Food & Beverage

Tang Lemon and Pepper Ad for Pakistan

2009-11-23T20:08:00.000-08:00

The Conventioneers - Food and Beverage Show Part 1

2009-02-27T20:04:00.000-08:00

Restaurant Food and Beverage à Paris 03

2008-06-20T19:51:00.000-07:00

Coffee: What Are The Health Benefits?

2008-01-06T08:04:00.000-08:00

If you are a coffee drinker, you no doubt have asked yourself how much coffee is it safe for you to consume on a daily basis. This is not surprising since so much has been blamed on coffee. Heart disease, cancer, osteoporosis, you name it. At one time or another, coffee has been made to blame. Coffee has joined the ranks of red wine and chocolate as a guilty pleasure that may actually be good for you. As much as it is a great way to get that fix in the morning, recent studies have shown that coffee has been found to be rich in antioxidants and contains hundreds of pain-relieving and anti-bacterial compounds. Although one should not drink coffee with wild abandon, it's comforting to know that maybe that cup or two in the morning may be good for you. Here is a statistic to ponder: did you know that there are over 160 million coffee drinkers in the Unites States alone? In terms of consumption, the average American consumes 8.8 lbs. of coffee per year. But consider this: the world leader in terms of consumption is Finland which comes in at nearly 30 lbs per year. That's a lot of coffee!

Another statistic is that there have been well over 19,000 studies done to analyze the effects of coffee. Now, studies can often be skewed to show whatever the author wants, but here is what is generally agreed: consuming 2 to 3 cups of coffee per day is often considered more beneficial than harmful. Recent studies have shown that moderate coffee drinking can reduce the risk of colon cancer (due to it's ability to keep you regular), gallstones, cirrhosis of the liver and more, due to the fact the it is loaded with healthy antioxidants. So loaded, that studies have implied that coffee contains higher levels of antioxidants compared to other commonly consumed beverages, such as tea and fruit juice. Coffee has joined the ranks of red wine and chocolate as a guilty pleasure that may actually be good for you. As much as it is a great way to get that “fix” in the morning, recent studies have shown that coffee has been found to be rich in antioxidants and contains hundreds of pain-relieving and anti-bacterial compounds. Although one should not drink coffee with wild abandon, it's comforting to know that maybe that cup or two in the morning may be good for you. Several studies are also being conducted on Parkinson's and diabetic Patients. Research has shown that just one cup of coffee per day can halve your risk of Parkinson's, the brain disease that causes tremors and affects movement. Caffeine may protect the brain cells typically lost to Parkinson's disease. However, it has been noted that women on hormone therapy do not seem to benefit. It is felt that Estrogen may dilute the effectiveness of caffeine. It has also been found that if a woman drinks three cups of coffee a day, she can reduce her risk of Type 2 Diabetes by twenty to thirty percent. Coffee may help promote the delivery of insulin to the tissues. Experts believe that coffee's antioxidants, such as chlorogenic acid and caffeine acid, deserve the credit. There are also on going studies that are producing favorable reports on coffee helping to fight Alzheimer's due to the caffeine stimulating the cognitive area of the brain. This is just the tip of the ice berg.

People with asthma who drink coffee can have up to 25 percent fewer symptoms because one of the compounds in coffee - theophylline - acts as a bronchodilator. A recent Brazilian study showed that consumption of coffee promotes better sperm mobility - and now studies are in progress to determine whether caffeine can help infertile men. Coffee contains polyphenols, substances that may reduce the risk of cancer and coronary artery disease. Caffeinated coffee, as opposed to decaffeinated coffee, makes you a better thinker. Studies have shown that coffee keeps you focused, particularly when you are doing not-so-pleasant work. A researcher with the U.S. Army stated caffeine improved scores on a range of cognitive tasks, such as decision making, learning, and attention in the sleep-deprived. Coffee can also boost your mood, probably by making you feel more energetic. A little known fact is that coffee contains antioxidants which have been shown to imporve oveall health. Here is a short list of some benefits which have been shown to be present in coffee:

Reduce symptoms of Parkinson's Disease

Antibacterial ingredients

Reduce the risk of developing gallstones

Preserve mental accuity

Reduce risk of developing type 2 Diabetes (if you have diabetes, reduce your consumption

If you are free of hypertension, coffee will not likely produce it

Headache relief

Reduce the risk of some types of cancer

Improve physical endurance

http://www.heavenlykonacoffee.com

Does Coffee Have Any Antioxidant Benefits?

