A new look at drinking and making coffee

Before I had a baby, I was not a coffee drinker. Too bitter, I said. I don’t need the caffeine, I said.After four months of interrupted sleep, I started drinking the occasional cup — with lots of sugar, and even more milk (cream when it’s available).I am a convert. Even without the caffeine benefits, there is something warming about a cup of coffee. I find myself craving it in a way I’ve never craved tea, my former hot drink of choice.But am I doing damage to my body with this enticing brew? The jury is still out on the health benefits of coffee. We know how caffeine works. The xanthine in coffee looks like adenosine to the neurons in the brain. Adenosine tells the brain to slow down; when the receptors that usually bond with adenosine are filled with xanthine molecules, the brain never gets the cue to slow down. The nerve cells speed up, adrenaline is released and you don’t feel tired.There have been some small studies that correlate heavy coffee consumption — six to seven cups a day — with a lowered risk of Type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke (especially in women), Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease and liver cancer. Interestingly, the benefit seems to come from the coffee itself, not the caffeine, as decaf drinkers enjoyed the same results. However, these studies are not conclusive.Coffee is apparently also full of antioxidants — even more than green tea, according to some studies. But some experts point out that no studies have been done to determine exactly how many of those antioxidants make it into the bloodstream.A study done in 2005 in Austria took photos of people’s brains after they drank coffee, and found increased activity in the prefrontal cortex. Specifically, the coffee seemed to help the participants’ short-term working memory (like when you look up a phone number and can remember it long enough to dial). No long-term studies have been done.There are dangers, of course. Excessive caffeine intake has been linked to high blood pressure and stress, due to the release of adrenaline when those neurons get filled up with xanthine.But most people are going to drink coffee whether it’s beneficial or not. Personally, I’ve found that I am more alert and productive after a cup in the morning. But I find I can’t sleep if I drink the high-test stuff (that is, the caffeinated coffee) after 4 or 5 p.m.And, as someone who is put off by the bitterness of coffee, I’ve discovered an alternate brewing method that makes a difference.I was first introduced to cold brewing by my brother, who makes a big batch of coffee concentrate and keeps it in his ’fridge. Cold brewing is especially good for iced coffee; but when he wants to use it for hot coffee in the morning, he just adds boiling water to the concentrate.The cold-brew method is popular in Asia, specifically in Vietnam and Japan. In Vietnam, they drink it cold, over lots of ice, with a spoonful of sweetened condensed milk.My brother, who does nothing halfway, bought a cold brew kit online (www.toddycafe.com, if you want to find one) that involves a bucket and a filter. He makes about nine cups of concentrate at a time and uses it in a 1:4 ratio with boiling water.I don’t drink nine cups of coffee in a week, much less 36, so I use a Mason jar and cold brew about a cup-and-a-half of concentrate at a time. The taste is smoother (the heat of a coffeemaker is what brings out the acid in coffee). Cold-brew coffee1/4 cup coffee (a medium ground is preferred)1 to 1 1/2 cups waterAdd water to coffee in a clean glass container with a lid. Stir until there are no lumps. Let sit at least three hours or overnight. Strain into another glass container and store, covered, in the refrigerator. Add cold water for iced coffee or boiling water for hot coffee in a 1:4 ratio (1:3 if you prefer a strong brew). Add cream and sugar to taste.