If your anything like me....you need a cup of coffee in the morning!
But there are so many mixed messages floating around out there regarding coffee. It stains teeth, coffee is all natural, caffeine is bad for your heart, it will improve athletic performance.
Well...which is it??? Is it good or bad???
So while sipping my cup of morning joe...I did a little research. I searched a few medical sites, a few blogs, and a few more things. Wikipedia gave a pretty inclusive list of the pros and cons of coffee and it's easy to read...unlike some of the medical articles I attempted first thing this morning.
Personally....I'm keeping my coffee.
Are you a coffee drinker?
Do you consider yourself a coffee "addict"?
Here is a brief list of what Wikipedia had to say on the topic:
Benefits
[edit]All-cause mortality
In women, coffee consumption significantly decreases all-cause mortality, apparently decreasing somewhat linearly to a relative risk of approximately 0.85 for those drinking 3 cups per day compared to those who consume no coffee, but the relative risk then remains almost the same for up to 6 cups per day, according to a large prospective cohort study.[4] In men, these beneficial effects were not as great.
[edit]Reduced risk of Alzheimer's disease and Dementia
Several studies comparing moderate coffee drinkers (defined as 3–5 cups per day) with light coffee drinkers (defined as 0–2 cups per day) found that those who drank more coffee were significantly less likely to develop Alzheimer's disease later in life.
[edit]Reduced risk of gallstone disease
Drinking caffeinated coffee has been correlated with a lower incidence of gallstones and gallbladder disease in both men and women
[edit]Reduced risk of Parkinson's disease
A study comparing heavy coffee drinkers (3.5 cups a day) with non-drinkers found that the coffee drinkers were significantly less likely to develop Parkinson's disease later in life.[12]Likewise, a second study found an inverse relationship between the amount of coffee regularly drunk and the likelihood of developing Parkinson's disease.[13]
[edit]Cognitive performance
Many people drink coffee for its ability to increase short term recall.
[edit]Caffeine and analgesics
Coffee contains caffeine, which may increase the effectiveness of gastrointestinal uptake of some pain killers, especially in patients with migraine and headache medications.
[edit]Antidiabetic
Coffee intake may reduce one's risk of diabetes mellitus type 2 by up to half.
[edit]Liver protection
Coffee can also reduce the incidence of cirrhosis of the liver[21] and has been linked to a reduced risk of hepatocellular carcinoma, a primary liver cancer that usually arises in patients with preexisting cirrhosis.
[edit]Cancer
Coffee consumption is also correlated in Africa to a reduced risk of oral, esophageal, and pharyngeal cancer.
[edit]Cardioprotective
Coffee moderately reduces the incidence of dying from cardiovascular disease, according to a large prospective cohort study published in 2008.
Laxative/diuretic
Coffee is also a powerful stimulant for peristalsis and is sometimes considered to prevent constipation. However, coffee can also cause excessively loose bowel movements. The stimulative effect of coffee consumption on the colon is found in both caffeinated and decaffeinated coffee.[34][35]
Contrary to popular belief, caffeine does not act as a diuretic when consumed in moderation.
[edit]Antioxidant
Coffee contains polyphenols such as flavan-3-ols (monomers and procyanidins), hydroxycinnamic acids, flavonols and anthocyanidins.[40] These compounds have antioxidative effect and potentially reduce oxidative cell damage.
[edit]Prevention of dental cavities
The tannins in coffee may reduce the cariogenic potential of foods.
[edit]Gout
Coffee consumption contributes to a decreased risk of gout in men over age 40.
[edit]Blood pressure
A 2011 study showed that moderate (≥4 cups per day) coffee consumption was inversely associated with high blood pressure and high triglyceride level in Japanese men.
[edit]Risks
[edit]Caffeine dependency
- Main article: Health effects of caffeine
[edit]Cancer
Over 1,000 chemicals have been reported in roasted coffee, and 19 are known rodent carcinogens;[46] however, most substances cited as rodent carcinogens occur naturally and should not be assumed to be carcinogenic in humans at exposure levels typically experienced in day-to-day life.[46] However, whole coffee extract is suspected to cause cancer of the human pancreas (http://www.nytimes.com/1981/03/12/us/study-links-coffee-use-to-pancreas-cancer.html) and possibly the bladder (http://monographs.iarc.fr/ENG/Monographs/vol51/volume51.pdf).
[edit]Gastrointestinal problems
Coffee can damage the lining of the gastrointestinal organs, causing gastritis and ulcers.
[edit]Psychological effects and sleep changes
Many coffee drinkers are familiar with "coffee jitters", a nervous condition that occurs when one has had too much caffeine. It can also cause anxiety and irritability, in some with excessive coffee consumption, and some as a withdrawal symptom.
[edit]Cholesterol
A 2007 study by the Baylor College of Medicine indicates that the diterpene molecules cafestol and kahweol, found only in coffee beans, may raise levels of low-density lipoprotein or LDL in humans.[51] This increase in LDL levels is an indicator that coffee raises cholesterol. The Baylor study suggests a possible link between cafestol, kahweol and higher levels of cholesterol in the body.
[edit]Blood pressure
Caffeine has previously been implicated in increasing the risk of high blood pressure; however, recent studies have not confirmed any association.
[edit]Effects on pregnancy
Caffeine molecules are small enough to penetrate the placenta and slip into the baby's blood circulation. Unlike adults, organs and systems in fetuses are not full-fledged, therefore not capable of fully metabolizing caffeine and excreting it. The stimulant tends to linger in the fetus's blood ten times longer than in adults. High levels of caffeine are bound to accumulate in the baby's body with frequent maternal consumption of caffeine. Just like what it does to adults, caffeine could also send the baby's pulse and breathing rate racing and affect its sleep pattern for an extended duration.[56]
[edit]Iron deficiency anemia
Coffee consumption can lead to iron deficiency anemia in mothers and infants.[58] Coffee also interferes with the absorption of supplemental iron.[59]
[edit]Coronary artery disease
A 2004 study tried to discover why the beneficial and detrimental effects of coffee conflict. The study concluded that consumption of coffee is associated with significant elevations in biochemical markers of inflammation. This is a detrimental effect of coffee on the cardiovascular system, which may explain why coffee has so far only been shown to help the heart at levels of four cups (24 fl oz or 600 mL) or fewer per day.[60]
[edit]Interactions with medications
Caffeine with Tylenol (Paracetamol, acetaminophen ) may damage liver.[64]
[edit]Acne
Abstinence from coffee leading to cessation of acne has been reported by individuals[65] but does not appear to have been scientifically researched.
