For many years coffee has been maligned as a beverage that is not healthful and is merely used as a drug to keep people awake and alert, due to the caffeine content. It has even been comically characterized as the juice of the "naughty bean". Let's see why coffee may actually be an up and coming health tonic.
Coffee cultivation was first known to have happened in Ethiopia in the year 850 AD/CE. It spread to Arabia where it was held as a guarded secret, until the Dutch managed to get some smuggled plants. Coffee was introduced to Central America and the Caribbean in the 1715-1730 time range. The Dutch cultivated it in the East Indies in 1720 and South America got it in 1730. Coffee is currently cultivated across the globe in equatorial regions, from Central and South America, many African states, India, and Southeast Asia including the Indonesian zone through New Guinea.
The two main coffee varieties are Arabica and Robusto. Arabica is the more valued variety since its flavor is preferred over robust, but Robusto has a fuller body. Robusto has traditionally been used for decaffeinated blends since it has the fuller body, but this is also why many decaf blends are not highly regarded by coffee connoisseurs. Some newer decaf blends now use the Arabica variety and the taste reflects this change.
Coffee consumption has been implicated in less risk of developing Parkinson's disease, colon cancer, type 2 diabetes, cirrhosis of the liver, gout, and suicide. As it turns out, coffee has been found to be the primary source of antioxidants for Americans, and perhaps for the populations of other coffee drinking nations. The antioxidant levels seem to be the same whether you choose regular or decaf blends, and studies have also shown that added milk or dairy does not seem to inhibit antioxidant uptake by the human body.
The two main antioxidants in coffee are caffeic and chlorogenic acids. These acids are are also believed to be antibacterial, antifungal, and antiviral. Antioxidants work by combining with oxygen atoms which otherwise would damage healthy tissues and could cause cancerous mutations when cells divide and DNA is replicated. High levels of antioxidants fight disease causing inflammation.
Coffee can help to prevent type II diabetes because chlorogenic acid reduces the rate at which glucose is absorbed thus slowing the release of sugar into the blood after having a meal. Caffeine can blunt this effect so in this case a decaf blend works in a superior manner. It is probably a good idea to not have coffee which is sweetened to a high degree, since excess sugar added to the coffee would naturally counteract the positive effect of its antidiabetic properties.
Coffee is also high in the minerals potassium, magnesium, and manganese. High intake of potassium and magnesium is beneficial to the cardiovascular and muscular system since muscle contractions and relaxation is dependent on the correct ratios of these important minerals. Caffeine might cause some of these to be excreted through urine, as caffeine is a potent diuretic. It is also noteworthy that those with kidney problems should limit coffee intake since the high potassium intake could be troublesome for those with reduced kidney function.
Coffee in moderation is probably a wise dietary choice. One can reduce the effects of caffeine by choosing a quality decaf blend. Some studies have shown negative effects of cheaper decaf blends, which are made primarily with Robusto beans, on LDL cholesterol levels. There are now high quality Arabica decaf coffees produced which eliminate the stigma that decaf coffee is bad for cholesterol levels. Coffee, as it turns out, is really a healthy drink which, for better or worse, is the main source of healthy antioxidants for much of the modern on the go population. You can't go wrong by having one or a few cups of this black liquid on a daily basis.
T.J. has been writing articles on many different subjects because his Bachelor of Arts degree imbued him with a love of knowledge in many different areas. His latest site is about electric coffee makers and a dual coffee maker which liven up any morning.
0 comments:
Post a Comment