I've already written what I know about the health benefits of drinking coffee and tea as well as green tea for dieting and coffee health, but I feel compelled to revisit the subject because of all the new reports I'm reading.

Coffee, Tea and Diabetes

Researchers don't know what the ingredient is, but say there may something in coffee that reduces the risk for type 2 diabetes in women by almost 50 percent. They also don't know why drinking coffee may reduce the likelihood of abnormal heart rhythms.

Studies of people who drink tea came to the same conclusions. I'll tell you what I think of all this near the end.

Coffee and Strokes

The incidents of strokes in older people have been declining and part of it may be attributed to older people drinking coffee. Studies show that people who drink coffee were 29 percent less likely to have a stroke.

Of course, that doesn't take into consideration what causes strokes in the first place.

No Bed of Roses

It's not all good news and I have my own thoughts about some of this. I would call these studies anything but an exact science. One study shows only moderate links between the increased risk of hypertension and caffeine consumption and advises anyone concerned about their blood pressure to reduce their coffee consumption. I guess it's a "damned if you do and damned if you don't" kind of situation.

Personally, I think the studies are missing the point. People that drink coffee and tea aren't drinking a lot of the other beverages, like carbonated beverages, alcoholic beverages and other kinds of flavored drinks. I think the positive results are based on what people are NOT drinking as opposed to what they are.

News Sources:

• Grab a cup of heart-friendly coffee
• Study: Coffee, Tea Can Lower Diabetes Risk
• Surprising Stroke Findings

Similar Articles:

• Just Three Cups of Tea a Day Dramatically Lowers your Risk of Stroke
• Does Green Tea Increase Life Expectancy?
• What Effect does Coffee have on Alcohol Consumption?
• The Coffee Franchises are Here to Stay
• Are you Tired of Coffee Studies yet?

While it seems that nearly everyone is doing their best to simply survive the global recession, the coffee franchises seem to be unaffected by it. If the recent coffee franchise report at franchisedirect.com is to be believed, the coffee industry is doing very well despite the receding economy.

Coffee Consumption

According to the study, coffee consumption has either increased or remained level in the last year among specific age groups. People in the 25-39 age group are have been drinking more coffee while the people of the 40-59 age group (my age group) are drinking about the same amount as always.

They say these age groups are the essential age groups targeted and who am I to argue? The findings show that people will continue to drink coffee regardless of the economic climate. I know the economy has no bearing on how much coffee I drink and I drink as much as I ever did.

Coffee Industry Diversification

The big-time leader in the coffee franchise market, Starbucks, had a difficult year and had to make some adjustments. Consumers are starting to look for cheaper coffee options and that spells rewards for all of the coffee franchises.

There is a general shift by consumers from the typical commercial offerings to more ecological products and coffee is no exception. People are looking for organic coffee — shade grown coffee that hasn't been treated with expensive pesticides.

Coffee Serving Mobility

This is something I've witnessed in the Philippines as well as what has been described in the US. More coffee companies are going mobile and serving coffee from kiosks, vans and carts. The days of only being able to find good coffee at coffee shops in strategic locations may be coming to an end.

It makes sense — take the coffee to where the people are instead of expecting them to come to you. I appreciated this the last time I was at a shopping mall. There wasn't a coffee shop in the mall and the closest thing to good coffee I could find (if I wanted to trudge to the other end of the mall) was the crappy coffee served at Wendy's. Well, I didn't have to think about it very long because a coffee vendor set up a kiosk right in the middle of the food court where I was sitting with my family. I won't mention the brand since I've mentioned it too much on this site already.

Health Benefits of Drinking Coffee

This is part of the reason that coffee continues to be a favorite beverage. As I've mentioned in several places, the consumption of coffee has measurable health benefits. Since coffee comes from a red berry, it contains a bunch of antioxidants and this is what helps deter the aging process of cells in the human body.

There are other health benefits, which I won't mention at this time, that far outweigh the negative health concerns. Regardless of what other studies come out, I'll continue to drink coffee until the day comes when I'm unable to drink anything at all.

Cheers.

Similar Articles:

• Coffee and Tea – Diabetes, Strokes, Hypertension and Blood Pressure
• Buying a New Coffee Maker – the Search is Over
• Stainless Steel Travel Mugs Are Better Than Plastic
• Health Benefits of Drinking Coffee and Tea
• Are Non-Dairy Creamers Like Coffee-Mate Bad For You?