Starbucks mugs, acrylamide in coffee

[Garrett Smith]

Wow, I thought this was really interesting:

Defective Starbucks coffee mugs

Acrylamide in coffee and tons of other foods

Listen up, coffee-pounding PMenu IFers:
The top 20 foods by average acrylamide intake by the U.S. population are as follows:

1. French Fries (made in restaurants)
2. French Fries (oven baked)
3. Potato Chips
4. Breakfast Cereals
5. Cookies
6. Brewed Coffee (I'd assume that the darker the roast and the higher temp that the coffee is made with, the higher the acrylamides within)
7. Toast
8. Pies and Cakes
9. Crackers
10. Soft Bread
11. Chile con Carne
12. Corn Snacks
13. Popcorn
14. Pretzels
15. Pizza
16. Burrito/Tostada
17. Peanut Butter
18. Breaded Chicken
19. Bagels
20. Soup Mix

Holy cow (mostly paleo) foods:

• Sunsweet Prune Juice--239
• Pastene Imported Pitted Ripe Olives, Extra Large--798
• Trader Joe's Veggie Chips Potato Snacks--1970 (!!!, most potato chips are outrageous, but this doubles even the other high ones!)
• Terra Exotic Vegetable Chips--828 (sorry Steve!)
• Blue Mesa Grill Sweet Potato Chips--4080 (ack!, no more TJ's sweet potato chips for me!)
  
  Now, I'll admit that I haven't done a whole lot of research into what "toxic" doses of acrylamide are, so take the numbers above FWIW. The sweet potato chips, on a cursory glance, were the highest on the entire list. Ouch.
  
  Now I have even more reason to continue taking my N-acetyl cysteine (NAC) on a daily basis. From a quick search of Pubmed under "acrylamide vitamin" came this:
  
  Metabolism of acrylamide to glycidamide and their cytotoxicity in isolated rat hepatocytes: protective effects of GSH precursors.
  
  

  GSH precursors such as N-acetylcysteine and methionine provided significant anti-cytotoxic effects on the decrease of GSH content and cell viability of hepatocytes induced by GA and AA.

For now I'll definitely be adding the acrylamide issue as a serious one to my list of toxic components of the nightshades (cooked potatoes, in general, destroy everything else in average acrylamide content).

[sarena kopciel]

Ouch, big ouch. But the only thing I eat off that list (er drink) is coffee. Now I cant have that either Dr G? What about organic beans I brew at home, are they ok? So an occass Starbucks needs to go?

[Garrett Smith]

Calling Mr. Wolf...hormesis alert!

Sarena, I'm going to need to look up this article in full, maybe Robb already has it...

Nutritional hormesis.

Maybe coffee will be a small enough dose as to be beneficial. Too much, taken everyday, might be too much for optimal health. Then again, Paleo no-nightshade eaters might get a low enough dose to not really be concerned, as they aren't eating a lot of high-carb items in general.

Also, like I mentioned, the lighter the roast and the less heat used in brewing (from what I've gathered from the coffee snobs, no offense intended, is that a drip coffeepot is "lower heat", which would be better in an acrylamide sense), the less acrylamide would be present. Also, the lighter the roast, while containing more caffeine, also contains more antioxidants (from being less oxidized!).

I'd avoid Starbucks anyway, they're all "corporation-y". I find their coffee in general to be extremely bitter, and I'm about as far from a coffee snob as there is.

As for organic, I don't know if that would make a difference.

I'm currently using the Colombian Peaberry beans from TJ's. Medium roast, and I make it in a drip coffeepot. It's good stuff to me!

[sarena kopciel]

Originally Posted by Garrett Smith

Calling Mr. Wolf...hormesis alert!

Sarena, I'm going to need to look up this article in full, maybe Robb already has it...

Nutritional hormesis.

Maybe coffee will be a small enough dose as to be beneficial. Too much, taken everyday, might be too much for optimal health. Then again, Paleo no-nightshade eaters might get a low enough dose to not really be concerned, as they aren't eating a lot of high-carb items in general.

