THERAPIES4ALL BLOG: Coffee: Good or Bad?

Is coffee good or bad? You may be surprised regarding the conflicting evidence. Some people assume that good-tasting food or drink is bad, and coffee just tastes so good. Well, there are a lot of conflicting opinions about this, but let us start with the benefits.?

A lot of experts used to say that coffee is harmful because it could cause heart disease and cancer. However, it seems that most of those studies were focused on relationships between people?s habits and their overall health. In such studies, it?s hard to know which effects come from coffee and which just show up by coincidence. Heavy coffee drinking sometimes goes hand in hand with unhealthy habits, like smoking and a less active lifestyle.

Yet, the thought is, coffee beans are seeds and like all seeds, they are filled with potent biologically compounds which protect the plant?s next generation. It is full of antioxidants and other phytonutrients with numerous health benefits.?

Caffeine is probably the most well-known compound in coffee. It can make you feel more awake and alert, which is why most people drink coffee in the first place. But too much of it can be harmful. Caffeine causes the most common problem reported by coffee drinkers: insomnia or trouble sleeping. Caffeine could also blunt your appetite and could cause headaches, dizziness, nervousness and irritability.

If you think you are sensitive to the effects of caffeine, the trick is to simply drink less of it. If you have trouble falling asleep at night, make sure to avoid it later in the day. Caffeine is mildly addictive, so you might get headaches, drowsiness, irritability, nausea and other symptoms if you suddenly cut back. You can avoid these effects, though, by gradually reducing your caffeine intake.

There?s some evidence that high amounts of caffeine during pregnancy may cause problems with the pregnancy. This is why doctors recommend that pregnant women cut back on coffee and other caffeinated beverages.

Another drawback of coffee is that it may interfere with calcium absorption. Calcium is an important nutrient for growing and maintaining strong bones. This is why you have to make sure you get enough calcium in your diet to help reverse this effect.

At one time, many doctors worried that coffee might cause cancer. That?s largely because caffeine damages DNA in the laboratory, and DNA damage is linked to cancer. However, that doesn?t mean that coffee causes cancer in people. Coffee also has high levels of compounds, called antioxidants that protect DNA. Some evidence even suggests that coffee may help reduce the risk of liver cancer.

Some doctors thought coffee might cause heart attacks or strokes, because caffeine can raise blood pressure. But a cup of coffee won?t lead to a dramatic increase in blood pressure for regular coffee drinkers. In long-term studies, higher levels of caffeine have not led to a higher risk of cardiovascular disease.

Some types of coffee can cause cardiovascular problems for another reason, however. Coffee can contain compounds that lead to a rise in LDL cholesterol. That?s the ?bad? kind of cholesterol that?s been linked to cardiovascular disease.

A lot depends on the way in which coffee is brewed. When coffee is brewed with a paper filter, it removes a lot of the components that lead to higher LDL. So it?s a good idea to drink filtered coffee to avoid this problem.

Coffee may even have some positive effects. Some studies have linked coffee intake with a lower risk of developing Parkinson?s disease. When looking at Parkinson?s disease patients, they may be up to 4-8 times less likely to have been heavy coffee drinkers. However, studies in this area have been limited. Some studies suggest coffee may have other positive effects on the mind. Researchers are now looking into the potential effects of caffeine on memory and Alzheimer?s disease.

Perhaps the strongest research showing a health benefit from coffee relates to Type 2 diabetes. In a 2002 study, it was reported that people drinking 7 or more cups per day had a 50% lower risk of Type 2 diabetes than those drinking 2 or less cups. About 20 studies have now looked into the effect in various populations. Coffee has been proven by some studies to be associated with a lower risk for type 2 diabetes.

Another potential benefit from coffee is that it can keep you from drinking less healthy things. Coffee is actually quite a good beverage compared to other beverages. Coffee can also help your social life, if you meet good friends to talk over coffee. Studies have clearly shown that people who have more social relationships have less stress and live longer. Research also suggests they?re less likely to show mental declines as they age.

So go enjoy that cup of coffee. It?s not the guilty pleasure you may have thought.

To sum it all up, here are some tips for coffee drinkers:

1. Drink coffee that?s been filtered through paper.
2. Avoid specialty coffee drinks loaded with sugar and fat, which can contribute to weight gain.
3. Consider adding a little non-fat milk if you?re concerned about bone health.
4. Don?t drink caffeinated coffee late in the day if you have trouble sleeping.
5. Avoid caffeinated coffee if you?re pregnant.

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