Health Benefits of Apples -

French researchers found that a flavanoid called phloridzin that is found only in apples may protect post-menopausal women from osteoporosis and may also increase bone density. Boron, another ingredient in apples, also strengthens bones.

One recent study shows that children with asthma who drank apple juice on a daily basis suffered from less wheezing than children who drank apple juice only once per month. Another study showed that children born to women who eat a lot of apples during pregnancy have lower rates of asthma than children whose mothers ate few apples.

If you look at the apple nutrition content, you will see that one medium sized apple contains the vitamins B1 (thiamin), B2 (riboflavin), B3 (niacin), B5 (pantothenic acid), B6, B9 (folate) and C, as well as the minerals calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus and potassium.

Most daily multi-vitamins contain adequate amounts of these vitamins and minerals, so why is it necessary to actually eat an apple?

It appears that the combination of vitamins, minerals and other plant components act together, providing more benefits than the individual components alone. In other words, the total value to human nutrition of an apple is probably greater than the value of the individual vitamins and minerals it contains.

Food Coloring Chart

Food colors help in making a particular food visually appealing. This helps in increasing your appetite and desire to eat. Most of us are attracted to a particular food, just because the color of the food. You can mix different colors and come up with different shades, and make your and pastries look more attractive. You will find four basic food colors in grocery stores; red, green, yellow and blue. These are primary food colors (red, yellow and blue) that are used for mixing and coming up with different shades. You may also come across different food colorings like pink, orange, black and purple in stores. This article will provide you with a food coloring chart that you can use as a guide for creating a riot of colors. You can read more on .

Mixing Food Colors

The three primary colors can be mixed with any colors in a color wheel. You can even mix two primary colors and come up with a secondary color. You can even mix two secondary colors and get a different secondary color. You need to add drops of color in equal amount to get the perfect shade you are looking for. When using two primary colors, you should use unequal amounts of colors. This will help you get the different shades of colors. You can even one shade of color on one side of the white icing and add a different color on other side of the icing. Then slowly mix the different colors to create a new color shade. The following food coloring chart will help you in mixing different shades for your icing. You can read more .

How to Fillet a Fish

How To Fillet A Fish

Whether you have a fisherman in the family or got a great deal on whole fish, here's instructions on how to fillet fish.
Difficulty: Average
Time Required: 15 minutes
Here's How:

1. Hold the fish on the cutting board with the back of the fish toward you. Using a thin flexible knife, cut through the back of the head to the backbone and turn the blade so it's running along the backbone.
2. Hold the fish by placing your non cutting hand over the head. Push the knife along the backbone to the tail using a sawing motion.
3. Pull the fillet away from the body of the fish while making small careful cuts with the knife to retain as much flesh as possible.
4. Using small strokes of the knife, remove the fillet from the rib cage, feeling your way around the bones with the knife.
5. Turn the fish over and repeat steps 1 through 3 on the other side.
6. Using a flat bladed knife, slice a bit of the skin away from the flesh. Cut a hole in the loosened skin so you can fit your finger through it.
7. Hold the skin through the finger hole and pull the skin away from the fillet, using the knife to hold the fillet down. Hold the knife at a 45 degree angle.
8. With your fingers and a clean tweezer, feel for any pin bones and pull them out of the fillets.


Tips:

1. Make sure your knives are very sharp or you will rip and tear the flesh.
2. Go slowly at first. It takes practice to become an expert at filleting a fish.
3. Removing the fillet from the rib cage is the most difficult step. Be very careful and go slowly.

What You Need:

* whole fish
* sharp thin bladed knife
* sharp flat bladed knife
* cutting board
* tweezers

Fat Burning Foods

I’m dedicating this post to what I consider to be some of the best fat burning foods available. As usual, these are all natural foods and loaded with vitamins, nutrients and taste! Use these foods in meals and as snacks throughout the day.

