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Don't look now, coffee is good for you

Posted: November 03, 2010
10:30 pm Eastern

Dr. Julian Whitaker
© 2010

Patients coming to the Whitaker Wellness Institute sometimes express surprise that we serve coffee. Doesn't it increase the body's acidity? Aren't health-conscious people supposed to drink tea instead? Isn't caffeine bad for you?

If coffee were dangerous, then every morning emergency rooms around the world would be choked with people suffering the ill effects of our favorite breakfast beverage. Of course, this isn't the case.

Coffee is not harmful. On the contrary, I consider it to be a health food, and hundreds of studies bear this out.

A cupful of health benefits

Coffee can stop migraine headaches, curb appetite, prevent tooth decay and increase the effectiveness of aspirin and other analgesics (Anacin and Excedrin both contain caffeine). Here are some other benefits researchers have discovered.

• Protects against neurodegenerative disorders: Research reveals that drinking coffee lowers the risk of Parkinson's disease by as much as 80 percent. Caffeine has also been shown to reduce amyloid plaques in the brains of animals, suggesting it protects against other neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's. And a 21-year-long Scandinavian study found that people who drank three or more cups of coffee a day had a 65-percent reduced risk of dementia, compared to people who drank two or fewer cups.

• Reduces risk of diabetes: Coffee increases insulin sensitivity, and a high intake – at least six cups a day – lowers the risk of type 2 diabetes by 54 percent in men and 30 percent in women.

• Boosts concentration and mood: Studies have demonstrated that coffee improves concentration and alertness, boosts mood and decreases suicide risk. Just the smell of coffee relieves stress in animals.

• Supports the liver and gallbladder: Compared to people who avoid coffee, those who drink at least two cups a day are 80 percent less likely to develop cirrhosis of the liver (even if they drink a lot of alcohol) and half as likely to have gallstones.

• Lowers cancer risk: Coffee is also protective against cancer of the liver and kidneys, and people who drink it are 25 percent less apt to get colon cancer. Although it's long been suspected of increasing risk of breast cancer, a recent study spanning 22 years and involving nearly 86,000 women found a weak inverse association between the two in postmenopausal females.

• Alleviates asthma: This popular drink also controls asthma and can even halt a full-blown attack in its tracks.

• Enhances exercise: Drinking coffee before work outs improves endurance and lessens exercise-induced muscle pain.

• Increases longevity: A large 2008 study found that drinking up to six cups of regular or decaffeinated coffee daily is associated with a slightly lower risk of death from heart disease, cancer and other causes.

So what is it in coffee that provides such remarkable benefits?

First, that cup of java is a terrific source of protective antioxidants. Researchers evaluating both the antioxidant levels of various foods and drinks and the frequency with which those items are consumed have found that the average amount of coffee consumed by American adults per day – 1.64 cups – provides 1,299 mg of antioxidants.

Tea, the second richest source, supplied only 294 mg, followed by antioxidant-rich (but sparingly eaten) fruits and vegetables, which provide fewer than 75 mg each of antioxidants per day.

Believe it or not, coffee even contains fiber – nearly 2 g per cup.

But these aren't the only components that make coffee a health food. Although some studies reveal that regular and decaffeinated coffee both have benefits, oft-maligned caffeine gives the drink much of its oomph.

In addition to perking up the nervous system, caffeine increases the activity of the neurotransmitter dopamine and enhances delivery of nutrients and oxygen to the muscles and brain.

Drink up, but don't go overboard

Coffee does have a few downsides that are most problematic with excessive use. For example, it can exacerbate anxiety and give you the jitters. And, when prepared without a paper filter, coffee may raise cholesterol. People who have osteoporosis or who are pregnant can enjoy an occasional cup of coffee, but should limit their intake.

But for most of us, enjoying a cup or two of Joe every day is a good way to boost mood, energy and overall health.