There’s MAJOR NEWS about the health aspects of drinking quality coffee:

1.  Real, natural quality coffee stimulates stem cells and reverses the aging process!!   This is revolutionary.  Scientists are saying that the caffeine in quality, organic, fresh coffee impressively triggers rejuvenation of brain and muscle cells!!!!!!
2. Quality, whole bean coffee also helps with sugar and other addictions.  Coffee caffeine occupies and bonds with the opioid receptors, which prohibits sugar, cocaine, etc. cravings and addiction.  It could become a treatment for sugar addicts, and others.

The research also emphasizes these benefits are from pure, fresh, organic whole food coffee, not the rancid or synthetic coffee in grocery stores or with large coffee distributors/retailers.  There is really a difference in both nutrition and taste.

This impressive research and a discussion with researcher, Dr. Ori Hofmekler, is on Dr. Joseph Mercola’s website:

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2011/04/16/ori-hofmekler-on-coffee.aspx

Both Dr. Hofmekler and Dr. Mercola are experts on how to improve your health with food.  Ori Hofmekler is the author of The Warrior Diet, The Anti-Estrogenic Diet, Maximum Muscle Minimum Fat, and the upcoming book Unlocking the Muscle Gene.

Dr. Mercola is also A New York Times Best Selling Author and was voted the 2009 Ultimate Wellness Game Changer by the Huffington Post, and has been featured in TIME magazine, LA Times, CNN, Fox News, ABC News, Today Show, CBS’s Washington Unplugged with Sharyl  Attkisson, and other major media resources.  Download the scrip to get a full understanding.

Below is a summary of what Dr. Hofmekler says about quality coffee and some quotes on the new findings taken from the interview transcript of the remarkable research results.

What is Quality Coffee?

According to the research, one of the first principles in using coffee is selecting quality coffee.  You can detect quality of coffee by its good taste and smell.  Good coffee is flavorful; in fact, coffee is the most flavorful food.  It has over 1,000 notes, while wine has 400.   Rancid coffee is stale and has no flavor, it’s useless.  Below are some factors in choosing healthy, flavorful coffee:

•  Organic, meaning pesticide and chemical free.  Most coffee is heavily contaminated with pesticides.  It’s one of the most sprayed crops around, so be diligent in getting organic sources.   Also, stay away from synthetic caffeine which sometimes is added to coffee and other products.
• Grown in rich soil.  The richer the soil, the more nutrients and flavors in any food, but especially in coffee.  Arabica coffees are exceptional in taste.  They are grown in high mountainous areas around the equator, in rainforests and volcanic areas, some of the richest soil on earth.    This may be the reason why quality coffee has such exceptional health properties.
• FRESH! FRESH! FRESH:  Fresh Picked, Fresh Roasted, Fresh Ground!  Coffee is a food, and like all foods , it’s nutritional value and flavors depends on its freshness, how its gown and prepared.  Again, coffee is a food, and it goes bad quickly.
  • Fresh picked coffee:  It’s surprising how quickly raw coffee beans lose its nutritional value and taste.  After 6-8 months raw coffee beans has lost most of its good flavors and value and starts picking up  dull burlap bag and other notes, until finally all is lost.  Year-old beans (old beans) lose their lovely green color and turned yellow.  Would you buy a green vegetable that has turned yellow?  Of course not.  It won’t taste good and it has no or little nutritional value.  So find a coffee source that provides “in-season beans”, which are beans 6-8 months from being picked.
  • Freshly roasted.  Coffee goes bad, rancid in fact, 12 weeks after it’s been roasted.  Coffee does not start out being acidic, but like other foods it starts turning after it’s been cooked, in this case roasted.  For example, fresh coffee does not hurt the stomach, but rancid coffee does.  Flavor is also affected.  Here is a guide to freshness of quality coffee:
    • 2 weeks: exceptional taste and effervescent
    •  2-4 week: special and delicious
    • 4-8 weeks: good
    • 8-12 weeks: okay, forgettable
    • After 12 weeks: dull, little to no taste.  Has gone bad.  Don’t touch it! Throw it away.
  • Whole beans.  Again, coffee goes bad quickly especially after it’s been ground.  Buy whole beans, not ground coffee, and it’s best to grind coffee right before preparing.
• The Roast.  Yes, even the roast has been shown to affect the nutritional value of coffee.  Chestnuts brown to dark brown roasts were found to bring out the most flavors and nutritional value.   A dark roast is burnt and has no good nutritional value.  Further Roasters usually use old beans for French roasts because they have no flavor (old beans), and by charring the beans, therefore inserting a burnt flavor into the coffee.
• The Brew.  Brew coffee without filters for the most flavor and nutritional value, like French Press or espresso.  Filters absorb the oils, which carry the antioxidants.