Fat Burning Foods can help you burn fat, lose weight, and get in shape in no time. The idea behind the thermogenic diet is simple: Some foods require more calories to digest than they contain. Also, some foods boost your metabolism thus causing you to burn fat faster than just diet and exercise alone. For many people the best part is that you can essentially eat all you want and still lose weight. The downside is that you can't really cheat too much because this diet isn't really a diet, it's a lifestyle change. It's really not too hard to stick with it and you can start slowly and make changes gradually so you don't have to go cold turkey.

Salmon is probably one of the best meats for you overall and it tastes awesome too. Salmon is loaded with protein and Omega-3 Amino fatty acids boosting your metabolism and burning more fat. These fatty acids also have a very positive effect on your cardiovascular health, protecting you against heart disease.

Green tea has a chemical called EGCG that causes the brain and nervous system to run faster and helps you burn more calories. EGCG works sort of like caffeine except that caffeine causes your heart to beat faster. Want a super boost of your metabolism? Try combining caffeine and a 90 mg.dose of EGCG three times a day and you can burn an additional 80 calories a day, AOL Health says. Researchers found this out, along with the great news that you don’t have to engage in exercise for this to happen; it occurs when your body is at rest.

By boosting fiber and providing fewer calories from fat than other popular breakfasts (bacon and eggs, anyone?), ready-to-eat cereal can help you fill up — and slim down. Study from the Journal of the American Dietetic Association found that women who ate cereal were 30 percent less likely to be overweight than those who ate other breakfast foods. To get the most bang for your breakfast buck, choose fiber-rich (aim for 5 grams per serving), low-fat cereals like Kashi Heart to Heart.

How to cut the calories in your takeaway pizza?

Eat just one slice of a large deep pan pepperoni pizza and you consume 430 calories and a quarter of your daily fat allowance; a Burger King XL Double Whopper lives up to its name, packing in 840 calories and over two thirds of your recommended fat intake and a Big Mac with fries whacks in at just under 700 calories and half your daily fat intake. Takeaway foods are also low in fibre and high in salt.

When ordering pizza choose a small or medium rather than a large pizza and opt for a thin crust rather than a thick one. Toppings such as chicken, seafood and vegetables are much healthier than high fat toppings like salami or lashings of cheese; by adding extra veggies you’ll be notching up one of your recommended five a day! If you prefer pasta steer clear of the cream and cheese sauces. Choose those which are tomato or vegetable based and ask for a side salad instead of the garlic bread.

Pizza Hut have some great deals for feeding the family, so if you're taking the kids for a treat, make sure you know what the healthiest choices are for you all.

Best starter: Texan chicken wings BUT it still has 5.5g of saturated fat and 355 cals!
Worst starter: A bowl of nachos with 669 calories and 15.3g of saturated fat

Does Putting Milk in Coffee Destroy Its Health Benefits?

Some like it black, while others like it with lots of milk and sugar. Everyone has their own personal preference; but have you ever wondered if putting milk in coffee destroys some of its health benefits? Some studies have shown that when milk is added to tea it deactivates some of the healthy polyphenols that make tea such a healthy beverage. Coffee, too, is a source of antioxidants. In fact, most of the antioxidants Americans get in their daily diet comes from coffee. Does putting milk in coffee reduce these health benefits?

Coffee still contains a large amount of caffeine which can be a problem for people with heart disease, high blood pressure, insomnia, or anxiety; and it’s not clear whether drinking decaffeinated coffee has the same health benefits. Some people experience unpleasant reactions to drinking coffee due to the caffeine; and because it’s acidic it can cause heartburn and indigestion. It also reduces the absorption of iron by the intestines – so it isn’t a good choice of beverage for anyone with iron deficiency anemia.

If you like your coffee with a little cream or milk, you can stop worrying. A new study published in the Journal of Nutrition shows that putting milk in coffee doesn’t affect its antioxidant levels. Milk may be fine, but it’s best to avoid non-dairy creamers and sugar since this study showed that they reduced the time it took for caffeic, ferulic acid, and isoferulic acid – three antioxidants in coffee – to make their way into the blood stream.

