Coffee Talk

We all like to feel good about doing the things we enjoy in life, so I’ve found some interesting material I’d like to share with you.

In the late 20th century, doctors discovered the power of antioxidants and the important role they play in the body’s fight against cancer, heart disease and other disorders.  Antioxidants combat free radicals, which are cells that damage cell structures in the body.   Green tea has been touted as being healthy in that it is “loaded with antioxidants”.   Research has shown that coffee can contain as much as four times the amount of antioxidants as green tea!

Sodium Nitrates and Sodium Nitrites are used in the meat industry to cure many of the meats we eat.  Bacon for instance has a high level of nitrates.  Our bodies convert these substances to nitrosamines, which are known cancer causing substances.  Studies done at Rutgers University discovered that coffee contains an antioxidant called Caffeic Acid, which prevent the conversion of nitrites and nitrates to nitrosamines.  Hence, coffee has the potential to be a preventative for cancer associated with nitrosamines.

Additional studies have shown coffee to have cancer fighting value in colorectal cancer.  (Colon Cancer) Instances of colorectal cancer have been as much as 24% lower among people who consume 4 or more cups of coffee per day compared to those that drank very little or no coffee.  Although not proven, researchers believe frequent coffee drinking may decrease the excretion of bile acids in the colon, which is suspected of being carcinogenic to the colon.

Many other studies have been done and continue to this day on the health benefits and possible risk of coffee consumption.  We all know the positive attributes on coffee consumption and our mood and alertness.  I encourage reading more about the positive effects of coffee consumption with people with asthma, kidney stones, and cystic breast disease.  As with anything we eat and drink, moderation is the key.  Check out this website for more specifics about coffee; http://coffeescience.org.

Sit down, relax and have a cup of coffee while you read or surf the net.

- Randy