A Cup Of Joe Can Get Your Health On The Go
There are several potential health benefits in coffee.
Few beverages are steeped as deeply in American history and pop culture as coffee. Grade school history teachers say that our nation has been drinking the beverage ever since the Boston Tea Party. The long-running sitcom "Friends" often took place in a coffee shop. Anyone brave enough to have asked another person out on a date may have suggested light conversation over a nice brew.
The number of nicknames for coffee alone is testament to the beverage's popularity: a cup of joe, java, jet fuel, mud, battery acid, black gold, mother's little helper and so on.
Of course, one of the main reasons why coffee is so well-known is because of the jolt of energy it can provide. In fact, the drink has something of a bad rep because of this.
Studies conducted in the past have even linked coffee to negative effects on the heart and other organ systems. But scientists now acknowledge that may of those studies probably failed to separate coffee drinking from negative health habits, such as smoking and lack of exercise.
More recent research suggests that coffee can actually be beneficial for you. But as with all good stories, the truth about coffee has more than one side to it.
A powerhouse of antioxidants
Free radicals are compounds that cause cell damage and accelerate the aging process. These toxins can come from environmental pollution, ultraviolet radiation, cigarette smoke or, unfortunately, from the ubiquitous process of metabolizing food into energy.
In order to help counteract the negative health effects of free radicals, we can turn to antioxidants, natural substances that are often found in plant-based foods. Common antioxidants include beta carotene, coenzyme Q10, lipoic acid, flavonoids, phenols, polyphenols, phytoestrogens and many more, according to the Harvard School of Public Health.
Because coffee beans are plant seeds, they are actually full of antioxidants! Studies have made associations between coffee drinking and healthy aging for several organs, including the uterus, skin, liver, breast and digestive system. While none of these studies could prove causation, they are certainly promising.
Blood sugar control
The strongest associations between coffee and health are in the context of blood sugar control. This may be due to three compounds: caffeic acid, chlorogenic acid and, to a lesser extent, caffeine.
These effects may be particularly important in light of recent findings from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention stating that rates of weight problems in the U.S. have not dropped in the past few years. Weight problems are known to have negative effects on cognition, heart health and blood sugar control, which in and of itself can affect the heart.
To decaffeinate, or not to decaffeinate?
People mainly drink coffee in order to get an energy boost, which has some folks worried and confused. Isn't caffeine unhealthy?
In general, caffeine isn't as dangerous as previously thought, according to the National Institutes of Health. In fact, some studies suggest this stimulant may have positive effects on cognitive health. Other benefits of coffee, such as blood sugar control and healthier aging of the skin, also seem to be mediated in part by caffeine. And if people are afraid that coffee will raise their blood pressure, they can rest assured that these changes are temporary.
However, large amounts of caffeine - between four and seven cups of coffee a day - can be problematic, causing nervousness and irritability. People who are prone to these effects may want to opt for decaf. Caffeine can also interfere with calcium absorption in the bones.
As with all aspects of diet, the key here seems to be moderation.
What can you do?
While scientists have not quite begun to clamor for more coffee drinking, regular consumers can probably keep a few tips in mind.
The potential health effects of coffee may be cancelled out by whatever you add to it, so do not go overboard with the cream and sugar. In fact, it may be preferable to use nonfat milk in order to deliver a healthy dose of calcium with fewer calories.
Two substances in both regular and decaffeinated coffee, kahweol and cafestol, can actually raise cholesterol levels. The process used to decaffeinate coffee does not remove these compounds. However, they are usually removed by paper filters or percolation, so try to drink beverages that have been processed using these methods. A French press or boiling will not work.
And lastly, it doesn't hurt to enjoy coffee in good company. After all, friends are a good source of stress relief!