Can Coffee Perk Up Your Health?
Coffee has been portrayed more as a villain than as a health food.
People tend to think it can save or destroy your heart by raising your blood pressure, prevent diabetes and make your bones brittle. Whether it’s good or bad for you, Americans have certainly embraced coffee and coffeehouses. Research suggests that four out of five Americans regularly drink coffee and most of those indulge daily.
COFFEE AND DIABETES
Recently a study out of Finland suggested that coffee might help prevent type-2 diabetes. In the study of 14,629 men and women who were followed for 12 years, those who consumed at least 10 cups of coffee a day were 55 percent (men) and 79 percent (women) respectively less likely to develop type-2 diabetes. In a similar U.S. study, which included more than 126,000 people who were followed for more than eight years, drinking six cups of coffee a day lowered their risk by 54 percent in men and 29 percent in women. Four cups of decaffeinated coffee also lowered the risk.
Researchers suggest that the caffeine in coffee may increase the body’s sensitivity to insulin. Insulin is the hormone that malfunctions in diabetes. The caffeine is thought to stimulate the pancreas to pump out more insulin. But, these effects are lessened if one uses coffee regularly – so the body adjusts to the caffeine. However, the antioxidant phenolic compound, chlorogenic acid, has been shown to improve glucose tolerance. In addition, coffee contains some magnesium, which has been shown to improve insulin sensitivity and enhance glucose tolerance as well. But, don’t start drinking pots of coffee just yet – read on.
CAN COFFEE CUT THE RISK OF CANCER?
Some studies say yes, others say no. The last recent word on the cancer risk properties of coffee found that coffee might be linked to a decreased risk of colon cancer. Two studies have suggested that drinking four or more cups of coffee can decrease the risk of colon cancer. Harvard researchers found that those who drink 4 or more cups of coffee have 24 percent less risk. A Canadian study found 30 percent less risk for people drinking four or more cups of coffee. The suggested mechanism has to do with the antioxidant, methylpyridinium.
For more information visit www.CoffeeScience.org.
CAN DRINKING COFFEE SAVE YOU FROM HEART DISEASE?
Some research suggests that coffee does not increase the risk of heart disease. In fact, Scottish researchers suggested that abstainers were at most risk. A Greek study found that some coffee was good. Two or fewer cups reduced the chance of a first heart attack but a heavier consumption had the opposite effect. Other research has suggested that coffee increases blood pressure, but most agree that it is a transient increase.
The most recent report, which appeared in the October 2004 issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, shows that people who drink moderate to high amounts of coffee have increased levels of markers of inflammation. Increased inflammation has been linked to the development of heart disease, obesity and diabetes. The study included more than 3,000 Greek men and women who had no history of heart disease. The results indicated those who drank more than 200 milliliters (mL) of coffee per day (which is a little more than six ounces) had higher levels of inflammatory markers (such as 50 percent higher of interleukin six, 30 percent higher of C-reactive protein, three percent higher of white blood cell count, etc.) than those who drank no coffee at all. According to Zampelas et. al. “a relation exists between moderate-to-high coffee consumption and increased inflammation process. This relation could explain, in part, the effect of increased coffee intake on the cardiovascular system.” But stay tuned because the research is ongoing.
WILL DRINKING COFFEE CAUSE BRITTLE BONES?
The answer to this question is not clear. Originally it was thought that drinking too much coffee might be blamed for bone loss. However, current research suggests that those who are susceptible to bone loss consume inadequate dietary calcium, don’t exercise and have an array of other factors.
DESIGNER COFFEE DRINKS SOURCE OF HIDDEN CALORIES
Coffee itself has no calories, but when you add cream, whipped cream, sugar, sugary syrups and milk, the calories start stacking up. Several years ago when I was giving a lecture at a national convention for fitness instructors on weight management, I suggested that drinking a latte might add the same amount of calories as a cheeseburger from McDonald’sÒ (330 calories and 14 grams of fat; a venti caffe latte from StarbucksÒ is 340 calories and 18 grams of fat). Immediately a fitness instructor challenged my statement. She said that some of her clients don’t drink milk and that she encouraged them to drink lattes. I explained that I was talking only about calories, not calcium. Some of the coffee-based drinks might help add that unwanted ring around the waist.
COFFEE AND CAFFEINE
Coffee typical (mg) range (mg)
Decaf 5 3 – 6
Expresso (1 oz) 40 30 – 50
Cappuccino (1 oz shot) 40 30 – 50
Latte (1 oz shot) 45 35 – 55
Instant 105 50 – 190
Brewed, percolator 130 65 – 270
Brewed, drip 185 95 – 290
Recommendations: not more than 300 milligrams per day
From: International Food Information Council, Coffee Science Information Center.
Starbucks
Item Calories Fat (g) CHO (g) Pro (g)
Tall Caffe Latte
Nonfat Milk 120 0 18 12
Whole milk 200 11 16 11
Tall Iced Caffe Latte
Nonfat Milk 70 0 11 7
Whole milk 120 6 10 6
Tall Vanilla Latte
Nonfat Milk 200 0 38* 12
Whole milk 280 10 59* 11
Tall Iced Vanilla Latte
Nonfat Milk 120 0 24 6
Whole milk 160 5 23 6
Tall Vanilla Crème w/whipped cream
Nonfat Milk 260 8 33 12
Whole milk 340 18 31 10
Tall Mocha Latte w/whipped cream
Nonfat Milk 280 11 34 11
Whole milk 340 19 33 10
Tall Cappuccino
Nonfat Milk 80 0 11 7
Whole milk 120 6 10 7
Tall Hot Chocolate w/whipped cream
Nonfat Milk 280 10 36 13
Whole milk 360 21 34 12
Tall White Chocolate Mocha w/whipped cream
Nonfat Milk 340 11 46 12
Whole milk 410 20 44 11
Frappuccino Blended Coffee
Tall 190 2.5 38 4
Grande 260 3.5 52 5
Venti 350 4.5 69 7
Frappuccino Caffe Vanilla w/whipped cream
Tall 340 11 53 4
Grande 470 16 74 6
Venti 580 17 98 7
*Typographical errors on Starbucks’ brochure that I re-calculated.
Au Bon Pan
Item Calories Fat (g) CHO (g) Pro (g)
Café Au Lait (lg) 150 6 16 9
Caffe Latte (lg) 200 8 20 12
Frozen Mocha Blast (lg) 570 35 62 4
Hot Cappuccino (lg) 130 5 14 8
Hot Chocolate (lg) 511 14 83 17
Hot Mocha Blast (lg) 440 13 70 16
Ice Cream Cookie Blast (lg) 1060 66 134 20
Mango Blast (lg) 500 10 101 1
Strawberry Banana Blast (lg) 600 11 125 2
Wildberry Blast (lg) 500 10 101 1
Barbara Day, M.S., R.D. is a registered dietitian with a Master’s Degree in clinical nutrition. She is the Chief Blog Organizer for www.DayByDayLiving.net Barbara does fundraising and social media for Veterans Lodge (www.VeteransLodge.org) The former publisher of Kentuckiana HealthFitness Magazine, Kentuckiana Healthy Woman magazine and radio show host of Health News You Can Use, Barbara has over 30 years of experience in promoting healthy lifestyles to consumers. Barbara is a former runner who walks, a spinner, hiker and a mother and grandmother to 13 grandchildren.
