A
cup of coffee in the morning may pack more than just an energy boost.
More
and more research is emerging to suggest that there may be several health
benefits associated with drinking this dark black beverage, from helping
prevent diabetes to lowering the risk of liver disease.
The consumption of coffee goes back centuries. In 17th century England the popularity of the drink gave rise to a number of coffee houses which were dubbed 'penny universities', because with one penny a person could buy a cup of coffee and have intellectually stimulating conversations with other people.
Nowadays,
with over 400 billion cups consumed every year, coffee is one of the world's
most popular drinks. But what makes it special?
POSSIBLE
HEALTH BENEFITS OF COFFEE
The potential health benefits associated with
drinking coffee include: protecting against type 2 diabetes, Parkinson's
disease, liver disease, liver cancer, and promoting a healthy heart.
1)
Coffee and diabetes
Coffee
may be protective against type 2 diabetes. Researchers at UCLA identified that
drinking coffee increases plasma levels of the protein sex hormone-binding
globulin (SHBG). SHBG controls the biological activity of the body's sex
hormones (testosterone and estrogen)
which play a role in the development of type 2 diabetes.
Dr.
Simin Liu, one of the authors of the study, said that an "inverse
association" exists between coffee consumption and risk for type 2
diabetes.
Increased
coffee consumption may reduce risk of type 2 diabetes - the Harvard School
of Public Health (HSPH) researchers gathered data from three studies.
2)
Coffee and Parkinson's disease
Researchers
in the U.S. carried out a study that assessed the link between coffee consumption
and Parkinson's disease risk. The authors of the study concluded that
"higher coffee and caffeine intake is associated with a significantly
lower incidence of Parkinson's disease".
In
addition, caffeine in coffee may help control movement in people suffering
from Parkinson's, according to a study conducted at the Research Institute of
the McGill University Health Centre (RI MUHC) that was published in the
journal Neurology.
3)
Coffee and liver cancer
Italian
researchers found that coffee consumption lowers the risk of liver cancer
by about 40%. In addition, some of the results suggest that if you drink
three cups a day, the risks are reduced by more than 50%.
The
lead author of the study, Dr. Carlo La Vecchia, from Milan's Istituto di
Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri, said "our research confirms past
claims that coffee is good for your health and particularly the liver."
4)
Coffee and liver disease
Regular
consumption of coffee is linked to a reduced risk of primary sclerosing
cholangitis (PSC), a rare autoimmune disease of the bile ducts in the liver.
In
addition, coffee consumption can lower the incidence of cirrhosis of
the liver for alcohol drinkers by 22%, according to a study at the Kaiser
Permanente Medical Care Program, California, USA.
The
authors of the study concluded that the results "support the hypothesis
that there is an ingredient in coffee that protects against cirrhosis,
especially alcoholic cirrhosis."
Research
published in the journal Hepatology in April 2014, suggested
that drinking coffee is linked to a decreased liver cirrhosis death risk.
The researchers suggested that drinking two or more cups of coffee every day
can reduce the risk of death from liver cirrhosis by 66%.
A
study published in the journal Hepatology indicates that drinking
decaf coffee also lowers liver enzyme levels, suggesting the benefits are not
linked to caffeine content.
5)
Coffee and heart health
Researchers
at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) and Harvard School of Public
Health, concluded that drinking coffee in moderation protects against
heart failure. They defined 'in moderation' as 2 European cups (equivalent to
two 8-ounce American servings) per day.
People
who drank four European cups on a daily basis had an 11% lower risk of heart
failure, compared to those who did not.
The
authors stressed that their results "did show a possible benefit, but like
with so many other things we consume, it really depends on how much coffee you
drink.
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