Coffee...Healthy or Unhealthy?

Coffee...Healthy or Unhealthy?

There are big grey areas regarding health when it comes to coffee. The first point to consider is that coffee (caffeine) is a drug...plain and simple...it has been shown to have all of the same addictive properties as any narcotic and it can have withdrawal side effects that include days long severe headaches. Many of us feel like we need it to get up and going in the morning...and while we may never do drugs (the illicit variety), we may freely admit that we love and “need” coffee. Let's put the drug/addiction discussion aside and examine how coffee effects health.

Over the years, there has been mixed information regarding the impact of coffee on health. We have been led to believe that there are negative health consequences to coffee consumption but more recent research has exposed a different perspective.

Coffee has been shown to have lots of anti-oxidants and, as a society, coffee is where Americans acquire the majority of their anti-oxidants. (We have to take this at face value; as doctors, if we know that coffee is your primary anti-oxidant source, we will encourage a shift in your diet to include lost more fruits and veggies).

The caffeine in coffee has been shown to be a stimulant, boosting memory, cognitive and physical performance...that's right, technically, coffee is a legal performance enhancing drug. Caffeine has been shown too ease depressive symptoms, though we would not directly recommend it for treatment of depression.

Green tea has nearly as much caffeine and more anti-oxidants as coffee; however, 3-5 cups of coffee per day was shown in one study to reduce cognitive decline seen with Alzheimer's and dementia, while tea did not have the same impact.

Coffee has been show to be good for your liver. It has been shown to reduce insulin levels which has positive effects on type 2 diabetes and the risk for type 2 diabetes. Reducing insulin levels also reduces uric acid levels in the body; so, coffee can reduce the risk of developing gout.

A pro or con of coffee, depending on your point of view, is that coffee consumption promotes peristalsis in the GI tract, which promotes bowel emptying and looser stool.

Coffee temporarily increases blood pressure but not to a level of concern, unless a person has significant hypertension. Some studies report a lower risk of heart disease among coffee consumers.

So what are the draw-backs to coffee consumption? Some people become “jittery” with caffeine-containing beverages. Hypertensive individuals may not be able to tolerated the spike in blood pressure. Some people may not want help having bowel movements or looser stools. Coffee (and caffeine) is considered a diuretic; however, research shows that its diuretic influences are insignificant with moderate levels of consumption. The biggest concern is the nasty headache you will get if you quit your coffee habit “cold turkey”.

Moral of this story...in moderation (1-4 8oz. Cups) coffee consumption in moderation is good for you; so, enjoy your morning habit with confidence that you are doing your body good.  Also, it should be noted that in ALL research straight black coffee was studied and the benefits of coffee are negated by the addition of sugar, sweeteners and/or milk products.

If you have questions or concerns about any of your dietary or health habits, feel free to discuss them with your doctors at Gallatin Valley Chiropractic by calling 406-551-2177 for an appointment