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Woman-grown coffee offers a myriad of benefits that contribute to its superior taste. From attention to detail and sustainable practices to unique perspectives and community empowerment, the influence of women in coffee farming is undeniable.

The momentum behind women's empowerment is just starting to be recognized.  And Signature Coffee is proud to be a part of this movement, by supporting the women who grow some of our favorite coffees.

BLOG - How and When you drink your coffee matters if you’re trying to avoid glucose spikes.

Even if you’re not diabetic or pre-diabetic, you’ll want to pay attention to glucose spikes. These glucose spikes have negative biological consequences in addition to increasing insulin.  These can range from an increase in inflammation, heart disease, chronic fatigue, sugar cravings, hormonal imbalances, brain fog, aging, and more.

Studies have shown that when you have your coffee and what you add to it can contribute to these glucose spikes. Coffee is generally considered safe - studies have shown that people who regularly drink coffee have a reduced risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Coffee improves fat burning in the liver and may reduce the stress of the mitochondria in the pancreas responsible for creating insulin, meaning coffee makes the liver and pancreas function more properly.

However, black coffee can sometimes cause a small glucose spike for some people, especially if it’s consumed on an empty stomach. If you are one of these people, consider drinking your coffee after eating breakfast rather than before because your glucose and insulin spikes will be smaller.

That said, what you put into your coffee is even more important than when you drink it. Adding sugar is a basically a big no-no. Sugar is half glucose and half fructose creating a big glucose spike. And, the spike is even greater if consumed on an empty stomach. If you must sweeten your coffee, consider weaning off the sugar slowly, and then replacing it with stevia, monk fruit, cinnamon, or cocoa powder.

So, what about your milk options? You might be surprised by the results of milk vs milk alternatives. Oat milk is all the rage now, but it’s one of the worst options available. Any milk alternatives derived from grains such as oats or rice are full of starch.  Starch is just long chains of glucose molecules attached together and break down into individual glucose molecules during digestion, causing high glucose spikes. If you really must have your oat or rice milk, have it after breakfast because you’ll at least minimize the spike.

 A better option would be to switch to milk made from nuts, such as almond milk, coconut milk, or macadamia milk which doesn’t raise glucose levels. Just be sure to read the labels and make sure they’re not sweetened with sugar.

Another option, if you can tolerate dairy is to add regular milk, which is full of proteins and fats that don’t raise the glucose level. Although there is a small amount of glucose in milk, drinking whole milk, which contains more fat, slows the absorption of the glucose and curbs the spike. Non-fat or low-fat milk, which has had the fat removed, will not curb the spike. And as a bonus, whole milk tastes better, and who doesn’t want that?

Who knew there was so much chemistry involved in our morning habit?

To learn more, check out Jessie Inchauspé, a biochemist, known as the Glucose Goddess. Get recipes and more on her website at www.glucosegoddess.com, or watch her very informative, and entertaining Glucose Revolution YouTube channel.

A deeper Shade of Green.

We know you want to make a difference by how you spend your hard-earned money. So how do you determine what shade of green your daily cup of joe is? Let us share some knowledge to help you distinguish between true green from greenwashing.