More on Dr. Ori Hofmekler’s  Research:

Real, natural coffee protects your brain:

OH: “… coffee beans contain bioflavonoid, which is a powerful antioxidant.  The research has shown that whole coffee beans have amazing neuroprotective properties.  … They did a study in South America and they showed that people who drink whole coffee beans, freshly ground coffee do not get Alzheimer’s and do not get Parkinson’s.  This is just amazing. … That means that coffee itself …has neuroprotective properties.“

Quality Coffee stimulates stem cells:

“Recent research – I’m telling you right now that coffee as it is, if controlled and if drank in the right amount from quality whole freshly ground coffee beans, doesn’t just save your brain for aging. Recent research shows that coffee, which actually causes glutamate inhibition, triggers a mechanism in your brain that releases a growth factor called Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF).  BDNF is doing something amazing. It actually activates stem cells to convert into new neurons!

“BDNF is a major subject of scientific research today.  It’s just going to revolutionize the whole way that people see the term rejuvenation. ….  The new school shows research that the body is much smarter than previously thought.  We have a mechanism that can actually destroy all the sick weak cells, fibers or tumors that are circulation in our system, including the week muscle fiver and cells and broken protein. Recycled, digested and simultaneously we can activate the mechanism that activates stem cells to rebuild the tissue, and rejuvenate it.  The system exists; it’s just that it hardly works and in many times, it doesn’t work at all.  .. The good news is that coffee activates this mechanism in the bran.  If you do it correctly, you would keep your brain young by activating these growth factors that recycle your brain tissue and also actually gives neuroprotective benefits on the neurons.

Coffee keeps muscle young

“ .. what is even more stunning is that this neurofactor (BDNF) expresses itself in the muscle as well, and in the connective tissues.  It’s just an amazing mechanism that gives you the same rejuvenation on the brain.  It somehow supports the muscle in the same way by supporting the neuronmotor which is critical element in the muscle.

“Without the neuronmotor, your muscle cannot function.  … If your neuromotor is weak or about to deteriorate such as during aging, you’re just going to lose your muscle.  Your muscle is like an engine without an ignition.  This neurofactor that preserve you brain actually preserves your neuronmotor.  How amazing it is. Guess what?  Caffeine helps trigger this mechanism.”

“ … there are other benefits, coffee increases your metabolism.  They say by up to 20%.  So taking coffee is the starter.  …it accelerates fat loss far beyond any comparison.  It really actually makes your body tougher.”

Quality, whole bean coffee also helps with sugar and other addictions

OH: “Coffee has other advantages … coffee is an opioid receptor antagonist.”

“ All of this stuff (sugar, morphine, crack cocaine) binds to the same (opioid) receptor that makes you addictive.  …. There are very few compounds which are called opioid receptor antagonists… that once they occupy the receptors, they prohibit you from being addicted.  Guess what?  Coffee is one of them.  Caffeine can bind to your opioid receptors, and can at least attenuate the addictive impact of another substance.

“So if you are addicted to sugar, for example, and you really want to train your body gradually to get out of this addiction, it’s possible coffee would be a fantastic way to aid yourself.  Train yourself to doing black coffee.  Put it on an empty stomach and you will see how gradually the addiction will dissipate.  … do this with any addiction that you have.”

