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Coffee - Devils drink or nature’s nectar?

The act of drinking coffee has always been a bittersweet moment. My day does not begin until that first taste of coffee reaches my lips. It’s a ritual I look forward to every day, one that I enjoy immensely.  However, this act of pleasure is always tinged with a slight feeling of guilt as I have been told many times that coffee is bad for my health and I really need to cut it out from my diet. So, you can imagine my surprise and very joyous excitement when I discovered scientific evidence that drinking coffee (in moderation) can be positive for the brain and can significantly benefit my health.

We know coffee isn’t perfect. Its most famous ingredient caffeine is an addictive substance that mildly stimulates the central nervous system which causes the release of adrenaline into our blood providing us with an extra burst of energy.  Unfortunately, this is a temporary boost and when the adrenaline wears out you can end up feeling fatigued, anxious and irritated. To counter this, we often reach for another hit of caffeine and thus the cycle begins. The closer caffeine is consumed to bed time the more it interferes with our sleep patterns and we wake up tired needing another cup of coffee. Caffeine also increases the amount of dopamine in our brain. Dopamine makes us feel good by activating the pleasure centers in your brain. Again, when the effect wears off you can hit a low feeling and this can lead to a physical dependence on caffeine as we grab another coffee to maintain that high.

Sometimes, the decision is made to give up coffee and while not everyone experiences withdrawal symptoms those who do may encounter headaches, irritability, depression, and body aches (although these symptoms normally only lasts a few days). Coffee is known to damage the lining of the gastrointestinal organs causing gastric and ulcers and it acts as a laxative depleting the water reserves in the body. It can also affect our nervous system, heart rhythms and has been consistently linked to heart burn and irregular heartbeats. Coffee has also been associated with low birth weight, birth defects, miscarriages and premature birth.

Drinking coffee seems to be the same as walking the path towards impending doom. Where is that light at the end of the tunnel?  It comes in the form of our favourite friend: the antioxidant. Not only can you find strong polyphenol antioxidants which include flavonoids, and chlorogenic acids in coffee but it also containts methylpyridinium: an antioxidant that is formed during the roasting process and is found almost exclusively only in coffee. These antioxidants don’t seem to be related to caffeine as decaf provides similar amounts of antioxidants as regular coffee.  Recent studies have indicated that drinking coffee regularly (around 4 cups) is beneficial in reducing the risk for diseases such as Alzheimers, Parkinson’s and type two diabetes[1]^,[2]. Coffee is also strongly linked to lowering cancer rates specifically colon, liver, skin, neck, head, brain, oral cancer as well as providing protection against gallstone formation and reduces asthma attacks[3]^,[4]. And here’s one for the guys, new findings have found that drinking coffee helps the sperm swim faster boosting male fertility[5]. 

The choice to drink coffee is up to the individual as everyone reacts to coffee in a different way. Some people experience greater mental clarity, alertness and productivity, while other people become jittery, anxious or depressed. While coffee will keep most of us awake if taken at night, it doesn’t necessarily have the same effect in everyone. It’s recommended that pregnant women and heart patients avoid or limit their coffee intake but for everyone else who loves their coffee you will take pleasure in knowing that generally coffee when taken in moderation is good for you. Do keep in mind that not all coffees are created equal and your large hazelnut mochaccino with whipped cream and extra chocolate powder and marshmallows does not have the same benefits as a cup of freshly ground organic espresso coffee.

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