Coffee and breakfast are a good way to start the day. So combine the two with a coffee smoothie. Here’s some ingredients to consider:
Fire up the blender and away we go!
Inc.com shared some great news for coffee drinkers. More is better. At least to a point.
“Scientists agree: Drinking coffee is good for you. That’s good news if, like most Americans, you enjoy coffee and perhaps rely on it to help you wake up in the morning or stay alert during the day.
In the last couple of years, more detailed research on coffee has sought to zero in on just how much coffee you should drink every day for maximum health and brain benefits. They’ve found the answer–you should drink three cups. That advice comes from Uma Maidoo, MD, who’s been described as a “triple threat”–a Harvard-trained psychiatrist, trained nutrition specialist, and trained chef. She’s also the author of the bestseller This Is Your Brain on Food. In an article at CNBC.com, Maidoo explains how she herself uses coffee as part of her daily routine to boost her own brain function.
Why three cups? Maidoo points to a study in which researchers tracked both the coffee consumption and cognitive health of 676 elderly men over ten years. They found that the coffee drinkers had less than half the cognitive decline as the non-coffee drinkers did. And those who drank three cups a day had the least decline of all. A larger Harvard study, with a total 208,501 participants, both men and women, examined the likelihood of death over more than 20 years. It found that participants who drank coffee were less likely to die than those who didn’t, with the greatest longevity benefit going to those who drank between 3.1 and 5 cups a day.
If you want the maximum benefits from your coffee habit, make sure to follow these three rules:
1. Filter it.
Many sophisticated coffee drinkers favor espresso, French press, and Turkish coffee–and some love the Scandinavian tradition of boiling coffee with an egg in it (sometimes including the shell), which pulls together the grounds. Unfortunately, all these versions of coffee can be bad for you. When coffee is made without a paper filter, “oily chemicals called diterpenes come through that can raise artery-damaging LDL cholesterol,” according to The New York Times’ Jane Brody. Brody, who uses coffee pods, actually dissected one to make sure it contained a paper filter (it did).
2. Be careful what you add.
Coffee may be good for you, but sugar is very bad for you. So if drinking coffee means getting a highly sweetened latte concoction from your favorite barista, you won’t be doing your health any favors. Especially when you consider that espresso-based drinks like latte are unfiltered.
A better strategy is to make your own drip coffee at home, using fresh-ground beans for both better flavor and better control over exactly what goes into your coffee. For added fun, put the $4 to $6 you would have spent at the coffee shop aside for every homemade cup you drink, then use that money for a special treat.
3. Pay attention to your own reactions to coffee.
This is Maidoo’s advice and it’s an important tip to follow because every body is different, and each of us may react differently to coffee’s effects. If it makes you feel jittery, cut back your consumption or cut it out altogether. The same holds true if you have trouble sleeping. Caffeine can affect your ability to fall asleep and also whether you reach the deep sleep stage that your body and brain both need to stay healthy.
At the same time, pay attention to whether coffee lightens your mood, which it might. One of the most intriguing findings from the Harvard study is that coffee drinkers were half as likely to commit suicide as non-coffee drinkers. Researchers believe the explanation may be that coffee boosts brain chemicals that have an anti-depressive effect.
So the most important question is, how does coffee make you feel? If it makes you feel nervous or interferes with your rest, then stay away from it or switch to decaf. If it makes you feel good, then drink up. Make sure to use a paper filter, and aim for three cups a day.”
We watched a compelling video today about the nearly-magical benefits of butter, or bulletproof, coffee. The video promised to solve most, if not all, of our problems including weight loss and obtaining vigorous, all-day energy simply by adding butter to our morning coffee. So we did a quick Interweb search. Here is what webmd.com had to say.
“While people have been adding butter to their coffee for hundreds of years, today’s “butter coffee” refers to bulletproof coffee, which is also known as keto coffee.
There are certain benefits to the various ingredients of butter coffee, and it may help those transitioning to a ketogenic diet (our doctor is not a big fan of keto diets). However, you would generally be better off consuming a nutrient-dense and balanced meal. A solid breakfast will provide you with the same feelings of alertness and fullness while providing additional nutritional benefits.”
Damn. No magic today in our coffee.
– Jet Cannon
We made some Koffi brand coffee in the French press this morning. It brought us back to sitting outside the Koffi cafe in Palm Springs sipping that first cup of coffee on a beautiful Palm Springs day. “Gee, that’s a great cup of coffee!” Or is it!!?? Maybe it’s just being on vacation and enjoying a lovely morning with friends that makes the coffee taste so good. (Koffi Corporation, please send some complimentary coffee for further evaluation.).
