Moderate coffee intake brings health benefits

For coffee-lovers it may feel like heaven to have a mug-full before starting the day. Well, there is certainly more good news than bad news in terms of coffee and health, says Frank Hu, nutrition & epidemiology professor at the Harvard School of Public Health.

Caloric Value:
A 6-ounce cup of black coffee contains just 7 calories.
Add: a teaspoon of sugar: 20 kcals more.
Add: half cup of toned-milk: 80 kcals more.

Enhances brain power: Drinking 1-5 cups a day may help reduce risk of dementia and Alzheimer's disease, as well as Parkinson's disease, studies suggest. The antioxidants may ward off brain-cell damage and help the neurotransmitters involved in cognitive function work better.

Protects your heart: Moderate coffee drinkers (1 to 3 cups/day) have lower rates of stroke than non-coffee drinkers, an effect linked to coffee's antioxidants. They may help suppress the damaging effect of inflammation on arteries as they activate nitric oxide, widening blood vessels. Coffee drinkers were 20% less likely to be hospitalised for abnormal heart rhythms (arrhythmias) than non-drinkers.

Helps accelerate metabolism: Studies suggest that caffeine may help increase caloric burning. Moderate coffee intake can help you a bit in trimming down.

Cavity protection? Thanks to the anti-bacterial & anti-adhesive properties of some chemical compounds it contains, black coffee can earn you some dental health.

Physical performance: There is clear evidence that caffeine can bean ergogenic aid, i.e. a substance that improves the capacity to dowork or exercise. The effect is most evident in endurance (aerobic) sports. Caffeine appears to help athletes reduce the amount of time it takes to run, cycle or row a set distance as well as reduce muscle pain & overall fatigue.

Anti-diabetic? Those antioxidants (chlorogenic acid and quinides,specifically) play another role: boosting your cells' sensitivity to insulin, which helps regulate blood sugar. Regular coffee intake is linked with lower risk of developing type II diabetes, according to some studies. Contrary to that, other studies have shown that caffeine can blunt the insulin-sensitivity boost, so if you do drink several cups a day, prefer the decaf ones.

High consumption of unfiltered coffee is associated with mild elevation in cholesterol levels. Another study found that two or more cups of coffee a day can increase the risk of heart disease in people with a specific - and fairly common - genetic mutation that slows the breakdown of caffeine in the body. More is not better. Moderation is the key.

—  The author is a Ahmedabad-based health and fitness expert