Coffee

One of the nation’s leading authorities on nutrition said most people would not have expected him to write this, but this is what he wrote in one of his books, “Coffee is a remarkably safe beverage. Its dubious health history, which stretches back hundreds of years, is more image than substance.”

The author of that statement explains that researchers produced many studies of coffee drinkers who came to a bad end. But in retrospect, these studies proved to be defective. The bad end was caused by the subjects’ smoking, not by their coffee drinking. Now experts agree that coffee is a safe and even healthy beverage. This may be good news that ranks with the recent revelation that dark chocolate (the darker, the better) is loaded with healthful antioxidants and – in small amounts – to avoid a calorie problem – is even upgraded to a heath food.

The above quote is from Dr. Walter C. Willett of the Harvard Medical School who co-developed an excellent book on nutrition with the Harvard School of Public Health entitled Eat, Drink and Be Healthy: The Harvard Medical School Guide to Healthy Eating (2001). Of course, this doesn’t mean you can consume any amount of coffee (and the caffeine it contains) without some adverse effects.

Dr. Willett writes, “Drinking too much coffee can give you the shakes, make you irritable, and keep you from sleeping. It’s also addictive. Regular caffeine consumers tend to get nasty headaches if they miss their morning cup(s). Drinking espresso, French press, or other coffee that doesn’t drip through a paper filter can increase your cholesterol a few points. And people who drink a lot of coffee may be more at risk for developing osteoporosis or breaking a bone. In moderation, though, coffee is low on the totem pole of health risks and even has a number of benefits.” They include lower chance of developing kidney stones and gallstones. In addition, in a major study, it was found that coffee drinkers had a 50 percent lower risk of suicide than non-coffee drinkers.

He notes one unresolved health issue for coffee drinkers: “One lingering concern about coffee is its potential for increasing bone loss and risk of fracture. Increased risks with four or more cups per day have been seen in several studies, but the final answer is not in. Given the body of research on coffee, it’s safe to say that there aren’t any major health hazards lurking in the murky depths of you cup. In short, when drunk in moderation, coffee is no threat to your health.”

Other authoritative experts on diet and health have taken this same view. For example, the American Dietetic Association (ADA) Complete Food and Nutrition Guide (2nd Ed.- 2002) gives coffee a clean bill of health: “No scientific evidence has been found to link caffeine intake to any health risks, including cancer (pancreatic, breast, or other types), fibrocystic breast disease (benign fibrous lumps), cardiovascular disease, blood cholesterol levels, ulcers, inflammatory bowel disease, infertility, birth defects, or osteoporosis.”

The ADA does have a few special cautions:

“If you are pregnant or nursing … it’s wise to go easy on caffeine.”

If you have a medical problem, you might want advice from your doctor on caffeine consumption. For example, in the case of stomach problems, “both caffeinated beverages and their decaffeinated counterparts” can be chancy for some, as both stimulate the flow of stomach acids, which can irritate the stomach lining.

If you are older, you should be aware that caffeine sensitivity sometimes increases with age. You should also be cautioned against letting coffee (or tea or soft drinks) take the place of more nutritious foods or beverages. What might be excessive caffeine varies from individual to individual and may depend on many factors.

The latest material I’ve seen on coffee contains an even more ringing endorsement of the drink. Bottom Line Health (June 2007) carries a column by an expert on food-based chemical compounds, Dr. Joe Vinson of the University of Scranton, with the headline, “The Amazing Healing Power of Coffee: Fight heart disease, diabetes, memory loss and more…with coffee.” Some of these benefits have been demonstrated by epidemiological studies, but further clinical studies will be necessary to confirm the first results. Here are some of those study findings:

-A study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (May 2006) found that women who drink one to three cups of coffee daily are 24 percent less likely to develop cardiovascular disease.

-Another study in the same publication noted above (February 2007) found that older adults (age 65 and older) who had four or more servings of caffeine daily had less than half the risk of these who consumed smaller amounts.

-A study in the Archives of Internal Medicine (June 26, 2006) found that postmenopausal women, who drank four to five cups of coffee (especially decaffeinated), were 16 percent less likely to develop type 2 diabetes.

-A study in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition (August 2006) found that non-coffee drinkers had four times the mental decline of coffee drinkers.

-A study in the Archives of Internal Medicine (June 12, 2006) found that coffee might reduce the risk for cirrhosis of the liver, especially in alcoholics.

These latest findings are in addition to some of the benefits of coffee and caffeine documented by earlier studies or experience:

-Caffeine can help you stay alert and prevent fatigue.

-Caffeine may enhance mental performance by “increasing alertness and the ability to concentrate.” Readers Digest, Foods that Harm; Foods that Heal (2004).

