I love coffee - not only because it helps me feel more alert - but because it is part of a morning ritual for me. Those few minutes in the morning when I watch the morning news, chat with my husband and enjoy a fresh, hot cup of coffee bring me a daily dose of delight. I am assured that I am not alone in my love of java-according to the National Coffee Association about 54 percent of US adults are habitual coffee drinkers. In fact, 146 billion cups are consumed by us each year. But is all this coffee good for us? The answer seems to increasingly be pointing to yes.
A number of research studies over recent years have suggested some health benefits from coffee. To name a few:
- Lower risk from a number of cancers- Coffee drinking appears to reduce the risk of a number of forms of cancer including basal cell skin cancer, breast cancer, liver, bowel, ovarian, and prostate cancer.
- Reduced stroke risk- Stroke risk is reduced by as much as 25% in women who drink 1-5 cups of coffee per day according to the American Heart Association.
- Lower risk of clinical depression in women- Women who drink four cups of coffee per day are 20 percent less likely to be clinically depressed than women who drink only one cup of coffee per week.
- Lower risk of Parkinson’s disease in men- Men who drink at least six cups of coffee per day are 63 percent less likely to have Parkinson’s disease than are men who drink no coffee.
- Lower risk of dementia- three cups of coffee per day lowers the risk of dementia by 65%.
- Reduced muscle pain after workout- The amount of caffeine contained in two cups of coffee can reduce post-workout muscle pain by nearly 50 percent-good news for those of us who are working on those New Year’s resolutions to exercise more.
- Lower risk of contracting the deadly methicillin resistant Staph Aureus (MRSA)-This super bug runs rampant in hospitals and kills about 11,000 people in the US every year. The study showed that drinking hot tea or coffee reduces the risk of this bug setting up housekeeping in the nasal passages which is how it often gets in to the body.
In all of this there are a few precautions. First-pregnant women have a higher chance of miscarriage with coffee consumption. Second-good news/bad news for those with high blood pressure-the caffeine in coffee temporarily raises blood pressure; however substances in the coffee make the arteries more flexible which is a very good thing for stroke and heart disease prevention. Caffeine does keep people awake if taken too close to bed- the effects can stay in the system for about 12 hours. And, some people get heart burn from the acid in coffee.
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Two substances found in brewed coffee, kahweol and cafestol, increase cholesterol levels. But paper filters trap these compounds, so they’re only a problem if you drink espresso or use coffeemakers without filters-such as a French press. Incidentally, I use one of those "single cup" coffee makers and I did check to be sure they use a filter-and they do. Whew!
The reason for the beneficial health effects of coffee is not clear. Many researchers suspect they are related to the high antioxidants found in coffee. Much like wine and chocolate, coffee contains health producing polyphenols. Coffee is the number one source of antioxidants for many people-many of who may not eat the recommended daily amounts of fruit and vegetables.
How wonderful that this happy daily ritual carries all these health benefits. I think it covers many of the six dimensions of Optimum Life! I hope you enjoy your daily cup as much as I do.