MIREILLE BLACKE is a Registered Dietitian and Certified Dietitian-Nutritionist (RD, CD-N), Behavioral Health and Addiction Specialist, and Nutrition Educator with a background in rock radio, the music business, and media. A Connecticut Yankee, Mireille professes a pathological love of New Orleans culture, literature, and food, for which she solidly blames the novels of Anne Rice. Mireille earned an MA in Psychology from Central Connecticut State University, and is presently working on a second MS (in Nutrition) from St. Joseph College.
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Photo by Cheryl Gerber, courtesy NewOrleansOnline.com
?A good cup of Creole Coffee!? Is there anything in the whole range of food substances to be compared with it? And is there any city in the world where coffee is so delightfully concocted as in New Orleans??
-The Picayune?s Creole Cook Book (1901)
One of my first experiences in visiting New Orleans over 15 years ago was sampling caf??au lait and beignets at Caf?? du Monde. Like most tourists, I was not expecting to be covered in powdered sugar to the extent that occurred (the warning about not wearing black clothing when stopping here cannot be stated enough!), but it was well worth it. Another surprise was the then-unfamiliar, but strangely pleasant, chicory taste of the coffee, which was quite the jolt to this Yankee?s taste buds. For many, the coffee found in the Crescent City is an acquired taste, as attested to by numerous online coffee bloggers who insist it is not easy to find a good cup of coffee in New Orleans. Over the years, I expanded my NOLA coffee experience to include notable establishments such as CC?s, PJ?s, Mojo, Rue de la Course, Z?otz, Kahve, Fair Grinds, La Boulangerie, Magazine Perks, Royal Blend, Bayou Coffee House, Still Perkin?, Neutral Ground, the Bean Gallery, the Orange Couch, and others.
Caf? au lait and beignets at Cafe du Monde. Photo by Mireille Blacke.
Since the Southern Food and Beverage Museum has debuted ?The Story of Coffee??exhibit and New Orleans remains the top coffee port in the United States, it seems appropriate for me to discuss this globally popular drink from a nutritional perspective.
Coffee has been a documented part of the human experience from as early as the 10th century. Historically and culturally, coffee is regarded as one of the world?s most potent elixirs, and recent research has supported claims for its health-enhancing properties. The taste of coffee is influenced by the type of bean (usually Arabica or Robusta) or blend, roast (medium, dark, and extra dark), region of origin, and brewing method, as well as any accompanying sweeteners, flavorings, and dairy products added to your cup. Cream and sugar will add flavor, along with fat and calories.
The distinctive taste I detected with my first cup of caf? au lait was due to chicory, a wild and edible plant which is beneficial to cholesterol and glucose levels, liver health, digestion, immune system functioning, and some intestinal diseases. Chicory root?s high levels of vitamin C and inulin (a type of fiber) are linked to lowered risk of colon cancer and increased absorption of calcium and magnesium (to maintain strong bones and teeth). This plant is a good source of the vitamins A, B complex, C, E, and K, as well as the minerals calcium, potassium, phosphorus, copper, zinc, and magnesium.
Get Mugged: Coffee in moderation is good for you
Click here for the recipe for New Orleans Style Iced Coffee.
Existing controversies about coffee and health usually revolve around caffeine intake. There are health benefits in low to moderate caffeine use, including mood elevation, boosted energy levels, and increased mental focus. Risks with excessive caffeine use (more than four to seven cups per day) include increased anxiety, interference with sleep, irritability, restlessness, and potential habit-formation in certain individuals. Many of us who enjoy our daily java fix are all too familiar with the crushing headache experienced from withdrawal.
A six ounce serving of black coffee contains 100 mg of caffeine, which is enough of the stimulant to produce pleasant effects on mood and focus. Moderation is important, as those jittery feelings and anxiety are likely to develop in most individuals at the 200 to 400 mg level. This is easy to achieve when one considers that a grande size at Starbucks is 16 ounces, and a medium coffee from Dunkin? Donuts is 14 ounces. In addition to the caffeine factor, coffee consumption has been associated with heartburn, mild elevation of cholesterol, and increased risk of heart disease in susceptible people, though this seems to be affected by individual metabolism and genetic predisposition. You can still enjoy your java if you have any of these health issues. Portion sizes, timing, and frequency are key areas for modification. For example, individuals with heartburn should be able to consume up to 4 ounces of coffee in the morning with few negative consequences. However, drinking coffee later in the day or evening can increase the likelihood for heartburn symptoms.
