The aroma of freshly ground coffee is a wonderful thing! Many of us love a nice cup of coffee, a latte or a cappuccino to kick off our mornings at work or to settle into our favorite weekend newspaper. There is always much debate on whether or not you should feel guilty for enjoying this daily pleasure. So, let’s take a closer look at some of the current hot topics related to the healthy benefits of coffee.
Coffee and diabetes
Some studies show that drinking moderate amounts of coffee may reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Recent studies, however, suggest that people with diabetes will have more difficulty controlling their blood sugar levels. You’re probably asking the same question we are – how can coffee reduce the risk of developing diabetes, but once you have it, make your diabetes worse? Well, researchers are now getting clearer indicators that it’s not the caffeine that is reducing the risk of developing diabetes, but other compounds within the coffee itself. For people worried that their blood sugar levels are not as low as they would like, perhaps drinking decaf coffee or quitting drinking coffee all together are options.
Coffee and antioxidants
Coffee contains nutrients called antioxidants, which help reduce damage to cells by free radicals. Free radicals are substances within your body that can cause damage to cells and possibly lead to cancer and other diseases. In the US, coffee provides more healthy antioxidants than any other food or drink according to a recent study. Although in the UK, coffee is consumed at a lower level, it probably still represents a huge percentage of our antioxidant intake as well. This study revealed that the top sources of antioxidants behind coffee (in order) were tea, bananas, dry beans and corn.
Coffee and dementia
Recent research revealed by a Swedish and Danish study, revealed coffee drinking might provide a mental health benefit later in life. As discussed above, coffee may reduce the chance of developing type 2 diabetes, which is linked to a greater chance of also developing dementia. Also, the antioxidant affect of coffee is said to possibly reduce the vascular risk factors connected with dementia.
Further research appears to be needed to enhance our understanding of coffee’s relationship with our health. In the meantime, like most things, drinking coffee in moderation appears to be the key.
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