IS COFFEE GOOD FOR YOU?
I hope coffee is good for us–because we drink 400 million cups of it every day! To put that into perspective, there are 335 million Americans and about 260 million people over 18 in the US. I have a vested interest in the benefits of coffee as I drink two to three cups per day.
HOW MANY CALORIES IS COFFEE
I usually don’t eat before noon, so coffee is the only thing I have in the morning (with some cream). It helps me stick to my intermittent fasting schedule of 16:8. It also keeps my hunger in check and, like a glass of lemon water, could be a good stopgap when you’re feeling cravings coming on. Coffee with pure cream has almost no carbs and therefore doesn’t trigger insulin production in most people. You can read more about the benefits of intermittent fasting HERE.
INFORMATION AT ODDS
There is conflicting information about coffee. You’ll see one study telling you to cut back or eliminate it and then one singing its praises. That’s true about any diet advice, studies can be found to support or refute just about any hypothesis. I just searched for coffee and performance--one study stated that it’s beneficial, and another said the opposite. In my opinion, anecdotal evidence from the gym suggests that it helps–just an FYI.
COFFEE IS GOOD FOR YOU
Coffee can hone focus and increase productivity. It’s loaded with antioxidants, which helps to explain its protective, anti-inflammatory effect against auto-immune disorders. Even though other foods contain more antioxidants, coffee is the single greatest source of antioxidants in the American diet due to its overall consumption. Caffeine benefits most people by stimulating the nervous system leading to sharper focus, enhanced concentration, and improved mood.
DRINK COFFEE, LIVE LONGER
A recent study out of the Harvard School of Public Health indicated that coffee consumption might reduce your risk of diabetes. Additional analyses showed that coffee consumption resulted in greater maintenance of telomere length.[1] Why does that matter? Shorter telomeres are associated with an increased risk of cancer and accelerated aging. For all you energy drinkers out there, this impact is not due to the caffeine but the other components in coffee. Decaf might have a similar effect, but there aren’t as many studies with decaf.
Scientists in the Iowa Women’s Health Study discovered that coffee drinkers (1-3 cups a day) lowered their risk of heart disease by 24 percent compared with non-coffee-drinkers. Women who drank 4-5 cups were 33 percent less likely to die from any inflammatory disease.
DON’T DRINK TOO MUCH COFFEE
If you overconsume coffee, you can push your body into a perpetual state of alertness which might manifest in restlessness and agitation. When you consume caffeine, your adrenal glands pump out cortisol, also known as the stress hormone. If you feel more stressed than usual, coffee might not be the best option. If you are experiencing sleep issues or unexplained anxiety, you should also stay away.
FIGURE OUT WHAT’S RIGHT FOR YOU
Like any nutrition advice, there is no one size fits all answer for everyone. Some people tend to respond differently to coffee than others. You should always be tuned in to your body when starting to drink coffee or upping your intake. If you begin to experience some twitchiness or it impacts your sleep, you need to dial it back a bit.
HOW SHOULD YOU DRINK COFFEE
Since coffee has many beneficial effects, you may be headed out the door for a Frappuccino right now. Wrong! All of the studies citing the benefits of coffee refer to black coffee or coffee with some cream or milk. Pairing coffee with sugar is a guaranteed formula for weight gain and the other adverse effects of consuming sugar.
COFFEE CONSUMPTION DATES BACK 700 YEARS
Coffee was consumed as far back as the middle of the 15th century. It has stood the test of time and has been a staple of the Mediterranean diet. It may be why the Italians wave their hands around so much when talking, but I don’t really see this as a negative. As with any food or drink, don’t do it in excess; listen to your body, and use common sense.
ENJOY COFFEE IN MODERATION AND REAP THE BENEFITS