Coffee

If you are a coffee drinker, you no doubt have asked yourself how much coffee is it safe for you to consume on a daily basis. This is not surprising since so much has been blamed on coffee. Heart disease, cancer, osteoporosis, you name it. At one time or another, coffee has been made to blame. Coffee has joined the ranks of red wine and chocolate as a guilty pleasure that may actually be good for you. As much as it is a great way to get that fix in the morning, recent studies have shown that coffee has been found to be rich in antioxidants and contains hundreds of pain-relieving and anti-bacterial compounds. Although one should not drink coffee with wild abandon, it’s comforting to know that maybe that cup or two in the morning may be good for you. Here is a statistic to ponder: did you know that there are over 160 million coffee drinkers in the Unites States alone? In terms of consumption, the average American consumes 8.8 lbs. of coffee per year. But consider this: the world leader in terms of consumption is Finland which comes in at nearly 30 lbs per year. That’s a lot of coffee!

Another statistic is that there have been well over 19,000 studies done to analyze the effects of coffee. Now, studies can often be skewed to show whatever the author wants, but here is what is generally agreed: consuming 2 to 3 cups of coffee per day is often considered more beneficial than harmful. Recent studies have shown that moderate coffee drinking can reduce the risk of colon cancer (due to it’s ability to keep you regular), gallstones, cirrhosis of the liver and more, due to the fact the it is loaded with healthy antioxidants. So loaded, that studies have implied that coffee contains higher levels of antioxidants compared to other commonly consumed beverages, such as tea and fruit juice. Coffee has joined the ranks of red wine and chocolate as a guilty pleasure that may actually be good for you. As much as it is a great way to get that “fix” in the morning, recent studies have shown that coffee has been found to be rich in antioxidants and contains hundreds of pain-relieving and anti-bacterial compounds. Although one should not drink coffee with wild abandon, it’s comforting to know that maybe that cup or two in the morning may be good for you. Several studies are also being conducted on Parkinson’s and diabetic Patients. Research has shown that just one cup of coffee per day can halve your risk of Parkinson’s, the brain disease that causes tremors and affects movement. Caffeine may protect the brain cells typically lost to Parkinson’s disease. However, it has been noted that women on hormone therapy do not seem to benefit. It is felt that Estrogen may dilute the effectiveness of caffeine. It has also been found that if a woman drinks three cups of coffee a day, she can reduce her risk of Type 2 Diabetes by twenty to thirty percent. Coffee may help promote the delivery of insulin to the tissues. Experts believe that coffee’s antioxidants, such as chlorogenic acid and caffeine acid, deserve the credit. There are also on going studies that are producing favorable reports on coffee helping to fight Alzheimer’s due to the caffeine stimulating the cognitive area of the brain. This is just the tip of the ice berg.

People with asthma who drink coffee can have up to 25 percent fewer symptoms because one of the compounds in coffee – theophylline – acts as a bronchodilator. A recent Brazilian study showed that consumption of coffee promotes better sperm mobility – and now studies are in progress to determine whether caffeine can help infertile men. Coffee contains polyphenols, substances that may reduce the risk of cancer and coronary artery disease. Caffeinated coffee, as opposed to decaffeinated coffee, makes you a better thinker. Studies have shown that coffee keeps you focused, particularly when you are doing not-so-pleasant work. A researcher with the U.S. Army stated caffeine improved scores on a range of cognitive tasks, such as decision making, learning, and attention in the sleep-deprived. Coffee can also boost your mood, probably by making you feel more energetic. A little known fact is that coffee contains antioxidants which have been shown to imporve oveall health. Here is a short list of some benefits which have been shown to be present in coffee:

Reduce symptoms of Parkinson’s Disease

Antibacterial ingredients

Reduce the risk of developing gallstones

Preserve mental accuity

Reduce risk of developing type 2 Diabetes (if you have diabetes, reduce your consumption

If you are free of hypertension, coffee will not likely produce it

Headache relief

Reduce the risk of some types of cancer

Improve physical endurance

Aaron Matthews-Morgan is the owner of Heavenly Kona Coffee, an e-business that specializes in 100% Gourmet Kona Coffee from Hawaii. HeavenlyKonaCoffee.com [http://heavenlykonacoffee.com/] is also a premier website for free information and resources, providing quality info and articles on everything related to coffee. Go to: [http://www.heavenlykonacoffee.com/]

Author: Aaron Matthews Morgan
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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The source of controversy over coffee is it’s most studied (though not necessary largest) element, caffeine. Caffeine, generally considered to be the most widely used drug in America and Europe is an often powerful central nervous system stimulant that, in some people, can cause modest increases in blood pressure and heart rate, arrhythmia, anxiety and sleeplessness.

