I have to admit…I am a coffee addict.  I get up in the morning and cannot function until there is a nice, hot, cup of joe in my hand.  But recently I have realized just how much coffee I drink, and could not help but wonder…is this bad for me?  Is this an unhealthy lifestyle?  So, I decided to do some research on my favorite drink.

Many people associate coffee with bad health.  Some people say it may cause a caffeine addiction.  Others say it could stunt your growth.  But what is the truth about this lovable beverage?

The coffee I am speaking of is the plain coffee; not the yummy macchiatos from Starbucks.
From my research, I have concluded that reasonable amounts of coffee intake have no negative effects on the body.

The majority of studies have no reason to say coffee is bad for you.  It has been found that coffee can possibly reduce the risk of type two diabetes in a person, can protect against some types of cancer, and can help protect from stroke or depression in women.  Coffee has been able to decrease the pain of some’s exercise, and even help bard off Alzheimer’s disease.  There have not been any relations found with heart disease or cancer and coffee, or with dehydration and coffee. Lindsay Malone, RD, from Cleveland Clinic, says, “the antioxidants in coffee protect your cells and keep them healthy. If you have any DNA damage from, say, secondhand smoke or environmental pollutants, antioxidants can help repair cell damage.”

Cafestol, in coffee, can be seen to be a stimulator of an increase in LDL cholesterol.  This may be a concern if you have a high LDL cholesterol, and in that case, you may want to use a paper filter, so that the cafestol is gone.  So, the only reason coffee can be bad for you at this point in our recent research is if you already have an unhealthy part of your body that coffee or caffeine can effect.  Caffeine can sometimes create a temporary increase in blood pressure, but that only lasts for a short amount of time.  “Leigh Tracy, RD, LDN, of Mercy Medical Center said, “avid coffee drinkers can build up a tolerance to the caffeine and may not experience such effects after a cup,” which makes me realize why after a while, I could end up falling asleep after a cup of coffee.  The caffeine just did not affect me like it used to.

Through my extensive research on my drink of preference, I have concluded that coffee is good for you.  (This is my opinion, there is much research still to come on the topic).  I have realized that just smelling coffee can decrease stress in humans.  (who knew!)  Also, coffee has been known to actually LESSEN the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease which is awesome!  Coffee is actually really good for your liver, seen by a study from 2006 which looked at 125,000 people over 22 years and turned out saying people who drink at least one cup of coffee per day were seen to have twenty percent less of a chance of developing liver cirrhosis!

Coffee has also been seen to make people happier.
So next time you’re double checking if you should be drinking that cup of coffee in the morning, don’t sweat it!  Enjoy and have a great day.

Works Cited:

1. http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=43492
2. http://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/its-a-myth-theres-no-evidence-that-coffee-stunts-kids-growth-180948068/?no-ist
3. http://misskoalacouture.tumblr.com/post/121253515035/iced-caramel-macchiato
4. http://www.wisegeekhealth.com/what-is-cafestol.htm
5. http://www.livescience.com/43532-is-coffee-bad-for-you.html
6. http://www.rd.com/slideshows/coffee-myths/#slideshow=slide2
7. http://time.com/3145435/is-coffee-bad-for-you/
8. http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/expert-answers/coffee-and-health/faq-20058339
9. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/10/17/coffee-health-benefits_n_4102133.html