The message on how coffee affects health is changing, and instead of "refrain," it's now "drink up." New studies consistently state that coffee does not increase risk of illnesses, such as cancer and cardiovascular disease, and that the hot beverage can actually be good for you by decreasing your risk of diabetes and preventing certain kinds cancer.
There's a prevalent notion that coffee is bad for you, especially after studies done over 20 years ago linking coffee to increased risk of heart disease and cancer. However, at least according to one expert, Dr. Rob Van Dam from Harvard School of Public Health, that research didn't take into account other contributing unhealthy behaviors, such as lack of exercise and smoking.
Van Dam and a team of researchers studied data from over 130,000 adults over the course of 24 years. Their results showed that coffee did not increase risk of these diseases or any other illnesses. In fact, those who drank coffee regularly actually saw a small drop in their risk of death.
That shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone following the latest research on one of the world's favorite beverages. In a previous study, scientists found that people who drink at least a cup of coffee a day may lower their risk for type 2 diabetes.
"Basically, the more coffee, the lower the risk of diabetes," says Dr. Frank Hu, professor of nutrition and epidemiology at the Harvard School of Public Health. "People who drink three to five cups of coffee a day enjoyed a significant reduction in type 2 diabetes risk."
A study done by researchers at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center discovered that men who drank four cups of coffee daily reduced their risk of prostate cancer by a whopping 59 percent, compared to those who only drank one cup each week. Coffee may also protect against skin cancer.
Coffee has antioxidants that protect the body's cells from destruction. It also has minerals, including magnesium and chromium, which are both used by the body to regulate blood sugar levels.
Of course, like anything, you can get too much of a good thing. Doctors advise that pregnant women should limit their coffee drinking because of research that links heavy coffee usage to miscarriage. Also, certain compounds in coffee beans can create issues with people who have high cholesterol. Finally, if you're drinking so much coffee that your heart races and you can't sleep, you probably need to drink less.
However, for most people, it's okay to enjoy that caffeine buzz.
"For most people, black coffee is a healthy, non-caloric beverage choice," says Van Dam.
