If you’ve been reading these posts for any period of time, you’ve probably figured out that I am an enthusiastic coffee drinker. I don’t drink tons of it—maybe two or three cups a day—but, where once I couldn’t stand the taste, I’ve now become an aficionado.
As it turns out, there is a growing body of scientific evidence confirming that coffee deserves its status as a health food.
Heart health
A recent Korean study confirmed that people who drink three to five cups of coffee have cleaner arteries than coffee teetotalers. Scans of the 25,000 Korean subjects’ arteries should significantly less buildup of calcium deposits in the arteries of coffee drinkers. This study contradicts other research that says coffee, or rather the caffeine in coffee, can contribution to high blood pressure and elevated cholesterol.
More reasons to drink java
Here’s what other recent research is telling us about the health benefits of coffee:
- Reduce the risk of melanoma: Four cups a day can moderately reduce the risk of melanoma, an aggressive and sometimes deadly skin cancer. The same study showed coffee’s protective effects against basal cell carcinoma, the most common type of skin cancer.
- Reduce risk of type 2 diabetes: A 2012 study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition showed that people who drank caffeinated and de-caffeinated beverages, including coffee, had a 13% reduced risk of developing type 2 diabetes (of course, adding those heaping teaspoons of sugar could neutralize that benefit).
- Reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s: Scandinavian research shows that people who drank three to five cups of coffee a day in mid life reduced their risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease in later life by an impressive 65 percent.
- Reduce the risk of chronic liver disease: Those who drank small amounts of coffee (one or two cups per day) cut their risk of dying of chronic liver disease by half, according to a 19-year study of nearly 10,000 participants from the U.S. National Institutes of Diabetes, Digestive and Kidney Diseases.
- Slow the progression and recurrence of prostate cancer: Researchers at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle found that men who were prostate cancer survivors and drank four or more cups of coffee a day had a 59% lower risk of the cancer returning.
- Prevent Parkinson’s disease: The Journal of the American Medical Association supported coffee for its health benefits as far back as 2000 with the publication of research from the Department of Veteran’s Affairs showing that people who drank coffee had a significantly lower risk of Parkinson’s disease. Researchers in this study and many others, attribute the health benefits to caffeine.
- Lower your risk of death from all causes: A National Institutes of Health 13-year study of 400,000 people showed that drinking four to five cups lowered the risk of death from any cause by 12%.
- Plus: we all know that coffee increases energy and alertness.
Know your limit
Most of the studies showed the greatest benefits at three to five cups a day. And remember a serving of coffee is generally considered to be five ounces, so we’re really talking here about 15 to 25 ounces total. A little cream and sweetening (stevia is my preferred sweetener) don’t seem to be problematic, but watch out for those 22-ounce 1,000-calorie mocha grandes with caramel drizzles.
As always, moderation is the watchword.
I’m so glad that coffee is joining my other favorites, dark chocolate and wine, as emerging health foods.
