One of my favorite summer drinks is iced coffee. Now that fall is almost here, I’m anticipating switching back to a steaming mug of that same beverage to start my day. Coffee has gotten a bad rap over the years and, as it turns out, it is undeserved. Study after study in the last 10 years or so has shown that our nation’s obsession with coffee may have a positive effect on our health.
Some of the benefits of coffee are derived from the antioxidants it contains. Antioxidants are those substances in foods and beverages that have been shown to help the body keep cells healthy and may play a role in fighting heart disease and cancer. Some studies have shown that coffee has more antioxidants than green tea, which was the first darling of the “antioxidants in drinks” craze. Other benefits in that cup of joe come from the caffeine content, which is also higher than tea, and depends on the strength of the brew. It is not always clear from the studies whether it is the caffeine or the antioxidants that provide the benefit.
Another limitation of these studies is that they do not prove a cause and effect relationship between coffee and its influence on health. They are accomplished by asking participants about their coffee consumption and then looking at the diseases the y develop. The researchers correct for other factors that may have an effect on the results so that they are confident that the benefits are due to coffee consumption and not other lifestyle influences.
A recent New England Journal of Medicine article cites a study that found that drinking up to five cups of coffee a day can decrease a person’s risk of dying from any illness by 10 percent for men and 15 percent for women. They do caution that any more coffee than that may not be the best choice for some people.
Anyone who suffers from migraine headaches can tell you that a cup of coffee can stop a developing headache in its tracks, and can even help treat one once it has begun. It is believed that the caffeine constricts the blood vessels in the brain that have relaxed and enlarged, causing the headache.
In 2009, research from more than 83,000 nurses who participated in the ongoing Nurses’ Health Study discovered that those women who drank two or more cups of coffee each day had a 20 percent lower risk of stroke compared to those who drank less coffee or none at all. It did not matter whether the nurses had high blood pressure, high cholesterol or type 2 diabetes, all risk factors for stroke.
One of my favorite summer drinks is iced coffee. Now that fall is almost here, I’m anticipating switching back to a steaming mug of that same beverage to start my day. Coffee has gotten a bad rap over the years and, as it turns out, it is undeserved. Study after study in the last 10 years or so has shown that our nation’s obsession with coffee may have a positive effect on our health.
Some of the benefits of coffee are derived from the antioxidants it contains. Antioxidants are those substances in foods and beverages that have been shown to help the body keep cells healthy and may play a role in fighting heart disease and cancer. Some studies have shown that coffee has more antioxidants than green tea, which was the first darling of the “antioxidants in drinks” craze. Other benefits in that cup of joe come from the caffeine content, which is also higher than tea, and depends on the strength of the brew. It is not always clear from the studies whether it is the caffeine or the antioxidants that provide the benefit.
Another limitation of these studies is that they do not prove a cause and effect relationship between coffee and its influence on health. They are accomplished by asking participants about their coffee consumption and then looking at the diseases the y develop. The researchers correct for other factors that may have an effect on the results so that they are confident that the benefits are due to coffee consumption and not other lifestyle influences.
A recent New England Journal of Medicine article cites a study that found that drinking up to five cups of coffee a day can decrease a person’s risk of dying from any illness by 10 percent for men and 15 percent for women. They do caution that any more coffee than that may not be the best choice for some people.
Anyone who suffers from migraine headaches can tell you that a cup of coffee can stop a developing headache in its tracks, and can even help treat one once it has begun. It is believed that the caffeine constricts the blood vessels in the brain that have relaxed and enlarged, causing the headache.
In 2009, research from more than 83,000 nurses who participated in the ongoing Nurses’ Health Study discovered that those women who drank two or more cups of coffee each day had a 20 percent lower risk of stroke compared to those who drank less coffee or none at all. It did not matter whether the nurses had high blood pressure, high cholesterol or type 2 diabetes, all risk factors for stroke.
Based on a review of nine studies on coffee and type 2 diabetes risk, Frank Hu, M.D., M.P.H., Ph.D., nutrition and epidemiology professor at the Harvard School of Public Health believes that there is a beneficial relationship between the two. “The vast majority of those studies have shown a benefit of coffee on the prevention of diabetes. And now there is also evidence that decaffeinated coffee may have the same benefit as regular coffee,” states Dr. Hu.
When asked which components of coffee are responsible for this benefit, Hu states, “It’s the whole package. We know that coffee has a very strong antioxidant capacity.” Coffee also contains minerals such as magnesium and chromium, which help the body use the hormone insulin, which controls blood sugar (glucose). In type 2 diabetes, the body loses its ability to use insulin and regulate blood sugar effectively. Because decaf coffee seems to have the same effect on diabetes risk, Hu believes that caffeine is not responsible for the positive correlation.
Over the years, multiple studies performed in both this country and Scandinavian countries have shown a link between coffee consumption and a lowered risk for dementia, including Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s disease and liver cancer.
Does this mean that we should all become coffee shop regulars? Not necessarily. If you already drink coffee and keep it to a few cups a day, you can feel good about the benefits you may be receiving from enjoying your daily brew. If you suffer from heartburn or anxiety, the acidity and caffeine in coffee could make those issues worse.
All these benefits are derived from the coffee, not the cream, sugar, syrups, and flavorings that are so prevalent. When these items are added to coffee, it goes from being a relatively healthy drink to a fat- and calorie-laden treat that should probably best be enjoyed only on occasion.
As the air cools to fall and poolside drinks become a distant memory, brew up a pot of Hawaiian blend coffee and dream of next year’s backyard luau while your body absorbs all the goodness coffee has to offer.
Pam Maxson is a health educator at Noyes Hospital in Dansville. If you have questions or suggestions for future articles, she can be reached at pmaxson@noyes-hospital.org or 585-335-4327.
