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How important is a coffee maker in most homes? According to some sources, excluding water, people consume coffee more than any other beverage in the world, and it is the second most traded commodity. Though the health benefits of coffee can be debated, most people (myself included!) consume it in large amounts every day.
How much coffee exactly? Well, the world consumes over 2 BILLION cups of coffee a day. This means that the way we choose to drink coffee can have a big impact on our health and on the environment.
The Rich History of Coffee
According to one (very interesting!) legend, Ethiopian shepherds first discovered the stimulating properties of coffee after noticing that their goats had extra energy after eating coffee berries. A little research uncovers many other interesting facts about coffee’s history:
- The French philosopher Voltaire consumed up to 50 cups of coffee a day. (Fun fact: The lethal dose is 100 cups/day!)
- Teddy Roosevelt drank 16 cups per day.
- The Italian government regulates espresso because it is considered an essential part of daily life (similar to how carbohydrates and proteins are listed and regulated on food packaging here). Baristas are also highly respected in Italy.
- Bach wrote an opera about a woman who drank too much coffee.
- The word “cappuccino” comes from the similarity of the drink in color to the robes worn by Capuchin monks.
- The King banned coffee houses in England in the 1600s because he thought people were conspiring against him in coffee houses.
- Before coffee gained popularity, beer was the breakfast drink of choice in the U.S.
- The world’s most expensive coffee, Kopi Luwak, costs $600 per pound and is literally coffee beans eaten and excreted by a Asian Palm Civet (a large cat).
- Money may not grow on trees, but coffee does. The coffee “bean” is actually the roasted seed of a bright red berry (making it a fruit).
So we know the world universally loves coffee … but is it healthy?
The Effects of Coffee on Health
Although I’ve covered the health risks and benefits of coffee before, here’s a recap of some of the issues with consuming a large amount of coffee:
- Caffeine dependence – Over-reliance on caffeine as a stimulant can affect the adrenals in a negative way.
- Pesticide exposure – Coffee is a notoriously heavily sprayed crop.
- Mold – Dave Asprey has several good articles on how much mold coffee from inferior sources can harbor.
The good news is, this doesn’t mean you have to give up coffee. Coffee contains antioxidants and other proven health benefits, and there are ways to limit its downsides:
- Something as simple as when you have your coffee can make a difference. Consume coffee between 9:30 and 11:30 a.m. to protect natural cortisol patterns.
- Add a boost of healthy fats ups the benefits of a morning cup of joe.
- The way you make your coffee makes a difference to your health. Choosing a healthy coffee maker is an important way to maximize coffee benefits without adding harmful chemicals or burdening the environment.
The Problem with (Some) Coffee Makers
Even if you choose organic and fair trade coffee to avoid the pesticides, some unsavory substances may end up in your brew from other sources.
Ditch the Pods!
Unfortunately, some modern methods of consuming coffee carry their own set of risks. For instance, the popular coffee pods (or k-cups) have become an increasing burden for the environment. Over 10 billion of them ended up in landfills last year alone! Endocrine-disrupting plastic chemicals from the pods can end up in the finished coffee, and these plastics have been linked to various health problems.
Even regular coffee makers (and coffee pod machines) contain plastics that come in contact with hot liquid. These can leach plastic chemicals into the finished coffee.
Yep … Mold in Your Coffee, Again
It makes sense if you think about it. The perpetually dark, wet, and warm environment in the tubes of many coffee machines provides the perfect environment for mold, mildew, and even biofilms to grow.
In fact half of all coffee mugs tested contained mold spores, potentially from the tubing inside coffee makers, and unfortunately the hot water and acidity of coffee is not enough to kill this mold.
Safer Non-Toxic Coffee Makers (That Make Better Coffee Too!)
Though modern drip coffee makers are certainly a convenient way to make coffee, there are other much healthier options that (in my opinion) produce a much better cup of coffee. These are some of my favorite non-toxic coffee makers:
French Press
There are some great French Press options in the coffee maker world. A French Press allows you to have control over the temperature and intensity of your coffee. The water must be pre-heated using another method, but French Press coffee makers don’t require any electricity or heat. They don’t keep coffee warm like a drip coffee pot would but are a great option for making a couple of cups of high-quality coffee. As an added bonus, they can also be used to make tea.
