There's no need to feel guilty about your morning cuppa joe. On the
contrary: People who drink a cup or more of coffee daily have up to a 10 to 20 percent lower risk of skin cancer
than those who sip the dark stuff less often, according to a new study
reported in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute. Researchers
gathered information from 447,400 white seniors in 1995 and 1996 and
followed up with the participants for 10 years. They found that people
who drank the most coffee every day had a lower risk of melanoma than
those who drank little or no coffee.
But this study is hardly the first one touting good news for java
junkies. "Coffee is incredibly rich in antioxidants, which are
responsible for many of its health benefits," says Joy Bauer,
RD, nutrition and health expert for Everyday Health and The Today Show.
Its caffeine content may also play a protective role in some health
conditions, but many of coffee's health perks hold up whether you go for
decaf or regular.
Beyond lowering your skin cancer risk, you may be surprised to learn
that coffee can also decrease your odds of developing the following
health issues:
1. Stroke. Women who drink a cup or more of coffee a day have up to a 25 percent lower stroke risk than those who skip coffee or drink it less often, according to a study in the journal Stroke.
2. Diabetes. Women who drank four cups of caffeinated coffee daily were nearly 60 percent less likely to develop type 2 diabetes than non-drinkers, UCLA researchers found. The beverage is rich in the minerals magnesium and chromium, which may help control blood sugar levels.
3. Stress. You know how the mere aroma of a rich French roast seems to wake you up on a sluggish morning? Turns out that whiff can help minimize the effects of too little sleep on your body. Researchers found that when stressed-out, sleep-deprived rats simply smelled coffee, it triggered gene activity known to protect nerve cells from stress-related damage.
4. Cavities. Although this doesn't mean you can ditch your dental floss, coffee may even help fight cavities. According to research in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, coffee's compound trigonelline (responsible for its flavor and aroma) has antibacterial properties that may keep cavity-causing germs, such as Streptococcus mutans, from invading tooth enamel.
5. Parkinson's disease. Here's some good news if Parkinson's disease runs in your family: People with a family history who drank coffee were less likely to develop the debilitating neurological disease, according to Duke University Medical Center researchers. Although scientists are still trying to understand why, evidence suggests that the caffeine in coffee (as well as caffeinated tea) may act on a gene called GRIN2A to help lower risk.
6. Breast cancer. Women who drank boiled Scandinavian coffee, which is similar to stronger French press or Turkish or Greek varieties, more than four times a day had a reduced risk of breast cancer compared to women who had it less than once a day, found a study in the journal Cancer Causes & Control.
An important point: Because the coffee wasn't filtered, it contained up to 80 times as many coffee-specific fatty acids, which have been linked to slower growth of cancerous cells.
7. Heart disease. Dutch researchers found that people who drank coffee in moderation — two to four cups a day — lowered their heart disease risk by 20 percent, compared to those who had more or fewer cups. Coffee's antioxidants may have a protective effect, says Keri M. Gans, RD, who has a private practice in New York City.
8. Head and neck cancers. Although some of the data
on coffee's cancer-fighting capabilities have been mixed, Italian
researchers found that the caffeinated kind guards against head and neck
cancers. Compared with coffee abstainers, those who drank about four or
more cups daily reduced their risk of certain mouth and throat cancers
by nearly 40 percent.
One coffee caveat: Most health experts agree it's wise to limit your
intake to a few cups a day — that's a standard 8-ounce mug, not the
super-sized beverages many coffee shops offer. Overdoing it can lead to
interrupted sleep or even insomnia, stomachaches, a racing heart,
nervousness, irritability, and nausea. Remember, we're talking coffee
with a splash of milk or a packet or two of sugar — not loaded with
whipped cream and sugary syrups.
"Adding a lot of calories to your coffee can actually raise your risk for diseases like stroke and diabetes," says Gans.
Also, doctors recommend that pregnant women or people with certain
health issues, such as high blood pressure or high blood sugar, limit
their caffeine intake. Talk to your doctor if you're concerned about how
much coffee is safe for you.
