% PCW (Post-Consumer Waste) brown paper. The lining of the bags is PLA (Polylactic Acid), a thermoplastic derived from renewable resources, such as corn starch.
• Labeling.We use stamps to mark our bags rather than toxic labels. That means that when you're done drinking our amazing coffee, you can just throw the bag into the compost or recycle bin!
• Shipping.We ship using 100% recyclable products, right down to our product packing supplies and inserts.
• Paper Products.Wherever possible, we use recycled paper products in our office and in our order invoices and inserts.
• Marketing.Our marketing also reflects Wise Coffee, Inc.’s commitment to the environment.We do not do any print advertising nor do we offer promotional items that are not 100% environmentally safe.We use email marketing, online magazines, web-based discount codes, and other online and social media marketing to promote Wise Coffee products.
• Additional Products.  All of our products that we offer in addition to our coffee (such as filters, mugs, and ceramic brewing cones) are environmentally safe and responsible as well.

  

Great Coffee Tips: Storage, Brewing, Re-Order Timing

Here are some tips to get the best quality coffee experience from our premium, micro-roasted organic coffees from Wise Coffee:

STORAGE:

• Keep sealed in a dry, cool place.
• Do NOT store beans or ground coffee in the refrigerator or freezer EVER.
• Do not grind all of the coffee beans at once. Only grind what you will be able to use within a week.
• Use glass or ceramic containers to store (and drink) your coffee. Dr. Joseph Mercola, a world-renowned expert on how to improve your health with foods adds, “Also be careful about the container you use. You will want to avoid plastic cups as the BPA from the plastic will migrate into your blood. You also want to avoid the use of Styrofoam cups as that will leach polystyrene molecules. Your best bets include glass and ceramic [containers].”

BREWING:

• Use natural, unbleached paper filters. According to Dr. Mercola, "If you use a 'drip' coffee maker, be sure to use non-bleached filters. The bright white ones, which most people use, are chlorine bleached and some of this chlorine will be extracted from the filter during the brewing process and they are also full of dangerous disinfection by products like dioxin."
• Metal filters have a tendency to sully the taste of the coffee. Furthermore, the metal filters do not trap the unhealthy oils (called cafestrols), causing an increase in LDL cholesterol in your blood.
• Use fresh, filtered water. Chlorine and other minerals and chemical additives in tap water are harmful to your health and also destroy coffee's aroma and taste.
• Use the hottest boiling water possible, then let it cool off a bit. Ideal is 190° - 200°F (boiling temperature is 212°F). NEVER blend newly boiled water and unboiled water as it will muddy the taste of the coffee.
• Brewed coffee will continue to change in aroma and taste as the coffee cools off.

RE-ORDER TIMING:

• Be sure to give at least 3-4 days lead time for re-ordering your Wise Coffee. We roast each batch to order. Beans take up to 48 hours to “cure.” Curing refers to the process of the newly roasted coffee beans off-gassing CO2.  Off-gassing is a natural process of all roasted products.  This 2-day curing period creates the best possible quality of aroma and taste for your coffee.
• Coffee’s taste keeps changing right after the roasting.  Maximum taste quality will remain up to 1 month after roasting.
• Remember, Wise Coffee individually micro-roasts its coffee beans.  Therefore, each batch is unique and will be slightly varied from order to order.