Traditional French Press coffee makers (like this one) are typically glass with a stainless steel interior filter, but there is now also a completely stainless steel French Press machine that won’t crack or break like some of the glass options.
Pour-Over
As the name suggests, this method of brewing involves pouring hot water over coffee grounds and letting gravity do the work. Unlike the French Press, there isn’t a way to push down the coffee to speed up the process, and the pour over method does take a little longer. I find that the extra time and effort are worth it for the quality of the coffee. In fact, This many high-end coffee shops use the pour-over method.
Popular pour-over brewing options include:
- The Chemex – An all-glass system that has won awards for its design and is even on display at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City. It does require filters and I personally like either the unbleached disposable filters or a stainless steel reusable filter.
- Cone Coffee Drippers – Slightly less expensive, simple cone filters (like this stainless one) or this ceramic Hario) also use the pour-over method and are typically used to make one cup at a time.
- Ratio Coffee Maker – This is like a pour over coffee maker but is electric and automatic, so you don’t have to stand over it and manually pour the water. It has no plastic parts (hurray!) and makes some of the best coffee I’ve ever tasted! Check it out here.
Old-Fashioned Percolator
What’s old is certainly often new again! Old-fashioned percolator coffee makers are a great alternative to drip coffee pots. Many of us may remember these iconic machines even though they lost popularity (largely due to modern drip coffee pots and more recent coffee pod brewers). Percolators don’t require any additional equipment or filters though, are easily cleaned, and plug in much like a drip machine. They also keep coffee warm like a coffee pot, so they are a good option for anyone who likes having a pot of warm coffee ready for longer than a few minutes.
Just make sure to use a completely stainless steel model for both durability and to avoid plastic.
Stainless Espresso Makers
The traditional Bialetti espresso makers are often made of aluminum (my husband has used one since college and refuses to get rid of it, much to my chagrin!) instead of steel. Though harder to find, stainless steel stove-top espresso makers work just as well and don’t have the health risks of aluminum. These are a good option for those who prefer espresso to regular coffee.
Coffee Makers: Bottom Line
Don’t let a mold-infested plastic coffee maker ruin a good cup of coffee. Try one of these non-toxic coffee makers. Many have the added benefit of not needing disposable filters and create a better cup of coffee anyway!
Are you a coffee drinker? What is your coffee maker of choice?
1) I am pregnant with #5 (My oldest just turned 7) so I totally resonated with the recommended reading “Do You Want More Kids.”
2) Our family members already think we’re weird (lots of kids, homeschool, don’t vaccinate, etc.) so who cares what they think about us not eating grain!
3) I love to run but it’s a discipline now to do it before the house wakes up.
4) I love to ski and it’s great that our older kids are now old enough to enjoy it too.
5) Our 4 year old was diagnosed with Dyspraxia several months ago and it’s made me delve even further into how our nutrition (or lack of) effects every aspect of our lives. In my limitedly-researched, unprofessional opinion… I believe many nuerological disorders (adhd, autism, dyslexia, dyspraxia, etc.) are because our kids are being born with terrible guts that allow toxins to attack their brains at a crucial, young age.
6) I grew up overseas as a missionary kid.
7) I’m thrilled to hear you drink coffee. I don’t drink it often anymore because I stopped dairy but I splurge even once in awhile on a soy latte. (I know. I know. That’s why it’s a splurge!)
1. Congrats!
2. Me too on all those!
3. I hear you on that… not a fan of mornings!
4. I really want to try skiing too, but I’m always pregnant during
the winter… hopefully this year!