Fat Belly and Sugar Consumption

Sugar is a simple carbohydrate that's extremely calorie-dense. At four calories for each gram of sugar, it's easy to go overboard on sweet treats and beverages and not know it. According to medical experts, sugar consumption, especially the added sugars from soft drinks, is directly tied to weight gain and obesity -- increased body fat.

Consider all of the known sugars you consume in a day: candy bars, soda, sugared cereals, cookies. Add to that the hidden sugars that you consume. Take a look at the nutritional information for any of the foods you regularly eat. Under the "carbohydrates" count, there is a count for "sugars." High amounts of sugar are in a surprising number of things that you eat every day. Once you become aware of how many processed foods contain sugar, you'll be astounded at how much sugar you eat every day.

Excess sugar, salt and fat causes bloating and water retention. It also causes weight gain [fat.] Eating too much sugar spikes your blood sugar which causes you to eat more and your metabolism goes down. You don't have the proper nutrition for energy. That's why people feel sluggish after eating sugary candy, even though people think it makes them hyper. I don't think it's the one and only cause of stomach fat, but I think it's a contributing cause of fat in general.

Sugar addiction is no easy thing to kick, but the hardest part is the first step. Many sugar addicts report that if they can just get by the first few days or a week without sugar, their cravings almost entirely disappear. The problem is that if they fall off the wagon even once, the sugar jonesing comes back with a vengeance. It’s like they never stopped at all.

That points to one key strategy – get all the refined sugar out of your house and never buy more. Sure, you can still trip up by visiting a mini-mart, restaurant, or coffee shop, but the best thing is to remove all temptation from your immediate vicinity. Often, it’s that quick craving that would be relatively easy to face down if you had no sugary treats staring you in the face that proves to be your undoing. If you have nothing which to grab, you can get past it. If there’s a plate of cookies, a slice of cake, or a box of sweet crackers within reach, all bets are off.

Cut Sugar and Carbs to Live Longer

The results of a study published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition finds that a diet high in sugar and fast-releasing carbohydrates increases the risk of death from inflammatory disease by three-fold. Many of the top killer diseases are inflammatory in nature, including coronary artery disease and many forms of cancer.

The study found that higher than normal levels of sugar in the blood were bound to white blood cells which prevented them from identifying and attacking pathogens. Fortunately there are several steps you can follow to dramatically lower your risk of developing an inflammatory illness and reverse your systemic sugar burden.

Professor Cynthia Kenyon, a US genetisist, has discovered that the carbohydrates we eat like bananas, potatoes, bread, pasta, and cakes directly affect two key genes that govern youthfulness and longevity.

But what Professor Kenyon found out was why ­drastically reducing calories has such a remarkable effect.

She discovered that it changed the way two crucial genes behaved. It turned down the gene that controls insulin, which in turn switched on another gene, which acted like an elixir of life.

Many dietary proteins and fats raise blood insulin levels without raising glucose. Remember, both chronically high levels of both glucose and insulin are bad. Furthermore, NOT all grains cause a rapid rise in glucose. In fact, some proteins can raise insulin as much as carbohydrates. For example, beef can trigger an insulin surge that is on par with brown rice and fish can raise insulin levels about the same amount as grain bread

Saturated Fat in Seafood

You may be aware that a high cholesterol level in the blood is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease (including heart disease and stroke) due to the build-up of fatty deposits that block or weaken blood vessels. By eating a healthy diet, you can help lower your blood cholesterol level.

Recent studies have shown that most species of shellfish are a good source of omega-3. In particular, crab, oysters and mussels contain as much omega-3 as some oil-rich fish. Omega-3 has been shown to provide benefits to heart health.

In a very small number of people (about 1 in 100) high blood cholesterol can be caused by a genetic condition called Familial Hypercholesterolaemia (FH) or Familial Combined Hyperlipidaemia (FCH). Those with this condition often need to be more cautious in their consumption of high cholesterol foods.

