This is good news that should reassure coffee drinkers. Long controversial, coffee would be harmless to health, but could even have beneficial and protective effects against certain diseases. Drinking coffee, even decaffeinated, would reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s, diabetes or even certain cancer.
These claims come from the various scientific studies published around the world in recent years. They have been identified and analyzed by an independent committee of American experts who make recommendations every five years for the United States dietary guide. In February, the committee gave its conclusions vis-à-vis coffee, indicating that it was not harmful to health, a first. “We reviewed all the studies and there was no evidence of adverse health effects from coffee with moderate consumption of three to five cups a day,” says Miriam Nelson, professor of nutrition at Tufts University in Boston and a member of the committee.
A protective effect not to be overestimated
More surprisingly, the committee “found a reduction in the risk of cardiovascular disease, Parkinson’s, diabetes and certain cancers”, in particular prostate and breast cancers, thanks to the coffee consumption. “The results are solid and this is good news for coffee drinkers,” enthuses Miriam Nelson.
However, his colleague Tom Brenna, professor of nutrition and chemistry at Cornell University in New York insists not to exaggerate the benefits of coffee too much. “It would be a bad idea to tell the public that coffee can cure cancer,” he said. He therefore clarifies that what the committee has found is that “drinking three to five cups of coffee daily does not have any negative consequences on the health of the general population. This drink even seems to have some protective effects. “Pregnant women should however limit their consumption to two cups (200 mg per day), underlines the researcher, who adds that nothing in these studies indicates a link between coffee and premature births.
As for caffeinated sodas, uncertainty remains and researchers are calling for more studies on the subject. The committee also points out the risk of consuming extra calories by adding cream and sugar to his “petit noir”.
Overall, the two nutrition professors and experts agree that the benefits of coffee go beyond the single caffeine molecule, as one bean contains 100 different molecules. The protective effects could be explained by the antioxidants in coffee, which are also present in red wine and cocoa.
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