The Pro's and Con's of Drinking Coffee

Being one of the most popular drinks in the world, coffee is a subject of many studies where researchers try to find out how it affects people's health. For a long time it was not considered a healthy food but some recent studies indicate that coffee may not be so bad after all.

Here are some of the benefits and dangers of coffee

Benefits of Coffee

Antioxidants - Coffee is loaded with antioxidants like chlorogenic acid and melanoidins. Antioxidants help prevent oxidation, a process that causes damage to cells and contributes to aging. Melanoidins from roasted coffee have antioxidative effects depending on the way the coffee is treated.

Cancer - Fresh brewed coffee contains about the same amount of antioxidants as three oranges. Antioxidants are a powerful ally in the fight against cancer. However, fresh means really fresh as after about ten minutes the antioxidants seem to evaporate with the steam.

Parkinson's disease - Regular coffee consumption reduces the risk of Parkinson's disease. A number of studies have demonstrated that people who drink coffee on a regular basis are significantly less likely to develop Parkinson's disease.

Diabetes - Coffee consumption is potentially protective against the development of type 2 diabetes. A study in the US Study found that moderate consumption of both caffeinated and decaffeinated coffee may lower the risk of type 2 diabetes in younger and middle aged women.

Liver cirrhosis - Coffee drinking may protect against liver cirrhosis, especially alcoholic cirrhosis.

Gallstones - There is some evidence that coffee drinking may be protective against gallstone formation in both men and women.

Kidney stones - Coffee consumption lowers the risk of kidney stones formation. It works by increasing urine volume, preventing the crystallisation of calcium oxalate, the most common component of kidney stones.

Athletic Performance - A study in the Journal of Sports Medicine reported that two cups of coffee two hours before exercise improves marathon and cycling trial times. It increases alertness and endurance, but caffeine can also dehydrate you, so be sure to drink extra water with your coffee.

Mental performance - Caffeine in coffee is a well-known stimulant. Coffee promotes alertness, attention and wakefulness. It can also increase information processing.

Alzheimer's disease - Regular coffee consumption seems to protect against Alzheimer's disease. A recent study on mice showed that caffeine equivalent to 5 cups of coffee per day reduced the build-up of destructive plaques in the brain.

Asthma - Caffeine in coffee is related to theophylline, an old asthma medication. Caffeine can open airways and improve asthma symptoms.

The Dangers of Coffee

Sleep - Excess caffeine can over-stimulate the central nervous system and produce negative effects on sleep onset and quality.

Bones - Caffeine may interfere with your body’s absorption of calcium. It decreases the amount of calcium absorbed during digestion and increases the amount excreted in your urine.

Dehydration - The caffeine in coffee is a mild diuretic and can increase the volume of urine excreted.

Cholesterol - There is a compound in coffee called cafestol which may affect the way that the liver metabolises cholesterol. A paper filter removes cafestol, so filter your coffee before drinking it

Heart disease - The cafestol present in unfiltered coffee and caffeine appears also to increase risk of coronary heart disease. It is also associated with an increase of plasma homocysteine, a risk factor for coronary heart disease. Besides that, caffeine can increase the risk of heart attack.

Pregnancy - The doctors are divided in their opinions about coffee during pregnancy. Some studies suggest that drinking 6 cups or more a day increases the risk of miscarriage. Caffeine does pass through the placenta, so it may affect the foetal nervous system during development. It is also passed through breast milk, so doctors strongly suggest keeping your coffee intake low during pregnancy and while breastfeeding.

Blood vessels - Coffee negatively affects the blood vessel tone and function by increasing arterial stiffness and wave reflections.

Heart rhythm - Coffee can cause rapid or irregular heartbeats (cardiac arrhythmias).

Blood pressure - Although coffee consumption is not a significant risk factor for hypertension, it produces unfavourable effects on blood pressure and people prone to hypertension may be more susceptible.

Heartburn - A cup of coffee can trigger heartburn.

Dependence - Caffeine is a drug, a mild central nervous system stimulant, and it produces dependence. Caffeine withdrawal is a real syndrome. You may get a few days of headache and irritability if you choose to quit drinking coffee, however, it is relatively easy to break this habit, and most people are not addicted to caffeine.