Coffee and Health

Coffee is good for your health as part of a traditional diet -- for example, the Mediterranean Diet. From an indulgent cafe con leche in Spain to a shot of rich espresso in Italy to a sweet and dark Turkish coffee, this traditional drink is a healthy part of a balanced Mediterranean diet that is rich in olive oil, whole grains, and fresh vegetables.

Drinking coffee is not harmful in moderate amounts, and can actually be beneficial to your health. In a world of grim food news, people around the world can take pleasure in the fact that a cup of coffee benefits their health. Science is supporting what Oldways has known for over a decade: the consumption of traditional foods and drink, as part of a traditional diet is the path Americans need to take to reverse the tide of weight gain.

Oldways hosted "Good News for Coffee Lovers" at a luncheon in New York City in March 2006. This lunch included a short symposium outlining both the health benefits and long cultural and culinary tradition of coffee, a beverage 75% Americans consume. In support of the consumption of coffee, this one-day "Coffee and Health" symposium had several speakers on hand to talk about the benefits of including coffee in your diet. Scientists summarized the evidence for coffee's health benefits, including:

• The risk of Type 2 Diabetes is 35% lower in those who consumed at least 6 cups of coffee per day, and 28% lower in those who consumed 4-6 cups daily.
• Studies have shown that men who drink 4-5 cups of coffee daily cut their risk of developing Parkinson's almost in half.
• Coffee has many more health benefits associated with it: participants in one study had a 52% lower incidence of rectal cancer than those who never consumed any.
• Those who drank two to three cups of coffee per day had a 40% lower risk of developing gallstone disease than men who did not, and a 45% lower risk for those who drank four or more cups.

Some myths that have been associated with coffee that have been proven to be FALSE are:

• Coffee causes high blood pressure
• Coffee dehydrates you and doesn't count as fluid intake
• Too much coffee gives you ulcers

The panel of scientists at the luncheon further elaborated upon the health benefits of coffee:

• Coffee is rich in anti-oxidants with the average adult consuming 1299 mg daily (followed by 294mg with tea and 76 mg with bananas).
• Coffee drinkers are less likely (almost half) to develop Parkinson’s.
• Coffee reduces risk of Alzheimer’s disease and studies suggest a link between coffee and overall neurological health.
• Coffee increases alertness, enhances concentration and reduces fatigue
• Coffee cuts risk of type II diabetes by 28-54%.
• Coffee drinkers have up to a 52% lower incidence of colon and rectal cancer.
• Daily coffee consumption reduces the risk of liver cancer by almost half.
• Coffee consumption lowers the risk of developing liver cirrhosis by 71%-84%.
• Coffee lowers the risk of gallstone formulation by 40%-45%.