Coffee is the favorite beverage of billions of people in the morning. It helps us wake up and boosts our energy levels and offers numerous health benefits as well. However, it is one of those products that has a 50\50 split between health benefits and health risks – while some people benefit from it, others can have a negative experience. Most people don’t even realize that not all coffee is equal – some types are stronger and better, while others are of low quality.
Caffeine is a healthy compound that can protect us from Alzheimer’s disease, stroke, dementia, heart disease and reduce the risk of diabetes and cancer as well. At the same time, it’s just as addictive as some drugs and may cause anxiety, fatigue and insomnia. Furthermore, it’s a big health risk in people suffering from high blood pressure or diabetes. Coffee is one of the crops with highest pesticide levels, so it’s very important for it to be organic. As it comes from different countries and travels around the world, mold is a problem for coffee as well. Mold has become such a factor for coffee that there’s a diet called the Bulletproof Diet which involves drinking coffee that has almost no mold. Brewed coffee sometimes contains grass-fed butter and different types of coconut, significantly reduces the quality and causes certain problems. Finally, long-term coffee consumption may increase the acidity in your body and raise the risk of several health problems.
How to counteract the acidity of coffee
Most of the negative health effects of coffee come from its acidity. Coffee has a pH value of 5.0, while our bodies work optimally at a pH level of 7.4. In order to feel best, experts recommend consuming foods with a pH between 7.30-7.45. While science hasn’t been able to discover how to make coffee alkaline, there’s a Middle Eastern trick that can help. People in the Middle East have been adding cardamom seeds to coffee for centuries in order to counteract its acidity.
Cardamom is an alkaline spice that can be safely mixed with coffee. It can regulate the body’s pH levels and has a soothing effect on the digestive system, while cleaning the lungs and opening the heart as well. Cardamom is also a powerful detoxifying and anti-inflammatory agent that can improve our oral health. The recommended amount of cardamom seeds in coffee is a pinch or ½ a teaspoon of powdered cardamom per cup – this will boost the coffee’s health benefits and add a unique aroma and flavor.
Cardamom is the secret ingredient in Turkish coffee
Traditional Turkish coffee has a distinctive aroma and taste, which is why people can’t get back to regular coffee once they try it. The secret has been kept under wraps for centuries, but now it’s finally out. The secret ingredient in Turkish coffee that makes it taste so great are cardamom seeds. Here’s how to prepare a cup of this beverage:
- 1 cup filtered water
- 1/8 teaspoon of powdered cardamom
- 1 tablespoon of Arabic coffee
To brew this type of coffee, you’ll first need an ibrik, a traditional Turkish coffee pot. Add the water and sugar in and boil the mixture, then remove the ibrik from the heat and add the coffee and cardamom. Now, return the pot to the heat and boil until the coffee foams, then remove it again and pour it in a cup. Leave the coffee to cool down for a couple of minutes and enjoy.
Article and image source: althealthworks.com