Everybody loves a good cup of coffee. It may be the caffeine kick, the powerful aroma, or the rich taste that makes it popular among the young and old alike. Coffee is the favorite companion of people from all generations and all walks of life, from old folks who chat over coffee, to businessmen who use it as booster for late night reports, and even to students who use it as brain stimulant while cramming for exams. Different people have different reasons why they drink coffee.

The coffee industry is a lucrative industry that offers a wide range of products, from coffee beans, instant coffee, coffeemakers, to grinders, to name a few. Coffee grinders are widely available in the market. These grinders are classified according to their purpose. The first type is a grinder intended for home and office use. If used well, it can also be very durable. This grinder can make up to ten cups of coffee in a single brewing. It has the capability to serve the whole family or several officemates. This coffee grinder is usually portable and lightweight. Keep in mind that the heavier the grinder, the better. A coffee grinder with a big and heavy motor has the ability to give out more torque in a relatively slow speed. Thus, it has enough power to thoroughly grind the coffee beans.

Another type of grinder is the Espresso grinder. This grinder is commonly used in cafes and small restaurants. It is intended for commercial use. It weighs about 10 lbs and it can produce stronger flavors. Added to that is the fact that this grinder can produce more cups in one brewing. A small single serving from this grinder holds a strong amount of caffeine.

The next type of grinder is a commercial coffee grinder, built to grind several pounds of coffee beans all day long without the risk of overheating. A commercial coffee grinder possesses a big electrical motor and large hoppers. This allows it to sustain long and continuous hours of grinding beans. Most of these grinders are fully automatic and run on a regular 110 or 220 volts power.

The last type is a retail coffee grinder which is basically used in gourmet supermarkets and cafes. It has the ability to grind faster and possesses superb precision. It is what most people commonly see in several coffee shops serving cups of hot coffee to a very long queue of coffee lovers.

The human body is one amazing and complex machine that is equipped with a mechanism of repair and self maintenance. However, being constantly subjected to wear and tear conditions such as pollution and ultraviolet light radiation, we become at risk for premature aging.

Aging is a natural and progressive process affecting all parts of the body. The degenerative changes lead to a declining capability to respond to stress, increase in frailty, increased incidence of age-related diseases and consequently, death. Aging is the result of a process called oxidation. Oxidation gives rise to highly reactive substances called free radicals. These free radicals react with and cause the deterioration of molecules. However, free radicals are unable to recognize healthy body cells and foreign bodies. Aging results when free radicals start attacking healthy body cells.

Substances that counteract the damaging and harmful effects of free radicals are called antioxidants. These are contained in essential enzymes, vitamins, and minerals found in our food to help fight off free radicals. Some antioxidants are naturally occurring and plentiful in common vitamins such as Vitamin A (retinol), Vitamin C (ascorbic acid), Vitamin E (tocopherol), and selenium. These antioxidants are helpful in the prevention of the progress of chronic diseases like heart disease, cancer, stroke, cataracts, rheumatoid arthritis, and Alzheimer’s disease.

Many food choices in our diet include antioxidant vitamins such as fruits, meat, poultry, fish, and vegetables. According to a study conducted at the University of Scranton (Pa.), coffee is the number one source of antioxidants in the diet of Americans. Both the caffeinated and decaf versions of coffee have been surprisingly shown as the primary source of Americans with antioxidants and appear to provide similar levels of antioxidants. The potential benefits from these antioxidants, however, depend on how the body absorbs and utilizes them. This result has come in timely when coffee consumption has increased all across the US and the world, adding on to the list of healthful benefits of coffee.

Chlorogenic acid, one active component of coffee, neutralizes the harmful free radicals and hydroxyl radicals which can both lead to cell degeneration. In addition, chlorogenic acid helps in the regulation of metabolism. It acts by changing the way glucose is absorbed by the body, hence, boosting metabolism. In addition, chlorogenic acid in coffee bean is found out to be two times as effective in the absorption of oxygen free radicals as compared to that contained in green tea and grape seed extract.

In the past 20 years, we have heard of a lot of negative ideas and rumors about coffee and caffeine intake. However, more and more of these ideas turn out to be just rumors. New studies on the contents and potentials of coffee have given us a new perspective on this chemically-complex but tempting drink.

More than just the caffeine kick to keep us awake and alert, studies show that coffee is also associated with other potential health benefits such as increased protection against colon and liver cancer, Parkinson’s disease, and Type 2 (Non Insulin Dependent) diabetes.

In several studies, coffee consumption has been found out to reduce the risk of colon cancer. Coffee is believed to increase movement of food; hence, reducing the time of exposure to cancer-inducing substances in the colon. Apart from this, coffee is also believed to reduce the output of bile acids that play an active part in promoting cancer in the colon. In addition, coffee also contains caffeic, chlorogenic acid, cafestol, and kahweol. These are compounds with strong antioxidant properties and anticarcinogenic activity. Caffeine is also known to reduce the risk of liver cirrhosis, the starting point of liver cancer.

In a study on the effect of caffeine on memory, women aged 65 and above who drank three or more cups of coffee (or equal amounts of caffeine in tea) daily, significantly scored higher in memory tests compared to those women of the same age but drank one cup or less of tea or coffee daily. However, caffeine does not seem to prevent dementia but only slows down the process.

Additionally, some studies show that caffeine protects against depression and Parkinson’s disease. This is associated with the caffeine’s ability to inhibit the effect of adenosine receptors. On the other hand, caffeine increases dopamine, the hormone responsible for the “happy feeling”, in the brain; hence, easing depression.

In a research conducted by Italian scientists, coffee was found out to give protection against blepharospasm, a condition involving involuntary eye spasm where the affected individual blinks uncontrollably. This condition might lead to severe visual impairment. In severe cases, this may lead to functional blindness despite intact eyeballs as the patient cannot hinder closing his or her eyes. A daily consumption of one to two cups may delay onset age of blepharospasm and is believed to be due to the effect of caffeine on the adenosine receptors of the brain.