Lux - Illumination

Multiple Coffee Bean Variations

Coffee has turn into an essential part of every society. Flavor and blend of a coffee depends on coffee beans. There are several varieties of coffee beans existing in which 25 main types are most used. The main types of coffee bean varieties are Arabica coffee beans and Robusta coffee beans.

Arabica coffee beans are considered as the top quality commercial beans worldwide. The beans have a tender flavor and it is more costly than other coffee beans varieties and the best coffeemaker. Arabica beans can be utilized in its pure form or it can be used as a base for other coffee blends. The flavor of Arabica beans vary with the geographic settings where they are grown. Arabica beans from Indonesia give the richest taste of coffee. Beans produced from the South and Central America region are unique with its modest aroma.

The second most preferred kind of coffee beans are Robusta coffee beans. It has a strong flavor and it is more economically feasible. Robusta beans blended with Arabica coffee beans create best flavors. With a great aroma, Kona coffee beans also have high demand worldwide. These coffee beans are rarely blended with other types. As with the variation in altitude, methods, weather condition and other aspects, the coffee beans from different countries generate different tastes. Coffee beans from east Africa is considered as highly flavorful beans. With a slight acidic flavor, Columbia and Guatemala coffee beans are perfect for light food.

Selecting the right coffee beans is important. Many people purchase fresh green coffee beans and roast the beans at home. Roasting of coffee beans in the best coffeemakers improves the coffee’s aroma and releases strong oils. Coffee beans are roasted until it provides a sharp and unique flavor. Green coffee beans cost less than roasted bean varieties. Arabica coffee beans are perfect for roasting.

Nowadays most of the companies provide roasted coffee beans. There are different kind roasted coffee beans are available in market. American roast coffee beans offer a medium-bodied coffee. Brazilian roast coffee beans are slenderly darker roasted beans. French roast beans are a favorite type of roasted coffee beans with dark chocolate color. The darkest roast available in the stores is known as Espresso. The espresso roasted beans produce strong, black coffee. Whole roasted coffee beans are finest to purchase.

Best quality coffees for the best coffee makers have strong and fragrant aromas. Coffee experts rate coffees according to their aroma, body, flavor and acidity. The flavor of the coffee is confirmed as mellow, earthy, or grassy. To discover what types of coffee beans are perfect for your daily routine, you can carry out a flavor test. Prepare various type of beans separately and taste the coffees separately. When the coffee is cooled, taste it once more.

Wheatgrass powder, Acai, and Cacao Beans

Wheatgrass is the young grass of the common wheat plant (Triticum aestivum), taken just after sprouting. It is freshly juiced or dried and grounded into flour for human consumption. About 70% of its content is chlorophyll. chlorophyll is the basis of all plant life, and is probably the most health promoting nutrient. Science has proven that chlorophyll arrests growth and development of unfriendly bacteria. Can not wait the fresh young plant to grow and to juice it? Well, we are not surprised. A watched pot never boils! Then in this case
wheatgrass powder is your good choice. There are generally two types of such powder: coarse-grounded, and finer-grounded. The measurement of powder is called “mesh”. Finer-grounded powder is used for making juice/drinks, usually it measures around 250 meshes. The coarse-grounded powder is mainly used for making capsules or pills, usually it measures around 130 meshes.

Cacao beans has no sugar but contains protein, fat, carbohydrate, fibre, iron, calcium, magnesium, B vitamins, vitamin C and E and many other chemical constituents. The high content of magnesium in cacao beans can increases the strength of heart muscle, decreases blood coagulation, regulates our blood pressure, and reduces the likelihood of blood clots and strokes. Cacao beans can also help reduce the symptoms and risk of arteries and veins hardening, and menstrual cramping. Magnesium can increase alkalinity in our body. Magnesium’s alkalinity can greatly help us in detoxification. Cacao beans also contains Serotonin, Tryptophan, Anandamide, Dopamine, Phenylethylamine (PEA) and Monoamine Oxidase Enzyme Inhibitors (MAO). These all have a positive effect on brain chemistry becaue they allow more serotonin and other neurotransmitters to circulate in the brain.

