QY Coffee

New studies have shown that coffee may have benefits. Well, now, those of us who have kept Folgers in business have known that. We were just waiting for the medical community to catch up with us. So to the naysayers who waggle fingers at coffee drinkers, we say this: you will have health problems before we do. Additionally, this is medicine, so to speak, that tastes better than other medicine.

Longevity

When was the last time you read a newspaper or saw a 60 Minutes segment on someone with a cup of coffee in one hand and a bad habit in the other who was celebrating their 114th birthday? It turns out coffee contains vitamins and minerals which are good for the body. Vitamins B5, B12, calcium and magnesium can be found in a cup of coffee, which provide strength to the cell walls, prevent damage to the cells from free radicals, support the immune system and digestive system, support the adrenal glands and help produce red blood cells. That's the short list, but the benefits of coffee can be seen immediately. The stronger the body is, the better its functions are, and the longer it will exist. Happy Birthday!

Fighting Disease

It must be stated here that scientific studies have been performed using control groups. For a certain period of time, these people were asked to drink no coffee. Then another period of time passed during which the control group drank perhaps four cups of coffee per day. The effects of the coffee drinking were then analyzed against the results from no coffee drinking at all. The findings were eye-opening, to say the least.

Aside from its vitamin and mineral content, coffee has an anti-inflammatory effect on the body, which is of importance in not only heart disease, but diabetes, as well. Inflammation is a risk factor in Type II diabetes. Coffee also lowers cholesterol, and other lipids in the blood, which gave researchers the impression that increased coffee intake decreases the risk of these diseases.

Other studies have been undertaken, using a control group with certain time requirements in which to increase their coffee drinking from nothing at all to up to 8 cups of coffee per day. In these studies, the higher use off coffee showed a marked decrease in the risk of liver cirrhosis and cancer.

Since coffee contains minerals such as magnesium and chromium, it could also be said that coffee helps the body to use insulin, which is a hormone that controls blood sugar. In type 2 diabetes, the body has run out of naturally produced insulin and must have help for the muscles to use the blood sugar.

Weight Control

So coffee wakes us up in the mornings, keeps us warm in cold weather, and feels cozy to sip on a cool evening. As long as quantities of sugars and creams aren't added, folks' battle with the scales can be won. A diabetic will tell you that plain black coffee is on their free list, which means it has no calories and doesn't have to be traded for something for which we can only have a tiny portion, like a soft drink, for example.

But

You knew that was coming, right? Caffeine in large amounts raises blood pressure and sets off the adrenal gland, which secretes adrenaline into the system. This could be beneficial to those with breathing problems such as asthma and bronchitis, but it can be deadly to those with heart problems. The old 'key to everything is moderation,' however, can even convey some of the benefits of coffee to those with heart problems.

Considering that coffee comes from a plant, it would then follow that the body could benefit from something so natural. Indeed, many plants have disease-fighting properties and have been proven beneficial in fighting certain cancers. It certainly gives credence to the 'good to the last drop' jingle

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I generally try to take a week off coffee once a year or so. (that makes me overdue) The money I save on not buying coffee for a week - maybe I should give it to charity or something. I could write some cheap checks for a few dollars to make a small difference for some needy causes.

I do have to admit to being a bit partial to a cup of Earl Grey tea as well. Some don't like the bergamot, but I do. I alway suppose that it does not have as much caffeine in it as coffee. I should really check it out I suppose.

As always I suppose it is worth having a look at wikipedia for more coffee information.