WHETHER you like yours smooth and milky, straight up and steaming hot or with a shot of peppermint, grabbing a coffee on the way to work is an early morning ritual for many of us.
In fact, for some of us, the thought of negotiating the working day without a cup of the dark brown brew is unbearable.
Yet, in recent times, coffee addicts have been under pressure to do just that. With concerns over the effect that the caffeine-laden bean can have on our immune systems, not to mention our heart rates and ability to conceive, at times it has seemed to be just what the doctor didn't order. And, although it remained the world's favourite drink (according to the British Coffee Association, we drink an estimated 70 million cups a day in Britain), throughout the last decade it has endured a torrent of bad press. But now it's making a comeback, as more and more scientific studies are proving that coffee can be beneficial for you. The latest research shows that just one cup a day can dramatically reduce the risk of cirrhosis (liver scarring) and negate the damage which can be caused by a heavy drinking session. Add this to a burgeoning body of evidence that credits coffee with the ability to fight everything from heart disease to cancer, and that morning cuppa is emerging as the most unlikely health tonic.
So, to grind or not to grind? Well, it really boils down to a question of your personal health circumstances. We examined the evidence to help you decide whether coffee is the cuppa for you.
Heart FOR: Coffee was long regarded as bad for the heart, due to evidence garnered from many scientific studies, but research published in the American Heart Association's journal Circulation, in April, showed that those who consumed six or more cups of coffee a day are no more likely to develop coronary heart disease than those who abstain. According to the British Heart Foundation, the view currently held is that drinking "a moderate amount of caffeine" does not influence coronary heart disease. The anti-oxidants prevalent in coffee also help mop up free radicals, which scientists believe can lead to hardening of the arteries. AGAINST: Those watching their cholesterol levels might want to monitor their coffee intake, after the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore established a link between unfiltered coffee, such as espresso, and raised LDL or "bad cholesterol" in the blood. Oils in coffee called terpenes, which are generally removed by filters, are blamed for the increase. For those predisposed to the problem, too much coffee, and its stimulant caffeine, can trigger the onset of a heart arrhythmia (irregular heartbeat).
Brain FOR: According to one American study, coffee drinkers who have a daily intake of four or more cups have a lower incidence of Parkinson's disease. Some suggest it may even help prevent Alzheimer's disease too. The theory is that the stimulative effect coffee has on brain cells increases the brain's intake of the chemical choline, which is depleted in those suffering with the cognitive dysfunction. Caffeine can also help cure headaches and is a key ingredient in headache pills because it increases the power of aspirin on the body.
AGAINST: Reports suggest that if you drink more than two cups a day your body can become "over-stimulated" which leads to insomnia and irritability and shortens your attention span. Coffee, or more precisely any compounds found in coffee called Amines, is also known to bring on migraines because it triggers a chemical chain reaction in the body which results in the production of seratonin - a chemical known to cause intense headaches. Liver, Kidneys and gallbladderFOR: In last week's study of more than 125,000 people, scientists at the Kaiser Permanente Division of Research in California showed that one cup of coffee a day cuts the risk of potentially fatal alcoholic cirrhosis by 20 per cent, while four cups reduced it by 80 per cent. This supports the hypothesis that there is an as-yet-unidentified ingredient in coffee that protects the liver. And, although there is no precise explanation as to why, a recent Japanese study of 90,000 men found those who indulge in regular coffee breaks are half as likely to develop liver cancer. In addition, the Harvard School of Public Health found that female coffee drinkers have a 40 per cent lower risk of developing gallstones than their more puritanical counterparts. It is thought that this may be down to the fact that caffeine, which promotes contractions, helps the bowel to flush out thoroughly, thus preventing an excess of cholesterol building up to form the sharp and painful stones. However drinkers of cola and tea were not found to enjoy the same benefits. AGAINST: Some good news for coffee lovers - as far as we can tell the scientific community doesn't seem to have come up with any major downsides yet when it comes to the health of your liver, kidneys and gallbladder.