Acai Palm is native to tropical Central and South America, from Belize south to Brazil and Peru, growing mainly in floodplains and swamps. Acai palm are tall, slender, attractive palms growing to 15-30 meters, with pinnate leaves up to 3 meters long. The
acai fruit (acai berries) is a small, round, black-purple drupe about 1 inch in diameter, similar in appearance and size to a grape but with less pulp. Acai berry is produced in branched panicles of 700 to 900 fruits. Acai berries are produced twice a year. The acai berry has a single large seed about 7–10 mm in diameter. The exocarp of the ripe fruits is a deep purple color, or green, depending on the kind of acai and its maturity. The mesocarp is pulpy and thin, with a consistent thickness of 1 mm or less. It surrounds the voluminous and hard endocarp which contains a seed with a diminutive embryo and abundant endosperm. The seed makes up about 80% of the fruit.

Super Foods

Recent years Goji berries have become a very popular healthy food in USA, Canada, Japan, and Europe. Nowadays even supermarkets such as Tesco in the UK have put goji berries on their shelf. More and more people have enjoyed these nice berries. Firstly Traditional Chinese doctirs thinks it works on kidney and liver, so they are usually used to treat liver and/or kidney disease. The reason that it is also used to treat eye diseases is because Chinese doctors believes eyesight is governed by liver and kidney. What is more, since Chinese Medicine also believes that sexual capability is dictated by the strength of kidney, it is also widely used by Chinese doctors to treat sexual impotency etc. But the Chinese consumption of this fruit is more than that, they also eat goji berries in day-to-day lives, for example, to prepare herbal tea along with Chrysanthemum, to add it to soup etc.

Like other legumes, alfalfa root nodules contain bacteria, Sinorhizobium meliloti, with the ability to fix nitrogen, producing a high-protein feed regardless of available nitrogen in the soil. Its nitrogen-fixing abilities (which increases soil nitrogen) and use as animal feed greatly improved agricultural efficiency. (The nitrogen comes from the air, which is 78 percent molecular nitrogen.) Alfalfa is widely grown throughout the world as forage for cattle, and is most often harvested as hay, but can also be made into silage, grazed, or fed as greenchop. Alfalfa has the highest feeding value of all common hay crops, being used less frequently as pasture. When grown on soils where it is well-adapted, alfalfa is the highest yielding forage plant. Alfalfa is one of the most important legumes used in agriculture. The US is the largest alfalfa producer in the world, but considerable acreage is found in Argentina (primarily grazed), Australia, South Africa, and the Middle East. Known as Kuthirai Masal in Tamil, alfalfa is mostly grown in the Coimbatore district of Tamil Nadu, southern India.

Cacao Nibs are from Cacao Seeds, and are made by peeling and breaking the cacao seeds. In fact cacao nibs are the middle thing prior to chocolate. There are two types of cacao nibs. One is from roasted cacao beans, and the other is from raw caco beans. By comparision, raw cacao nibs are not from roasted cacao seeds, instead, they are just made from raw cacao seeds. For example, you can manually press on the cacao seeds, peel it, and then break it into nibs. Cacao nibs contains Magnesium, Sulphur, and Anti-oxidant, Monoamine Oxidase Enzyme Inhibitors, Phenylethylamine, and Anandamide. These substances can help us having healthy heart, relieving us from stressful mood, and much more. So recent years cacao nibs are becoming a popular healthy food.

Hemp seeds, Guarana, and Apricot Kernels

Hemp is the common name for Cannabis. Mostly it refers to the industrial hemps. Hemp grows almost everywhere in this planet. By nature hemp is organic as it doesn’t need any fertilizer, chemicals, and pesticide. There has been a long history of consuming hemp and hemp seeds by human being. Scientists have found hemp fibre imprints in the pottery in Stone age. The early usage of hemp also include using hemp fibre to make clothes, shoes and ropes etc. It has been widely used for other purposes, for example for making cordage, clothing, and healthy food. Hemp seeds are popular healthy food as it is very rich in nutrients such as omega fatty acids, amino acids, and minerals. About 35 percent of hempseeds content is oil. The hemp seeds oil contains 80% essential fatty acids (EFAs), linoleic acid (LA, 50-70%), alpha-linolenic acid (ALA, 15–25%) and Gamma-Linolenic_acid (GLA, 1–6%). The balance of linoleic acid and alpha-linolenic acid in hempseed oil can satisfy our needs for EFAs very well.

