WebMD – Better information. Better health

Over the past 15-20 years, I have witnessed this debate flip-flop whether coffee has healthful benefits or drinkers should run for the hills as if from an addictive cigarette. But I’m here to tell you more research is being done daily to confirm the advantages of the world’s most popular hot drink. A recent study published on MSN.com advises the reader that coffee consumption could reduce the risk of head and neck cancers. WebMD.com also states coffee could lower your risk of diabetes, Parkinson’s disease, colon cancer, lift mood, treat headaches, and fight cavities. With all of those benefits, sounds like quite the wonder drug,huh? WebMd.com states drinking the more the better, “….having six cups or more each day slashed men’s risk (of diabetes) by 54% and women’s by 30% over java avoiders…” according to Harvard researchers. All I can say is WOW. I like those odds considering type 2 diabetes is plaguing the nation.

In order to learn more about coffee, I visited Vanderbuilt University Institute for Coffee Studies website even though I didn’t know that such a place existed but interesting none the less. This site includes everything you or I could possibly want to know about coffee. The organization was established in 1999 with grants from a consortium of coffee producing countries and has since expanded their studies beyond biomedical in 2007 to include historical, literary, sociological, and economic importance of coffee. All the newly adopted missions of the organization are interesting, but I ventured into the research section of their website to gander at their findings. On that page, the organization has a powerpoint from a coffee conference in 2007, so I’ll condense it for you.

Coffee was once considered bad by physicians and now through studies have been determined “compatible with good health”. Coffee consumption reduces the risks of heart disease, cancer, drug/alcohol addiction in addition to the conditions previously stated by WebMD.com. Coffee is altered by roasting and metabolism therefore those changes correlate to how coffee interferes with the disease process. Coffee possesses antioxidant traits that prevent cellular damage. They state coffee in it’s stimulating effects could possibly be used to treat alcoholism and other addictions. They sum it up in a quotation that seeming makes sense, “..as far as the brain is concerned,a reward’s a reward, regardless of whether it comes from a chemical or an experience.” as stated by Constance Holden, Science (2001). They advised over the past ten years surgical procedures related to obesity have soared and reflects the epidemic of diabetes in the country that coffee could also be used to treat.

Another information source I reviewed was Positively Coffee, who are members of the International Coffee Organization (ICO). Their website has many informational resources about coffee and it’s influence on the above mentioned disease processes. The statistics in the most recent studies definitely appear significantly positive, enough to consider adding coffee to your diet.

In conclusion, I was never a coffee drinker but years ago mended my ways. In my opinion, coffee has an uplifting and comfort factor that makes life seem simple even if its only because of the coffee in hand.