Researchers have found that a diet rich in fish, seafood, and grains -- also called polyunsaturated fats -- is better at preventing heart disease than a diet containing olive oil, nuts, and avocados -- called monounsaturated fats. Although both types of fats are healthy, people should probably include more of the first than the second in their diet to keep a healthy heart, the scientists say.

Fish contain a type of essential fatty acid called the omega-3 fatty acids.

Wild-caught cold water fish, like salmon, are higher in omega-3 fatty acids than warm water fish.

In addition to being an excellent source of omega-3s, these fish are an excellent source of selenium, a very good source of protein, niacin and vitamin-B12, and a good source of phosphorus, magnesium and vitamin-B6.

FOUR THINGS RIGHT NOW : EASY TUESDAY

Day off! I'm having cheese cake /curd pudding with strawberry jam on the balcony. And it's warm!Lulu is enjoying the sunshine next to me too.Which means she's letting the kids' Easter Grass to grow in peace for a while. (But as you can see the cats have been there a bit already...)The doorbell rang earlier and the mailman (or, woman actually) brought me these vintage ear studs - they will be

Low Carb Diet Tips & Basics

Read about various low-carb diets, or zero in on one. Ideally, read one of the books and become familiar with the principles. Above all, don’t fall for the common myths about eating low carb – such as that there are no vegetables or fruit, that it can’t be healthy, that it has to be boring, etc. Like other ways of eating, low-carb eating can be healthy or not, balanced or not, and there is certainly no reason for it to be boring. Rest assured that science is on the side of cutting carbs – perhaps not for everyone, but for many of us.

This misconception is the idea that a “low”-carb diet must be really really low in carbohydrates. You will read that low carb diets attempt to “eliminate carbohydrates,” for example.

Fact: Not one low-carb diet author advocates this. Even Atkins Induction, which is very low in carbohydrates, is not “no carb,” is only meant to last two weeks, and actually can be skipped altogether, according to the Atkins Web site.

Fact: Diet authors who recommend reducing carbs have all sorts of different ideas about carb levels.

Fact: The carbohydrate level should be adjusted to the individual.

Fact: Over the years, the “nutritional establishment” has been gradually lowering the range of recommended carbohydrate in the diet, at the same time condemning reduced-carb diets, some of which may be recommending the lower end of the new “accepted range,” or close to it. Example: Dr. Dean Edell, a prominent media physician, once stated that the Zone Diet, a 40% carbohydrate, low saturated fat diet, “could be dangerous” because it is too low in carbohydrates. The National Academy of Sciences recommends that 45% to 65% of the diet be carbohydrate, depending upon the individual.

The Uses and Benefits of Ginseng

The benefits of ginseng have been known for over 7000 years. It is the most famous Chinese herb with various forms of it being used for medicinal reasons. The whole root is used in powdered form and as a tea. Each plant takes over 5-6 years to grow but the roots can live for over 100 years.

Ingrediants in ginseng include 25 saponin triterpenoid glycosides (also called ginsenosides) that enable ginseng to balance and counter the effects of stress. Ginseng is used to reduce stress, increase performance and energy levels, improve memory and boost the immune system. The Chinese use it as a prevention and as a cure.

Ginseng can be used to improve the health of people recovering from illness. It increases a sense of wellbeing and stamina, and improves both mental and physical performance. Ginseng can be used to help with erectile dysfunction, hepatitis C, and symptoms relating to menopause, and can also be used for lowering blood glucose levels and controlling blood pressure.

Ginseng is one of the most effective anti-aging supplements. It can alleviate some major effects of aging, such as degeneration of the blood system, and increase mental and physical capacity.

Other important benefits of ginseng is its support in cancer treatment and its effects on sports performance.

How Many Eggs Can I Eat a Day Safely?

