Coffee has a long history of being blamed for many ills - from the humorous "It will stunt your growth" to the not-so-humorous claim that it causes heart disease and cancer, and the common wisdom with coffee is that it is better off avoided.
But recent research indicates that coffee may not be so bad after all. So which is it - good or bad? The best answer may be that for most people the health benefits outweigh the risks.
Coffee, like many other natural plants and herbs, does appear to have some therapeutic benefits given the right circumstances. Organic whole-bean black coffee, does appear to have the most health benefits, and it seems the darker the roast, the more benefits it provides.
Benefits?
Studies show that the risk for type 2 diabetes is lower among regular coffee drinkers than among those who don't drink it. Also, coffee may reduce the risk of developing gallstones, discourage the development of colon cancer, improve cognitive function, reduce the risk of liver damage in people at high risk for liver disease, and reduce the risk of Parkinson's disease. Coffee has also been shown to improve endurance performance in long-duration physical activities.
Risks?
Coffee is not completely innocent. Caffeine, coffee's main ingredient is a mild addictive stimulant. And coffee does have modest cardiovascular effects such as increased heart rate, increased blood pressure, and occasional irregular heartbeat that should be considered. Studies have been largely inconclusive regarding coffee and its effect on women's health issues such as breast health, cancer, and osteoporosis. But, the negative effects of coffee tend to emerge in excessive drinking so it is best to avoid heavy consumption.
Most notably, if you are drinking the popular coffee beverages doused with creamer, milk, sugar and other sweeteners and flavorings, you are missing out on the therapeutic benefit and only causing potential harm to your health. You are doing far more harm than good when you use artificial sweeteners and taste enhancers or flavorings - such as increased calories the brain doesn't even perceive as food, increased inflammation with sugar, and neurotoxic effects (headaches, etc) with sweeteners like Equal or Splenda.
I would recommend pregnant or nursing mothers to always refrain from coffee.
Dark Roast Coffee may be Superior to Light Roast:
The "darkness" of your coffee refers to the ending coloration of a bean after it has been roasted for a certain length of time. Coffee roasting is actually a very complex art that requires the beans to be brought to high temperatures very quickly, and then cooled off just as fast when the desired roast is reached. Expert roasters may have years of training that allows them to "read" the coffee beans for signs of appropriate roasting.
It's often the case that foods with the darkest pigments also offer the most robust benefits to health, and dark roast coffee, such as French Roast or that used to make espresso or Turkish coffee, may be no exception.
New research in Molecular Nutrition & Food Research found that dark roast coffee restored blood levels of the antioxidants vitamin E and glutathione more effectively than light roast coffee. The dark roast also led to a significant body weight reduction in pre-obese volunteers, whereas the light roast did not.
When it comes to achieving any therapeutic benefits from coffee, only quality coffee will do.
Best Coffee to Use?
Organic: Most coffee produced today is heavily contaminated with pesticides. It's actually one of the most heavily sprayed crops grown. So, any coffee you consume should be organic, pesticide-free coffee.
Whole bean: You'll want to purchase coffee in whole bean form and then grind it yourself to prevent rancidity. Pre-ground coffee may be rancid by the time you drink it.
Properly dried and roasted: The coffee should smell and taste fresh, not stale. If your coffee does not have a pleasant aroma, it is likely rancid and poor quality.
Black: If you're interested in health benefits, drink your coffee black, without sugar or cream. Add sugar and you'll certainly ruin any of the benefits discussed above by spiking your insulin levels and causing insulin resistance.
Some Additional Tips for the Coffee Drinker...
If you use a "drip" coffee maker, be sure to use non-bleached filters. The bright white ones, which most people use, are chlorine bleached and some of this chlorine will be extracted from the filter during the brewing process. They are also full of dangerous disinfection byproducts like dioxin.
Try to go with black coffee only. Training yourself to drink it black is a good way to help minimize your daily sugar cravings. If you must add creamer, I would recommend coconut or almond non diary creamers or organic whole milk or half and half from grass-fed pastured cows. Never use powered creamer. Sick! If you must sweeten your cup, try honey or real sugar...in moderation. No fake, processed crap.
If you adhere to the tips above, I see no reason why coffee cannot be a sensible and even therapeutic part of your diet. Personally, I usually have 1 to 3 cups per day. I drink it black. I also drink tons of water.
Lastly...
For you Keurig K Cuppers, I recommend Newman's Own Organic Special Blend (medium roast coffee extra bold) -it is the bomb diggity.
For you locals looking for a new or different place ( to get your brew-ha on (java style), some of my favorites include:
The Frothy Monkey (in Nashville and Franklin)
The Coffee House (Franklin)
Bongo Java/HYPERLINK "http://www.bongojava.com/"FidoHYPERLINK "http://www.bongojava.com/"'HYPERLINK "http://www.bongojava.com/"s (in Hillsboro Village around Vandy and Nashville)
OUR OFFICE WILL BE CLOSED THIS FRIDAY MARCH THE 1ST BUT WILL BE OPEN MONDAY MARCH 4TH AT OUR NORMAL TIME.
Yours in Health,
Dr. David Mason
1 Peter 4:10-11As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace: whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies-in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.