Guarana is the well-known plant in the Brazilian rain forest. It is an evergreen climbing vine indigenous to the Amazon Basin and is mainly cultivated in Brazil. The word guarana comes from the Portuguese guaraná. Guarana plays an important role in Tupi and Guaraní Brazilian culture.
Guarana fruit is of hazelnut size., and has black seed. Chemically equivalent to caffeine, guaraná is of interest for its potential effects on cognition. In rats, guaraná increased memory retention and physical endurance when compared with a placebo. Traditionally Brazillan use Guarana seed to treat headaches, fever, aphrodisiac, bacterial infections etc etc. It increases concentration keeps a clear head and drives out mental boredom. Guararana also works as a sexual stimulant. Mixed with coffee it strengthens the effect of the caffeine, which means extra energy.

Apricot kernel is the kernel of Apricot. It is commonly known for containing amygdalin, which is sometimes called “vitamin B17″. Apricot kernels are strong-tasting and bitter, and are known in culinary contexts as bitter almonds or apricot almonds. They feature in recipes for apricot jam, marzipan and Italian amaretto cookies and liqueur. Taken in excess, they may produce nausea, fever, rash, hive nose, headaches, insomnia, increased thirst, weakness, lethargy, nervousness, various aches and pains in joints and muscles, a drop in blood pressure. A clinical trial of Laetrile (amygdalin) carried out in 1982 by the Mayo Clinic and three other U.S. cancer centers under National Cancer Institute sponsorship, found among other things that several patients suffered from cyanide poisoning.

Bee Pollen, Carob, and Himalayan Crystal Salt

Bee pollen is the main source of food for most honey bees and their larvae. Bee bread consists of honey and pollens which are gathered by the worker bees. A recent study of bee bread showed it contain 188 kinds of fungi and 29 kinds of bacteria. Bee bread is sometimes referred to as ambrosia. Bee pollen contains: All the essential amino acids, A full spectrum of vitamins especially vitamins B12 and E; and significant amounts of B1, B2, B3, B5, C, and vitamin D, Various minerals including calcium, manganese, phosphorous, iron, sodium, potassium, aluminium, magnesium and copper, Trace elements and enzymes (including antioxidants), and co-enzymes, pigments, xanthophylls, carotenes, and sterols, phytosterols, lignans (dibenzyl butanes) isoflavones and flavonoids, Hormone precursors (which stimulate hormone production and help anti-ageing), Carbohydrates and fatty acids.

Carob tree grows up to 10 meters tall. The crown is broad and semi-spherical, supported by a thick trunk with brown rough bark and sturdy branches. Leaves are 10–20 cm long, alternate, pinnate, and may or may not have a terminal leaflet. Most carob trees are dioecious. The trees blossom in autumn. The flowers are small and numerous, spirally arranged along the inflorescence axis in catkin-like racemes borne on spurs from old wood and even on the trunk; they are pollinated by both wind and insects. Male flowers produce a characteristic odour, resembling semen. The fruit is a pod which can be elongated, compressed, straight or curved, and thickened at the sutures. The pods take a full year to develop and ripen - up to the next flowering season, the following autumn. The ripe pods eventually fall to the ground and are eaten by various mammals, thereby dispersing the seed. Carob is a member of the legume family, and as such its roots host Rhizobia bacteria which live in symbiosis with the tree and convert atmospheric nitrogen into nitrates which can be used by plants to make proteins.

Himalayan Crystal Salt comes from Himalayan primal seas since the beginning of lives. At that time, there was no pollution, and it was sun-dried naturally. Therefore Himalayan Crystal Salt is completely pure, no pollutant and has many mineral and trace element we need. Raw Rock Crystals Salt is versatile and can also be used to flush the sinuses to prevent runny and congested noses and sinus infections, used as an eye bath to restore moisture to dry eyes, for inhalations to treat respiratory disorders such as bronchitis, as a cleansing bath that has the same detoxifying effect as a three day fast, and for beauty masks and wraps to treat skin irritations, tissue injuries, joint problems, cellulite and for regenerating and tightening the skin.