2008-01-06T08:03:00.000-08:00

Before we get all excited over the recent news about coffee being our new antioxidant, we need to take a look at the entire picture. Is there truly a coffee antioxidant? If there is, how exactly is coffee an antioxidant? Does it become the antioxidant when it's heated? Does the coffee antioxidant benefit everyone? Are there still dangers to drinking coffee? How much coffee is good for us and when does it become bad for us?

Brewed coffee contains many antioxidants and consumption of antioxidant-rich brewed coffee may inhibit diseases caused by oxidative damages. Antioxidants are said to be an inhibitor of certain types of diseases. However, coffee beans are not all a like. Not all coffee beans are of the same quality or even the same make up. Sort of like comparing tennis shoes to sandals. Both go on your feet, but they are not made up of the same components. You can actually break coffee down into several different water-soluble components. The dietary fiber derived from roasted coffee silverskin. This is one component of the coffee bean that has high antioxidant content. This is how the scientists find out about the antioxidant benfits of coffee in their studies. What they do in fact is the break down the coffee beans into different components. They filter out the components that the coffee antioxidant is found in, and then they test lab rats in a variety of experiments to determine how well they survive with or without the various additives in their diet. When they discover something really swell, like a coffee antioxidant, our culture of coffee drinking addicts suddenly becomes a feverorish mob.

For years and years we've heard bad things about coffee. For example: it's bad for your heart, increases blood pressure, may cause breast cancer, probably keeps you awake at night, and my personal favorite, has a poisonous gas when brewed.When the world of coffee addicts even gets a tiny hint that coffee could have something beneficial, believe me they don't just drink more coffee, they try to get everyone to join them. So, here we now have scientific studies proving to us that coffee has antioxidants.

Researchers have identified several compounds in coffee that create a coffee antioxidant. Why would this be of interest to us? Because scientific studies are showing that antioxidants may help prevent cancer. You see the connection here. However, until human studies are done, science cannot state exactly how much coffee must be consumed in order gain this protection against colon cancer or any other type of cancer. Before the coffee is roasted the antioxidant benefits are varied. However, once the coffee is roasted and served as a drink things get evened out. They all seem to have the same degrees of antioxidants.

Some studies suggest coffee having other benefits such as added fertility in men and some benefits for those suffering from diabetes. You'll have to read those studies on your own. The fact that a coffee antioxidant exists may be true, but the reality is that coffee can be just as harmful if your body doesn't like it, if you consume too much, if you have high blood pressure, and if it keeps you awake at night. Is there truly a coffee antioxidant? Yes, but the actual amount needed to be consumed in order to receive the anti-cancer benefits by humans is unknown. How exactly is coffee an antioxidant?

Coffee alone isn't the antioxidant, it's several different components that are part of the coffee bean. Roasting and heating the coffee changes the total antioxidant output. Does it become the antioxidant when it's heated? It seems that although some coffee beans like green coffee beans may be higher in antioxidants that other more common beans, once they are roasted and heated for consumption, the results are the same regarding the antioxidantal benefits. Does the coffee antioxidant benefit everyone? Honestly, this is NOT a question easily answered. In fact, the truth is it is still unknown just how beneficial coffee antioxidants are for humans. Are there still dangers to drinking coffee? Yes, of course there is. If you have high blood pressure and you have seen how coffee enhances this problem, you know it's bad for YOU personally. If you can't get proper sleep or you drive everyone around you nuts because you can't sit still or shut-up, you know coffee is bad for you.

Use common sense and listen to your body. Coffee is not good for everyone and unknown just how good for anyone. How much coffee is good for us and when does it become bad for us? Again drink coffee in moderation, pay attention to your own body. Exercise and good eating habits are a far better way to get healthy than drinking 10 cups of cappuccino a day. All things in moderation. After reading everything about this new thing called a coffee antioxidant I have decided that there are better ways of getting antioxidants into my blood.

Coffee may have many benefits, but so does water and it is possible to drown from drinking too much water. Yes, I know, you have to really drink a lot to accomplish this, but it's the principle of the matter. Too much of anything is not a good thing.

