The history of coffee dates back to more than a thousand years. Originally, coffee beans were used as a food. East African tribes would grind the coffee berries together, mixing the results into a paste with animal fat. Later, around 1000 AD, Ethiopians made a type of wine from coffee berries, fermenting the dried beans in water. Coffee also grew naturally on the Arabian Peninsula where it was first developed into a hot drink. Despite decades of research on coffee and caffeine, there are many misconceptions about the potential health risks associated with coffee. Coffee is one of the world’s most important primary commodities; it ranks second only to petroleum in terms of dollars traded worldwide. With over 400 billion cups consumed every year, coffee is the world’s most popular beverage.

“Free radicals” is a term often used to describe damaged cells that can be problematic. They are “free” because they are missing a critical molecule, which sends them on a rampage to pair with another molecule.

Free radicals are formed naturally in the body, but their production is increased by factors such as smoking, alcohol, fatty foods, oxidized cholesterol, air pollution, infection, stress, excessive sunlight, and toxins like radiation.

An apple slice turns brown. Fish becomes rancid. A cut on your skin is raw and inflamed. All of these result from a natural process called oxidation. It happens to all cells in nature, including the ones in your body. To help your body protect itself from the rigors of oxidation, your body needs to put up its best defense, especially true in today’s environment, antioxidants are thus, crucial to your health.

Antioxidants terminate the chain reactions by removing free radical intermediates, and inhibit other oxidation reactions by being oxidized themselves. Antioxidants are loyal protectors and nurturers of our cells, repelling diseases such as cold, fever, headache, mental stress, muscle pain, skin disease, anxiety etc and promoting good health.