Chlorella, Flax Seed, and Manuka Honey

Manuka honey is a type of honey which has a high value in the marketplace because it has a distinctive flavor or other attribute due to its being predominantly from the nectar of one plant species. While all honeys have some medicinal value, active manuka honey containing the Unique Manuka Factor (UMF) has been shown to have higher antibacterial activity than other tested honeys. There are various strengths of Manuka from 5+ - 20+ and which one you should choose depends on what it is being used for. The lower the number (UMF) the lower the activity or strength. Lower strengths are suitable for general well being and as a preventative, while the higher numbers are suitable for remedial use. Manuka can be expensive, but it is true that you get what you pay for with this product. The good thing is that results are usually fast, and it is often well worth the investment. New Zealand’s active manuka honey is used as a natural product both internally and topically on the skin. Apitherapy, the name given to treatment with natural honey, has been used by many different cultures throughout history.

Flax seed is also known as linseed, and has been consumed by human being for thousands of years. It is a great source for Omega 3. Omega 3 has super polyunsaturated Essential Fatty Acid, which has many benefits in our daily lives. It is known as an Essential Fatty Acid because these oils are vital for normal body functions such as renewal of cells balancing hormones, repairing muscles and tissue as well as many other essential processes in the body. Flax fibres are amongst the oldest fibre crops in the world. The use of flax for the production of linen goes back 5000 years. Pictures on tombs and temple walls at Thebes depict flowering flax plants. The use of flax fibre in the manufacturing of cloth in northern Europe dates back to Neolithic times. In North America, flax was introduced by the Puritans. Currently most flax produced in the USA and Canada are seed flax types for the production of linseed oil or flaxseeds for human nutrition. Flax fibre is extracted from the bast or skin of the stem of flax plant. Flax fibre is soft, lustrous and flexible. It is stronger than cotton fibre but less elastic. The best grades are used for linen fabrics such as damasks, lace and sheeting. Coarser grades are used for the manufacturing of twine and rope.

Chlorella is a single-cell green algae which is part of Chlorophyta family. There is an obvious mis-spelling: chorella. It is spherical in shape, about 2 to 10 µm in diameter. Chlorella contains a fibrous and indigestible outer shell and inner nutrients. The dried Chlorella contains about 45% protein, 20% fat, 20% carbohydrate, 5% fiber, and 10% minerals and vitamins. Our body must maintain a balance between alkaline and acid, and such balance should be neutral, with PH values around 7.2-7.4. Unfortunately most of us take overcooked, processed foods, fast food, and soft drinks (a pH of 2.7) every day, most of our PH values are not balanced. An acidic environment can lead to many diseases, however, such disease will not likely start in an alkaline environment. Chlorella is Alkaline. Therefore eating Chlorella can help us to maintain a neutral PH value. Researches have revealed that chlorella can also help normalize our blood sugar in cases of low blood sugar (hypoglycemia). Right levels of blood sugar are essential to keep our brain, our heat, and our energy metabolism functioning properly.

Spirulina, Wheatgrass, and Barley Grass

Most recently Barley grass becomes a popular healthy food. It is similar to wheatgrass but it is more easier to digest. Barley grass has many nutritional & healthy benefits. Nutritionally young barley leaves contain all the vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and detoxifying compounds, proteins and enzymes. In addition to chlorophyll and a bunch of vitamins, minerals and enzymes, it is also believed that barley grass have 30 times as much vitamin B1 as in milk, 3.3 times as much vitamin C, and 6.5 times as much carotene as in spinach, 11 times the amount of calcium in cow’s milk, nearly five times the iron content of spinach, nearly seven times the vitamin C in oranges etc etc. In practice doctors agree that barley grass juice is a helpful diet supplement in a variety of illnesses, including arthritis, migraine headaches, asthma, fatigue and gastro-intestinal disorders, and can help in clarifying the skin. Barley grass is also credited to be beneficial in other illnesses such as blood clots, and diabetes. According to a scientific paper published in Diabetes and Metabolism, regular consumption of barley grass is beneficial in reducing the levels of cholesterol and oxygen free radicals in the blood of type 2 diabetics.