Eggs contain high amounts of cholesterol. 1 large egg has about 200mg cholesterol and 5g of fat. Almost half of that fat is saturated fat.

The logic is that since eggs are high in cholesterol, a high egg consumption will increase your blood cholesterol. So by cutting eggs from your diet, your blood cholesterol will decrease. This, however, isn’t how your body works.

The concern with eggs has to do with their high cholesterol content – 190 milligrams per one egg. Nutrition guidelines to keep LDL (bad) blood cholesterol in the desirable range have emphasized limiting dietary cholesterol – abundant in egg yolks, shrimp, liver and duck – to less than 300 milligrams per day. (Elevated LDL cholesterol in the bloodstream is a major risk factor for heart disease.)

Research has shown that eating one egg a day does not boost the risk of heart disease or stroke in healthy adults. That said, research does suggest that people with diabetes are more efficient at absorbing cholesterol from foods than people who don’t have diabetes.

In a 2008 study, men who ate 7 or more eggs per week versus less than one had a twofold greater risk for all cause mortality, presumably from heart disease. An earlier study from Harvard School of Public Health found that among those with diabetes, egg-a-day eaters were a bit more likely to develop heart disease than those who rarely ate eggs.

Alcohol Prevents Weight Loss

Alcohol and weight loss are enemies, but an occasional drink can have a place in a healthy lifestyle. In fact, many experts note the health benefits of consuming a single drink per day, including a reduced risk for high blood pressure. If, however, you are exceeding one drink daily, you might be sabotaging your weight loss plans.

According to Dr. Robert Atkins, the human body burns alcohol before any other fuel source. That means your body will burn off all the alcohol you've consumed before turning to its store of carbohydrates and fat. This can delay your weight-loss efforts, especially if you drink frequently.

If you can't bring yourself to abstain from alcohol, try sipping wine instead of beer or cocktails. Dr. Atkins considered the most diet-friendly drinks to be wine, hard liquor, or either of the above mixed with seltzer, tonic water, or diet soda.

Pure alcohol contains about 7 calories per gram, which makes it nearly twice as fattening as carbohydrates or protein (both contain about 4 calories per gram) and only just under the caloric value for fat (9 calories per gram). This means that if you want to lose weight and reduce excess body fat, alcohol is not a good choice.

Also, alcohol can actually stimulate your appetite, loosen your inhibitions and undermine your willpower, causing you to eat more than you planned. A 2002 Danish study published in the International Journal of Obesity and Related Metabolic Disorders found that men who were told they could eat as much as they wanted ate more when meals were served with beer or wine rather than soft drinks.

Unusual Ways to Sweeten Your Coffee Without Sugar

The most common coffee and tea additives are dairy and sweeteners. For a sweeter cuppa, most people simply add white sugar, but there are lots of ways to sweeten coffee and tea, such as honey, agave nectar, molasses, simple syrup and artificial sweeteners.

Sugar is the most common sweetener for hot coffee and tea.

Different types of sugar have different flavor profiles. For example, brown sugar has a deeper, richer flavor than refined sugar. If you’re interested in exploring more unusual sugar profiles, try Indian jaggery – it’s great with masala chai or coffee.

Brown sugar sweetens coffee in much the same way as sugar does. However, since brown sugar has a higher molasses content, you get a delightful, slightly bitter flavor. I found that the sweetening capabilities of brown sugar in your coffee are similar to that of regular table sugar. That means you use pretty much the same amount.

Maple syrup lovers might like to create a breakfast coffee drink by combining two favorite things. Using maple syrup in your coffee make a beverage that compliments pancakes and waffles perfectly. It does taste like maple syrup, and it does take more syrup to sweeten your coffee than it would take sugar. A sticky glob may form at the bottom of your cup.

Hot Chocolate: Bed Time Drink or Disturbed Sleep?

