At this time of year, chances are we’re hitting the foodie triumvirate of chocolate, coffee and wine harder than ever. With selection boxes and Christmas tipples a-go-go, we probably need the coffee just to manage the rest of it! Are these three festive staples really good or bad for you, though?
Professor Thomas Lüscher, former editor of the European Heart Journal, the world’s top specialist cardiovascular journal, has given his expert opinion on this burning question.
He does make the point that there are lots of factors to be taken into consideration, including quality and quantity. Dark, bitter chocolate is apparently a ‘joy’ for our cardiovascular system, while coffee can be protective when taken at the recommended dose of around four cups a day. Professor Lüscher himself apparently drinks ‘several’ espressos a day. Choosing the right chocolate is important, as milk chocolate contains fewer flavonoids and lots more fat and sugar than its bitter cousin. Adding lots of cream, full fat milk or sugar to coffee will also counterbalance any health benefits by adding fat and calories.
Professor Tim Chico from the University of Sheffield, who specialises in cardiovascular medicine, agrees with Professor Lüscher’s findings that chocolate and coffee can be linked with a lowered risk of heart disease. Both experts agree, though, that wine is at best neutral and at worst detrimental. While small amounts of both coffee and chocolate come ‘recommended by experts’, wine is best kept for an occasional treat.
We think that the most important aspect of coffee is the quality, and there we’re ahead of the game! Our coffee beans are processed in house for quality control, and packed for freshness. Did we mention the great wholesale prices, too? To take a look at our range, visit the coffee beans page of our website.