factor for prostate cancer, CGA’s benefits here no doubt contributed. Less coffee is still helpful, with three cups a day still contributing a 30% drop in lethal cancer. Uterine Cancer: Using women enrolled in the mammoth Nurs-
es’ Study, Harvard researchers found that drinking 4 cups or more of coffee reduced uterine cancer risk by about 25%. Similar reduction was found with decaffeinated and caffeinated coffee, again pointing to the antioxidant benefits. The number of cases of cancer fell from 56 to 35 per 100,000. More research needs to be done, but these are very encouraging numbers. Diabetes: Researchers both here and in Australia compiled results from multiple studies and showed a drop in diabetes risk between 25-30 percent for people who drank 4-6 cups a day. Again, decaf showed a similar, though slightly smaller benefit. Antioxidants are once again thought to provide the benefit.
Other conditions: Coffee drinking has also been shown to reduce the risk of Parkinson’s disease (caffeinated only), Alzheimer’s, Liver Cancer and Stroke.
What to look out for?
Heartburn/Esophagus: With all that acid, you would think cof- fee is a major cause of heartburn and esophageal problems, but the evidence doesn’t back that up. If coffee bothers you, it may be too hot, which is certainly bad for your body as hot drinks do damage the esophagus. If drinking cold or warm coffee still bothers you, try decaf as some people are bothered by the acidity. High Blood Pressure/Arrhythmia: Caffeine is a stimulant and
does raise epinephrine, or adrenaline, levels in the short term, so caf- feinated coffee can be a bad idea if blood pressure is a risk. Again, the studies don’t show coffee drinking consistently raises blood pres- sure or contributes to heartbeat irregularities, but decaf is a safer bet. Bone loss: Coffee can interfere with calcium absorption, so if
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20 Natural Nutmeg February 2012
you are a coffee drinker, take a calcium supplement at a different time of day. Anxiety: Caffeine can make some people jittery. If this is you,
try decaf. Dehydration: Coffee is a diuretic, like tea, but the body appears to adjust and when urine is tested, it appears the same when people drink coffee or water. I personally drink between a quart and a half gallon of water a day, and I encourage my patients to drink water liberally. I can’t really buy that coffee is as beneficial for hydration, but I’m prepared to be wrong. To sum up, coffee, preferably organic, and brewed with a filter,
is good for you. Go easy on the sugar and dairy, drink decaf if you want, and enjoy!
Dr. Goodman practices in Bristol and Bloomfield and is the author of The Omega Solution, an evidence based guide to the health benefits of essential fatty acids. Visit his website at
drgoodmannd.com.
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