Thursday, January 15, 2009

Coffee: Good for You, Really!


Alright, so here's another item that's been given a bad rap. Because of it's high caffeine content, coffee has been labeled as unhealthy and linked to high stress levels. Well, guess what coffee lovers, the latest research shows that a good ol’ cup of joe isn't that bad after all. Coffee has been shown to lower the risk for diseases associated with aging. A study conducted by Finnish and Swedish researchers in cooperation with the National Public Health Institute in Helsinki found that adults who gulped down three to five cups of coffee a day lowered their risk of developing dementia and Alzheimer’s by up to 65%. Other recent studies have also shown that coffee improves memory. Oh, and the wonders of java don’t stop there, more data show that it also lowers the risk for diabetes, heart disease and cirrhosis of the liver. And did you know that one serving of coffee has more antioxidants than a serving of blueberries, raspberries, oranges or grape juice? I know what your thinking and the answer is, no, it's not the caffeine. Drinking three to five cups of decaf or non-decaf yields the same benefits. But researchers emphasize that subjects who drank more than six cups a day did not benefit. So one thing we must all remember is to consume coffee (and everything else) in moderation. Well, all of this information officially justifies my adoration for cafĂ©. Excuse me, my cup of Turkish coffee awaits!

Photo Credit: Courtesy of Flickr

No comments:

Post a Comment