Many say that drinking milk before going to sleep helps improve the quality and or length of one's sleep. However even if you dont have a problem with lactose but do happen to experience some bloating after drinking milk ( as it just so happens that you are having episodes of hyperacidiy) , is it right that it is not milk perse that causes the bloating but rather the fat content in milk so If you take non fat milk then you wont experience bloating when taking milk even if you have some hyperacidity. Some say its the calcium in milk that causes bloating for those who have hyper acidity . What is right ?

Though milk components and serving temperature are not likely to influence the onset of sleep through physiological means, warm milk might have psychological significance. The routine of consuming a glass of warm milk may elicit memories of mom, home, and comforts of childhood that help us to relax. This is part of the natural transition from wakefulness to sleep. Recommendations include practicing stress reduction techniques, sticking to a regular sleep schedule, creating a relaxing bedroom environment, and avoiding caffeine or heavy meals close to bedtime.

Lactose intolerance is not due to milk's fat content. It's due to inability to digest lactose, the predominant sugar of milk. This inability results from a shortage of the enzyme lactase, and drinking skim milk isn't going to improve the problem.

Chocolate contains caffeine and will interfere with sleep.

Why exactly chocolate negatively affects our sleep? The answer is simple: chocolate is a mild stimulant. Many might be surprised to hear that chocolate actually contains small amounts of caffeine. However, the main "offender" of our precious sleep contained in chocolate is theobromine, which is also, at least in part, is responsible for bitter taste of dark chocolate. Cocoa powder - which is mixed with milk to cook hot chocolate drink - may contain from 2% to at least 10% of theobromine in it.

Even though, theobromine and caffeine are similar in that they are related alkaloids, theobromine is weaker. However, theobromine stimulates the heart to a greater degree. Theobromine can cause sleeplessness, tremors, restlessness, anxiety, as well as contribute to increased production of urine. Additional side effects include loss of appetite, nausea, and even vomiting.

Does Soy Really Cause Man Boobs?

Soy proteins contain isoflavones that can mimic a weak oestrogen effect. It's not the same as the oestrogen the body makes - it is 1,000 times weaker than the body's oestrogen. However, continued intake of such foods does add up.

If you're working out at a gym in an effort to reduce your man boobs, watch out! Many of the gyms offer great protein drinks to enjoy after a workout. These drinks are loaded with soy and all the bodybuilding you did to reduce the fat under your nipples is counteracted by the addition of the soy estrogens in your system.

The addition of soy to the diet in high doses can cause man boobs. This isn't just a hypothetical statement, it's fact. Estrogen causes enlarged breasts in men and soy contains phytoestrogens, plant estrogens. Even though soy estrogen has less potency than the estrogen made by the body, in large amounts, it definitely increases the level of estrogen. One study on babies fed with soy milk compared to those fed regular milk showed soy-fed babies had far more estrogen in their body than the milk fed. By far more, it means as much as 13,000 to 22,000 times more.

Stay far away from soy protein while you're losing Man Boobs. Yes, soy protein is very heart healthy and I have nothing against the food in general. However, it has been proven to raise estrogen levels. Soy milk, soy beans like Edimame, Bodybuilding Soy Protein Shakes, or even many market variety snacks should be avoided.

When you consider that millions of men in China, Japan and other Asian countries have had soy foods in their daily diets from earliest childhood, you can appreciate that the plant estrogens they contain have no discernible effect on male sexual development, and no feminizing effects at all. Given the huge populations of Asian countries there's no reason to think that soy affects male fertility, either.. However, concerns in the Western world about the effects on boys and men from eating soy foods have been raised repeatedly and addressed in numerous laboratory and population studies.

Milk and Calcium for Weight Loss

In particular, milk is a good source of protein, zinc and some B vitamins. But it’s also one of the main providers of calcium, a mineral that not only helps to keep bones strong, but according to recent research, may also help us lose weight.

