Why coffee is good for you

Of course, it is possible to drink too much coffee……

However,  full blown caffeinated coffee is very good for you.

Coffee is good for your liver ((Coffee and liver diseases. Muriel P, Arauz J. Departamento de Farmacologia, cinvestav-IPN, Mexico. Fitoterapia 2010 Jul; 81(5):297-305. E pub 2009 Oct 13)) .  It is a bitter herb and as such stimulates the liver into detoxifying. Overall studies back up the positive effects on the liver and its protective qualities against liver cancer ((Bravi F, Bosetti C et al., Coffee Drinking and Hepatocellular carcinoma risk: – A Meta-Analysis. Hepatology Vol 46 Issue 2 19th June 2007))

Coffee stimulates stomach acid production,  so helps digestion.

It also stimulates the gall bladder into squirting out bile, so helps digestion of fats and helps prevent gallstones .

It is an excellent source of anti-oxidants and so is protective against some cancers ((Cavin C, Holzhauser D et al., “The Coffee-Specific Diterpenes Cafestol and Kahweol Protect Against Aflatoxin B1-Induced Genotoxicity Through a Dual Mechanism”  Nestlel Research Ctr Switzerland.  Carnicogenesis 1998 Aug: 19(8): 1369-75)) ((The effects of coffee on enzymes involved in the metabolism of the dietary carcinogen 2-amino-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazo[4,5-6] in rats. Turesky RJ, Richoz J, et al. Division of chemistry, Nat. Ctr for Toxicological Research, Jefferson USA. Chem Biol Interact. 2003 Jun 15; 145(3):251-65)).

It is a source of magnesium and chromium, both important minerals in blood sugar regulation.

Contrary to popular opinion, coffee is not a diuretic, but it does stimulate peristalsis, so can lead to those coffee trots.

Coffee does aid sports performance ((caffeine as an ergogenic aid. Keisler BD, Armsey TD. Dept of Family and Sports Medicine, University of South Carolina. Curr Sports Med Rep 2006 Jun 5(4):215-9.)) . One cup is sufficient for aerobic work.  Strength training requires rather more.

Why some are against drinking coffee

It has a bad name because it is a central nervous system stimulant as the clip above clearly illustrates.

Also when coffee is drunk, the liver releases glycogen (blood sugar) into the blood stream which activates the pancreas into producing insulin, so contributes to blood sugar swings. However the blood sugar rise is very short lived.  Studies are very mixed as to whether it increases insulin resistance  ((G B Keijzers et al., “Caffeine Can Decrease Insulin Sensitivity in Humans,” Zeitschrift fru Ernahrungswissenschaft 23, No. 3 (September 1984): 181-205)) or, in fact, improves insulin sensitivity ((K Muroyama et al., “Anti-Obesity Effets of a Mixture of Thiamin, Arginine, Caffeine and Citric Acid in Non-Insulin Dependent Diabetic KK Mice,” Journal of Nutritional Science and Vitaminology 49, no.1 (February 20003): 56-63)) .  there is also a study showing that coffee lowers the risk of type 2 diabetes ((R.M. van Dam et al., “Coffee Consumption and Risk of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus” Lancet 360 (9November 2002): 1477-78)).  So the jury is out on this subject.

When and how you shouldn’t drink coffee:

After 4pm because it adversely affects sleep. Coffee blocks the parts of the brain that lead to deep sleep, so you may be able to get to sleep having recently drunk coffee, but the quality of the sleep will be poor.

If you are suffering from extreme adrenal fatigue. You will feel pretty terrible if you have this.

If you can’t tolerate coffee. A few people genetically can’t handle coffee – if they drink it they are wired for hours and tend to feel very unpleasant after drinking it.

If it is not organic.  The un-organic coffee bean is choc full of toxins.

If it is dried.  The nutritional value will  be very little.

With milk, particularly skimmed or semi-skimmed milk.  This undoes any antioxidant quality in the coffee.