-Many athletes claim that one or two caffeine drinks an hour before a competitive event improves performance, especially in endurance sports.

-The Reader’s Digest book claims caffeine “may abort an asthma attack by relaxing constricted blood vessels.”

-Caffeine can also boost the pain-relieving effects of some analgesics, and that’s why it is in many over-the-counter pain relievers. Caffeine may have some anti-cancer effects.

The book Nutrition for Dummies (2004) by Carol Ann Rinzler summarizes the case for coffee this way, “In moderation, coffee definitely qualifies for anybody’s list of superfoods.”

The caffeine in coffee, tea, chocolate and certain soft drinks (mainly colas) may have similar effects, but each of the four types of caffeine-containing foods has different effects on the body.

Boris Erlikh
Gloria Jean’s Coffees
http://www.gloriajeans.com

Author: Boris Erlikh
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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For years experts have debated the effects of coffee drinking on the human body. Is it good for us? Is it bad for us? Most coffee lovers didn’t care. Nothing would part them from their morning cup of caffeine. Now the final word is in-coffee is good for us. Some studies even find the more we drink, the healthier we are.

Most people who enjoy a good cup of coffee know it increases mental alertness but what other benefits do we get from our morning cup? Study after study finds that coffee contains the same type of antioxidants found in green tea and fruits and vegetables. Antioxidants protect our bodies against the cell damage caused by free radicals-a major cause of aging and disease.

Here are just a few of the studies supporting the benefits of coffee drinking:

1. An ongoing Nurses Health Study of 85,000 female nurses found that even 6 cups of coffee a day did not increase the risk of heart attack.

2. The Harvard School of Public Health study of 125,000 individuals who drank 6 to 8 cups of caffienated coffee daily actually found it lowered the risk of type II diabetes risk 50% in men and 30% in women.

3. Another study found that non coffee drinkers are five times more likely to develop Parkinson’s disease than coffee drinkers and those who drank 3 to 4 cups of coffer per day had an 80% lower risk of cirrhosis of the liver and a 25% less chance of contracting colon cancer when compared to drinking no coffee at all.

So far no major study has found anything harmful about coffee drinking. If a woman is pregnant or nursing, she should always follow the instructions of her doctor.

What kind of coffee offers the most benefits?

Studies haven’t addressed such issues as how freshness, brewing techniques and caffeinated or decaffeinated coffee affects the nutrition. It would seem obvious however, that the fresher your cup coffee is, the better. If you’d like to get the most flavor and nutritional benefit you can, buy whole coffee beans and grind your own as you use them. Coffee grinders are inexpensive and simple to use. Grind just enough for your daily pot of coffee.

Once you try this method, you’ll never want to go back to purchasing pre-ground coffee. That burst of taste and heavenly aroma is well worth the trouble.

Tips for storing your coffee to preserve the flavor and freshness:

Have you ever purchased a large bag of coffee, either ground or beans, and then put it in the freezer, thinking this would preserve the freshness? The enemies of coffee flavor and freshness are air, moisture and heat. In both the freezer and refrigerator, coffee is exposed to moisture which is absorbed by the porous beans. Freezing also breaks down the oils in your beans, destroying flavor.

If you absolutely have to buy in bulk and know you won’t use that amount in a week or two, then freezing is an option if you divide the beans up into what you will use in one week periods. Put each portion into a zip-loc bag, squeeze out all the air possible and then wrap it again in plastic wrap. Take out only enough for two weeks at a time and never re-freeze.

What works best to keep your coffee fresh and flavorful is an air-tight container with a rubber seal. Store this container in a cool, dark place. A good rule of thumb is to buy only what you will use within 2 weeks for the most flavorful coffee.

Coffee hint: The strength of your cup of morning coffee doesn’t depend on the type of coffee you purchase, only the amount of grounds you use. For a more power-packed cup, simply use more grounds when you make your coffee.

Wondering what to do with your leftover coffee and coffee grounds? The same antioxidants which are good for you will also feed your plants. Add a little water to your leftover coffee and use it to water your house plants or outside plants. Coffee grounds are useful too. If you have a compost pile, both coffee grounds and filters add nitrogen. If you don’t have a compost pile, just sprinkle the grounds around the base of your plants and water them in.

Want some recipes to add nutritious coffee to your diet? Go to http://www.Path2HealthyLiving.com/CoffeeRecipes.html/

© Copyright 2006 by Joan Jones

Joan Jones is an award-winning freelance journalist who has written on health, nutrition, healthy recipes, home and garden. For more good health tips and recipes, go to http://Path2HealthyLiving.com/

Author: Joan Jones
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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