One of the burning garden controversies of the 1830s
and 1840s was using okra seeds as a substitute for coffee. The proponents were proclaiming it as the best thing since ... well, coffee. There were even scammers, who took advantage of Florida's remoteness and exotic appeal, calling okra seeds "Florida coffee seeds" and selling it for the astounding price of $2 a pound to people who wanted to grow their own. One old farmer's magazine published Okra Seeds A Substitute For Coffee - We find in the papers* a letter signed J. F. Callen, addressed to H. L. Ellsworth, declaring that the seeds of Garden Okra, when roasted and used as coffee cannot be distinguished therefrom, and many who have tried it pronounce it equal to the best 'Java.' The beverage is perfectly healthy, and as the seed is easily raised, he thinks it "destined at no distant day, to expel from our markets one of the most extensive articles of import." We know how well expelling coffee from our markets worked. Okra seeds were revived as a coffee substitute during the Civil War, when coffee was scarce and expensive in the South because of the blockade by the North. As soon as the blockade was lifted, coffee took its customary place on the table. In the interest of science I sacrificed a half-cup of seeds and an hour of my time to roast and brew some caffeine-free coffee substitute. The resulting concoction was drinkable, but there was no chance of my mistaking it for the best Java. With a bit of practice, you could make a brown, mellow-tasting, beverage. Although it was definitely better than Postum, I agree with most of the writers from the 1840s. The best place for okra seeds is inside the unripe pods, cooked as a vegetable. Roasting and brewing okra seeds could be an interesting activity for a Civil War history class or for the gung-ho Civil War role-playing group. RICE COFFEE A Healthy Alternative Many people have depended on coffee to perk them up at the start of a long working day. However, when heavy coffee drinkers start experiencing ailments related to their coffee intake, they are advised to ward off the hot beverage they love. Coffee drinkers now dont have to miss the comfy cup. Rice coffee is now lauded all over the world as a healthy alternative to real coffee and a lot of coffee drinkers have already started to get into the habit. Gone are the days when rice coffee is given as a cure for pasma as the rural folk usually say. It is now recognized as legitimate beverage for the health conscious urbanite who are constantly searching for organic alternatives to commercial consumer goods. Health Benefits Rice Coffee has lots of benefits compared to real coffee. First, rice coffee has a calming effect. It does not increase the heart rate and blood pressure. It does perk up the coffee drinkers day sans the trembling hands, palpitation and the migraine of a coffee addict. Second, rice coffee contains the same benefits as uncooked rice. It contains B vitamins, has insoluble fiber which helps in having good digestion, has no cholesterol and is low in sodium. It is therefore good for those suffering hypertension and heart ailments. Third and most importantly, Rice Coffee contains Trigonelline. In an article in The Philippine Star (September 14, 2008), Dr. Constancio A. Asis, Jr., a scientist of the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) discovered that rice seeds contains a compound that can attract nitrogen fixing bacteria. This compound was later found out to be Trigonelline. Studies show that Trigonelline has anti-tumor and anti- cancer properties especially for the cervix and the liver. It also has anti-migraine, antiseptic, hypoglycemic and mutagenic properties. It is also found to help prevent dental caries by preventing the bacteria Streptococcus mutants from adhering to the teeth.