There is No Sunshine Without Coffee

Posted By elissa on May 23, 2009 | 3 comments

I have to credit my bud Will (Brink) for that line, but it’s true enough, as far as I’m concerned.  While I don’t drink it during the day, a solid “jolt” of java is an irreplaceable part of my morning routine.  A tall, steaming cup of fresh ground/brewed coffee is always waiting for me on my desk when I crawl out of bed at 5:00 a.m (thanks, John!).  It helps me make a reasonably graceful transition into “work mode” each morning.

For years, however, I considered this a vice.  Like everyone else interested in health/longevity, I believed coffee was a no-no. Fortunately, my inner slug won out over my good intentions – life just wasn’t the same without it.  As I rationalized it, everyone has a bad habit or two, so that a.m. coffee would be mine.  But I don’t have to rationalize it anymore: over the last few years, a new appreciation for the stuff has emerged.  While coffee may not fit most people’s conception of a health food, the current consensus is that there are few drawbacks, and several potential benefits associated with the brew.

…Diabetes: Twenty studies worldwide show that coffee, both regular and decaf, lowers the risk for Type 2 diabetes, in some studies by as much as 50%…

…Heart disease and stroke: Recent studies suggest that frequent coffee consumption does not increase the risk of either condition. In fact, coffee might — repeat, might — slightly reduce the risk of stroke.

…Cancer: Coffee research has come up empty here — with one big exception: liver cancer. Research consistently shows a drop in liver cancer risk with coffee consumption, and there is some, albeit weaker, evidence that it may lower colon cancer risk as well.

…Cirrhosis: Coffee seems to protect the liver against cirrhosis, especially that caused by alcoholism. It’s not clear, either for cancer or cirrhosis, whether it’s coffee or caffeine that may be protective.

…Parkinson’s disease: With this progressive, neurological illness, it’s the caffeine, not coffee, that carries the benefit. No one knows for sure why caffeine protects. Several studies show that coffee drinkers, men especially, appear to have half the risk of Parkinson’s compared with nondrinkers.

…Athletic performance: It’s clear that caffeine, not coffee per se, delivers the big boost here, said Graham, the researcher from Ontario. In fact, caffeine was once deemed a controlled substance by the International Olympic Committee. Caffeine is a powerful “ergogenic agent,” meaning it promotes the ability of muscles to work. Studies show that caffeine boosts performance in both very short and very long athletic events…

Not bad, eh?  While caffeine has its negative aspects, coffee contains a lot more than caffeine.  For example, coffee’s the number one source of antioxidants in the American diet – which may help to explain its apparent healthful effects.

Of course, like anything else, coffee can be overdone, and people who are sensitive to caffeine may need to limit their consumption (or switch to decaf).  But it’s clear that coffee drinking is NOT a habit that people need to give up when they’re looking to get into shape and improve their health…unless they’re getting it from Starbucks, laden with sugar, syrup and whipped cream.