A Cup of Coffee a Day Keeps the Doctor Away

It's a common scenario. We decide we are going to end our poor habits and start new, healthy ones. We will exercise, we will reduce stress, we will eat better. Eating better typically means less fat, more vegetables and fiber, and cutting out sugar and caffeine. Gone is the cup of coffee in the morning. And we may feel proud of ourselves for doing so. But we may be doing more harm than good.

Experts agree that the caffeine in coffee in particular can be beneficial in our bodies in reasonable amounts. Like red wine, it has had a bad reputation in the past that was undeserved. It can be part of a healthy diet.

For instance, consuming coffee has been noted in several studies to help prevent Alzheimer's disease and general dementia, the loss of cognitive ability not related to Alzheimer's. It seems to increase short term memory and help people score better on tests and perform better at daily tasks. This seems to have a cumulative effect; elderly performed better in such studies when they had been regular consumers of coffee through most of their lives. Coffee seems to have a positive effect on long term cognitive health.

Regular coffee consumption may also help prevent the onset of type 2 Diabetes. Studies, including one long-term study by Harvard researchers, have shown that the risk was as much as 50% less for those who were coffee drinkers.

Drinking coffee may also reduce cancer risk. Coffee contains methylpyridinium, an anti-cancer compound found singularly in roasted coffee beans. Researchers have found positive results when looking at coffee's connection to the reduced risk of oral cancer, liver cancer and even prostate cancer.

Coffee is even helpful in oral health. The part of coffee beans that give it the bitter taste, trigonelline, is full of anti-bacterial and anti-adhesive components that can literally help prevent the formation of cavities.

Of course, coffee like anything else should be consumed in moderation. Most of these studies found that 3-5 cups a day had just as much impact on these health issues as twice that amount. And too much coffee, specifically the caffeine, can cause many problems.

So what is the answer? When we give up our old habits and try on new ones, we should consider how much caffeine we take in, particularly when it comes to coffee. We may want to pare down the amount we drink, especially if we are over 5 cups a day, but it might be better to keep at least 3 cups as part of a daily regimen. The long term health benefits just may outweigh any risks.

References:

"Health Effects of Coffee." Wikipedia.com.

Sid Kirchheimer. "Coffee: The New Health Food?" webmd.com.