8 Health Benefits of Coffee

The average American drinks nearly 600 cups of coffee per year but the United States ranks only 25th in the world for coffee consumption. As it turns out, moderate to heavy coffee consumption may help prevent disease. Here are 8 health benefits of coffee:

Skin Cancer Prevention

Research from the American Association for Cancer Research has connected coffee with the prevention of basal cell carcinoma, the most common cancer in the world. A study conducted at Harvard Medical School showed that women who drank three or more cups per day had a 20% lower chance of developing skin cancer. Men had a reduced risk of 9%.

Prostate Cancer Prevention

A study published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute found that drinking just 1 to 3 cups of coffee per day could lower the risk of prostate cancer by as much as 30%. Another study, conducted at the Harvard School of Public Health found that drinking six cups of coffee per day could lower the risk of a dangerous type of prostate cancer by 60% and other forms by 20%.

Liver Protection

Coffee consumption has been known to help protect the liver from cirrhosis and related forms of cancer. According to a professor at the Harvard School for Public Health, the evidence for cancer prevention in the liver is very promising and consistent from study to study.

Type 2 Diabetes

Minerals like magnesium and chromium, found in coffee, help the body use insulin, which helps regulate blood sugar levels effectively. According to a review of studies published in Archives of Internal Medicine, coffee consumption can help lower the risk of type two diabetes. The 18 studies involved 450,000 people. For each additional cup of coffee consumed per day, the risk was lowered by 7%. Another study involving 193,000 people showed a reduction of risk of 35% in people drinking 6 or 7 cups of coffee per day.

Alzheimer's Disease

Drinking coffee is often associated with a lower risk of dementia and Alzheimer's disease. A study conducted in Finland and Sweden of 1,400 people over 20 years found that those who drank 3 to 5 cups per day were 65% less likely to develop Alzheimer's disease. A lab study involving mice found that an unknown substance in coffee interacted closely with caffeine to boost GCSF, a growth factor known to ward off Alzheimer's disease.

Parkinson's Disease

A review of studies published in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease looked at 26 studies involving 125,000 people. The conclusion found that drinking two or three cups of coffee per day could lower the risk of Parkinson's disease by 25%. It also suggested that drinking a few cups of coffee per day had "optimal effects" on Parkinson's patients.

Energy Booster

The caffeine in coffee can offer a strong, temporary boost in a person's energy level and alertness. However, increased consumption of caffeinated beverages can alter a person's tolerance to caffeine, meaning more coffee is needed to produce the same boost in energy. Too much caffeine can be a risk to one's health and coffee taken for energy should be taken in moderation.

Depression Treatment

Studies have found that women who drink at least two cups of coffee per day may be less likely to develop severe depression than those that drink coffee moderately or not at all. A study at the Harvard Medical School spanning one decade and involving 2,600 women showed that woman who drank four or more cups per day had a 20% lower risk of developing depression.

Arda abandons coffee farming for poultry

Arda, together with several Zanu (PF) supporters, forcibly took over Bennett’s farm during the height of the land invasions in 2004. Immediately after taking over the farm, the authority forced some of Bennett’s workers to sign up as their workers and took over the vast coffee plantations, farming equipment and the farmhouse. Seven years after Arda’s violent take over, the coffee plantations have been replaced by chicken runs.

“There is no more coffee production at Charleswood farm. All the coffee bushes have been burnt. Arda is now breeding chickens and selling them to the locals at a cost of $6 per bird,” said a worker.

He added that most of Bennett’s former workers had left employment due to non-payment of wages.

“A lot of workers have left. When Bennett was the owner of the farm we used to get our salaries on time but now we can go for several months without payment. Why did they not continue with the lucrative coffee production?” said another worker.

The estate used to be a major producer of coffee for export and had Export Processing Zone status. Sources also told The Zimbabwean that the coffee mills at the farm had also been vandalized. Arda is allegedly leasing out some of Bennett’s former staff houses to gold panners and Russians who are mining diamonds in the estate.

Charleswood estate had secured a deal to sell coffee to foreign buyers, including a Korean company called K&Z Incorporated, before the invasions. Efforts to get a comment from Joseph Made, the minister of Agriculture and Farm Mechanisation, were unsuccessful.

Original Article Here

Agriculture: Corn moved higher on Brazil's crop concerns

Precious Metals: Platinum rose on South African miners’ unrest

Precious metals apart from silver rose on Friday on encouraging comments from John Williams, San Francisco Federal Reserve Bank president. John Williams said that when the Operation Twist ends in December, the Fed may extend the outright purchases of Treasuries.

Gold ended the week on the positive note, boosted by hints on further easing measures from the Fed after Operation Twist ends in December.

Silver rallied in Asian and European session on Friday but failed to hold the gains and dropped sharply during the US trading hours. 