“What we’re talking about is one of the major reasons why most people cannot get into healthy eating habits is because they are addicted to stuff… It’s a very difficult thing.  Coffee will be a fantastic aid.  Train yourself like you are exercising in a gym.  Train yourself to just obtain the taste for coffee…. and it will help you tremendously on many levels including that level.”

What about the cons?

“ Coffee was bashed seriously because of the acid that it causes.  Acid is a very interesting subject, but it also has amazing benefits that should not be overlooked.  What do we do?  We need to basically take this amazing food, (coffee) and calculate it in and use it in a way that benefits us.”

“What do we do?  … Fist al all, eat whole foods (freshly ground, caffeinated coffee without sugar added)…, make sure your intake of raw fruits or vegetables is high, which is a good suggestion anyway.  Let’s not get panicked from anything that causes acid. … It just needs to be balanced… like protein does.”

“Caffeine also targets the adrenal glands.  You really don’t want to over stimulate it.  You really want to use coffee tactically at the right time.”

I would say for people who are smart, they should have coffee before training (exercising) but not after, …and before starting the day, starting an activity….  I would say after an hour or two (of exercising) if you want to have another espresso, that’s fine but not right after exercise.  You really want to give your muscle the opportunity to build itself up and recover.”

DM: “It does appear that (coffee) may actually be therapeutic, especially if on focuses on organic high quality sources.  …It is really a whole food. …. You’re not recommending a Starbucks with all the sugar and the refinements …

OH: “Absolutely.  … Once you combine coffee with sugar, it becomes adverse.”

In summary, the major points are:

Coffee is a food and has the same attributes of all foods.  It’s healthy and delicious when it’s grown responsibly and is eaten fresh.  Coffee goes bad quickly, rancid in fact, so be responsible.

• Moderation should be use with everything.  If you eat too many carrots, you will turn orange; if you eat too much broccoli, you will be very uncomfortable (miserable in fact).  Following this, do not drink so much coffee where you become jittery or manic. It’s just not a good idea; All of these are bad ideas. But that doesn’t mean you should keep away from carrots, broccoli or coffee, which are otherwise very healthful and enjoyable.
• You can add milk or stevia to your coffee, but never sugar if you want it’s amazing health effects.

I personally can attest to the enjoyment and health benefits of coffee.   A good life is appreciating the good moments.  Having a hot, delicious cup of coffee in the morning and afternoon with the understanding and appreciation that coffee is one of the great gifts from our mother earth, is a great way to start the day and celebrate life.

Healthwise, I am happy to report that I am now off thyroid medication that I was put on twenty years ago, steadily increasing the dosage as the years went by. However, about two years after I opened my coffee house and started drinking only good quality coffee consistently, my dosage needed to be deceased until now I am off of it!  Coffee protects the liver which in turns helps the thyroid.  Also I had stressed adrenal glands, which I do not now.  I have been responsible in drinking only quality coffee (SOMMO) and conscious of how much and when.  I wish you the same blessings and many more.

Cheers,

Kathy Huff

I am sorry to say, we are out of the beautiful Rwanda Coopac coffee, and therefore out to the Exotic Blend and changing the Patowmack Farm Proprietary Blend.  I am in the process of selecting another coffee that is in this profile type and expect to have a new offering in two weeks.  It’s like saying good bye to good friends.  However, new spring and summer coffees are coming!

If you notice, your choice of foods changes with the seasons, and so does your taste for coffee.  In the fall and winter we want rich, warm, comfort foods that calls for bold, full bodied coffees that stand up to the cold and satisfies.

In the spring and summer our taste changes to lighter meals with bright foods of fresh fruits and vegetables.  (Oh, I can’t wait for the local strawberries.) As such, spring and summer coffees are brighter, refreshing and delicious.   In the coming months, we are going to have fun exploring new tastes and summer coffee recipes. Think coffee ice cubes, orange blossoms, mild cherries  a little mint, a little spice and of course chocolate – it’s all fun and coming soon!

