What Are The Health Benefits of Coffee

What are the health benefits of coffee?
A cup of coffee in the morning may pack more than just an energy boost.
More and more research is emerging to suggest that there may be several health benefits
associated with drinking this dark black beverage, from helping prevent diabetes to lowering the
risk of liver disease.
The consumption of coffee goes back centuries.
In 17th century England the popularity of the drink gave rise to a number of coffee houses which
were dubbed 'penny universities', because with one penny a person could buy a cup of coffee
and have intellectually stimulating conversations with other people.
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Nowadays, with over 400 billion cups consumed every year, coffee is one of the world's most
popular drinks. But what makes it special?
This MNT Knowledge Center feature is part of a collection of articles on the health benefits of
popular foods.
Nutritional breakdown of coffee

Calorie count
Regular black coffee (without milk or cream) has a very low calorie count. A typical cup of black
coffee only contains around 2 calories.
However, if you add sugar and milk, the calorie count can shoot up.
Antioxidants
Coffee is the number one source of antioxidants in the U.S., according to researchers at the
University of Scranton.
Joe Vinson, Ph.D., lead author of the study, said that "Americans get more of their antioxidants
from coffee than any other dietary source. Nothing else comes close."
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The authors of the study emphasize moderation, stating that only one or two cups a day appear
to be beneficial.
Caffeinated and decaffeinated versions provided nearly the same levels of antioxidants.
Health benefits of coffee

The potential health benefits associated with drinking coffee include: protecting against type 2
diabetes,Parkinson's disease, liver disease, liver cancer, and promoting a healthy heart.
Coffee may protect against type 2 diabetes
Coffee may be protective against type 2 diabetes. Researchers at UCLA identified that
drinking coffee increases plasma levels of the protein sex hormone-binding globulin
(SHBG). SHBG controls the biological activity of the body's sex hormones
(testosterone and estrogen) which play a role in the development of type 2 diabetes.
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Dr. Simin Liu, one of the authors of the study, said that an "inverse association" exists between
coffee consumption and risk for type 2 diabetes.
Increased coffee consumption may reduce risk of type 2 diabetes - the Harvard School of
Public Health (HSPH) researchers gathered data from three studies. In these studies, the diets of
the participants were evaluated using questionnaires every 4 years, with participants who
reported having type 2 diabetes filling out additional questionnaires. In total, 7,269 study
participants had type 2 diabetes.
The researchers found that the participants who increased their coffee intake by more than one
cup a day (on average, an increase of 1.69 cups per day) over a 4-year period had an 11% lower
type 2 diabetes risk over the subsequent 4 years, compared with people who did not change
their intake.
Coffee may help prevent Parkinson's disease
Researchers in the U.S. carried out a study that assessed the link between coffee consumption
and Parkinson's disease risk. The authors of the study concluded that "higher coffee and caffeine
intake is associated with a significantly lower incidence of Parkinson's disease".
In addition, caffeine in coffee may help control movement in people suffering from
Parkinson's, according to a study conducted at the Research Institute of the McGill University
Health Centre (RI MUHC) that was published in the journal Neurology.
Coffee may lower the risk of liver cancer
Italian researchers found that coffee consumption lowers the risk of liver cancer by about
40%. In addition, some of the results suggest that if you drink three cups a day, the risks are
reduced by more than 50%.
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The lead author of the study, Dr. Carlo La Vecchia, from Milan's Istituto di Ricerche
Farmacologiche Mario Negri, said "our research confirms past claims that coffee is good for your
health and particularly the liver."
Coffee may help prevent liver disease
Regular consumption of coffee is linked to a reduced risk of primary sclerosing cholangitis
(PSC), a rare autoimmune disease of the bile ducts in the liver.
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In addition, coffee consumption can lower the incidence of cirrhosis of the liver for alcohol
drinkers by 22%, according to a study at the Kaiser Permanente Medical Care Program,
California, USA.
The authors of the study concluded that the results "support the hypothesis that there is an
ingredient in coffee that protects against cirrhosis, especially alcoholic cirrhosis."
Research published in the journal Hepatology in April 2014, suggests that drinking coffee is
linked to a decreased liver cirrhosis death risk. The researchers suggest that drinking two or
more cups of coffee every day can reduce the risk of death from liver cirrhosis by 66%.
A study published in the journal Hepatology indicates that drinking decaf coffee also lowers
liver enzyme levels, suggesting the benefits are not linked to caffeine content.
Coffee may be good for the heart
Researchers at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) and Harvard School of Public
Health, concluded that drinking coffee in moderation protects against heart failure. They
defined 'in moderation' as 2 European cups (equivalent to two 8-ounce American servings) per
day.
People who drank four European cups on a daily basis had an 11% lower risk of heart failure,
compared to those who did not.
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The authors stressed that their results "did show a possible benefit, but like with so many other
things we consume, it really depends on how much coffee you drink."
Recent developments on the benefits of coffee from MNT news

Coffee may reduce stroke risk. A study monitored coffee consumption of 83,269 Japanese
adults aged 45 to 74 years and found that people who drank coffee on a daily basis were at a 20
percent lower risk ofstroke compared to those who did not drink it often.
High coffee intake may help against prostate cancer. According to a study published in the
journalCancer Causes and Control, men who drank four or more cups of coffee a day had 59%
reduced risk ofprostate cancer recurrence and/or progression than those whose coffee
consumption was just one cup a week or less.
Can coffee protect our eyesight?. Research published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food
Chemistry found that drinking coffee may protect against deteriorating eyesight and even
blindness.
Tinnitus less common in women who drink more coffee. A new study in The American
Journal of Medicine finds that women who consume more caffeine are less likely to
have tinnitus.
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Risks
Drinking too much coffee can result in some very unpleasant adverse effects. According to a
study by researchers at the University of Oklahoma, "caffeine can cause anxiety symptoms in
normal individuals, especially in vulnerable patients, like those with pre-existing anxiety
disorders."
In addition, "caffeine use is also associated with symptoms of depression due to either a selfmedication theory, or a theory that caffeine itself causes changes in mood."
Women who plan on becoming pregnant should be cautious. Researchers from the University of
Nevada School of Medicine reported in the British Journal of Pharmacology that regular coffee
may reduce a woman's chances of becoming pregnant.
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Medical News Today examined the positive and negative effects of drinking coffee in an article in
July 2012,Drinking Coffee: More Good Than Harm?.
Recent developments on the risks of coffee from MNT news

Caffeine can disrupt sleep hours later. It might be a good idea to avoid caffeine in the late
afternoon and at night as it can have a very detrimental effect on one's sleep.
Source: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/270202.php

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What are the health benefits of coffee?

Nutritional breakdown of coffee

Health benefits of coffee

Recent developments on the benefits of coffee from MNT news

Recent developments on the risks of coffee from MNT news

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