COFFEE AS MEDICINE
You know it had to happen. Many years ago, after reading about conflicting conclusions from various “scientific studies,” the realization dawned that the best way to navigate the maze of nutritional information was with the mantra “Everything in moderation.” Such it is with coffee. Coffee was out of favor for many years and considered an unhealthful drink. The wheel has turned and coffee drinkers can breath a sigh of relief knowing that their favorite beverage is not contributing to their early demise but is actually full of health benefits.
- Antioxidants
Coffee contains antioxidants. Who knew? Findings in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (May06) suggest that antioxidants in coffee can reduce inflammation and thus decrease the risk of disorders related to it. Indeed, researchers in the same journal (July06) found that a typical cup of coffee contains more antioxidants than typical servings of oranges, blueberries, raspberries, or grape juice. Hard to believe, but there it is. Several compounds in coffee may contribute to its antioxidant capacity, including phenols, volatile aroma compounds, and oxazoles that are efficiently absorbed.
- Diabetes
The Journal of the American Medical Association concluded that habitual coffee consumption was consistently associated with a lower risk of Type 2 diabetes. A compilation of statistical data from many studies showed that people who drank four to six cups of coffee a day had a 28 percent reduced risk compared with people who drank two or fewer. Six cup a day drinkers experienced a 35 percent risk reduction. Researchers hypothesize that the antioxidants in coffee help control cellular damage that can contribute to the development of the disease. It also contains chlorogenic acid, which has been shown through animal experimentation to reduce glucose concentrations.
- Cardiovascular disease
Twenty-seven thousand women, ages 55 to 69, were followed for fifteen years in the Iowa Women’s Health Study. Women who drank one to three cups of coffee a day reduced their risk of heart disease by twenty-four percent compared with those drinking no coffee at all. Drinking more coffee did not significantly reduce the risk.
- Reduced mortality risk
After controlling for age, smoking, and alcohol consumption, women in the Iowa Women’s Health Study who drank one to five cups a day reduced their risk of death from all causes during the study by 15 to 19 percent compared with those who drank none. This held true for both caffeinated and decaffeinated coffees.
- Cirrhosis
Recent studies in the Archives of Internal Medicine (June06) confirmed earlier observations dating back to 1992 that coffee had anti-inflammatory properties that decreased the risk of alcohol-related cirrhosis and liver cancer. This is most likely due to the anti-inflammatory properties of the antioxidants in coffee.
- Parkinson’s disease
Harvard investigators report that coffee drinkers are about one-third less likely to develop the disease than those who drink no coffee. Italian researchers report a steep drop of 80 percent.
There is still an asterisk when it comes to caffeine. The Harvard scientist who led the review for the JAMA article acknowledges that caffeine could increase blood pressure and possibly raise the risk for heart disease. Another study in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology (Jan06) suggests that two cups of caffeinated coffee decreases blood flow to the heart, particularly when exercising at high altitudes.
None of the scientists advise people to increase their consumption of coffee. The message to take away is that if you enjoy coffee, then enjoy your coffee. Just don’t drink coffee and do pushups on Mount Everest at the same time.
