Health Benefits of Coffee
Coffee's Role in Disease Prevention
Coffee is a staple in the daily lives of many. Some find it hard to start their day without first making that habitual trek to the coffee pot immediately upon getting out of bed. Fortunately for consumers, this beloved beverage has quite a positive impact on the body.
Free Radicals and Antioxidants
Free radicals are a common byproduct of cellular metabolism. Levels may increase after exercise, which places greater demand on the muscle cells. They are controlled by the presence of antioxidants.
Free radicals are formed when a bond in a molecule breaks losing an electron and leaving the molecule with an unpaired electron. This process is called oxidation and makes the molecule unstable. The molecule attacks another molecule and steals an electron causing the other molecule to become unstable and the process continues. As electrons are lost and stolen, cells are damaged. This can lead to improper or uncontrolled cell division that can become cancer.
Antioxidants are stable molecules with or without the paired electron, so they can neutralize, or reduce, free radicals by donating an electron without causing further damage. The antioxidants found in coffee are chlorogenic acid and magnesium.
Cardiovascular Benefits
The oxidation of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol can contribute to the formation of plaque in the arteries. Chlorogenic acid reduces the oxidized LDL cholesterol. It is this effect upon LDL cholesterol that makes coffee beneficial for fighting against cardiovascular disease.
Fighting Cancer
Chlorogenic acid can be absorbed by the small intestine, but much of it is absorbed within the large intestine. This process releases caffeic acid. Both chlorogenic acid and caffeic acid have been shown to slow cancer tumor growth by inhibiting methylation, the process of adding a methyl group (one carbon and three hydrogen atoms) to a DNA sequence. With cancer, methylation is increased and shuts off the gene responsible for promoting regulated cell division. This causes the uncontrolled cell division of cancer.
Diabetes Prevention
Diabetes Care reported that coffee consumption can greatly reduce the risk of type II diabetes. The lowered risk for diabetes was more prevalent in those who consumed five or more cups of coffee per day. The chlorogenic acid in coffee can contribute to increased insulin sensitivity.
Neurological Function
Coffee can contribute to better memory and comprehension in the elderly. According to the Mayo Clinic article "Coffee: Is it Good or Bad for You," "Among a group of 890 older women, a history of consuming caffeinated coffee throughout their life appears to help preserve cognitive skills — thinking, memory and comprehension — possibly because of long-term caffeine exposure."
Chlorogenic acid can prevent degenerative diseases. Coffee has been shown to reduce the risk of developing Parkinson's disease; however women taking hormone therapy should minimize coffee consumption to less than six cups per day.
While some people experience sensitivity to coffee and should avoid it, many can safely consume coffee without any negative side effects. Two to four cups of coffee per day can bring about the many health benefits of this popular beverage. Both caffeinated and decaffeinated varieties are beneficial.
References
Lee WJ, Zhu BT (February 2006). "Inhibition of DNA methylation by caffeic acid and chlorogenic acid, two common catechol-containing coffee polyphenols". Carcinogenesis 27 (2): 269–77.
Tomatoes: Chlorogenic Acid; Texas A&M University; http://agonline.tamu.edu/phytochemicals/powerpoints/Tomatoes_NOV8_1245PM.ppt.
Understanding Free Radicals and Antioxidants; http://www.healthchecksystems.com/antioxid.htm
Van Dam RM, Willett WC, Manson JE, and Hu FB (February 2006). "Coffee, Caffeine, and Risk of Type 2 Diabetes." Diabetes Care 29:398-403.
Coffee Has Many Health Benefits
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