Antioxidant Java...Yes, I Will Have Another Cup.

One of my great pleasures in life is a cup of coffee in the morning, and having cups thoughout the day available.

I do not do any laundry or dishes, or bathing of children until after there is coffee brewed and a cup poured.

I have been guilty (a little), worried that caffiene would cause me to go berserk and unload my Uzi on the kids waiting at the bus stop, but it turns out that I was just getting my antioxidants.

Read this and exult, coffee lovers, retired or otherwise.

Remember, it is free radicals that cause us to age, and it is antioxidants that soak up the free radicals. More coffee, more health, right?

"Coffee provides more than just a morning jolt; that steaming cup of java is also the number one source of antioxidants in the U.S. diet, according to a new study by researchers at the University of Scranton (Pa.). Their study was described today at the 230th national meeting of the American Chemical Society, the world's largest scientific society.

"Americans get more of their antioxidants from coffee than any other dietary source. Nothing else comes close," says study leader Joe Vinson, Ph.D., a chemistry professor at the university. Although fruits and vegetables are generally promoted as good sources of antioxidants, the new finding is surprising because it represents the first time that coffee has been shown to be the primary source from which most Americans get their antioxidants, Vinson says. Both caffeinated and decaf versions appear to provide similar antioxidant levels, he adds.

He cautions that high antioxidant levels in foods and beverages don't necessarily translate into levels found in the body. The potential health benefits of these antioxidants ultimately depends on how they are absorbed and utilized in the body, a process that is still poorly understood, says Vinson, whose study was primarily funded by the American Cocoa Research Institute.

The news follows a growing number of reports touting the potential health benefits of drinking coffee. It also comes at an appropriate time: Coffee consumption is on the rise in the United States and over half of Americans drink it everyday, according to the National Coffee Association.

Antioxidants in general have been linked to a number of potential health benefits, including protection against heart disease and cancer. For the current study, Vinson and his associates analyzed the antioxidant content of more than 100 different food items, including vegetables, fruits, nuts, spices, oils and common beverages. The data was compared to an existing U.S. Department of Agriculture database on the contribution of each type of food item to the average estimated U.S. per capita consumption.

Coffee came out on top, on the combined basis of both antioxidants per serving size and frequency of consumption, Vinson says. Java easily outranked such popular antioxidant sources as tea, milk, chocolate and cranberries, he says. Of all the foods and beverages studied, dates actually have the most antioxidants of all based solely on serving size, according to Vinson. But since dates are not consumed at anywhere near the level of coffee, the blue ribbon goes to our favorite morning pick-me-up as the number one source of antioxidants, he says.

Besides keeping you alert and awake, coffee has been linked to an increasing number of potential health benefits, including protection against liver and colon cancer, type 2 diabetes, and Parkinson's disease, according to some recently published studies. But there's also a downside: Java can make you jittery and cause stomach pains, while some studies have tied it to elevated blood pressure and heart rates. More research is needed, particularly human studies, to firmly establish its health benefits, Vinson says.

While the findings would seem to encourage people to go out and drink more coffee, Vinson emphasizes moderation. "One to two cups a day appear to be beneficial," he says. If you don't like coffee, consider drinking black tea, which is the second most consumed antioxidant source in the U.S. diet, Vinson says. Bananas, dry beans and corn placed third, fourth and fifth, respectively.

But don't forget about fresh fruits and veggies, the researcher cautions. "Unfortunately, consumers are still not eating enough fruits and vegetables, which are better for you from an overall nutritional point of view due to their higher content of vitamins, minerals and fiber," Vinson says. Dates, cranberries and red grapes are among the top fruits for antioxidants on the basis of concentration (antioxidants per serving size), he says.

We Frazzled Family members who enjoy a cup (or two) of java every morning want to make available to you wonderful, tasty, anti-aging coffee in all its varieties right here.

Or how about this coffee folks, made with mushrooms.

Glyconutrients With Your Caffiene, Why Sure.

Glyconutrients in Medicinal Mushrooms

Medicinal Mushrooms have been used in the Orient for thousands of years – unknowingly for their glyconutrient content.

A number of them – Maitake, Reishi, Shiitake, Coriolus, and Cordyceps among others – have long been used in the Orient to prevent and fight disease

Reishi was hailed as the mushroom of immortality; and ancients used it to sharpen memory, improve mood, and enhance vital energy (qi or chi).

However, this mushroom is purely medicinal and not for eating. A substance derived from Reishi mushrooms is called Ling Zhi-8; and according to studies, this protein-rich gluconutrient may help in treating leukemia.

The glyconutrient is often used there in conjunction with traditional cancer treatment since it seems to work synergistically with chemotherapy and radiation.

In fact, the extract is one of the best-selling cancer drugs in Japan and Europe. Polysaccharide P (PSP) was first isolated from the Coriolus mushroom in China, where it is used to treat cancer. Preliminary studies indicate that it also fights the flu and boosts the overall immune system.

Button mushrooms, found in almost every grocery store, are NOT a good saccharide source. In fact, several studies have concluded that this mushroom actually induces benign and cancerous tumors, particularly if eaten raw.

Cordyceps are rich in Glucose, Mannose, and Galactose polysaccharides and are used in China to treat cancer by rousing the immune system to ferret out cancer cells and destroy them.

This well-studied mushroom is also used to treat high cholesterol and high blood pressure, lupus, kidney disease, hepatitis, cirrhosis of the liver, asthma, and diabetes. Studies have shown that they also have the ability to suppress Lupus from attacking the kidneys.

Several studies have suggested that Cordyceps and other medicinal mushrooms can prevent the development of type I diabetes.

There are more than 200 known mushrooms that contain the essential saccharides capable of arming the immune system.

Unless the mushrooms are very fresh, it is better to use dried ones. Drying does not degrade the glyconutrient content; in fact, it preserves the nutrients.

Whether fresh or dried, always cook mushrooms before eating them. Raw mushrooms have fewer benefits than cooked because the glyconutrient molecules remain trapped in the chitin – the mushroom’s skeleton which is like the cellulose that forms the fibrous structure of green plants.

The most certain way to extract the polysaccharides is to prepare a decoction or tea. Wipe mushrooms to remove dirt. Cover with water and bring to a gentle boil.

Reduce to simmer, cover, and cook until the mushrooms are tender. Drink the broth and eat the mushrooms. The average intake of Maitake extract is 1-3 grams per day for a healthy individual; double that for a chronic condition.

In vitro studies suggest that Maitake mushrooms may be valuable in fighting the parasite that causes malaria.

Reference:

http://www.glyconutrients-center.org.