Let’s talk coffee! Is it healthy? How many cups should I drink? What’s wrong with drinking more than that? And why might coffee in California come with a warning label? Coffee is a staple in my diet – I blame my parents for always having a pot of coffee on the go. I have tried teas – green and black – but nothing beats a steaming cup of joe with soy milk in the morning. Lately I have been trying to cut back, not cut out, but decrease by at least a cup a day, which is a task upon itself. Lately cutting back has not been going so well, so what would any good nutrition major do? Go to the literature to find out all the wonderful things coffee and caffeine can do for the body in order to make myself feel better for backsliding of course! Health Effects of Coffee: Drinking moderate amounts of coffee (including decaf) has been linked to a lower risk of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, Parkinson’s disease and some cancers.1 In a longitudinal observational study of over 400,000 US adults, it was shown that drinking caffeinated coffee may reduce the risk of death caused by heart disease, respiratory disease, stroke, injuries and accidents, diabetes, and infections.2 In comparison to men who did not drink coffee, men who drank 6 or more cups of coffee per day had a 10% lower risk of death.2 As for women; it was associated with a 15% lower risk of death.2 Cardiovascular disease – compared with non-coffee drinkers, those that drink 3 cups of coffee per day were shown to have a 19% reduced risk of death from cardiovascular disease, 30% reduced risk of death caused by stoke and 16% reduced risk of death caused by coronary heart disease.3 Liver Disease - any coffee consumption, in comparison to no coffee consumption, has been associated with a lower risk of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, a 27% lower risk of developing liver fibrosis, and a 39% lower risk of liver cirrhosis.3 Additionally, the addition of one extra cup of coffee a day was associated with a lower risk of mortality from cirrhosis.3 Cancers: consumption of coffee has been shown to be associated with a lower risk of some specific types of cancers including prostate, endometrial, melanoma, non-melanoma skin cancer, and liver cancer.3 Musculoskeletal: some research has shown that that an extra cup of coffee a day was associated with an increased risk of bone fracture in women, but a lower risk in men.3 Caffeine in coffee has been proposed as the component that increases the risk in women, as it may potentially influence calcium absorption and bone mineral density.3 Neurological: coffee consumption has consistently been associated with a lower risk of Parkinson’s disease, depression, and cognitive disorders like Alzheimer’s disease.3 Antioxidants: Coffee contains antioxidants. Antioxidants are nutrients that assist with slowing or preventing harmful free radicals in the body, which are responsible for damaging cells and DNA. Antioxidants found within coffee include polyphenols such as chlorogenic acid and ferulic acids. Coffee also contains small amounts of potassium, niacin and magnesium. Caffeine: coffee contains caffeine, which is a stimulant, therefore contributing to increased alertness and attention for a short period of time.
What can happen if I consume too much caffeinated coffee?
California and Warning Bans on Coffee The state of California recently ruled to have warnings placed on products that contain chemicals that the state has ruled as carcinogenic (having the potential to cause cancer) – one of those chemicals being acrylamide. Acrylamide is a chemical that naturally forms in certain foods that are high in carbohydrates and low in protein, such as potatoes and coffee, during processing or cooking at high temperatures. It is not added to foods – it is simply formed during cooking when a specific amino acid reacts with naturally occurring sugars. It has been shown to cause cancer in experimental animals, however in humans there is not enough evidence to support the notion that acrylamide in foods/beverages, like coffee, puts us at risk for cancer. The American Cancer Society6 reports on their website that based on the studies conducted so far, it is not clear if acrylamide affects cancer risk in humans. Additionally, in animal studies that showed an increase in the risk of cancer due to acrylamide, these animals were provided doses that were 1,000 to 10,000 times higher than the levels people might be exposed to in foods and beverages. Overall Recommendations: When you drink your coffee black, it is virtually free of saturated fatty acids, sodium and sugar and contains an insignificant amount of calories. However, that is if you take your coffee black. If you are adding cream, sugar and other sugary syrups, you will be tacking on quite a large additional amount of calories, sugar and fat each day in that cup of joe. Coffee (when drank black, or with a touch of milk), has a vast amount of health benefits, however you should not rely on coffee as a source of antioxidants and vitamins; instead make sure to consume balanced meals – aiming to have half of your plate made up of bright vegetables and fruit, and include whole grains and plenty of plant-based protein sources each day. A cup of joe with breakfast just adds a bonus to all the nutrients you receive in a balanced diet! References:
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Sara Friedrich
Canadian Registered Dietitian Archives
April 2018
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