By Sherrie Chen
Recent studies support the health benefits of coffee: preventing us from getting type 2 diabetes, Parkinson’s disease, liver disease, prostate cancer, Alzheimer’s, computer back pain and so on.
However, the answer to the question “Is coffee a health food” really depends on your genetics, your age and your habit making it.
According to Statistic Brain, the total number of U.S. daily coffee drinkers is 100 million. Total percentage of coffee drinkers who have a cup within the first hour of waking up is 68%. With such a large amount of coffee consumption, having knowledge of coffee does improve your health!
Cups and diseases
A huge study of more than 25,000 coffee drinkers in South Korea shows that three to five cups a day help decrease risk for coronary artery calcium, which is a great predictor of future heart disease.
Four cups of coffee a day was also recently found to moderately reduce one’s risk for melanoma, which is a highly dangerous skin cancer. The study supports a previous finding of a link between coffee and a reduced risk for basal cell carcinoma, the most common type of skin cancer. Unluckily, it is said that decaffeinated coffee didn’t provide any protection.
Even a high coffee intake has its own good. Four to six cups a day reduces the risk of getting multiple sclerosis. And researchers want to study coffee’s impact in multiple sclerosis.
It seems like no matter how many cups we drink, coffee always works for us. But isn’t there any problem being caused?
Coffee and health
Some populations can find coffee harmful, especially those with sleep issues or uncontrolled diabetes may need to ask their doctors before adding caffeine to their diets.
And there’s a genetic mutation can affect how fast our bodies metabolize caffeine. The gene is called CYP1A2 and might contribute to blood pressure after just drinking one or two cups.
Also, the method of making coffee does matter. Cafestol, a compound being contained in the oily part of coffee that can increase your bad cholesterol. Fortunately, we can deal with it using the paper filters.
For many people, coffee is an important part of life. Coffee can do both good and bad, but it doesn’t mean we can not afford having this drink. As long as the habit is regulated, coffee is a blessing.
