Is Coffee Good or Bad for You?

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dozer
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Is Coffee Good or Bad for You?

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http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2014/05 ... d-for-you/

A cup of coffee or two or three, is it good for you or bad? It seems like each week a new study is coming out touting the benefits or blasting the caffeine-laden morning (or anytime) drink, so what’s the deal?

We’ve compiled a list of several different studies that showcase the good health effects of a cup of joe and those that claim it can have negative impacts, so that you might judge for yourself. Do note, this is not an exhaustive list of pros and cons.

A cup a day keeps the …

Eye doctor away: A study from Cornell University recently found that all caffeine aside, coffee also has chlorogenic acid, which is an antioxidant that prevented degeneration of the retina in mice.

“Coffee is the most popular drink in the world, and we are understanding what benefit we can get from that,” Chang Lee, a professor of food science at the university and the study’s senior author, said in a statement.

Psychiatrist away: A study from Harvard University last year found that those who drank two to four cups of coffee per day had half the of the suicide risk compared to those who drank decaf or no coffee at all. It can also lower incidents of depression.

Cardiologist away: A moderate (keyword moderate) amount of coffee can actually reduce someone’s risk for heart disease. Too much negates this benefit.

In addition to preventing all these possible trips to the doctor, coffee has also be linked to benefits in Parkinson’s disease patients (another study found it also could significantly lower incidents of Parkinson’s all together), reducing Type 2 diabetes risk and reducing the risk of prostate cancer.

It could also help you act more ethically at work and has cognitive benefits as well.

Overall, another Harvard study that tracked men and women for 18 to 25 years until they were in their 40s and 50s found coffee consumption didn’t result in an increased risk of death — even for those who drank up to six cups per day — suggesting that it isn’t associated with any seriously bad health effects in the general population.

The downside to drinking java

One of the most obvious downsides is what coffee does to your pearly whites, playing a significant role in staining your teeth or dentures, but there are some more nefarious effects it could have as well.

If you’re drinking French press or Turkish, you might want to have your cholesterol checked. Why? It contains cafestol, which stimulates LDL cholesterol levels. Using a paper filter though captures this cafestol, making it safer to drink for those with cholesterol problems.

Pregnant women also might want to consider cutting back or cutting it out as the caffeine has been linked to miscarriages and low birth weights.

As one might expect, coffee consumption can result in insomnia, but it can also result in heart palpitations, tremors and headaches.

Then there’s that good ol’ thing that comes with any drug — yes, it is considered a drug by the federal government — when you try to cut back to a safe limit: withdrawal.

There you have it, a brief look at some of the goods and bads of one of the most popular caffeinated drinks in the world.
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Re: Is Coffee Good or Bad for You?

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Most things in moderation,heed what your body is telling you ie if 2 cups give you palpitations just take one. Most important of all regarding medical research is who is funding it ? Various sugar corporations have funded research programmes which had very surprising outcomes.
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Re: Is Coffee Good or Bad for You?

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dundrillin wrote:Most things in moderation,heed what your body is telling you ie if 2 cups give you palpitations just take one. Most important of all regarding medical research is who is funding it ? Various sugar corporations have funded research programmes which had very surprising outcomes.
Right, moderation is the rule and listening to your body is fine.
A few years ago, in France, we heard that red wine is good for your heart, but probably not 2 liters per day...
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dozer
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Re: Is Coffee Good or Bad for You?

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Yes, moderation is the key. In the past I drunk way too much coffee especially in the office but now I have one in the morning and one in the afternoon and feel better for it.
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Re: Is Coffee Good or Bad for You?

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dozer wrote:Yes, moderation is the key. In the past I drunk way too much coffee especially in the office but now I have one in the morning and one in the afternoon and feel better for it.
And you probably appreciate your coffee much more.
I have a good Krups expresso machine (small model) that I bought about 10 years ago when they were difficult to find outside of BKK.
I found the coffee I like, very similar to the one I have in France, and my breakfast is a real pleasure, with sometimes a cup in the afternoon but not everyday.
When I see "3 in 1", I run away !
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Re: Is Coffee Good or Bad for You?

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I recall a patient telling me that her husband had suffered a heart attack but not to worry as there was no problem with his heart ! It came about after a long stressful day at work where he had not eaten all day and got bye on endless cups of coffee as a result his potassium/ sodium levels were way off and his heart attack was brought about. He recovered due to prompt medical assistance and later his doctor advised him to go easy on the coffee and to eat a banana if he found it difficult to get away from the office . The high levels of potassium in bananas would keep him well.
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Re: Is Coffee Good or Bad for You?

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dundrillin wrote:I recall a patient telling me that her husband had suffered a heart attack but not to worry as there was no problem with his heart ! It came about after a long stressful day at work where he had not eaten all day and got bye on endless cups of coffee as a result his potassium/ sodium levels were way off and his heart attack was brought about. He recovered due to prompt medical assistance and later his doctor advised him to go easy on the coffee and to eat a banana if he found it difficult to get away from the office . The high levels of potassium in bananas would keep him well.
A banana is certainly better than many cups of coffee when you have not time for lunch. An 2 bananas if you want !
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Re: Is Coffee Good or Bad for You?

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Re: Is Coffee Good or Bad for You?

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[quote="Gérard"
A few years ago, in France, we heard that red wine is good for your heart,... but probably not 2 liters per day[/quote]


Oh shite....... and all the time I thought I was improving my health ....... :(
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Re: Is Coffee Good or Bad for You?

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dundrillin wrote:Most things in moderation,heed what your body is telling you ie if 2 cups give you palpitations just take one. Most important of all regarding medical research is who is funding it ? Various sugar corporations have funded research programmes which had very surprising outcomes.
Absolutely agree. There have been times in the past when I've been on strong filter coffee for example and realised that it's been too much. Also when in Thailand I just don't feel the need for much coffee - one a day is enough - whereas here in the UK I can handle much more of the stuff - out of cheap jars anyway.
But I never have sugar or milk in it so that eliminates some of the nasty additives i guess.
These days we are constantly bombarded with so much conflicting info on food and drink that we could easily become paranoid. One thing is for sure - any processed or prepared foods need an element of preservative - be it salt, sugar or vinegar. Low fat foods generally need to be high in something else like salt. It's a no win situation.
Try making your own preserves - even cheeses - at home and you still need a certain amount of sugar/salt etc.
A sprout is for life - not just for Christmas.
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