Extraordinary Health Magazine Extraordinary Health Vol 29 | Page 45

Organic

Coffeeberry

A Natural High for Sports

Most people enjoy a cup of coffee in the morning and it ’ s reported that about 90 percent of Americans consume caffeine in some form every single day . Caffeine is considered a stimulant , in that it increases alertness and inhibits drowsiness and sleep . Its use has been widely studied — especially for its effect on sports and exercise performance .
Caffeine and Sports Performance
The use of caffeine in sports performance has been reported , on a dose dependent basis , to provide both anaerobic and aerobic exercise benefits in workload , oxygen usage and focus . The effect of caffeine on sports performance is most evident in aerobic sports lasting more than five minutes e . g . running , cycling and rowing . Studies have shown that in endurance exercise , caffeine improves time-trial performance and has shown a reduction in muscle pain .
Caffeine in the diet is typically sourced from roasted coffee beans , tea leaves and cacao in chocolate . Other sources , which are common in supplements , use isolated and refined caffeine straight from a laboratory . When consumed in a traditional way , a modest dose of between 50-150mg of caffeine is provided and is associated with most of its benefits .
Using the Whole Coffeeberry
Traditional sources of caffeine provide excellent amounts of beneficial phytochemicals including chlorogenic acid , a potent polyphenol . Studies show that standardized extracts such as Svetol green coffee bean provide a good dose of chlorogenic acid , as well as caffeine itself . However , all of these compounds are strictly reserved to the bean itself . It ’ s important to note that the roasting of coffee beans for brewing coffee actually lowers these compounds . Until recently , the ability to get nutrition not only from the bean itself , but also from the whole coffeeberry , has not been utilized . The full benefit of nutrition found in the fruit itself is realized by using the whole coffeeberry , including the green coffee bean . When isolated caffeine is consumed , you get none of the other benefits that food sources provide .
The preservation of the coffeeberry is not an easy task to accomplish . In working with Futureceuticals , we have developed a method to preserve whole coffeeberries , which are the source of the first whole food coffeeberry caffeine supplement in our pre-workout formula .
Organic Arabica Coffeeberries from Mexico
For Energy + Focus , Garden of Life took a healthy approach by sourcing premium Organic Arabica whole coffee cherries grown at dedicated , family-owned plantations in Mexico . The whole coffee fruit is hand harvested to ensure highest quality cherries are used . Next , the coffee fruit is gently air dried using a specially designed patented drying process to preserve the unique coffee antioxidants such as chlorogenic acid and beneficial compounds found only in coffee fruit . There is complete traceability of this ingredient throughout the entire supply chain .
Normally during coffee harvesting , the fruit would be removed and discarded and only the coffee beans would be used to make coffee and obtain caffeine . The result with this new process is dried whole fruit which is rich in an array of antioxidants with double the antioxidant content of green tea , consisting of 70 % whole food caffeine and 30 % antioxidants , which is unique . We then add this premium whole food antioxidant-rich blend to Energy + Focus to deliver 85mg natural caffeine from Organic Coffeeberry per serving . At this dosage , it can be used safely by most athletes including collegiate and high school athletes as it does not contain a high dose of isolated caffeine like the energy shots / drinks and standard pre-workout formulas made with chemical and artificial ingredients .
In summary , our whole food coffeeberry is a great ingredient for a pre-workout formula because it helps fuel the body with a natural burst of energy to support a more intensive workout with heightened alertness and focus . It also helps delay muscle fatigue and reduces discomfort which can lead to better endurance and stamina . Lastly , it elevates adrenaline levels which enables the body to burn more fat and calories .
Vol 29 • Extraordinary Health ™ 43