Hi Avonia,
Thanks for your post--lots of good information.
You might want to think this one though a bit more.
I guess this goes back to how one views the writings of EGW. I think it's pretty obvious she wrote strongly against coffee and tea; the question is, what is that to us today?
Now, I know there are strong feelings about this issue, and I certainly don't want to see this (or any other) thread degenerate into bickering about EGW (or bickering about anything else, for that matter). But I guess that's at the heart of some of the disagreements within the Church today. However, I'd like your opinion on how you view EGW's writings and how this impacts your view on her consels on this (or really, any other) issue.
The three techniques I'm familiar with are:
1. Swiss water method.
2. Water and then a solvent - like ethyl acetate or methylene chloride.
3. Liquid CO2.
Sounds like 1 & 3 are fairly "clean" but 2 sounds like it could lead to some nasty chemical contamination. Isn't ethyl acetate what they use in insect killing jars? And hasn't methylene chloride been connected with certain cancers?
I know this because I did some research (small amount) on the effects of caffeine. But it was a quite some time ago - so there's probably more complete info on the web.
There is still some caffeine in the beverage, even though it has been "decaffeinated." Although the amount varies with technique.
Yes, I was aware that it's not 100% effective...that's partially why I asked this. Sort of like how Jews consider gelatin kosher even if it's been made with pork by-products (through some rather complex Rabbinical reasoning--though Karaite Jews don't accept it).
If you don't wish to ingest caffeine, don't forget to cut out chocolate. Cacao beans have theobromine - this is essentially caffeine.
I did know about this...sadly true for those who learned to love chocolate (like me!)
Daniel, there are both positive and negative side effects and health consequences of caffeine. That it's only negative is a misconception.
It seems as though most everything has some positive and some negative health effects--whether it is caffeine, alcohol, consuming meat or anything else. The question is rarely black-and-white. However, though something might be beneficial in some ways, sometimes (even then) we are called not to indulge. Example: I did some research a few years ago on food poisoning, and found that far more people die of eating contaminated salads than from getting trichinosis from pork (at least in the US). The Biblical prohibition on pork, in the modern day, has little to do with trichinosis (the usual 'health' reason given),
but I still think it's valid. Why? Simply because of God's command. Another example would be that as far as the salubrious effects of Sabbath rest, it matters not if it's on Sunday or Saturday. Nevertheless, God commanded Saturday rather than Sunday.
I don't want to sound like a mindless fundie who blindly follows something; however, I do acknowledge that sometimes God commands something that may not make that much sense--at least in a way we can understand. For example, Naaman the Syrian General was asked to bathe in the dirty Jordan river to be healed of his leprosy. Seemed like a silly, non-rational--maybe even "superstitious" thing to do. But nonetheless, it's what God asked of him.
Some central issues on the negative side are:
1. Addiction. If it's a problem to stop drinking coffee or caffeinated drinks, it's a problem.
2. Diabetes. Because it increases blood sugar levels.
3. Sleep/Awake. Many people use coffee to get going in the morning, and then something like alcohol to settle down for sleep. This is a poor idea.
4. Osteoporosis. Decreased bone mineral density.
5. Possibly some issues with fertility at high doses.
With me, I know that while I drank cafinated coffee, when I didn't get my "fix" for a few days, I'd get a severe headache. That alone told me that I had grown a dependency that was unhealthy.
Some central issues on the positive side are:
1. Lower risk of developing Parkinson's disease.
2. Lower risk of gallstones.
3. Possibly a lower risk of some cardiovascular problems.
4. It can be effective in revealing headaches when ingested in combination with some pain relievers - like aspirin.
5. Mental alertness and better mood.
I also heard on the radio a few days ago that there was a link between lower risk for prostate problems in men and coffee consumption. Again, from personal experience, sometimes I would drink a cup of cafinated coffee if I felt a headache coming on (I sometimes get migranes) and it would go away. For whatever reason, I feel as though it's more "natural" than popping a pill.
For many of the positive and negative side effects, dosage matters a lot. Drinking one cup a day is different than drinking several.
Agreed.
Daniel, there are some wonderful teas, but the caffeine content varies greatly. Black has a lot. Green a good amount. White has a little. And, Oolong has a widely varying amount. Herbal tea is usually caffeine free.
Good luck!
I do like white and green teas, though I generally drink decafinated. I also am aware that there are some claims of salubrious effects of these teas. I also like a lot of herbal teas, which of course have no cafine content (though I try to be careful that I don't get too much of any particular herbs...I remember back when ephedra used to be in some teas, and that's probably not the best think to drink on a regular basis, before it was taken off the market.)
Again, thanks for your informative post!
Daniel