The same thing with weed. Is it nature, and the careful cultivation of a particular strain, or nurture where our high is very dependent on our mood, environment, preconceived notions, and clever weed marketing?
The same thing with fine wine. Is it the wine or is it the food, friends, atmosphere and the wine label?
Who cares? If it’s good, enjoy it. That’s our Deep Thoughts for today. Just one more cup.
Some Buzzed Boomers are trying Dry January or moderating their drinking this month. Some are amping up the exercise endorphins while trying to shed those holiday pounds. Some are exploring their cannabis options. And some are just sticking to that delicious cup of coffee or tea in the morning.
Whatever your path, whether a cocktail, a latte, a cannabis drink, or cold water after a good workout…. Savor the the beverage!
Happy New Year!
– Jet Cannon
We love studies that shine a positive light on our coffee habit. Read more in this USA Today article and see that coffee and tea may reduce your chance of stroke and dementia.
Caffeine tolerance is a thing. We like the Buzz before workouts, for motivation, for focus, and for those times when we need to stay alert. But tolerance minimizes those benefits.
We did some reading to get tips on getting a reset and we learned a few things. First, caffeine is not an essential nutrient! We agree to disagree on that one. Next, clearing out the caffeine from your systems takes about a week or even two. And then the tolerance rebuilds quickly as soon as caffeine consumption becomes a habit again. Depressing.
What about just drinking more? Three or four cups of coffee a day is considered to be fairly safe but more than that is probably not a good idea. And we need to include all sources of caffeine from chocolate to energy drinks.
After sifting through the suggestions for catching a Buzz when it’s really needed, the most reasonable seems to be either just getting out of the habit of, say, starting the morning with a cup of coffee just because we always do or steadily reducing the amount consumed each day. Save the big gulp for the days when we really need the Buzz. It’s common sense that beats going completely cold turkey.
Too drowsy to dig any deeper. Good luck.
– Jet Cannon
Remember the Yuban coffee commercials from the 1970’s? Certified Buzzed Boomers will. Yuban.
Well here’s some fun news from happy-headlines.com.
“Founded in 2018, innovative distribution company BioBite has crafted a quirky solution to solve the ever growing issue of coffee cup waste. Each year over 2.5 billion coffee cups are being used, with the majority not being recycled, ending up in landfill where they can produce harmful methane gases.
This is where BioBite comes in, offering a sustainable solution with their new edible coffee cup. The cup is suitable for both hot and cold beverages, desserts, puddings, soups, yoghurts and ice-creams. The recyclable paper label ensures safe handling of the cup and keeps the wafer away from the surface it is placed on, therefore there is no need to worry about contamination.
As well as being sustainable, there are several other perks that come with the coffee cup. (Editor’s Note: Are they caffeinated?? Double Buzz!) The new edible cup is said to be ‘leak-proof’ for up to an astounding 12 hours once filled with a hot drink, as well as being 100% vegan and made from all natural ingredients. However if you don’t feel like consuming your wafer treat, there is a swathe of other recycling options, with over 7.5 billion stations being available to dispose of your cup.
The company hopes their solution can help contribute towards the ‘zero-waste’ movement and provide a viable, affordable and environmentally friendly solution for both customers and businesses around the world, decreasing the number of waste humans produce on a daily basis.
Already, the company is looking to expand their product portfolio into other areas. Soon they are planning to introduce edible straws, compostable cutlery, plates, bowls and many more items, adding to their fleet of sustainable products. They hope the introduction of these new products will help accelerate progress towards their long-term vision, which is to replace single-use plastics and papers with more sustainable options.”
Yeah, we’re thinking beer-flavored pint glasses. Yum.
Cheers!
– Jet Cannon
“Handcrafted in small batch copper-pot stills, Empress 1908 Gin is a collaboration between Victoria Distillers and the legendary Fairmont Empress Hotel in Victoria, British Columbia. On top of traditional botanicals, we add a signature blend of black tea served at the Empress Hotel and butterfly pea blossom, an exotic herb that balances the traditional citrus notes of gin with a warm herbal earthiness, and gives the gin its natural indigo colour. Empress 1908’s combination of exquisite taste, delicate aroma, soft texture, and remarkable presentation provide the perfect base for a new aesthetic of cocktail creation and enjoyment.” Did you catch the part about it being purple or indigo as they call it? The butterfly pea blossom does not interfere with a nice traditional gin flavor and the unusual color makes some interesting looking cocktails possible.
Ideally, travel to Victoria, British Columbia, stay at the historic Fairmont Empress Hotel, drop into the Q Bar, and enjoy an Empress 1908 cocktail like you’re royalty. Or a peasant. Doesn’t matter. It’s an experience you won’t forget. Need a pick-me-up? Enjoy the English tradition of afternoon high tea. But bring your wallet!