Fertility FOR: In January, a study at Southwestern University in Georgetown, Texas found caffeine could increase the female sex drive thus, in theory, boosting the chances of conception. And in 2003, researchers at Sao Paulo University in Brazil discovered that men who regularly drank coffee had stronger sperm than men who did not.
AGAINST: Caffeine is also associated with low fertility. A study in Connecticut found, over the course of 12 months, that women who drank a cup a day were only half as likely to conceive as those who abstained. Pregnant women have been warned to avoid coffee after a Danish study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology in November 2005 showed those who drank more than three cups a day dramatically increased their chances of miscarrying.
SkinFOR: Caffeine is credited with being able to turn back the clock, or at least help it stand still. Last August, scientists at Scranton University in Pennsylvania found that coffee contained more anti-oxidants than some fruit and vegetables - surpassing even our favourite superfoods, blueberries and broccoli. Anti-oxidants play an important role in fighting off molecules called free radicals which, when left to their own devices, attack and kill cells, thus speeding up the ageing process. Caffeine has also been proven to have benefits from the outside in, and is widely used in fat-busting beauty products because the industry claims that, when coffee is absorbed through the skin, it speeds up cell metabolism, helping the body to break fat down. It also speeds up blood flow so that cellulite-inducing toxins can be removed. And in 2002 scientists at Rutgers University in New Jersey conducting experiments on laboratory mice exposed to ultraviolet radiation found that skin lotion spiked with caffeine halved their chances of developing skin cancer. AGAINST: Some believe that coffee, as a toxin, can also contribute to the presence of cellulite in the first place. Some experts argue the dreaded orange peel can be exacerbated by our consumption of toxins which can slow down our blood circulation and toxin-draining lymph nodes, because it causes small blood vessels to constrict. The result is a build-up of waste products and their accompanying fatty molecules, lipids, which means bumpy, uneven skin. Once consumed, it tends to have a diuretic effect - speeding up the release of water from the body - and this effect can play havoc with our skin.
In fact, for some of us, the thought of negotiating the working day without a cup of the dark brown brew is unbearable.
Yet, in recent times, coffee addicts have been under pressure to do just that. With concerns over the effect that the caffeine-laden bean can have on our immune systems, not to mention our heart rates and ability to conceive, at times it has seemed to be just what the doctor didn't order. And, although it remained the world's favourite drink (according to the British Coffee Association, we drink an estimated 70 million cups a day in Britain), throughout the last decade it has endured a torrent of bad press. But now it's making a comeback, as more and more scientific studies are proving that coffee can be beneficial for you. The latest research shows that just one cup a day can dramatically reduce the risk of cirrhosis (liver scarring) and negate the damage which can be caused by a heavy drinking session. Add this to a burgeoning body of evidence that credits coffee with the ability to fight everything from heart disease to cancer, and that morning cuppa is emerging as the most unlikely health tonic.
So, to grind or not to grind? Well, it really boils down to a question of your personal health circumstances. We examined the evidence to help you decide whether coffee is the cuppa for you.
Heart FOR: Coffee was long regarded as bad for the heart, due to evidence garnered from many scientific studies, but research published in the American Heart Association's journal Circulation, in April, showed that those who consumed six or more cups of coffee a day are no more likely to develop coronary heart disease than those who abstain. According to the British Heart Foundation, the view currently held is that drinking "a moderate amount of caffeine" does not influence coronary heart disease. The anti-oxidants prevalent in coffee also help mop up free radicals, which scientists believe can lead to hardening of the arteries. AGAINST: Those watching their cholesterol levels might want to monitor their coffee intake, after the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore established a link between unfiltered coffee, such as espresso, and raised LDL or "bad cholesterol" in the blood. Oils in coffee called terpenes, which are generally removed by filters, are blamed for the increase. For those predisposed to the problem, too much coffee, and its stimulant caffeine, can trigger the onset of a heart arrhythmia (irregular heartbeat).