Platinum extended previous gains on persistent supply concerns from South Africa. On Friday, Anglo American Platinum warned striking employees that in case they do not return to work the company will take legal action.

Palladium was the top-performer, moving in tandem with industrial metals. The precious metal also drew strength from hopes for additional easing in the US and weaker greenback.

Industrial Metals: Nickel reached 20-week high on lower inventories

Base metals moved higher on Friday, erasing previous losses on weak fresh PMI releases from the US, China and Eurozone. At the same time, inability of Eurozone’s leaders to agree on measures to solve spreading debt crisis weighted down on the industrial metals.

Aluminum posted mild gain despite higher inventories at the LME warehouses and softer global shares.

Copper inched up on news that refined copper output was in deficit of 473,000 tons in H1 of 2012 compared to a deficit of 131,000 tons in H1 of 2011.

Nickel topped 20-week high on stronger Euro and a 24% decline in inventories at the LME-listed warehouses. Stronger spot demand from alloy-makers also boosted the base metal.

Zinc advanced on improved spot market activity and weaker US Dollar. However, soft global equities and weak manufacturing activity data capped the upswing of the metal.

Energy: Natural gas climbed despite cooler US weather

Energy commodities were bullish on Friday amid lingering concerns over instability in Libya and falling North Sea production. Speculation that the Fed will loosen its policy further in December and weakness of the greenback also lifted energy prices.

Crude oil rose on hopes that global stimulus measures will spur demand for energy. Escalating tensions in Libya also supported the commodity price.

Brent oil added 1.26% amid declining production from the North Sea region. However, the upward trend was limited by talks of possible strategic reserves release and elevating inventories in the US.

Natural gas continued its rally despite cooler weather in the US. Meanwhile, US natural gas inventories climbed in line with expectations last week thus sending the commodity higher.

Heating oil gained 3.15%, tracking gains of Brent and crude oil. Relatively low US supplies continued to push heating oil higher.

Agriculture: Corn moved higher on Brazil’s crop concerns

Rural commodities rallied on Friday amid falling Russia’s and Brazil’s supplies. Adding to the positive mood of the commodity group, the US Dollar retreated on speculation that the Fed will ease its policy further in December.

Wheat soared after Andrei Belousov, Russia’s Economy Minister, said that Russia may restrict exports in the autumn in case domestic prices skyrocket.

Corn gained 0.30% on global supply concerns. Brazil, the third biggest world’s producer, stated that about one million tons of corn may be damaged by rains.

Sugar climbed on hopes that recent plunge in price will encourage buyers to return to markets.

Coffee was the top-performer, erasing previous losses caused by improving Colombian crops. However, coffee futures remained under heavy pressure as recent increase in prices motivates farmers to increase supplies.

EXPLANATIONS

Commodities

Gold - spot 995 fine gold

Silver - spot 999 fine silver

Platinum - spot platinum with minimum purity 99.95%

Palladium - spot palladium with minimum purity 99.95%

Aluminium - three-month forward contract on the London Metal Exchange

Copper - three-month forward contract on the London Metal Exchange

Zinc - three-month forward contract on the London Metal Exchange

Nickel - three-month forward contract on the London Metal Exchange

Crude oil - light, sweet crude oil active contract on the New York Mercantile Exchange

Brent oil - Brent oil active contract on the New York Mercantile Exchange

Natural Gas - natural gas active contract on the New York Mercantile Exchange

Heating oil - heating oil active contract on the New York Mercantile Exchange

Sugar - white sugar wheat active contract on the Chicago Board of Trade

Wheat - wheat active contract on the Chicago Board of Trade

Coffee - benchmark Arabica coffee active contract on the NYB-ICE Futures Exchange

Corn - corn active contract on the Chicago Board of Trade

Indices

Dow Jones - UBS Precious Metals Subindex Total Return - commodity group subindex composed of gold and silver; the index reflects return on underlying commodity futures price movement

Dow Jones - UBS Industry Metals Subindex Total Return - commodity group subindex composed of futures contracts on aluminium, copper, nickel and zinc; the index reflects return on fully collateralized futures positions

Dow Jones - UBS Energy Subindex Total Return - commodity group subindex composed of futures contracts on crude oil, heating oil, unleaded gasoline and natural gas; the index reflects return on fully collateralized futures positions

Dow Jones - UBS Agriculture Subindex Total Return - commodity group subindex composed of futures contracts on coffee, corn, cotton, soybeans, soybean oil, sugar and wheat; the index reflects return on fully collateralized futures positions

Chart

SMA (20) - Simple Moving Average of 20 periods

SMA (60) - Simple Moving Average of 60 periods

Correlation - a statistical measure of the linear relationship of two random variables. It is defined as the covariance divided by the standard deviation of two variables

Indicators

Daily Ranked Price Moves - daily price changes in an ascending order for positive changes and in a descending order for negative or mixed changes

Monthly Ranked Price Moves - monthly price changes in an ascending order for positive changes and in a descending order for negative or mixed changes

Original Article Here

Sugar and coffee jump

Raw sugar futures on ICE settled at a three-month high in choppy dealings on Thursday, while coffee surged on spillover support from gains in agriculture commodities. Cocoa futures also moved higher. "The rise in soft commodities is primarily on the back of higher agricultural markets," said Sudakshina Unnikrishnan, a soft commodities analyst with Barclays Capital.

