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Tuesday, March 24, 2015

HEALTHY LIVING WITH JANICE--COFFEE'S HEALTH BENEFITS

photo by Julius Schorzman
I’m an addict—a coffee addict. Over the years I’ve been told caffeine is bad for me. At one point years ago “they” were even saying something about a link between coffee and cancer and heart disease. According to the Mayo Clinic, recent studies not only disproved this but have found many benefits to coffee consumption. Here are a few of them:

Coffee is loaded with antioxidants. A University of Scranton study found that Americans get more of their antioxidants from coffee than any other source.

An Australian study found that muscles recovered faster after strenuous workouts when people drank several cups of coffee after exercising.

According to a study of 400,000 older adults conducted by the National Institutes of Health and AARP, people who regularly drink coffee are less likely to die from all causes than non-coffee drinkers.

A study published in The American Journal of Medicine found that women who drank coffee were less likely to suffer from tinnitus.

Research conducted in Florida found that three cups of coffee a day may reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s and dementia in older people with mild cognitive impairments.

A Japanese study found that people who drank coffee on a daily basis had a 20% less chance of having a stroke than people who didn’t drink coffee. The study monitored over 83,000 adults between 45 and 74 years old.

A study published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry found that consuming coffee may protect against deteriorating eyesight.

Other studies have found coffee may protect against Parkinson’s disease, type 2 diabetes, and liver disease (including liver cancer.) Other studies find coffee can improve cognitive function and decrease the risk of depression.

Of course, drinking too much coffee does have its risks, including the jitters and insomnia in some people. The key is moderation. So use common sense, enjoy your java, and reap the benefits. 

4 comments:

Angela Adams said...

Thanks for the post! I L-O-V-E coffee!!

ANASTASIA POLLACK said...

I'm with you, Angela!

Lyndi Lamont said...

I love coffee, too, though I'm sensitive to caffeine, so I've had to switch to decaf. However, some of the positive health effects still apply.

My dad drank tons of coffee, and despite smoking for 40+ years, died three weeks short of his 90th birthday.

Interesting article.

ANASTASIA POLLACK said...

Hi Lyndi! Longevity is such a curious thing, isn't it? You hear about people who do everything right as far as what they eat, exercising, etc., and they die young. Then you hear about people who do all the things we shouldn't do, and they live to a ripe old age. Still, since we don't know what our own outcome will be, it's best to keep to that healthy lifestyle and hope for the best, right?