Brain FOR: According to one American study, coffee drinkers who have a daily intake of four or more cups have a lower incidence of Parkinson's disease. Some suggest it may even help prevent Alzheimer's disease too. The theory is that the stimulative effect coffee has on brain cells increases the brain's intake of the chemical choline, which is depleted in those suffering with the cognitive dysfunction. Caffeine can also help cure headaches and is a key ingredient in headache pills because it increases the power of aspirin on the body.
AGAINST: Reports suggest that if you drink more than two cups a day your body can become "over-stimulated" which leads to insomnia and irritability and shortens your attention span. Coffee, or more precisely any compounds found in coffee called Amines, is also known to bring on migraines because it triggers a chemical chain reaction in the body which results in the production of seratonin - a chemical known to cause intense headaches. Liver, Kidneys and gallbladderFOR: In last week's study of more than 125,000 people, scientists at the Kaiser Permanente Division of Research in California showed that one cup of coffee a day cuts the risk of potentially fatal alcoholic cirrhosis by 20 per cent, while four cups reduced it by 80 per cent. This supports the hypothesis that there is an as-yet-unidentified ingredient in coffee that protects the liver. And, although there is no precise explanation as to why, a recent Japanese study of 90,000 men found those who indulge in regular coffee breaks are half as likely to develop liver cancer. In addition, the Harvard School of Public Health found that female coffee drinkers have a 40 per cent lower risk of developing gallstones than their more puritanical counterparts. It is thought that this may be down to the fact that caffeine, which promotes contractions, helps the bowel to flush out thoroughly, thus preventing an excess of cholesterol building up to form the sharp and painful stones. However drinkers of cola and tea were not found to enjoy the same benefits. AGAINST: Some good news for coffee lovers - as far as we can tell the scientific community doesn't seem to have come up with any major downsides yet when it comes to the health of your liver, kidneys and gallbladder.
Fertility FOR: In January, a study at Southwestern University in Georgetown, Texas found caffeine could increase the female sex drive thus, in theory, boosting the chances of conception. And in 2003, researchers at Sao Paulo University in Brazil discovered that men who regularly drank coffee had stronger sperm than men who did not.
AGAINST: Caffeine is also associated with low fertility. A study in Connecticut found, over the course of 12 months, that women who drank a cup a day were only half as likely to conceive as those who abstained. Pregnant women have been warned to avoid coffee after a Danish study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology in November 2005 showed those who drank more than three cups a day dramatically increased their chances of miscarrying.
SkinFOR: Caffeine is credited with being able to turn back the clock, or at least help it stand still. Last August, scientists at Scranton University in Pennsylvania found that coffee contained more anti-oxidants than some fruit and vegetables - surpassing even our favourite superfoods, blueberries and broccoli. Anti-oxidants play an important role in fighting off molecules called free radicals which, when left to their own devices, attack and kill cells, thus speeding up the ageing process. Caffeine has also been proven to have benefits from the outside in, and is widely used in fat-busting beauty products because the industry claims that, when coffee is absorbed through the skin, it speeds up cell metabolism, helping the body to break fat down. It also speeds up blood flow so that cellulite-inducing toxins can be removed. And in 2002 scientists at Rutgers University in New Jersey conducting experiments on laboratory mice exposed to ultraviolet radiation found that skin lotion spiked with caffeine halved their chances of developing skin cancer. AGAINST: Some believe that coffee, as a toxin, can also contribute to the presence of cellulite in the first place. Some experts argue the dreaded orange peel can be exacerbated by our consumption of toxins which can slow down our blood circulation and toxin-draining lymph nodes, because it causes small blood vessels to constrict. The result is a build-up of waste products and their accompanying fatty molecules, lipids, which means bumpy, uneven skin. Once consumed, it tends to have a diuretic effect - speeding up the release of water from the body - and this effect can play havoc with our skin.
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