Coffee - The New Health Food?

Category: Diet and Nutrition

Emerging evidence suggests that coffee may actually be beneficial in some measures of health and in preventing certain diseases. Not too many years ago, coffee consumption was frowned upon by many health practitioners and researchers. Current research studies suggest compounds found in coffee can reduce the risk of various diseases and improve concentration, memory and athletic performance.

Coffee contains powerful antioxidants that can reduce systemic inflammatory processes. A very large study of postmenopausal women just published in the American Journal of Nutrition showed that coffee drinkers have a reduced incidence of cardiovascular disease, the leading cause of death, and may also experience a lower risk of other inflammatory based diseases. In fact, drinking more than 6 cups of coffee can reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes in men. An article in the Archives of Internal Medicine also suggests that a component in coffee may protect against the development of alcoholic cirrhosis. Other diseases from which coffee drinkers may be able to protect themselves from include hepatocellular carcinoma, colon cancer, gallstones, Parkinson disease, dental caries and headaches.

Health officials are not ready to make recommendations on coffee consumption due to some of the potential risks. Coffee should be avoided in patients with hypertension, heart rhythm abnormalities, osteoporosis, bladder problems and women who are pregnant due to the increased risk of miscarriage or poor fetal growth. As well, a study just published in International Journal of Cancer indicates that coffee consumption may increase the risk of stomach cancer.

Posted by Dr. Jennifer Stagg on December 13, 2013 10:00 AM