The Thomson Reuters-CRB index, a benchmark for global commodities, jumped 1.9 percent to a 2-1/2-month high at 304.85. Sugar's higher close followed an up and down session, with funds buying early. "The (raw sugar) market tried to go up this morning when we had the funds buying. Very fast we ran out of steam and then we just fell like a rock," said Alex Oliveira, Newedge USA analyst.

Oliveira noted that sugar turned negative as corn futures fell from their highs. Raw sugars later turned up again, to close at a three-month high on the coattails of the firm commodity complex. Benchmark October sugar futures on ICE gained 0.30 cent, or 1.3 percent, to close at 23.25 cents a lb, the highest settlement for the spot contract since April 13.

The sugar market was underpinned by the prospect that weak monsoon rains may reduce production in top consumer and No. 2 global producer India, dealers said. Rains in Australia have also slowed the flow of supplies from the world's third-largest raw sugar exporter. The sugar market got a boost from news on Wednesday that Copersucar, a leading sugar and ethanol trader in top producer Brazil, said rains forced 42 percent of its associate mills to stop crushing and it may turn to buying the sweetener.

White sugar futures on Liffe also soared in choppy dealings. The October contract jumped $11.60, or 1.9 percent, to end at $636.30 per tonne. Arabica coffee futures jumped on a combination of chart-based strength after the benchmark contract managed to close above its 100-day moving average at $1.7899 on Wednesday, and as the firm commodity complex provided support, dealers said.

Arabica coffee futures on ICE soared with September jumping 6.80 cents, or 3.7 percent, to settle at $1.8895 per lb. Robusta coffee futures on Liffe also rallied, with September settling up $81, or 3.8 percent, at $2,192 a tonne, the highest since May 31. The benchmark US cocoa futures contract climbed as it triggered buy stops above $2,220, then filled the technical gap between $2,250-$2,270, before consolidating slightly, dealers said. ICE September cocoa futures rose $26, or 1.2 percent, to settle at $2,230 a tonne. London September cocoa finished up 31 pounds, or 2.1 percent, at 1,532 pounds per tonne.

Copyright Reuters, 2012

Coffee Plantation In Caraga Set

By MIKE U. CRISMUNDO

 In an effort to provide additional income for villagers in the Caraga Region, particularly those living in remote and highland communities, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) is allocating some 1,000 hectares of land for development into a coffee plantation.

It was learned that the new livelihood assistance to upland communities is in line with the government’s National Greening Program (NGP).

The inclusion of coffee is among the high-value crops that will be planted under the NGP in keeping with the food security objective of the program.

The allotted 1,000 hectares for coffee plantation in the Caraga Region is part of the 86,000 hectares of upland areas for development into coffee plantations throughout the country, under the NGP.

“The NGP is not solely reforestation but it is also conceived to boost food production, and coffee is one crop that we know we can be self-sufficient by putting more government inputs to local coffee farming through the National Convergence Initiative (NCI),” said DENR Secretary Ramon JP Paje.

It was also learned that the NCI is a complementary mechanism that combines the DENR’s resources and expertise with those of the Department of Agriculture (DA) and Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) to achieve sustainable rural growth.

According to Paje, of the 86,000 hectares allotted for coffee farming, around 25,000 hectares are also located in the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR), 12,000 hectares in Region-2, and 10,000 hectares in Region-12.

Regions 3, 4A, 4B, and 11 have 5,000 hectares each, Regions 5, 7, and 8 got 4,000 hectares each, 2,000 hectares each for Regions 9 and 10, and 1,000 hectares each for Regions 1, 6, and 13.

Last year, Paje said that some 2,554 hectares have been planted with 1.5 million coffee seedlings under the NGP.

“The NGP’s efforts to energize the local coffee industry complements DA and DAR’s strides to enable our local farmers to turn to high-value crops like coffee, and eventually remove the need for imported coffee beans, mostly from Indonesia and Vietnam, to meet local demand,” said Paje.

As he expressed optimism that the areas identified will have a substantial input to the government’s effort to replace its coffee importation, which in 2010, already stood at 26,600 metric tons, per data of the DA-Philippine Agricultural Development and Commercial Corporation.

Meanwhile, Agusan del Sur Governor Adolph Edward “Eddie Bong” G. Plaza is giving his support to Paje’s coffee plantation program, which according to him, “is a good program because this is line of our provinces’ food security program.”

Original Article Here