Overall, the benefits of coffee seem to outweigh the risks, for most individuals. Coffee is rich in the antioxidants chlorogenic acid and trigonelline, which help to regulate glucose levels and insulin sensitivity. Research has suggested that moderate consumption of coffee may positively impact the regulation of type 2 diabetes and have beneficial effects on conditions involving inflammation. Studies have also indicated that coffee consumption in moderation may contribute to the prevention of several diseases, including colorectal cancer, Parkinson?s disease, type 2 diabetes, liver cancer, and reduced risk of alcoholic liver cirrhosis. The role of coffee consumption in psychological functioning, mental stress, weight regulation (due to appetite suppression and influence on metabolism), and sex hormone modulation are areas presently under investigation.
Numerous recipes include coffee (often with chicory) as a principal ingredient. A somewhat-challenging recipe for Creole Opera Cake made by Chef Carlos Guia at Commander?s Palace may be found here.
Creole Opera Cake. Photo courtesy www.supermarketguru.com
If anyone is adventurous enough to attempt that recipe, please leave a comment here about your efforts.
Recommendations from this Registered Dietitian (RD):
It is possible to make healthy choices at any coffee shop when you understand your options. Knowing that plain black coffee typically has only 4 calories per 6-ounce serving is helpful, but is that really why most of us journey to coffee shops? My 16-ounce mocha latte says no! However, it is possible to enjoy the more ?interesting? beverages in a more healthful fashion. Some tips:
1. Lose the cream. This is a tough one for many of us. Frankly, I would be a hypocrite if I said I didn?t use cream in my coffee. I firmly believe that moderation is the key to making healthier food choices, and I would not advise any client I?m counseling to abstain entirely from a food they adore if doing so will result in craving and over-indulging elsewhere. Yes, cream is high in calories and fat: 2 tablespoons of Half & Half (one serving) contains 2 grams of saturated fat (the ?bad? kind) and 40 calories. Keep in mind that a 2-tablespoon serving of cream is multiplied several times over in your cup from most coffee establishments. Using skim milk instead of cream can save up to 150 calories and 15 grams of fat. Let?s not forget whipped cream, which tops off many coffee shop creations, and can add 100 calories and over 10 grams of fat to your beverage. But as long as it doesn?t become a habit, indulging in the occasional ?with whip? is okay with this RD.
2.? Watch those portion sizes when monitoring nutrient and caffeine intake. While a traditional serving size of black coffee varies between six to eight ounces, most of us are easily downing twice that in a single medium or grande size beverage from popular coffeehouse chains.
3.? When I visited Caf??du Monde for the first time, like countless others, my caf??au lait was partnered with its extremely appealing and diet-challenging accomplice: the beignet. Beignets are usually served in sets of three, so splitting a serving with a friend will allow you to enjoy the taste and experience, while cutting back on some unneeded calories and fat.
4.? It doesn?t apply to caf??au lait and some of the traditional Southern coffee concoctions, but more recent caffeine suppliers offer substantial menu options involving flavored syrups. What?s the damage? One pump of syrup can add 20 calories and 5 grams of sugar to that latte. Though not all establishments can accommodate such a request, it is worth it to ask for sugar-free syrup options, or to minimize your intake with one pump of the regular stuff.
5.? If you desire more sweetness from your coffee kick, consider sugar substitutes (such as Splenda/sucralose) or natural alternative sweeteners (such as Truvia/stevia) to minimize calories and lessen risk of dental caries. Avoid sweeteners with aspartame, which has been associated with unpleasant neurological and psychiatric side effects.
So by all means, enjoy that caf??au lait from Caf??du Monde or get your java fix from any of the other wonderful coffee shops around New Orleans. Give chicory coffee a try if you haven?t had the experience. Just benefit from my past mistakes if you partner your brew with beignets: wear white.
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