This is a guest post by Nour El-Zibdeh, RD of Practical Nutrition.
Good news for the dedicated readers of this blog. If you’ve ever felt the need to defend your love of coffee to your so-called-healthy friends, defend no more. A plethora of research indicates that the highly popular Joe has more health benefits than you ever thought.
Researchers at the Department of Nutrition, Harvard School of Public Health, found that regular coffee consumption does not increase death rates from heart disease or cancer in men or women with type 2 diabetes.
In fact, a recent article published in the Diabetology & Metabolic Syndrome reviewed 18 studies on coffee and diabetes. The authors concluded that four cups of coffee a day or more reduced the risk of type 2 diabetes. Another study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine saw a similar pattern with decaffeinated coffee as well.
Strong evidence supports coffee consumption for preventing Alzheimer’s disease, dementia, and Parkinson’s disease. It may even lower the risk for colon cancer, breast cancer, liver cirrhosis, and gallstones.
And for athletes, two cups of coffee before a long-duration event give a boost. The caffeine helps the athlete tolerate more strain and feel less fatigued. Caffeine also triggers stronger muscle contractions. Both mechanisms allow for stronger and longer performance.
While some of the health benefits are attributed to caffeine, don’t forget that coffee is a bean—plant! It’s rich in anti-oxidants believed to be behind the reduced diabetes risk and cognitive decline among coffee drinkers. Roasting actually enhances coffee’s antioxidant potential. It’s also a good source of magnesium, a mineral essential for human metabolism.
A word of wisdom: because too many calories and fat increase the risk of chronic diseases, don’t offset the benefits of coffee by adding too much cream and sugar. Use fat-free or reduced-fat milk when possible and a moderate amount of sugar.
Is there a limit to how much coffee one can have?
Rob van Dam, PhD, one of the Harvard researchers, reported in a WebMD article that up to 6 cups of coffee pose no health risks.
Beware. This amount doesn’t hold true for all. People with heart disease should avoid caffeinated beverages because of the risk of increased heart rate, increased blood pressure, or irregular heart beat. Pregnant women should put caffeinated coffee consumption on hold due to miscarriage concerns. Bone loss might be a problem among postmenopausal women who regularly drink coffee. In all these cases, you should be seeing a doctor anyways, and their advice is best to follow.
People differ in the amount of coffee they can tolerate, so be your own judge. If you notice jittering, nervousness, hand trembling, or difficulty sleeping, maybe you need to cut back.
“Cheers!” to those who can be healthier from habitual coffee consumption. Off to get my second cup; what’s your java for today?
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Nour El-Zibdeh is a registered dietitian—and a coffee lover—based in Northern Virginia. She is a nutrition consultant, freelance writer, and blogger. In her blog, Practical Nutrition By Dietitian, she continues to inspire people to take practical steps for better nutrition and health. In her consulting practice, Nour offers nutrition and wellness services.
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Photo by Br3nda
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