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There is nothing like a hot cup of coffee to help get
the day started. Every single morning, millions of
Americans start their day with a steaming mug of their
favorite brew. The morning cuppa is a staple of many
people’s daily routine. So the question is: What is all
this java doing to us?
Actually you may be surprised. I grew up, as I’m sure
many of you did, with parental warnings ringing in my
ears about stunted growth and terrible side effects if I
indulged in the brewed beverage. But the last decade or
so has given way to a large number of studies that may
prove otherwise. Scientists have been
seriously studying the effects of naturally
caffeinated beverages, specifically coffee, and the
results will probably surprise you.
In
the last couple of decades, about 19,000 studies have
been performed to examine the impact coffee has on the
108 million Americans who drink it. The majority of
these tests show positive impact on the drinker’s
health, especially those when consumed in large amounts.
Tomas DePaulis, PhD, a research scientist at
Vanderbilt
University’s Institute for Coffee Studies had this
to say: “Overall, the research shows that coffee is far
more healthful than harmful…For most people, very little
bad comes from drinking [coffee] but a lot of good.” He
went on to explain that coffee can even have a
conter-acting effect on other harmful habits. “People
who smoke or are heavy drinkers have less heart disease
and liver damage when they regularly consume large
amounts of coffee compared to those who don’t.” Not bad
for our favorite black drink!
Apparently, more is better as well. “At least six
studies indicate that people who drink coffee on a
regular basis are up to 80% less likely to develop
Parkinson’s, with three [studies] showing the more they
drink, the lower the risk. Other research shows that
compared to not drinking coffee, at least two cups daily
can translate to a 25% reduced risk of colon cancer, an
80% drop in liver cirrhosis risk, and nearly half the
risk of gallstones.”
But
what are we to do about all of that terrible caffeine?
It’s the bane of health food proponents everywhere, and
it’s an integral component of the morning brew. That by
itself should negate any redeeming qualities coffee may
have, should it not? Not quite. Some studies show that
some of the health benefits of coffee are directly
related to the caffeine content. Depaulis says, “The
evidence is very strong that regular coffee consumption
reduces risk of Parkinson’s disease and for that, it’s
directly related to caffeine.” Thank goodness for this!
What would coffee be without that energy boost? Caffeine
also plays a big role in fighting asthma symptoms.
Commonly used medications like Anacin or Excedrin
contain around 120 milligrams of caffeine – the amount
found in a large cup of coffee.
Probably most importantly, coffee has a serious
diabetic-fighting composition. Coffee is a big source of
antioxidants, including some chemical compounds known as
quinines.
These compounds have shown evidence of increasing
insulin sensitivity, improving the body’s response to
insulin. Other qualities found in coffee that contribute
to fighting diabetes are antioxidants such as
chlorogenic acid and
tocopherols, and minerals such as
magnesium. These antioxidants contribute to the
control of cell damage that is a cause in the
development of Type 2 diabetes. Again, the amount of
coffee consumed plays a significant role in reducing the
risk of diabetes. People who drank four to six cups a
day reduced their risk by 28% over drinkers of two or
fewer cups a day. Those who had more than six cups a day
saw their risk drop by 35%.
So
what’s the verdict? Drink up, and drink well. While
there are no studies to back up what we think, we’re
pretty sure that drinking the
high quality coffee roasted by
Indian River Coffee Co. has a
better chance of keeping you healthy! So give it a try
and live well!
Kirchheimer, Sid. "Coffee: The New Health Food?
Men's Health. <http://men.webmd.com/features/coffee-new-health-food>
(12 January 2010)
Bakalar, Nicholas. "Coffee as a Health Drink? Studies
Find Some Benefits." New York Times, Fitness & Nutrition
<http://www.nytimes.com/2006/08/15/health/nutrition/15coff.html>
(12 January 2010) |