Seattle writer Tantri Wija regularly amazes us with unique alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages featured in The Seattle Times. Recently, she wrote about Himalayan butter tea which powers sherpas up Mt. Everest and the like. Wow! We want some. She describes it as a power smoothie. Okay! Except…. We don’t have any yak butter on hand or pu-erh tea. We could probably find grass-fed cow butter as a substitute but that would require a trip to the store.
Yet being anxious to prep for today’s Sherpa-level rowing workout, we dropped some regular butter in some regular black tea. Let’s just say we never tasted anything quite like it (and possibly won’t ever again). But what about the workout? Coated-tongue in mouth, we climbed on the rower and quickly exceeded all our previous workouts. Not really. Our workout plan usually includes a pre-workout concoction that includes caffeine. But telling people that our workout regimen includes cow butter tea, well, that’s worth something! And we’ll be sure to order Himalayan butter tea, the real thing, if we ever get to the Himalyans.
Next, butter coffee. Yeah. That’s a thing, too. We’ve apparently not been paying attention.
Climb every mountain…..
Roving Correspondent Mazerati Mike recently stopped by the Buena Vista Cafe in San Francisco for their famous Irish coffee. Here is their story.
“The historic venture started on the night of November the 10th in 1952. Jack Koeppler, then-owner of the Buena Vista, challenged international travel writer Stanton Delaplane to help re-create a highly touted “Irish Coffee” served at Shannon Airport in Ireland. Intrigued, Stan Accepted Jack’s invitation, and the pair began to experiment immediately.
Throughout the night the two of them stirred and sipped judiciously and eventually acknowledged two recurring problems. The taste was “not quite right,” and the cream would not float. Stan’s hopes sank like the cream, but Jack was undaunted. The restaurateur pursued the elusive elixir with religious fervor, even making a pilgrimage overseas to Shannon Airport.
Upon Jack’s return, the experimentation continued. Finally, the perfect-tasting Irish whiskey was selected. Then the problem of the bottom-bent cream was taken to San Francisco’s mayor, a prominent dairy owner. It was discovered that when the cream was aged for 48 hours and frothed to a precise consistency, it would float as delicately as a swan on the surface of Jack’s and Stan’s special nectar.
Success was theirs! With the recipe now mastered, a sparkling clear, six-ounce, heat-treated goblet was chosen as a suitable chalice.
Soon the fame of the Buena Vista’s Irish Coffee spread throughout the land. Today, it’s still the same delicious mixture, and it’s still the same clamorous, cosmopolitan Buena Vista. Both…delightful experiences.”
Website onbetterliving.com notes that since 1952, The Buena Vista has sold millions of glasses of their delicious original Irish Coffees over the years. On a busy day, they can sell over 2000 glasses and they report that they sell more Irish whiskey than anywhere else in the world.
Not making a trip to San Fran but want to up your Irish Coffee game?
For more, see their website http://www.thebuenavista.com/home/irishcoffee.html
– Jet Cannon for Maserati Mike
Here’s the good news about exercising. Vigorous exercise can release euphoric endorphins. “Runner’s high”. All natural! So that’s great news if you’re physically able to safely get the heart rate going. (Consult your doctor blah blah blah and before getting out of bed in the morning.)
But that’s not all the good news about exercising! Staying in shape as we age allows up to enjoy responsible amounts of alcohol, caffeine, and weed… which you may not even want so much if you’re able to work in two or three hours of exercise a week.
Walking is good. So is swimming, cycling and rowing. Or online aerobic workouts. All good. A little bit, like 15 minutes, a couple times a day adds up and also helps keep the weight down. And summertime opens up more of those exercise options.
Healthline.com offers lots of good information about health and fitness including tips for us older, but better, Baby Boomers. See you at the next Olympic Trials!
– Jet Cannon
Nashville is on the steroid juice when it comes to drinking, live country music, party buses, cut-off jeans, cowboy boots and hats, and roof-top bars. I just wasn’t expecting art in my coffee. Yet, plenty of caffeine is a requirement for this Baby Boomer to keep on rockin’ in this town. Whoa!! It’s fun. It’s overload. It’s draining. But it’s a hoot!
– “Johnny” Jet Cannon
Many Baby Boomers are familiar with Irish coffee and espresso martini’s. Adding a kick to coffee is a time-honored tradition. So Boomers will not be surprised to find spiked coffee in a can. Ask for a PBR and you could be handed a Pabst Blue Ribbon Hard Cold Brew. Packing a caffeine and low alcohol-by-volume Buzz, it might just be the ticket for an early-morning tailgate this coming season!
– Jet Cannon