Wheatgrass contains 20 amino acids, several hundred different enzymes not found in other foods, as many as 90 out of 102 possible minerals, vitamins and other important nutrients. It is a great supplement for people on diet, for sports people, and for people who want to maintain a healthy immune system. About 70% of wheatgrass content is chlorophyll. chlorophyll is the basis of all plant life, and is probably the most health promoting nutrient. Science has proven that chlorophyll arrests growth and development of unfriendly bacteria. The average dosage taken by consumers of wheatgrass is 3.5 grams (flour or tablets). Some also have a fresh squeezed 30ml shot once daily or for more therapeutic benefits a higher dose up to 2–4 oz taken 1-3 times per day on an empty stomach and before meals.

Spirulina are floating filamentous cyanobacteria with cylindrical trichomes in left-hand helix. Spirulina grows naturally in tropical and subtropical lakes with high pH and high concentrations of carbonate and bicarbonate. It is commonly used as food supplements. Spirulina is a rich source of potassium, and also contains calcium, chromium, copper, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, selenium, sodium, and zinc. Spirulina contains many pigments including chlorophyll-a, xanthophyll, beta-carotene, echinenone, myxoxanthophyll, zeaxanthin, canthaxanthin, diatoxanthin, 3′-hydroxyechinenone, beta-cryptoxanthin, oscillaxanthin, plus the phycobiliproteins c-phycocyanin and allophycocyanin. Spirulina helps prevent heart damage caused by chemotherapy using Doxorubicin, without interfering with its anti-tumor activity. Spirulina reduces the severity of strokes and improves recovery of movement after a stroke; reverses age-related declines in memory and learning; and prevents and treats hay fever.

Goji, Maca, and Cacao

Goji berries are also known as Wolfberries. Some people even mis-spell it as “gogi berries”. It is a sweet-taste, dark-red coloured dried fruit, and mainly comes from north-western area of China. It has been grown and consumed in China for a few thousand years. Recent years people all over the world have discovered many benefits of goji berries.

In July 2006 Time Magazine called the goji berry the “Breakout Superfruit of the Year”. Its popularity and consumption have been increasing all the time in Western countries such as USA, Japan, Canada and Europe et. Many published studies discussed the benefits of goji berries, including its antioxidant properties etc. Researchers have found that goji contains many nutrients including 11 essential elements, 22 trace dietary minerals, 18 amino acids, 6 essential vitamins, 8 polysaccharides, and 6 monosaccharidesm.

Maca is an herbaceous biennial plant or annual plant in Bolivia and Peru. Maca grows on high mountains, and grows well only in very cold weather and in poor soil. It has been discovered that hypocotyls is one of the major constituents of naturally grown and organic maca root on
mountainous area. As hypocotyls do not form in greenhouses or in warm climates, cultivated maca in other areas than Andean mountains don’t have same content of hypocotyles and other nutrients as the naturally grown and organic maca root. Maca root can be used as vegetable or medicinal herb. Biologically maca root is rich in sugar and protein. It contains 60% carbohydrates, 10% protein, 8.5% dietary fiber, and 2.2% fats. Additionally it has uridine, malic acid, benzoyl derivative, and glucosinolates etc. Dried maca root is rich in alkaloidal, minerals, and nutrients such as essential minerals (selenium, calcium, magnesium, and iron), fatty acids including linolenic acid, palmitic acid, and oleic acids, and 19 amino acids, as well as polysaccharides.

Cacao is also known as Theobroma cacao. The flowers are produced in clusters directly on the trunk and older branches; they are small and 1–2 cm diameter with pink calyx. The seeds are encased in a large
colourful pod which grows close to the tree after a flower. The large pod is green while maturing and and turns yellow, orange, red or purple when ripe (some varieties are still green when ripe). The pods vary significantly in size, shape and texture. They range from about 10 cm to greater than 40 cm in length! They have 5 to 10 veins or longitudinal ridges and are spherical to oblong, shaped roughly like an American football. Fruits are produced throughout the year, simultaneous with more flowering. It takes take 4 to 5 months to achieve the pod size, and then yet another month to ripen! Its ovoid cacao pod is about 15–30 cm in
length and 8–10 cm in width, and weighs about 500g when ripe. The pod contains 20 to 60 seeds inside the white pulp. Each seed contains a high amount of fat.