A normal person can cope with 300 milligrams of coffee a day- that’s about three cups of coffee. However, response to caffeine can be as individual as a fingerprint.

The beauty of coffee is that, unlike many other caffeinated beverages, it has a way of tipping off the body when enough is enough. If you’ve walked into a Starbucks or a meeting you’ll notice a lot of half-drunk cups lying around. At a subliminal level, there’s an automatic stop with coffee. You don’t even have to think about it.

But a lot of people have been worrying about their coffee drinking since some research studies have linked coffee drinking to heart disease, cancer and even birth defects.

Below are some answers to some questions of the most troubling questions you may have about coffee.

1. Will coffee make you nervous and irritable?

It can. The most common side effects are nervousness and insomnia. Whether or not you experience them depends largely on how much caffeine you are taking in and your individual susceptibility. According to Dr. Kroger Ph.D professor of food science at Pennsylvania of Food technologist, “people should learn to observe their bodies the way they do their cars” because your body will tell you what you can and can’t handle.

You may be drinking too much if you’re unusually nervous, restless or battling with insomnia. You could also be overdosing if you’re experiencing heart palpitations, diarrhea, heartburn or headaches. For some, coffee acts as diuretic so you may have increased urine output.

2. Will coffee keep you up at night?

Your metabolism–specifically how quickly your system eliminates caffeine-may determine whether coffee keeps you up at night. Researchers have found that people who said coffee kept them up consumed less coffee-explained by their bad reaction to it-and eliminated it more slowly from their systems than people who claimed coffee didn’t affect their sleep. Individual metabolism dictates whether coffee will rob your of a good night’s sleep or not.

3. Why do I drink coffee?

It may be the taste or the buzz it gives you. In a Swiss study, volunteers who drunk the equivalent of one cup of coffee admitted to feeling full of ideas with greater vigor alertness and energy.

Other researchers have found that coffee can increase reading speed without increasing errors, improved the capacity for sustained intellectual effort and lead to less aggressive behavior. There is even some indication that coffee increases aerobic capacity, which can give an athlete more staying power. However, it’s important to understand that what coffee gives coffee may take away.

Some folks experience a post stimulation letdown that can make them as tired and lethargic as they are alert and energetic. One problem you can face if you treat coffee as more than simply a satisfying beverage is that you’ll start to reach for more than you can handle just to prolong the kick.

Coffee can be mildly addicting. Any coffee drinker who has given it up cold turkey can tell you about the withdrawal headaches and the bouts of weakness and lethargy which though quite real, aren’t permanent or dangerous

4. Are there any long term health effects from drinking coffee?

Early studies linked caffeine with heart disease and cancer, bust since then most of those findings have been disputed. Most medical experts believe there is no clear evidence supporting them. But moderation is the key. There is some indication that heavy coffee consumption when accompanied by other diet and life style factors may increase cholesterol levels.

5. Are there any special health problems coffee may aggravate?

If you have ulcers or experienced heartburn or gastrointestinal problems, such as esophageal reflux, after drinking coffee you may want to limit your coffee intake or switch to decaffeinated.

Coffee seems to promote gastric secretion. People with hypertension or heat disease who experience an increase in blood pressure or heart arrhythmia when drinking coffee should follow their common sense and switch to decaffeinated coffee or a less stimulating beverage. Coffee can cause modest increases in heart rate and blood pressure and in large amounts-more than 9 cups a day-is associated with arrhythmia.

Another group of people who ought to exercise caution are those with anemia as coffee inhibits the absorption of iron. As well as people who experience panic attacks, such as agoraphobics. Researchers at Yale University found that caffeine produces a more pronounced reaction in people who have panic episodes than in normal, healthy people.

6. How does coffee affect my nutrition?

There is some evidence that coffee can inhibit the absorption of both iron and the B vitamin thiamine. In the case of thiamine, it doesn’t appear to be caffeine that’s the culprit but chlorogenic acid, another coffee ingredient, which is not shed during the decaffeinating process.

7. How can I enjoy coffee without worrying?

Although moderation is the key to coffee comfort, for some the most logical solution is to switch to decaffeinated coffee. Many people can’t tell the difference between decaffeinated and the real thing. But if you can, you might want to stick to either instant or percolated coffee which depending on how strong you make it can contain less caffeine on average tan drip coffee.

Adelaide Kwaning is a ghost writer who writes on a number of different topics regarding health. To read another great article on healthy living visit http://healthmad.com/weight-loss/how-to-eat-more-and-weigh-less/

Author: Adelaide Kwaning
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Provided by: Guest blogger