Coffee is Good For you, Coffee is BAD for you…
A growing body of research indicates people who drink coffee regularly are at a lower risk for developing many serious diseases, including diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and some forms of cancer.
Caffeine has other benefits as well: It’s packed with antioxidants and speeds metabolism, helping burn fat.
But there has always been concern about caffeine and the heart.
Some years ago, studies found that caffeine raised blood pressure, and there was also the concern that it caused palpitations, or noticeably rapid heartbeats, in people who drank too much of it.
But one study suggests that caffeine may not be the culprit of palpitations.
A research team headed by the University of California, San Francisco, examined people who drank coffee, tea, and chocolate for the decade-long Cardiovascular Health Study. Of 1,388 participants, 840 consumed one caffeinated product per day.
The researchers found no difference in the number of palpitations for those who consumed coffee, tea, or chocolate products over the course of the study, which appeared in the Journal of the American Heart Association.
This research follows on the heels of a study published last year in which Korean researchers reported that people who drink 3 to 5 cups of coffee daily were 41 percent less likely to show signs of coronary artery calcium than non-coffee drinkers.
This calcification is an early indicator of the artery-clogging plaques that cause coronary artery disease.
Although I am not inclined to recommend that people take up drinking coffee to help their hearts, these studies indicate that if you enjoy coffee, you can do so with a free conscience when it comes to your heart.
But don’t interpret this as a go-ahead to load your coffee up with cream and sugar, or indulge in the calorie-laden coffee-flavored specialty drinks.
The best advice is to maintain moderation with your nutrition.