Dietitian Won't Quit Coffee

They keep coming. Another day, another benefit from coffee - Seems like many researchers are studying the health effects of coffee. This week, Eating Well Magazine published five reasons the Dietitian Kerri-Ann Jennings won’t quit coffee. There is more evidence - Jennings mentions 18,000 studies – that coffee benefits the heart. This is largely due to the antioxidants in coffee, and in fact, coffee has more of these little wonders per serving than blueberries do! Even though blood pressure goes up immediately after drinking coffee, over the long run it actually causes the BP to go down. Coffee is associated with lower rates of type 2 Diabetes and liver diseases such as cirrhosis and cancer. Coffee helps the brain function better and may help reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s, other dementias and Parkinson’s. An additional finding is that coffee helps relieve headache pain, even migraines. One reason for this could be coffee’s possible restriction of blood vessels and the resulting relief of the pressure which causes the pain. By the way, this is not referring to the coffee withdrawal headache, but headaches totally unrelated in cause to the sudden absence of coffee. 18,000 studies can’t be wrong. Healthier hearts and livers, improved brain function, increased protection against diabetes, increased metabolism, and headache pain relief, all from a great tasting drink. There’s just one thing, pointed out by Ms Jennings - all of these advantages are based on coffee itself, without the extra additions of cream and sugar. Coffee’s maximum benefits will be best received if the additions are kept at a minimum, of course. Brew on.