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Coffee's health perks

The good and bad of this caffeinated beverage

By Rosie Schwartz
http://www.homemakers.com/Health&Fit...n239452p1.html

Waking up and smelling the coffee may be your favourite moment of the day. But are you worried about how much you drink? There's good news for coffee lovers as scientific research is now pointing to the potential health benefits of the brew. But don't start gulping coffee as a liquid health food. Moderation still appears to be the best strategy.

Coffee is often thought of in a simple way -- whether it's caffeinated or decaf. But coffee beans provide a whole mix of substances. Among them are potential disease-fighters, including antioxidants. Change the preparation method or the variety of beans and you have a whole new brew of compounds. This may help explain contradictory research findings. The evidence linking coffee and protection against diabetes seems to be getting more solid as scientists investigate the beverage's effect on a range of population groups. Researchers from Harvard University followed more than 88,000 women, aged 26 to 46 years old, over a 10-year period and found that both decaf and regular coffee were connected to a decreased risk of developing type 2 diabetes. The benefit is not for the young alone.

Coffee and disease prevention
An 11-year study on almost 30,000 women at the University of Minnesota's School of Public Health showed that post-menopausal women who drink at least six cups of coffee a day -- especially decaffeinated varieties -- are at a lower risk to develop type 2 diabetes than those who never sip the stuff. But weight management and physical activity, not coffee, are still recommended as the first line of defense against diabetes.

Researchers in California have found that coffee may contain substances that offer a defense against cirrhosis of the liver. And it seems to offer protection against Parkinson's disease, although more for men than for women. Speculation is that estrogen may be the wild card in how coffee affects risk. For women who have never used estrogen after menopause, coffee is linked to reduced odds of Parkinson's disease, while heavy java drinkers who have used the hormones have an increased risk. Coffee was once labelled as a culprit in raising artery-clogging LDL cholesterol levels. But researchers found that only unfiltered or boiled coffee, or that made using a French press, contained cafestol and kahweol, the compounds with the cholesterol-raising effects. In heart health research, sipping excess coffee has been linked to high blood pressure, but we'll see more research there.

For many people, drinking too much coffee causes indigestion. And contrary to popular thinking, it's not just the caffeine that's the offender. Processing of the coffee bean can yield acids, which can be an irritant. Look for low acid varieties or those that tout "stomach-friendly" attributes.

How your body reacts to coffee
Starting off your day without a cup of regular coffee may seem impossible. Caffeine acts as a stimulant that affects your ability to think clearly as well as your physical performance in areas such as exercise. Too little or too much can interfere with your ability to focus. An excess can have a dehydrating effect, and because caffeine is addictive, ditching the beloved brew can give you withdrawal symptoms such as headache and fatigue. Just how much of a buzz you get from caffeine varies from person to person, depending on age, physique and personal sensitivities. For some, a caffeinated beverage in the afternoon can lead to irritability and a sleepless night. For others, it can be a soothing nighttime beverage.

Health Canada recommends that healthy adults limit their daily intake to no more than 400 to 450 milligrams of caffeine, or about three 8-ounce (237 millilitre) cups of brewed coffee. But because of its link to miscarriage, for women of child-bearing age, the limit is 300 milligrams a day. To reduce your caffeine intake, consider a mix of half regular and half decaf.

Fancy coffee drinks can impact your waist-management efforts. While black coffee is calorie-free, some specialty coffees can tally in at more than 500 calories a serving, in the same ballpark as a cheeseburger.