One daily pleasure is now in the spotlight for its remarkable health benefits, and it might be something you’ve already been savouring with your breakfast.
In a fascinating revelation, experts have come forward to tout the astonishing health benefits of coffee. Among them, Professor Stephen Safe and his colleagues at Texas A&M University have hailed the aromatic brew as nothing short of a “miracle”.
Their research review has boldly equated coffee’s health perks with the much-acclaimed Mediterranean diet and even referred to it as the “miracle drug” like aspirin. Speaking with UPI, Stephen specifically noted coffee’s capacity to slash the risk of various health issues.
Despite common concerns about its high caffeine content and potential harm to dental hygiene, Stephen emphasises that the wealth of scientific evidence supports the idea that coffee’s positive impacts triumph over any negative effects.
Groundbreaking findings from a 2019 study concluded that knocking back java can cut the risk of type 2 diabetes by a striking 22%.
And it doesn’t stop there, research in 2021 suggests that individuals guzzling more than 60 cups of coffee monthly could reduce their odds of developing liver cancer by an astounding 70%, along with nearly halving their risks of colon and breast cancer and slicing their thyroid cancer risk by almost 30%.
The humble cup of coffee has been hailed for its protective properties against Parkinson’s disease, with a 2002 study revealing it could reduce the risk by up to 30%.
However, the full extent of its health benefits is still being uncovered, with recent research suggesting it could also help ward off dementia.
This latest investigation was led by Marilyn Cornelis, an associate professor of preventative medicine at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, who has spent over two decades studying the health benefits of coffee and caffeine.
She explained that the caffeine in coffee has a neuroprotective effect, aiding the brain in creating dopaminergic neurons – the same cells targeted by many Parkinson’s treatments.
While she acknowledged more research is needed, she suggested the drink’s health benefits could be linked to the polyphenols it naturally produces, which likely have antioxidant effects.
Meanwhile, a review of 32 studies published last year dismissed claims linking coffee consumption to heart disease. However, Dr Donald D. Hensrud from the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine warned that excessive consumption can lead to sleep problems, heart palpitations and exacerbate symptoms in older men with enlarged prostates, such as frequent urination.