Champagne, A Luxury Product – Blessing Or Curse

2007-12-21T01:54:00.000-08:00

Champagne has always been seen as a thing of luxury. Most commonly found at celebrations be they weddings or on the podium at the Monaco Grand Prix, Champagne's image has always been one of success. But perhaps that is where the brand that is 'Champagne' suffers. If Champagne is primarily associated with special occasions then it must alienate a large majority of wine consumers solely on this point. Herein lies the problem – Champagne's success is also its failure. The top brands dominate not only the UK market but also those in the USA and Japan – names such as Moët et Chandon, Veuve Clicquot, Perrier Jouët and Mumm crop up time and again as the best sellers. Prestiges cuvées such as Dom Pérignon, Cristal, Krug lead the way in terms of value of sales with rappers such as 50 Cent and P Diddy endorsing their products in their music, again ensuring the image of Champagne remains one of wealth and success.

The exclusivity of Champagne and the confusion surrounding the name does little to help the average consumer in their choice, however. As a retailer, there have been many occasions when I have been asked to advise on 'Champagne' for a wedding when the consumer has been talking about sparkling wine, especially Cava, rather than Champagne itself. In this way, as I mentioned before, Champagne has become associated with celebrations and is often used as a 'catch all' term for both Champagne and sparkling wine. Studies actually show that Champagne is an infrequent purchase in supermarkets with an average of 1.8 purchases per person, per year as opposed to five purchases per person, per year for sparkling wine as a whole (not including Champagne). The research also suggests that 60% of consumers drink Champagne for social or entertaining reasons and that the average age of a Champagne consumer is between 35-64, although there is a strong female following of Champagne too in the 17-24 year old bracket.

In sum, it seems that Champagne retains an aura of exclusivity, although, in the market place, the word 'Champagne' often conjours up images of a sparkling wine drunk predominately on special occasions to those who are not au fait with the strict guidelines set by the CIVC to protect the name and image of Champagne.

There is no doubt that the market for non-Champagne sparkling wine is increasing, especially in the off-trade where total volume sales increased by 8.1% in 2004. This is particularly pertinent when compared to Champagne sales by volume which were down by 2.1% in the same year. The statistics finally show that sparkling wine's share in the UK wine off-trade (by volume of sales) is currently 4% as opposed to Champagne's 1% and still light wine's 87%. One must remember that the 'volume of sales' is not the same as 'value of sales' as it is here that Champagne takes the crown with a market share of 6% compared to sparkling wine's 4%. The main worry that the Champagne industry has when faced with the increasing dominance of good quality sparkling wine is that, unless heavily discounted, Champagnes are not able to compete in the £7-£10 price point which remains the domain of sparkling wine.

Cava is the most popular sparkling wine on the UK market at present with a total volume share of 54.6%. Two producers continue to dominate the market – Codorníu and Freixenet, the market leaders is Spain. They, like an increasing number of Champagne houses, own vineyards in the New World, California in particular to increase their stake in the global sparkling wine market. These wines are rarely seen on the UK market however, possibly as a result of the strength of their Cavas.

New World sparkling wines from California, Australia and New Zealand are also increasingly important in the UK market, especially brands such as Mumm Cuvée Napa, Green Point by Chandon and Lindauer owned by Montana (another brand owned by the now Allied Domecq/Pernod Ricard conglomerate). It is interesting to see that traditional Champagne houses have diversified into these areas. They seem to bridge the price gap between non vintage Champagnes and cheap sparkling wines as they mostly retail at around £10-12 (discounts depending) without compromising on the quality of the product to which they lend their name. This seems to be an astute move in a market where deep discounting of Champagne is happening less and less and where brand image is so important.

To say that the growth of sparkling wines in the market place threatens the Champagne industry would be untrue and the Champenois would certainly disagree with the idea wholeheartedly. Perhaps the key is to concentrate on marketing their Champagne brands at the sparkling wine consumer who purchases quality sparkling wine at a price point at which the Champagne houses are unable to compete.

Laura Hope is a Senior Wine Advisor at Averys Wine Merchants she was also the 2007 winner of the WSET Champagne Scholarship award. You can buy a large selection of Champagne and sparkling wine online at http://www.averys.com where we are currently listing the UK’s best price for Bollinger Special Cuvee NV- just £25 per bottle.

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2007-10-26T17:37:00.000-07:00

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2007-10-26T17:34:00.002-07:00

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2007-10-26T17:34:00.001-07:00

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2007-10-26T17:29:00.000-07:00

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2007-10-26T17:25:00.000-07:00

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2007-10-26T17:24:00.000-07:00

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2007-10-26T17:21:00.000-07:00

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2007-10-26T17:20:00.000-07:00

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2007-10-26T17:15:00.000-07:00