Coffee May Protect Against Disease, Says the Harvard Health
Letter
It's surprising when something that was once considered
questionable for your health turns out to have health
benefits, usually with the proviso to use it "in moderation."
That happened with chocolate and alcohol, and now it is
coffee's turn, reports the February issue of the Harvard
Health Letter. Here's some of the mostly good news about
coffee:
Blood pressure. Results from long-term studies are
showing that coffee may not increase the risk for high blood
pressure over time, as previously thought. Study findings for
other cardiovascular effects are a mixed bag.
Cancer. Coffee might
have anti-cancer properties. Last year, researchers found that
coffee drinkers were 50% less likely to get liver cancer than
nondrinkers. A few studies have found ties to lower rates of
colon, breast, and rectal cancers.
Cholesterol. Two substances in coffee -- kahweol and
cafestol -- raise cholesterol levels. Paper filters capture
these substances, but that doesn't help the many people who
now drink non-filtered coffee drinks, such as lattes.
Researchers have also found a link between cholesterol
increases and decaffeinated coffee, possibly because of the
type of bean used to make certain decaffeinated coffees.
Diabetes. Heavy coffee drinkers may be half as likely
to get diabetes as light drinkers or nondrinkers. Coffee may
contain chemicals that lower blood sugar. A coffee habit may
also increase your resting metabolism rate, which could help
keep diabetes at bay.
Parkinson's disease. Coffee seems to protect men, but
not women, against Parkinson's disease. One possible
explanation for the sex difference may be that estrogen and
caffeine need the same enzymes to be metabolized, and estrogen
captures those enzymes.
The Harvard Health Letter is available from Harvard Health
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School, for $28 per year. Subscribe at
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SOURCE Harvard Health Letter
Christine Junge of Harvard Health Publications,
+1-617-432-4717,
Christine_Junge@hms.harvard.edu
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