Coffee: Not as Bad for You as You May Think

Coffee, like anything else that can be mood altering, has always been a topic of controversy for health enthusiasts and even coffee drinkers themselves. Assorted people would peer quizzically at me as I drank a couple cups of coffee during a hot day and warned, “That’s dehydrating you know, why don’t you have some water instead?” When I was pregnant and my belly was the size of the moon, I remember receiving dirty looks from other patrons at a restaurant when they saw the waitress fill my mug with the ‘regular’ coffee pot, and not the ‘decaf’ one. Ordering a double shot mocha latte at nine o’ clock at night may receive comments, even from people you don’t even know, to the tune of, “Wow, you’ll never get to sleep tonight!” The warning and concern never stops, and one’s coffee habit is always quick to be criticized by others who believe that coffee is as bad for you as cigarette smoking. While coffee is mostly known for it’s negative and supposedly addictive qualities, it has a whole host of health benefits as well, as current and ongoing research is beginning to show.

Throughout the history of coffee production, there have been times where it has been proclaimed a magical cure, and other times “the drink of the devil” much like today’s always shifting viewpoint on it’s health benefits and risks. Whether it was in Mecca, where coffee houses first became popular in the 15th century, or later on as it spread to European countries in the 1600’s, many of the ill attention it received has been because of the popularity of the places where people would meet to imbibe coffee, creating a stir within the political and religious structure at the time. There was always dance and game play and auditory delight, which ruffled the feathers of the rather strict overseers at the time. Regardless of the suppression, coffee quickly production spread throughout the world and became a most prized commodity, 2nd only to the trade of oil. (- Coffee Science Information Centre:)

Through the 20th century, coffee was persecuted not for the environment it’s drinkers created, but the health risks believed to be inherent in it’s consumption. People with disorders of the nervous system, the heart, and osteoporosis can suffer adverse effects from coffee, but other than that, the negative effects are minimal. Yes, it is true that coffee is a mild diuretic, which causes the body to secrete urine more often than normal, possibly causing some dehydration. It is true that coffee is up there on the list of things that can stain your teeth easily, like cigarette smoking and red wine. It is true that slight withdrawal symptoms can be felt if you suddenly stop drinking coffee after a daily regimen of a few cups a day. Some people experience heart burn if they drink too much of it, others get the “jitters”, but these are small trite issues in comparison with the large benefits that can be reaped from drinking coffee. You probably are thinking “in moderation, right?” but in actuality- it is recommended that you drink 3 or 4 cups a day. (Kirchheimer)

The main goodness behind coffee, is the fact that the beans are a major antioxidant, like many berries, which is essential for repairing damaged cells in the body. A 2004 study showed that coffee was the greatest contributor to total antioxidant intake in dietary sources. (- Coffee Science Information Centre:) This could be one of the reasons why coffee can prevent many diseases and illnesses, along with the caffeine, which is high enough in a cup of coffee, as opposed to drinking 4 cans of soda to get the same amount. It is a quick caffeine & antioxidant fix in which you can avoid having to ingest other sugars.

The latest research is beginning to show the possibilities of coffee being responsible for lowering the chance of acquiring type 2 diabetes. Harvard researchers showed that drinking six or more cups a day gives a 54% less risk of acquiring the disease, and 30% less for women. This was based on an 18 year long study with 126,000 people. The rates fall to single digit numbers when one to three cups are enjoyed each day. While these statistics are still not enough to say beyond a reason of a doubt that coffee can really lower the risk of type 2 diabetes, it certainly looks promising, and similar cases were found in Dutch research as well. (Kirchheimer)

Another illness that most likely can be prevented by consuming 5 or more cups daily is Alzheimer’s disease. A researcher at the Byrd Alzheimer’s Institute in Tampa Florida, Gary Arendash, fed lab mice an equivalent of five cups of coffee a day, and it has shown to decrease symptoms of memory loss in aging mice. The caffeine in coffee apparently can reduce the levels of two types of enzymes that cause the illness, and the cost is far less than the medication that is being used nowadays to treat Alzheimer’s. (Prevent Alzheimer’s disease by drinking coffee:) That seems to make sense, as the effects of caffeine cause one to more alert and aware of their surroundings, which Alzheimer’s inhibits incredibly.

Six studies have proved that excessive coffee drinking can lower the risk of Parkinson’s Disease by a whopping 80%. If you like to indulge in a couple of cups a day, your risk for liver cirrhosis also is lowered by 80%, the chance of colon cancer- 25%, and the number is lowered by half in the case of gallstones. (Kirchheimer)

Coffee has been known to drastically to lower the risk of illnesses and diseases that people who smoke and drink excessively are likely to get, like liver damage and heart disease. It also has been effective in helping people withdraw from heavy drug use, and the depression that it can cause. (Kirchheimer) Perhaps the antioxidants and caffeine offsets the toxins and sluggishness that other more harmful drugs can bring.

For more information go to www.parkinsonresearchfoundation.org