A Cup of Coffee a Day May Keep the Doctor Away

Recent studies show that drinking coffee may keep a person healthy by helping to fight high blood pressure Alzheimer’s disease and even type-2 diabetes.

Researchers in Greece studied 485 people between the ages of 65 and 100. They discovered antioxidants within the coffee, specifically nitric oxide, which helps the walls of the arteries relax. This in turn lowers the blood pressure. Maybe the coffee vending machine in your office isn’t doing you as much harm as you think it may.

Further research at the University of Florida involving animals found that 200mg of caffeine on a daily basis helps reduce the build up of tau protein. Tau is associated with memory loss that occurs during Alzheimer’s disease.  200mg equals about two cups of coffee a day and researchers believe that the reduction in tau protein may also be applicable to humans too.  

However experts warn pregnant women from drinking coffee because it increases the amount of stress hormones created.

But further research by Frank Hu (PHD in nutrition) who’s is a professor at the Harvard School of Health led over 9 studies looking at the link between coffee and type-2 diabetes.

Frank Hu said “The vast majority of the studies have shown a benefit of coffee on the prevention of diabetes. There is also evidence that decaffeinated coffee may have the same benefit as regular coffee”

It would appear from these studies that the consumption of coffee may help aid many health problems and that cup of coffee from the coffee vending machine at work may not be all that detrimental to one’s health.

Published on:05/07/2012