Fresh Brewed Nutrition
We make it, we smell it, we savor it, we drink it. We may even be addicted to it.
But is it doing a great deal of harm (or good)?
Coffee, one of the most popular beverages in the world, has been studied more than any other food.
What has been the result of millions of dollars of research?
Some would say: not a hill of (coffee) beans.
Whether coffee is beneficial or detrimental to health is still controversial. That being said, there are many scientists who find the research fairly clear in favor of coffee.
Tomas DePaulis, PhD states emphatically: “Overall, the research shows that coffee is far more healthful than it is harmful.” Dr. Depaulis heads Vanderbilt University’s Institute for Coffee Studies (I told you coffee was intensely researched).
Here are a handful of the diseases coffee is thought to reduce the risk of:
1. Type 2 Diabetes
2. Parkinson’s Disease
3. Liver Disease
4. Cardiovascular Disease
5. Colon Cancer
In fact, each of the above has a fairly large body of literature supporting coffee as a preventive factor.
If there is so much research in coffee’s favor, why is there any controversy?
It all has to do with the type of studies that have looked at coffee. Almost all of the studies done on coffee and chronic disease have been association studies (known as epidemiology).
The results of association studies are harder to trust because it is hard to see if coffee’s effect on health is direct or just a coincidence. For example, a few studies have shown that coffee increases potential for premature birth in pregnant women. Cigarette smoking is another risk factor for premature birth and is often seen in conjunction with coffee drinking. You can see how it is difficult for researchers to get a clear picture of coffee’s role in disease.
Even though association studies have their problems, they have an important purpose. If well designed (which many of the studies on coffee have been), they can point us in a direction. That direction is clearly in favor of coffee (although certain populations such as those with high cholesterol, pregnant, and at high risk of osteoporosis may best steer clear).
Next time you are enjoying your morning brew, enjoy a little extra buzz from the fact that you may be doing your body a big favor.
Coming Soon: ‘Part II of Fresh Brewed Nutrition’ will delve a bit deeper into coffee and the thousands of (known) chemicals it contains.
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