• exotically spicy, in your face bold
• elegant, full bodied, balanced with velvet buttery texture
• lovely and light with crisp sparkles and flower notes

Sommo Coffees explores the vibrancy of our mother earth and celebrate her beauty and bounty.

A recently study conducted by researchers at the University of British Columbia’s Land and Food Systems Program has stated that stable antioxidants can be produced by roasting coffee beans to a medium brown.  It has been reported that antioxidants play a significant role in protecting human cells against destructive factors and also protect against premature aging among people. It stated that people looking for that perfect dose of antioxidants should opt for a medium chestnut brown roast, which is Sommo Coffees’ standard. We roast to a medium-dark brown to bring out the most flavor, but it seem it also carries the most health benefits too.

This latest development has certainly provided more clarity regarding the various benefits of coffee and displayed the antioxidant qualities of coffee beans as well.  Meanwhile, antioxidants found in coffee beans after roasting were found to last for a longer duration of time, whereas in comparison, antioxidants found in green coffee beans happen to degrade at a very quick pace.  Sommo Coffees’ green beans are in-season beans, no more than six-months from picking.  They are fresh picked beans and therefore have more antioxidants and more vibrant taste than the usual coffee on the market.  Cheers.

“Got the coffee yesterday, thankfully!! We ran out last week and had to buy a local brand which was ok but we have gotten really spoiled with your coffees. … There is something about the finish in all of your stuff that is just fabulous…no bitter taste at all. We love it.” – Kathy, Shepardtown, WVa

“Coffee came today….its aroma finding my nose even before I opened the package.  So very well done……thank you, thank you!  I immediately made a pot, sat down, and just communed with the divine.  This coffee is extraordinary and, I am so grateful to be able to get it.”  - Nancy B. Vienna, VA

“I just wanted to tell the group, I have been buying Sommo Coffees for 2 months now and I love it.  Below is an article from Dr. Mercola about the benefits of drinking pure natural coffee rather than that from synthetic caffeine or coffee that has been grown with pesticides.  There is really a difference.  Thank you Kathy for offering these great coffees!”  http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2011/04/16/ori-hofmekler-on-coffee.aspx ; Traci A., Springfield, VA.

“After trying most of the coffees available in the market, including European and South American brands, I think Sommo is some of the best available anywhere.” — Tom N., Oakton, VA.

“I picked up a bag of coffee … last week and wanted to touch base with you to say that it’s absolutely the best coffee i’ve had in a loooong time if not ever.  I don’t like to be superfluous very often but that coffee is exceptional.”  Ehren E., Rockville, MD.

“I am writing to brag on this coffee. I have never in my life had coffee this good. I have used several kinds now and have been exceedingly pleased with each and every cup. I believe if you would give this coffee a try you will be surprised how good coffee can be and happy that you tried it!”  Brenda B., VA and Penn.

“Sommo isn’t only great tasting coffee – it’s the product of two very passionate and conscientious women. For me, that love and care makes a good coffee superb!” — Kim S., Fairfax, VA.

” I just wanted to say if you haven’t tried the Summo coffees yet you’re missing out. I’m somewhat of a coffee snob and was nervous about trying something new but man this is some of the best coffee I’ve ever had!” — Bobby R, Annandale, VA

“The Bali coffee I received this week is really fantastic. No bitterness, delicious, perfect brew. Will definitely purchase again. Thanks! — Ariel L., Annandale, VA.

“I love the espresso in the French press! So bubbly, it inflates at first and I have to wait and add more before putting the screen in the pot. It’s wonderful coffee. Thank you so much.” — Judy T., Arlington, VA

“Thank you SO much for providing this service. The decaf is the best I’ve ever had. I look forward to a cup every morning.” — Deborah H., Fredericksburg, VA

“Thank you so much for the wonderful coffee you gave Robert and me last week.  It is delicious….I think you have the best job in the world.  My husband wondered why I kept sniffing the bag & smiling contentedly on the trip home!—Brenda B.