5. I agree.. definitely a lot of research pointing that direction and it makes sense.
6. Cool!
7. 🙂
I’ve kept this window open forever trying to think about what to write. So I’m just going to wing it!I love finding out that you drink coffee, I was becoming discouraged at all the things I was trying to give up. Tell myself, babysteps and Progress, not Perfection. Since finding you, your blog, and all of the other blogs from Monday Mania, my family now thinks I am even weirder! I consider that a good thing! You would like to go scuba diving, I would like to go horseback riding again. And I will too. My treat when I release 50 pounds is to go riding again. (I’m at minus 20, so it Is getting closer!) I am not putting my life on hold, having ridden before, I know what it takes physically, and I’m not quite there yet. Thanks for all you do, Fran
Great progress. You’ll be on that horse again soon! Horseback riding is another thing I’d love to try at some point…
I have been trying to think about how to respond to the original post – Horseback riding is my thing too!! (and scuba diving actually, but horses mostly!) I just sold my horse 🙁 with 2 kids under 2 it just didn’t make sense to keep him. I used to compete in Dressage with him and he’s fairly high strung. However, I have a fantastic in home daycare that my kids now go to one day per week so I can ride again! I’m just borrowing someone else’s horses for now. I love my kids and staying home with them, but riding is my mental therapy. Plus it feels good to remember that before I became a dairy cow (how I sometimes feel after nursing for 2 years) I did have other hobbies! 🙂 Keep up your good work, riding is so worth it!!!!
I’m also a type with one hand blogger 🙂 Actually right now the baby is sleeping but my 2 year old is pulling my arm and swinging on it as I type.
Family Pictures: Try recording a ‘photo shoot’ with video. Take a few, or more, minutes of video while trying to pose. Then, with software, extract a good image. The benefit: you can go frame by frame and find that perfect moment you may not be able to capture with a still shot. I think Roxio (a relatively cheap video editing software) is the easiest to use. Hope this helps!
what a great idea!
Here are 7 things about me, based on what you posted. 🙂
I totally love my French press. It makes the best coffee. Especially with real cream in the cup. I also drink Irish Breakfast tea with cream and raw honey. It’s an indulgence, I know, but at least both have antioxidants, right? 😉
I am also now in the midst of 1HT (also known as NAK – nursing at keyboard), so I don’t mind!
I have a confession that I still use Gatorade. Well, correction, dh uses Gatorade. Most of the time, I do a pinch of Real Salt and 2-3 pinches of sugar in water, plus some lemon juice.
My hobbies are knitting and sewing, but it’s hard to sew with little ones underfoot, the farm, and homeschooling. Knitting is more portable, and sometimes I sneak in a few rows during seatwork.
The most recent family photograph we have features only 2 children – our 8 year old is 9-10 months old in that pic! Don’t feel bad. It’s just a lot of hassle to wrangle 4 (now 5) boys for pics.
I like podcasts. I’d listen to yours! 🙂 (Okay, that wasn’t about me, but I do like to listen to podcasts – I use them a lot for homeschool)
I just repinned a cool crockpot chicken soup recipe on Pinterest today. It is Mexcian-y. I normally hate my crockpot, but am trying to learn to love it, as it does make busy days a lot easier, especially with a wee baby in arms.
As far as good reading, I don’t get to read much these days, but I did read a really cool article about John Taylor Gatto. It was a bit scary, too, realizing how much trouble our country is in because of our “public education” policies…
Thanks for sharing! Your post inspired me to check out pinterest… now I’m addicted:-)
Not very eco but WD-40 takes crayon off anything.
I’m also a member of the 1 hand typing tribe, I feel your pain & your typos!
Love the personal thoughts! I found crockpot365 last year as well when I was looking for gluten-free slow cooker meals. She’s hilarious and I follow her on Twitter too: StephanieODea.
It’s kind of weird when your blog worlds combine — I also read EverydayPaleo regularly aside from your blog. Love how some of my favorite food resources are coming together!
We use an 8-cup Pyrex measuring cup and pour hot water over the grounds. After sleeping for 7 minutes we pour the coffee through a strainer into a half-gallon jar. From there we may refrigerate and use as needed or reheat it a tad on the stove. Coarse coffee grounds are preferred for this method as they are easier to catch in the strainer.
My “blogging with kids” secret is….wait until they’re in bed. With 5 kids, I rarely have 2 free hands if they’re awake. I love this post…great to know a little more about you!
Yes!! i would love a podcast!! the blog is awesome, but the podcast i can listen to while i clean, cook, walk, drive or all the other things that require my eyes. ….Cant Wait!!
I like this post. As you typically post advice and information (which is great), your mention of the children playing with the old coffee pot and drawing on the coffee table makes you more “real.”
Looking forward to your slow cooker ideas – I really need to use mine more often.
I’ve been reading about how slow cookers leach lead into the food. I know- bummer for me too. But there is no amount of lead that is “safe”…. in thinking pressure cooker. It has a stainless steel bowl.
instant pot is the best pressure cooker. it has a stainless steel insert and has a slow cooker function.