Also, like I mentioned, the lighter the roast and the less heat used in brewing (from what I've gathered from the coffee snobs, no offense intended, is that a drip coffeepot is "lower heat", which would be better in an acrylamide sense), the less acrylamide would be present. Also, the lighter the roast, while containing more caffeine, also contains more antioxidants (from being less oxidized!).

I'd avoid Starbucks anyway, they're all "corporation-y". I find their coffee in general to be extremely bitter, and I'm about as far from a coffee snob as there is.

As for organic, I don't know if that would make a difference.

I'm currently using the Colombian Peaberry beans from TJ's. Medium roast, and I make it in a drip coffeepot. It's good stuff to me!

Thanks for update Dr G and thanx for package too! Pls keep me posted about the coffee. Funny isnt it--I never ever drank coffee until I started CFing!
And now me wants my cup or two (never more) a day! Just bought a new Cuisinart coffee pot today (in the am)!!

Also forwarded this article to my pregnant daughter. Thanks for keeping us so informed!!

[Kevin Perry]

Originally Posted by Garrett Smith

Calling Mr. Wolf...hormesis alert!

Sarena, I'm going to need to look up this article in full, maybe Robb already has it...

Nutritional hormesis.

Maybe coffee will be a small enough dose as to be beneficial. Too much, taken everyday, might be too much for optimal health. Then again, Paleo no-nightshade eaters might get a low enough dose to not really be concerned, as they aren't eating a lot of high-carb items in general.

Also, like I mentioned, the lighter the roast and the less heat used in brewing (from what I've gathered from the coffee snobs, no offense intended, is that a drip coffeepot is "lower heat", which would be better in an acrylamide sense), the less acrylamide would be present. Also, the lighter the roast, while containing more caffeine, also contains more antioxidants (from being less oxidized!).

I'd avoid Starbucks anyway, they're all "corporation-y". I find their coffee in general to be extremely bitter, and I'm about as far from a coffee snob as there is.

As for organic, I don't know if that would make a difference.

I'm currently using the Colombian Peaberry beans from TJ's. Medium roast, and I make it in a drip coffeepot. It's good stuff to me!

Hey now I work at Starbucks don't hate. Of course, I don't get along with the snoby coffee drinkers and have come close to getting fired for it multiple time. I like my coffee mug and occasional late.

[Garrett Smith]

Kevin,
Didn't mean to hate--I just don't really like their coffee (unless I need a big caffeine zap!) and I prefer local coffee shops. Just preferences.

Back to the acrylamide or this will turn into a big coffee thread again...not that I didn't enjoy the last one...

[Tony Ferous]

Its slightly surprising that coffee is up there as all the other foods are high carb.
I always suspect the ac' is formed when baking sweet potatos(180degrees) so i usually boild them, not as tasty obviously!

See this from Dr Ben kim:

http://drbenkim.com/articles-acrylamide-foods.html

[Kim Dowse]

Originally Posted by Kevin_Perry

Hey now I work at Starbucks don't hate. Of course, I don't get along with the snoby coffee drinkers and have come close to getting fired for it multiple time. I like my coffee mug and occasional late.

Hey Kevin - I'm a partner as well...in New Mexico! Hmmm...don't think I can give up my french press or shots of espresso.

[Garrett Smith]

I want to get the original article on nutritional hormesis, so I can see if a daily dose of coffee is over the limit or not...

I'd guess if one was eating lots of veggies and getting their antioxidants, coffee would not be much of a concern.

Seriously, that list is just another nail in the coffin for those on the SAD, sad diet.

[Mike ODonnell]

What about all the stories of coffee and it's antioxidants? Wouldn't that be a self regulating system? Mercola says Decaf will give you cancer.

Another reason I drink Americano/Expresso...supposedly healthier and contains more antioxidants....in the end...who the hell knows...but I like my Americano...maybe I drop a Vit C tablet in it.....