Coffee & Tea Facts

Does Coffee or Tea Affect Fasting for Cholesterol?

To obtain an accurate cholesterol test, abstain from drinking anything but water for nine to 12 hours before the test, according to MayoClinic.com. Drinking a little of either may not significantly affect test results but, if you eat or drink anything during the fasting period, ask your doctor whether you should reschedule your blood screening.

 Facts on Tea

1. Boost Your Health With Tea

Not only is tea yummy and satisfying, but it is also beneficial to your health. Studies show that tea is rich in antioxidants, vitamins and minerals, such as vitamin A, thiamine, Riboflavin, vitamin C and folic acid. Tea also contains caffeine which, when consumed in moderation, could benefit your metabolism and brain function.

2. All Teas Are Not Created Equal

Tea is one of the most common drinks worldwide, and there are many varieties. Many people think all teas are alike, but they're not. The most common are green, black, white and oolong, and these are not the same as herbal teas. Even though they are different types of tea, each of these four teas comes from the leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant. Workers harvest white tea before the leaves are fully opened; they allow black tea to oxidize, but they do not allow green tea to oxidize. Oolong tea gets oxidized, but only slightly.

3. Get to Know Your Herbal Teas

You can infuse almost any herb into a tea, as well as some fruits like peaches, mangoes and oranges. Some teas are medicinal, such as echinaecea, which many people use to boost their immune systems. Other herbal teas calm your system, such as chamomile. Since some herbs are toxic, such as foxglove and comfrey, never brew them for casual tea sipping.

4. Grow Your Own Tea

If you live in the Midwest or southern states, you're in the prime climate to grow Camellia sinensis. This is the same plant from which green, black, white and oolong teas come. This small shrub likes sandy, well-drained soil that is a little on the acidic side. You'll need to wait at least three years before you begin to harvest your tea leaves. You can even grow your own herbs for tea. If you don't have enough land for an herb garden, plant them in small containers.

5. Brew a Warm Pot

Use about one to two teaspoons of your chosen loose tea or herbal tea per each 8-ounce cup. You can always add a little more if you would like. Use an infuser or a tea ball so you don't have to drink the leaves. Allow your water to come to a boil and then cool before brewing your tea. You can enjoy at least two to three cups of tea using the same tea leaves. It is also acceptable to use tea bags in the same method.

Facts on Organic Coffee

1. Wake Up With a Cup of Pesticide

Imagine drinking a cup of pesticide and herbicide each morning--that ought to wake you up. Years of ingesting pesticides and herbicides from foods gradually affect a person's body and overall health. In general, coffee ranks as the most chemically treated agricultural product on the planet. Although a controversial topic, research is currently being conducted to evaluate the consequences of long-term ingestion of pesticides and herbicides. Advocates of organic coffee and other foods believe both pesticides and herbicides damage cells and organs in human bodies and often lead to several types of cancer. Organic coffee growers use natural pesticides and herbicides, such as other bugs that are harmless to coffee plants. Artificial pesticides and herbicides also have long-term affects on the environment.

2. Organic Includes Environmentally Friendly Fertilizers

Growers of organic coffee use natural fertilizers, made up of organic matter. Non-organic coffee growers tend to apply inorganic chemicals as fertilizers to soil and to the coffee plants themselves. When artificial fertilizers are used, just as with the use of artificial pesticides/herbicides, chemicals stay with the beans and end up in your body. Synthetic fertilizers are also bad for the environment. These fertilizers eventually ruin soil and contaminate the water supply. Using organic fertilizers, such as blue green algae, naturally promotes plant growth without harming humans and damaging the environment.

3. Organic Coffee Tastes Better

Unlike non-organic coffees, organically produced coffee has a pure taste. Many coffees not organically grown tend to leave you with a metallic or chemical aftertaste, or they are harsher on your stomach. Granted, coffee beans from different regions and plantations produce varying tastes and strengths, but typically it's not the bean, itself, causing such aftertastes or upset stomachs.

4. Discover Certified Organic Suppliers

Make sure to buy certified organic coffee. Certification agencies, such as the Organic Crop Improvement Association, test and evaluate plantation growing environments, soils and agriculture techniques used. Coffee plantation owners pay fees for organic inspection and certification. When you buy organic coffee, look for the certification label. Find a list of organic coffee suppliers on the "Organic Trade Association" website.

5. Java That's Bird Safe

Most non-organic coffee is mass-produced on plantations where they cut down the trees. The goal is a higher coffee yield for these farmers. Unfortunately, most of these plantation areas are clear-cut and void of all trees, thereby eliminating the habitats of all sorts of species of birds around the world. In some countries, agriculture is causing the elimination of entire rain forests, and many of the new plantations are for coffee. Organically treated coffee plants grown under shade is good for the environment, and song birds like to use the actual coffee plants as a natural habitat. Promoting biodiversification, growing coffee plants under shade also decreases the call for herbicides and fertilizers.