But first…
We all have a caffeine ritual. For the majority of us it starts in the morning as we groggily get out of bed, drag ourselves to the kitchen and turn on the kettle (or a snazzy coffee machine).
As the room fills with that fresh scent of coffee, our senses awaken, the mood shifts and suddenly we feel a little more like ourselves. It’s addictive, but while some might take their caffeine habit to extremes, the right amount of coffee can have several health benefits.
To clue us in is Kim Thompson, co-owner and managing director at RAW Coffee Company, shares her belief that our daily indulgence can contribute towards maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
“It is common knowledge that caffeine gives us an energy boost,” she explains.
“In fact, it has many other health benefits as well. Especially if we use good quality beans, farmed and processed correctly, roasted fresh and ground just at the time of preparing your cup of coffee to make the most wholesome and authentic caffeinated drink with a multitude of health benefits.”
Here’s five known benefits of coffee:
- Enhances your cognitive function
- Improves energy, focus and performance
- Contains essential nutrients; vitamin B2, vitamin B5, vitamin B3, manganese and potassium
- Contains high levels of antioxidants, which help your body in removing toxins, fighting illness and slowing down the aging process
- Helps to burn fat by boosting the metabolic rate. When consumed before exercise, it can cause fat cells to be used as an energy source
Want to something a little different to your usual morning brew? Give one of these recipes a go.
Bulletproof coffee
Made from good quality freshly roasted coffee beans and water, with butter and coconut oil added, bulletproof coffee is keto and paleo friendly. Dave Asprey from Silicon Valley discovered the health benefits from this beverage and went on to patent it as bulletproof coffee. The coconut oil provides the rapidly absorbed source of energy. Often called the brain octane, the caprylic acid or C8 is brain food that is broken down super-fast. The butter or ghee on the other hand, provides the body with Omega 3 and Omega 6 fatty acids. All ingredients for the bulletproof recipe are readily available from your local shops.
Ingredients
• 1 cup of good quality brewed black coffee or long black espresso using filtered water
• 1 to 2 tablespoons of coconut oil
• 1 to 2 tablespoons of grass-fed butter
Optional extras
• Hydrolyzed collagen (thickening agent to add texture but rich in Amino acids and protein)
• A teaspoon of Chaga mushrooms or other superfood powder.
Method
Put all three ingredients in a blender and mix thoroughly
Cold brew coffee
A super easy-to-make coffee using a glass jar with a good quality filter. The coffee soaks or steeps in the water over an extended period of time and extracts all the good stuff without using temperature or pressure. It is also important to note that the ratio of coffee grounds to water. This has a dramatic effect on the amount of caffeine per mL of cold brew. Make sure you check the label as a super tasty brew may contain a large amount of caffeine.
Ingredients
• Two litre glass jar with a lid or cover
• 350g of fresh quality coarsely ground coffee
• 7x250ml cups of fresh filtered warm water at room temperature
• Clean muslin cloth folded into four layers with a rubber band to secure over the lid of the jar when you are ready to drain concentrate.
Method
1. Place half the ground coffee inside the clean glass jar.
2. Carefully soak the coffee with 400ml of water.
3. Add the remaining coffee grounds. Add the remaining water gently without stirring or agitating. Place the lid on the jar and rest it in a safe place on the kitchen bench at room temperature.
4. Leave the coffee soaking for between 12 to 24 hours, 18 hours is ideal.
5. Remove the lid to the jar and place the muslin cloth over the top of the jar and fix with a strong rubber band or string to hold in place.
6. Slowly strain the liquid coffee out into a storage bottle that you can leave for up to two weeks in your fridge.
