According to Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition, coffee is the leading worldwide beverage after water and its trade exceeds US $10 billion worldwide. Debates regarding its benefits and risks still exist as reliable evidence is becoming available supporting its health-promoting potential; however, some researchers have argued about the association of coffee consumption with cardiovascular complications and cancer insurgence.
The health-promoting properties of coffee are often attributed to its rich phytochemistry, including caffeine, chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid, hydroxyhydroquinone (HHQ), etc. Many research investigations, epidemiological studies, and meta-analyses regarding coffee consumption revealed its inverse correlation with that of diabetes mellitus, various cancer lines, Parkinsonism, and Alzheimer’s disease.
In addition, it ameliorates oxidative stress because of its ability to induce mRNA and protein expression and mediates Nrf2-ARE pathway stimulation, which are neuroprotective pathways that protects cells from oxidative stress-induced cell death – in real simple terms it has the potential to protect the cells in your brain – boom.
Still, caffeine and its metabolites help in proper cognitive functionality. Coffee lipid fraction containing cafestol and kahweol act as a safeguard against some malignant cells by modulating the detoxifying enzymes. On the conflicting side is that their higher levels raise serum cholesterol, posing a possible threat to coronary health, for example, myocardial and cerebral infarction, insomnia, and cardiovascular complications.
Caffeine also affects adenosine receptors and its withdrawal is accompanied with muscle fatigue and allied problems in those addicted to coffee. An array of evidence showed that pregnant women or those with postmenopausal problems should avoid excessive consumption of coffee because of its interference with oral contraceptives or postmenopausal hormones. When I practiced, I always recommended that my patients avoid caffeine in the first four months of pregnancy at least. While for some people a cup of coffee may be a double-edged sword that boosts their anxiety levels, for others, it can render many benefits ranging from blood sugar control to enhanced fat loss. And here are a few cool benefits of a daily dose of java below.
Lower risk of diabetes: Your morning java may not only get you up and going, but studies reveal that it can be protective against type 2 diabetes. A protein called sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) regulates the biological activity of testosterone and estrogen, which have long been thought to play a role in the development of type 2 diabetes. And coffee consumption, it turns out, increases plasma levels of SHBG. One study found that women who drank four cups of coffee each day had significantly higher levels of SHBG than did non-drinkers and were 56 percent less likely to develop diabetes than were non-drinkers. It is also thought that coffee may improve the body’s tolerance to glucose by increasing metabolism or improving sensitivity to insulin. While four cups may have you bouncing off the walls, it is certainly a good argument for keeping in your caffeine fix. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/01/110113102200.htm
Burn more fat: Having a caffeinated drink pre workout, providing it’s not late in the date, can increase your endurance and boost your fat-burning potential according to various research. Caffeine is thought to delay the onset of muscle fatigue by helping your body use its own fat reserves as energy instead, and sparing your glycogen reserves (which is your stored-up energy). The longer your glycogen lasts, the longer you can push it in the gym. One study even found that caffeine can positively impact your DNA and mimic the muscle contraction that comes with exercise, so athletes who enjoy a pre-workout cup may just be on to something. As an added bonus, it has been shown to reduce pain processing, which can help you get that last set of lunges in.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/03/120306131254.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/03/090330200831.htm
Lower risk of death: It’s true. Although for some people their morning coffee protects OTHER people (at least, for those who get moody without it), it has some selfish advantages too. Researchers from the National Cancer Institute (NCI) tracked the health and coffee consumption of more than 400,000 adults over the age of 50 for nearly 14 years and found that java drinkers were less likely to die during the study than their anti-coffee counterparts. In fact, men and women who averaged four or five cups of coffee per day had the lowest risk of death. Keep in mind however if coffee is the cause of your anxiousness, headaches, and digestive disturbances, it is best to opt for an alternative such as green tea or Clear Thermo which increases thermogenic activity and increases fat loss when taken before workouts!
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120519071454.htm
Protection against cancer: Long-term coffee consumption may be associated with a reduced risk for endometrial cancer by as much as 25% according to one study. Another study showed that shows that drinking coffee reduces the risk of a specifically estrogen-receptor (ER)-negative breast cancer. Participants used Scandinavian boiled coffee, which chemically resembles French press and Turkish/Greek coffee (so, unfortunately, the local coffee shop coffee may not render the same benefits). A major difference between boiled and filtered coffee is that the boiled version contains up to 80 times as much coffee-specific fatty acids. These fatty acids have previously been shown in animal experiments to inhibit the growth of cancer.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111122133029.htm
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/06/100615151255.htm
The bottom line: Not all coffee is made equal. Opt for organic, fair-trade coffee, and be sure to brew it with non-chlorinated filters. While some of the benefits apply to the decaffeinated version as well, the extensive chemical process used to remove the caffeine makes it a less ‘natural’ option. Lastly, you should keep your coffee consumption to morning hours only, as caffeine can disrupt your sleep.
