COFFEE—YOUR ULTIMATE HEALTH & FITNESS DRINK
I’ve been drinking two or three cups of coffee a day for more than 50 years. And over that time have read many articles, both pro and con, on its health affects. But lately, study after study is showing that coffee drinkers actually have a much lower risk of several serious diseases. And that it can greatly improve physical performance. Thus, coffee has now become the supreme health and fitness beverage.
Bob Arnot, MD, writes in the October 2017 issue of BottomLine Health (www.bottomlineinc.com), “In a 16-year study of more than 500,000 people, published in Annals of Internal Medicine, those who drank three or more cups of coffee daily had up to 12% (men) and 7% (women) lower risk of dying from any cause over the study period, compared with people who didn’t drink coffee.”
Hundreds of scientific studies have shown that daily coffee drinking can lower one’s risk for Type II diabetes, obesity, Alzheimer’s and other dementia diseases, Parkinson’s disease, liver and colorectal cancer. There is also evidence that coffee does not cause heart disease and may lower the risk of stroke. It can also fight depression.
Kris Gunnars, BSc, in June 2017 wrote in Healthline (www.healthline.com) that controlled trials have shown that coffee, because of the stimulant caffeine, can improve various aspects of brain function including memory, mood, vigilance energy levels, reaction times and general cognitive function. In addition coffee contains important nutrients including riboflavin (vitamin B2), pantothenic acid (Vitamin B5), manganese, potassium, magnesium and niacin.
Even more important health wise, coffee contains a massive amount of antioxidants—in fact, studies show that most people get more antioxidants from coffee than from both fruits and vegetables. These antioxidants are known as polyphenols, Dr. Arnot tells us. “ But coffee’s real health-promoting muscle comes from a particular type of polyphenol called chlorogenic acid (CGA), which is uniquely effective in dousing the fires of inflammation and stopping oxidation.” Yet, he adds, one should forgo dark roast coffee because the very high temperatures required to create it destroy polyphenols, including CGAs. Light and medium roasts preserve these and are also, in his opinion, better tasting and need no cream and sugar.
Caffeine Can Greatly Improve Physical Performance
Nancy Clark, M.S., R.D. writes in Active.com (www.active.com) that caffeine, a much-tested substance, is known to help athletes train harder and longer. “Caffeine stimulates the brain and contributes to clearer thinking and greater concentration.” It also makes the effort seem easier (by 6%). The average improvement in performance is about 12%, with more benefits during endurance exercise than with shorter exercise (8-20 minutes) and a negligible amount for sprinters.”
We’ve all heard: Coffee has a diuretic effect, is dehydrating, and doesn’t count as a fluid replacer. We now know differently: A moderate intake of coffee or other caffeinated beverages does count towards fluid needs, particularly for folks who consume caffeine on a daily basis.
Clark writes, “A moderate caffeine intake is considered to be 250 mg per day. In studies the amount that enhances performance ranges from 1.5 to 3mg/lb body weight taken one hour before exercise. For a 150lb person this is about 225 to 450mg.” A Starbucks 16 oz coffee has 200mg. Some athletes get their caffeine in caffeinated gels, Red Bull, colas or pop NoDoz pills. However, athletes vary in their response to caffeine; some are very sensitive and prefer to abstain rather than get over stimulated or have digestive problems during training or a big race.
If Starbucks or Dunkin’ Donuts are your preferred source of caffeine, you probably know that their specialty coffees are filled with calories. Clark writes, “While black coffee has no calories, a “coffee regular” with two creamers and two sugars has 80 calories. A 16-oz Starbucks Vanilla Frapuccino perks you up with 470 calories of sugar and fat; a Dunkin’ Donuts Coffee Coolatta is 350 calories. These are not diet beverages.”
For me, I’m just going to keep having my two mugs of coffee in the morning and another at lunch—each with stevia and just a splash of milk.