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(HealthNewsDigest.com) – Worldwide we drink close to 3 billion cups of coffee each day. More than 60% of people in the US drink coffee daily and 81% of coffee drinkers start with a morning cup. A drink that is so ubiquitous in the diets of so many people should be looked at closely for its potential benefits or drawbacks to health.
Coffee is a fruit. The beans grow as a cluster of cherries on coffee trees. Though coffee contains only small amounts of vitamins and minerals, multiple cups a day add up. Most of us get more antioxidants daily from coffee than any other food we eat. Coffee has 4 times the antioxidant content of green tea and more than in red wine.
Filtered coffee can reduce the risk for type 2 diabetes. People who drink 2 to 3 cups of filtered coffee each day have a 50% to 60% lowered risk for type 2 diabetes than those who drank less than one cup a day. Filtered coffee is the most common type of coffee preparation in the US. When coffee is filtered diterpenes are captured in the filter. These are the compounds in coffee that have been connected to an increased risk for heart disease. Boiled coffee, like the French press method, is richer in diterpenes as are the very popular coffee pods, brewed without filters.
Coffee drinkers may have a lowered risk for certain cancers. Women who drink 3 to 4 cups a day have a lowered risk for post menopausal breast cancer and colon cancer. Coffee drinkers have protection against liver cancer and its recurrence. Cancer is a complex disease but many researchers believe that the antioxidants found in coffee may be helping to reduce the risk for these and other types of cancer.
Coffee may contain anti-obesity compounds. Whether the coffee consumed was caffeinated or decaffeinated, women who drank two to three cups a day had less total body fat and less trunk fat. The effect for men was smaller but did occur. There may be compounds in coffee, other than caffeine, that help to regulate weight.
Coffee may increase lifespan and decrease cognitive decline. Three cups of coffee daily reduces the risk of cognitive decline and 5 cups daily reduces the formation of beta amyloid plaques seen in Alzheimer’s disease.
Human taste buds respond to the bitter taste of coffee. In addition to caffeine there are four other bitter substances found in coffee beans. Many people, however, do not possess one of the bitter taste receptors needed to detect the full bitterness of coffee. That may explain why people enjoy different roast and strengths of coffee brews.
People metabolize caffeine differently. There are those that can guzzle a double shot of espresso and fall asleep within the hour. For others, a single cup of regular coffee might keep them awake for half the night. Depending on your body chemistry, usual coffee habits, or even your genes, you may be a fast metabolizer of caffeine or a slow metabolizer. For unusually caffeine-sensitive people, decaf is a better choice. Caffeine levels of coffee beans vary from farm to farm, tree to tree, and roast to roast. A typical 8-ounce cup of coffee has approximately 95 milligrams (mg) of caffeine but this can vary anywhere from 75mg to 165mg. Decaf coffee normally contains 2mg or less per cup. It is not totally caffeine-free but this amount is generally not troublesome.
Six cups of coffee a day is considered a safe upper limit. Too much coffee can increase the risk for osteoarthritis and joint disease. For people with a family history of these conditions, limiting coffee consumption may be wise.
Too many coffee drinks each day can be the reason you can’t lose weight. When researches talk about a cup of coffee, they mean an 8-ounce cup. With enormous mugs at home and the average take-out cups equaling 10 ounces or more, coffee calories can add up. An 8-ounce cup of black coffee has 2 calories. One-ounce of coffee with cream and sugar has 10 calories, so a 10-ounce cup equals 100 calories. Add on shots of syrup, flavorings, or whipped cream and the calories climb higher.
As with everything, coffee in moderation can be healthy for you but overdoing a good thing can tip the benefits in the wrong direction.
© NRH Nutrition Consultants, Inc.
Jo-Ann Heslin, MA, RD, CDN is a registered dietitian and the author of 30 books.
Available as eBooks from iTunes and Kindle/Amazon:
Diabetes Counter – the most up-to-date information on managing diabetes
Calorie Counter – a weight loss guide that won’t let you down
Protein Counter – put the latest protein recommendations to work for you
Healthy Wholefoods Counter – planet-friendly eating made easy
Complete Food Counter – food counts and nutrition information at your fingertips
Fat and Cholesterol Counter – newest approach to heart-healthy eating
Available in print from Gallery Books:
Most Complete Food Counter, 3rd Ed.
For more information on Jo-Ann and her books, go to: www.TheNutritionExperts.com or on twitter: @JoAnnHeslinRD.