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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![]() I have been a runner since I was 16. Back then, I would run short distances competitively where I was typically running on trails. Over the years I came to notice that I preferred longer distances, simply because instead of competing against each individual, you are competing against yourself and the past times you have held for particular distances. By cutting back on short distance races, I was able to begin to enjoy running simply by getting outside and completing a run, instead of striving to come in a specific place in a race. During training for my second half marathon, I started to have shooting pains in my side. At first, I assumed it was just a side cramp; however when it would repeatedly happen each training run around the 5km mark, I knew it was something else. After many efforts to determine what was causing this pain, I discovered it was lack of hydration. I run in the morning. If I tell myself I will run after work or classes, I typically end up not doing it. There is too much time in the day to come up with a billion excuses to skip your daily workout, but by doing it when you wake-up, it eliminates many of the excuses. The only downside of running in the morning is the lack of time to properly hydrate and eat a snack. Water is not the only fluid out there that helps hydrate your body. Sports drinks, fruit and vegetable juices, milk and soy beverages, coffee and teas, and even fruits and vegetables help hydrate the body and have an effect on your athletic performance. Proper hydration is very important. Our bodies are made up of 60-75% water, and even a small loss in water can have a large decrease in strength and speed. Water is also important for maintaining a regular body temperature. This becomes increasingly important during hot and humid weather as our bodies tend to produce more sweat and we have a harder time keeping body temperatures low. Without proper hydration, dehydration can occur and this will decrease performance and can increase the risk of exhaustion and heat stroke. The amount of fluid that is needed will vary person to person and is highly dependant on the amount of sweat that is produced during exercise. A way to determine how much sweat you lose during exercise is to weigh yourself pre- and post-exercise. This information can be used to determine how much fluids you need to consume after your workout. A guide is to consume 1.5L/kg of weight that is lost. This decrease in weight is due to the loss of water. It is always best to prevent large fluid losses from sweating by drinking enough water/fluids during exercise! Don't start thinking that you need to drink litres of sports drinks! Sports drinks should be referred to as sports supplements with the ability to enhance performance in many different sport settings. Sports drinks are typically not needed to keep hydrated during exercise. Instead, water and a healthy diet are sufficient to replace the water and minerals that are lost during exercise. However, if you are exercising hard or for a long time (more than an hour), exercising in hot and humid conditions, have a very high sweat rate, or wear a lot of sports equipment, you may benefit from using sports drinks. Make sure to read the labels of different sports drinks, as they are not all created equally. Some sports drinks are difficult to absorb, some have lower levels of electrolytes, and some are made specifically for AFTER exercise. When purchasing sports drinks, make sure that water is the first ingredient and that the beverage is not carbonated, as this can cause bloating and will fill you up sooner. Look for sports drinks that have 460-690 mg of sodium per litre. Salt is needed to improve hydration and may also help to prevent muscle cramps. In terms of carbohydrate/sugar, look for beverages that contain less than 80g per litre of carbohydrate. Carbohydrates help keep blood glucose from dropping and helps to fuel active muscles, but if you consume too much, it can cause an upset stomach and other issues. Water and a healthy diet are first and foremost, the most important strategy to keep yourself hydrated. If you are using or plan to use sports drinks, it is always important to try the drink in training first. This will allow you to make sure that the beverage sits well with you!
![]() In 2013, the United Nations declared that 2016 would be the International Year of Pulses. Here we are, in 2016! The aim of this year is to increase the awareness surrounding pulses as a source of protein and other essential nutrients. Pulses are part of the legume family, which are plants that have their fruit enclosed within a pod. These include dried beans, dried peas, lentils and chickpeas. Pulses are the dried seed and do not include fresh beans or peas. Soybeans and peanuts are related to pulses but they have a high fat content whereas pulses contain little to no fat. Pulses are high in plant protein and fibre and low in fat and are a source of iron, zinc, folate, and magnesium. Pulses contain both soluble and insoluble fibre. Soluble fibre helps to slow digestion, regulates blood sugar levels, and helps to lower blood cholesterol levels. Insoluble fibre helps with digestion and regularity. In order to obtain the same amount of fibre as 3/4 cup of cooked black beans, you would need to consume 5 apples! Protein is needed to help build and repair muscle, tissue, skin, nails, and hair. Pulses contain high amounts of plant protein. Just a ¾ cup of cooked or canned lentils and beans has between 9-14 grams of protein. The amount of protein in beans, lentils and chickpeas is 2-3x the amount found in cereal grains like quinoa, barley and rice. Iron is needed to transport oxygen throughout your body and when you do not get enough iron, it will cause you to feel tired and irritable. There are two types of iron, with one being heme iron, and the other being non-heme iron. Non-heme iron is the type that is found in pulses! To absorb the most iron out of your pulses, eat them with vitamin C rich foods! These include sweet peppers, sweet potatoes, broccoli, tomatoes and snow peas! Pulses are also a source of potassium, with one cup of chickpeas containing approximately the same amount of potassium as one small banana! ![]() Canada’s Food Guide recommends that we include meat alternatives, such as beans and lentils, in our diet often. Just a ¾ cup of cooked lentils, beans, peas & chickpeas is equal to one serving of meat and alternatives. A campaign that was launched during the beginning of the International Year of Pulses was the Pulse Pledge. This pledge is aimed at getting North Americans to eat more homegrown pulses and is a commitment to eating pulses once a week for 10 weeks! Eating pulses is both good for your health as well as it helps to reduce your carbon foot print! Pulses use soil bacteria to draw in nitrogen from the air. By doing this, pulses require less nitrogen fertilizers than other crops. By producing a smaller carbon foot print, pulses indirectly decrease the amount of greenhouse gas emissions! Additionally, pulses require less water to produce in comparison to animal products. It only takes 43 gallons of water to produce one pound of pulses, whereas it takes anywhere between 800 to 1800 gallons of water to produce one lb of beef! You can take the pledge online at pulsepledge.com and they will send you recipes, inspiration, and the chance to win prizes along your 10 week journey. If you need some ideas on how to incorporate pulses into your daily life:
Canada's Physical Activity Guidelines recommends that we strive for two and a half hours of physical activity(PA) every week! For some people this may seem impossible, but it really isn't! This amount of PA doesn't have to be going for a long distance run (but it can be)! This physical activity can be anything from going to the gym before work or school, walking the dog, practicing yoga, or taking the stairs at work. Remember that it adds up!
Instead of taking the bus, try walking to school or work. Or instead of taking the elevator, use the stairs! These little changes to your daily routine will add onto the total amount of time each day that you are active. Recently I purchased a Fit Bit for my mom for her birthday. Its amazing how much or how little you can walk during a day. I travelled with her to Ottawa where we walked quite a bit! When you can see the amount of steps you have taken, you really become conscious about how active are being. I would recommend a device like the Fit Bit (Polar also makes something called a Polar Loop which is virtually the same thing) to anyone who needs a little extra motivation to stay active! Even an old fashion pedometer will do the trick. An excellent first goal is to achieve 10,000 steps daily. If you find this easy to achieve then up your goal to something more challenging! Set a goal for yourself, get into a routine and keep moving. Your body will love you for it! |
Sara Friedrich
Canadian Registered Dietitian Archives
April 2018
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