HEALTH UPDATES
Coffee: The New Health Food
New studies point to
the health benefits of this beloved beverage
The Japanese have their tea and the French have their red wine. Now, Americans
can feel good about their favorite beverage too - coffee. That's because
findings over the past five years have shown that coffee consumption confers
a number of health benefits including protection against aging, type II
diabetes, Parkinson's disease, gallstones and even some cancers. And,
it seems that the benefits are dosage dependent. This is good news not
just for Starbuck's, but also for the more than 166 million Americans
who regularly consume coffee.
In the past, coffee was blamed
for causing or exacerbating a variety of ills including high blood pressure
and cancer. As it turns out, coffee was unfairly maligned. That's because
individuals who are coffee lovers are more likely to engage in risky behaviors
such as drinking alcohol and smoking cigarettes in excess and it is these
habits which contribute to increased health risk.
One of the reasons for coffee's health benefits may lie in its high caffeine
content. An eight-ounce cup of drip-brewed coffee contains about 135 mg
of caffeine. This compares with just 35 mg for the same serving of green
tea or a 12-ounce serving of Coke.
The evidence is strong that regular coffee consumption reduces the risk
of Parkinson's disease and that benefit is directly related to the caffeine.
A number of studies have indicated that people who drink coffee on a regular
basis are up to 80% less likely to develop Parkinson's. Researchers have
been trying to determine how caffeine reduces the odds of developing this
debilitating ailment of the brain and nervous system. The disease results
when levels of the brain chemical dopamine fall, interrupting nerve signals
from the brain to muscles. Caffeine increases the expression of dopamine
receptors in the brain.
Caffeine may also be responsible for another potential benefit for coffee
drinkers – protection against gallstones. After analyzing data from
more than 125,000 people for almost 20 years, researchers at Harvard School
of Public Health, concluded that both men and women coffee drinkers tended
to have less risk of developing gallstones. The evidence was especially
notable because the effect was dose dependent. According to nutrition
researcher Michael Leitzmann, the risk fell by 13% among those who consumed
one cup a day; 21% for people who drank two to three cups; and by 33%
for those who drank four or more cups a day.
Using the same data from the Health Professionals Follow-up Study and
the Women's Health Study, researchers at Harvard also calculated that
by consuming one to three cups of caffeinated coffee daily, diabetes risk
can be reduced by single digits. Even more compelling was that if coffee
consumption increased to six or more cups a day, then the risk was reduced
by 54% for men and by 30% for women, when compared to non-coffee drinkers.
Researchers at Vanderbilt University 's Institute for Coffee Studies believe
that it is not the caffeine in coffee which reduces the risk of diabetes.
Instead, they believe a group of compounds called quinines increase the
capacity of the liver to use glucose and this would account for improved
blood sugar control in diabetics. Unlike caffeine, quinines, which are
created during the roasting process, may be unique to coffee. Coffee also
contains a large amount of chlorogenic acid, tocopherols and magnesium.
Each of these components has been shown to improve insulin sensitivity
and glucose metabolism.
Some of the health benefits of coffee have been linked to its high antioxidant
content. While fruits and vegetables are the best source of antioxidants,
the diet of most Americans is lacking in these foods. In fact, Americans'
primary source of antioxidants is coffee. Only chocolate, dried fruits,
and dried beans are higher in antioxidants. For this reason, it's not
surprising that Hershey's recently introduced a line of dark chocolate
bars that are positioned as “good for you” because they contain
a concentrated form of antioxidant flavanols found in cocoa beans.
Another compound in coffee called trigonelline gives coffee its aroma
and bitter taste. But that's not all. This compound has also shown to
have antibacterial and anti-adhesive properties, which help to prevent
dental cavities from forming.
While coffee is increasingly being noted for its health benefits, certain
individuals should be cautious about their consumption. Pregnant women
should carefully monitor caffeine intake, since more than 300 mg a day
raises the risk for miscarriage. Women who are nursing should avoid drinking
coffee as the caffeine can pass into the mother's milk. Individuals who
have a hard time sleeping are advised not to drink coffee. And, those
with irregular heartbeats are warned against drinking caffeinated beverages.
Given Americans' love affair with coffee, the latest findings on the health
benefits of consuming this beloved beverage are as comforting as a hot
cup of java at the local Starbuck's.
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