Bukidnon Corn Coffee: A Healthier Alternative?
Coffee has received so much bad publicity in the recent years that one should be wondering why it is still such a popular drink all over the world. I, for one, do not care much for all the negative news – and I don’t really listen. If, however, you are feel differently and you have been looking for an alternative to coffee, then here is something that might interest you: corn coffee.
How can it be coffee if it is made from corn? That’s why it’s an alternative, silly!
The story is that in the Philippines, the people used to use corn kernels as substitutes for coffee beans during World War II. The reason is that the Japanese occupation disrupted the farming of coffee, while corn was still in relatively abundant supply. Hence corn coffee was born.
According to those who have tried corn coffee, you really wouldn’t notice the difference. Maybe it’s something like saying “It tastes just like chicken!” when trying out a new kind of meat? While I am not disregarding the idea that corn coffee may taste good (it probably does – corn products do taste great), I highly doubt that the difference from real coffee is not detectable. If coffee enthusiasts can detect the subtle differences between different kinds of coffee and how they are brewed/roasted, how much more for coffee made out of other beans?
In any case, this is worth checking out. This kind of coffee is supposed to be good, free of caffeine, and organic. What more can you ask for (aside from “real” coffee, that is)?
I haven’t seen any site selling this coffee internationally, though. If you know people from Manila, Philippines, they might be able to get some for you. Anyone here who has tried corn coffee?
Photo credit: kevindooley
Shorter Babies Result From Heavy Caffeine Intake
I wonder if my mom had a lot of coffee while she was carrying me! I highly doubt it, as she is not really much of a coffee drinker now. Anyhow, a group of researchers from The Netherlands recently released the findings of their study: the amount of caffeine intake that a mother has during pregnancy can affect the size of her baby.
The study shows that the effects of caffeine can already be significant in the first trimester, especially if the mother takes 6 cups (or more) of coffee per day. The researchers are from Erasmus Medical Centre in Rotterdam and they conducted the studies on 7,300 Dutch women. When the study commenced, the women were all in their early stages of pregnancy. Some of them were heavy coffee drinkers while some were not.
So what does this mean for pregnant women or women who are planning on getting pregnant?
I suppose the study can serve as a warning. While it does not say that more serious issues may arise from heavy caffeine intake during pregnancy, it is better to be safe than sorry. Still, I can’t really just take these results without any doubts. What about those other studies that say that drinking coffee during pregnancy is okay? More so, the researchers behind this most recent study say that their findings are not conclusive and that they need more information – to which I say again “as usual.”
So, if you want to increase your chances of having a tall kid – just lay off on the caffeine. Your kid will thank you for it.
Aussie Doctors: Gulp Down More Java!
What do you do when you have been up for a day and a night working feverishly to finish a deadline and you still have 12 hours or so to go? Option number 1 – go to sleep, deadline be darned. Option number 2 – drink your favorite energy drink. Option number 3 – drink all the coffee that you can.
I would choose the first option if I could, but that is not always possible. If the Queensland Health Department is to be followed, though, doctors should just increase their caffeine intake if they find themselves in a similar situation. Based on a policy paper on fatigue risk management, Queensland Health proposed a plan for the “strategic use of caffeine” that will be “beneficial to doctors.”
Initial thoughts: I can’t believe they even considered the idea, much less wrote it down on paper! This is what the paper says:
“The recommended dosage for a prolonged and significant reduction in sleepiness during a night without sleep has been suggested at 400mg of caffeine… equivalent to about five to six cups of coffee.”
Now if they were talking about an office worker, maybe I wouldn’t be so befuddled. But they’re talking about doctors here – people who actually work to save lives! If they are exhausted, shouldn’t they get some rest instead of trying to keep going?
This is exactly what medical associations in Australia are saying:
“Lives are being put on the line, that’s why the AMA has repeatedly drawn attention to this, we’ve got to change the attitude, we’ve got to change the rostering.”
Well I hope they do something about it. We all love coffee but having your doctor see you (or operate on you!) while on a caffeine high is a scary thought!
Photo courtesy of Getty Images