Well, obviously all calories count - even those from milk ;)

Skim milk is one of my best friends: i just poured a glass (12 oz, 120 calories), because it's been a couple of hours since breakfast and i know it will allow me to put lunch off a little longer (and get a little more work done) than i otherwise would. It's full of protein and other nutrients, plus it's mostly water, so you get the benefit of hydration, too.

I treat it as a healthy, low-(almost no-)fat snack, better for me than almost anything else with equal calories.

But--you know--i also like the taste. It's the only food that i have actual, physical cravings for. substitute skim milk for yogurt or cottage cheese and it would sit in my fridge and go moldy.

One study found significantly more weight loss in those people who consumed 1,200 mg of calcium per day, along with a low-calorie meal plan, than in those who consumed less calcium. This study suggested that the minimum intake from low- or non-fat dairy foods per day should be 1,000 mg.

Ginger For Your Vitality

Vitality is a quality associated with health and youth. Vitality, however, is much more than the absence of ‘medical’ ailments.

Vitality is a question of available energy. When you have sufficient energy, in other words when you feel ‘alive’, a good balance exists between body and mind.

In Antiquity, people were already aware of this principle: Mens Sana in Corpore Sano.

Vitality evokes an image of progress and motion, and is available to all. It has everything to do with a healthy lifestyle, a correct relationship between rest and movement together with a healthy diet.

Ginger offers numerous health benefits that have been demonstrated both historically and scientifically. Because ginger contains 180 times the protein digesting power of papaya, and stimulates fat digesting bile as well as the growth of healthy intestinal flora, ginger restores balance and potentiates proper digestive function.* These benefits contribute to ginger’s ability to enhance the utilization of other dietary supplements and herbs. Additionally, ginger contains at least 12 antioxidant compounds and recent research in India, Denmark and Japan suggests that ginger modulates prostaglandins thereby promoting circulatory health and balancing the inflammatory process.*

Try this recipe :

Description : Ingredient: Fruit sugar, rice vinegar, ginger extract.
Volume: 750cc (ml)
Preparation: Pour one portion of Ginger vitality drink in five portions of water, the drink will be ready to serve. The drink can be made stronger or weaker up to your choice.

Caffeine, Stress and Your Health

Caffeine increases your heart rate, elevates your blood pressure, and can contribute to the development of heart disease. Both decaf and regular coffee increase your cholesterol and homocysteine, the biochemical that science has linked to increased risk for heart attack. Caffeine is also linked to coronary vasospasms, the cause for 20% of all fatal heart attacks which kill otherwise perfectly healthy people.

Caffeine stimulates the excretion of stress hormones which can produce increased levels of anxiety, irritability, muscular tension and pain, indigestion, insomnia, and decreased immunity. Increased levels of stress from caffeine can keep you from being able to make healthy responses to the normal daily stress everyone is subjected to in their lives.

Because caffeine and stress can both elevate cortisol levels, high amounts of caffeine (or stress) can lead to the negative health effects associated with prolonged elevated levels of cortisol. If you ingest high levels of caffeine, you may feel your mood soar and plummet, leaving you craving more caffeine to make it soar again, causing you to lose sleep, suffer health consequences and, of course, feel more stress. However, small to moderate amounts of caffeine can lift your mood and give you a boost.

Drinking coffee in excess of 4 cups daily may increase your cholesterol and blood pressure, which increase your risk for heart disease. According to a 2007 study in the journal "Molecular Endocrinology," two chemicals found in coffee, cafestol and kahweol, have been found to increase low-density lipoprotein, or LDL, levels, which is the "bad" cholesterol.

Another negative effect of coffee on health stems from the actual addiction to caffeine. The addiction involves mental and physical side effects as your body begins to rely on the caffeine. Tolerance to caffeine's effects builds quickly over a period of one to three weeks. Along with a quick tolerance comes quick withdrawal symptoms, which may occur on the first day without coffee and may last a few days. Withdrawal symptoms might include headaches, irritability, inability to concentrate, sleepiness, insomnia and achy joints, according to the 2004 "Psychopharmacology" journal.