Every morning, my husband brings me coffee in bed. He tiptoes in and leaves a steaming mug on the nightstand. I catch the rich aroma first, then ease upright for a first warm sip. When I step out of bed I have a better outlook on life—and have gotten a healthy dose of anti-oxidants.
Coffee used to be a vice. Doctors warned it could stunt your growth… make you jittery… increase your cardiovascular risk. Now the tables have turned!
Did you know that…
- coffee is one of the main sources of anti-oxidants in the American diet
- coffee may lower the risk for stroke in women as well as prostate and endometrial cancers, and depression
- coffee is healthier (and tastier) if you grind it right before brewing because there is less surface area to oxidize beforehand
- filtered coffee may be heart healthier because the (hopefully unbleached) paper filters absorb some of the coffee oils that may be problematic for your cholesterol levels. (And an unbleached filter full of coffee grounds will compost nicely!)
Can it get any better?
Congo Project Coffee
Yes it can; coffee can become socially responsible too.
Recently I learned of a project sponsored by Equal Exchange (note that Mambo Sprouts supplied me with a lb of coffee for purposes of this review) that supports the Panzi Hospital in the Congo. The Congo is an African nation plagued by poverty, war and sexual violence. Equal Exchange donates $2 for every retail bag sold ($1 wholesale) to support the work of the Panzi Foundation. For more on this initiative, take a look at their website.
In addition to supporting this worthwhile effort, the coffee is fair trade certified (which means that workers get livable wages), USDA organic (which means that neither the workers, nor the planet are doused with toxic chemicals), and delicious, comparing favorably to the higher end organic coffees I usually drink!
So I am happy to say that this beverage that is near and dear to my taste buds can now be near and dear to my conscience—especially now. You see, I am a morning coffee lover year round but give me a good cup in winter and the winds can howl around me all night long.
And I feel even warmer if my coffee supports something more.
Good for you, good for humanity, good for the planet. Sweet.
A win win situation with the coffee and how very sweet of your hubby to bring you coffee in bed every morning.
Mandy
Yes–it really helps me start the day on a great note!
We have yet another thing in common. I love this early morning brew and have a sweet husband who does it best. Thanks for this.
Glad to hear of more coffee joy in the world!
I don’t like coffee, but I’ve had Equal Exchange Earl Grey tea and it was also quite good.
In the right hands, with the right kind of conscientious food blending and processing coffee can be very good for you.
Leave it to you to ferret out the goodness of coffee, Inger. Thanks! I actually got my very first Kerig machine delivered just yesterday and I can’t wait to try it! (a thank you present from Marion’s grandson for Thanksgiving:) I’ll need to check into Equal Exchange.
Thank you so much for sharing…Just in case I don’t make it back, (yes this eye is still acting up:) I wish you and yours a Safe and Happy Holiday!!! (“see” you in January good Lord willing and the creek don’t freeze:)
Enjoy your holidays, Louise, and take care. (And the way things are going, that creek ain’t gonna freeze)
The Fair Trade Finder app lets you find, add, tag and photograph Fair Trade certified products wherever you are. I’ve been using the app for iPhone and I’ve been having fun finding items. I really like how you can choose a specific category, such as coffee, or do a broader search for everything fair trade. I also like how you can enter a zip code if you don’t want to use your current location. That way you can learn ahead of time where to find certain items if you’re headed to a special place one day. Or you can wait until you reach your destination. But I think it’s wonderful to have a choice. The Fair Trade Finder app also lets us act as a community by adding where we find Fair Trade Certified items ourselves. It’s a great way to help each other learn where to locate fair trade products locally. Hopefully, we can all chip in and add products to help further the function of the app. By helping each other find fair trade items we are also helping the farmers and workers in around 58 developing countries that provide us with items such as coffee, tea, chocolate, sugar, and more. There’s this nice little tea place in my area that sells a lot of fair trade certified teas. As soon as I get the chance I’m going to go take some photos to add to the Fair Trade Finder app. I’m very excited to share!
What a sweet hubby you have! I will think of this post while I grind my coffee in the morning. Do you drink yours black or make a sweetner??
I do use cream or milk and sugar. I guess that makes me not a coffee purist. But I really enjoy my morning (and later morning and afternoon) cup!