Just after my mother was admitted to the hospital for heart beat irregularities, my entire family came to visit. A family of 3 doctors and 2 lawyers, I was the first to pipe up and ask my mother if I could run out and buy her a most coveted drink. “Coffee!” my cardiologist sister blurted out, “But, she is in the hospital for heart palpitations!” Ok….In my best efforts to provide comfort food and drink to my mother, clearly I was not thinking like a doctor.
But for most of you, go ahead, have another cup of Joe. That cup of coffee (minus the sugar and crème) may be the natural health supplement your body needs. This is interesting and important for health care providers because a part of our risk disease questionnaire includes “how many cups of coffee do you drink daily?” Historically, this portion of the health screening suggests that high coffee consumption is risky business. But maybe we should just “Forget about it”… Now evidence shows that you may keep enjoying your coffee and its health benefits and here are 5 reasons why:
- Drinking 3-5 cups of coffee a day significantly reduces the risk for heart disease and stroke. Funny, in medicine, we have always encouraged our high-risk patients to avoid or significantly reduce their caffeine intake. Forgive me…my brain is re-processing all this information; but, “responsible” coffee (2-3 6 ounce cups) daily consumption may have positive heart health benefits. Interestingly, drinking much higher levels of coffee was not associated with an increase in either stroke or heart attack.
- 2. Coffee may reduce the risk of cancer. Regular coffee drinking may reduce the risk of death from cancer. But, don’t chalk it al up to only the caffeine; it is the polyphenols and other “heterocyclic substances” in coffee that seem to have benefit. Specifically, evidence suggests that regular coffee consumption is associated with reduced risk for liver, kidney and bladder cancer. To a “lesser extent”, regular coffee intake may decrease the incidence of early onset breast cancer and colorectal cancers
- Caffeine may reduce the risk of developing Alzheimer’s. According to the Neurobiology of Aging, studies demonstrate that caffeine reduces activity against particular chemicals that promote brain plaques. These amyloid deposits have a contributory role in Alzheimer’s disease. Up to 3 coffee cups a day may be protective.
- Caffeine may protect liver health. According to the Brazilian Journal of Infectious Disease, and Annals of Epidemiology, consuming caffeine (more than 123mg/day) was associated with reduced liver inflammation and scarring.
- Coffee may reduce the risk for Parkinson’s disease. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), with moderate coffee consumption, Parkinson’s disease may be reduced by as much 25%.
Overall, the positives are strong for your daily cup of black coffee. However, if you are ordering a grande (more than 6 ounces), adding the half and half, doubling up on the sugar, or mixing in the syrup flavors and whipped crème, then just “forget about it”, because that assumed health benefit is just not happening. Also, be sure to avoid the jelly donut with the coffee. That is a doctor-instructed “no-no”.
For the lawyers in my family, let me phrase this carefully: As long as you do not suffer heart rhythm abnormalities, or other caffeine-aggravated physical ailments (such as stomach ulcers or heartburn) consider adding a few cups of daily coffee brew. But at regular medical office visits, always review your habits with the medical provider to be sure that your coffee habit is a healthy habit.