coffee and your health

As coffee consumption has continually been on the rise in the United States, the questions are being asked about the importance coffee has when it comes to our health. As the popularity of coffee has risen so has the research of the benefits of this product as to the effects it may have on many aspects of it keeping us healthy. 

We all know and have heard the power of antioxidants. Tannins and antioxidants appear naturally in coffee, and these are well known to fight free radicals and other assaults on the body. Having these properties, coffee may reduce the risk of asthma attacks. 

Antioxidants are chemical compounds that protect the body s cells from the damaging effects of oxidation. They help support the immune system, and consequently may reduce the risk of cancer and heart disease. The caffeine in coffee helps to improve circulation within the heart and arteries. 

In recent studies it has also been shown that coffee may
reduce the risk of gallstones by 45 and cirrhosis of the liver by 80 . Although the studies have shown the existence of a relationship with coffee consumption and liver cirrhosis, it has not proven or determined the component in coffee that is responsible for producing this effect.

Another benefit of coffee is a 25 reduction in the onset of asthma attacks among many asthma suffers. Asthma is a chronic disease that causes airways to close due to inflammation , resulting in coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath and tightness in the chest. Theophylline is a component that is found in coffee that acts as a bronchodilator which lessens theses symptoms.

Have you ever had one of those stressful headaches that can last throughout the day? It could be caused by a stress at work or by just not getting enough sleep. Well it has now been shown that coffee can play a big role in getting rid of theses headaches. Even now you can go to any drugstore and go to the pain reliever aisle and found many of the over the counter pain relievers contain caffeine just for this purpose. So have that cup of coffee and relax.

One of the most recent studies of coffee is that the shows the relationship of coffee and diabetes. This is study has excited many of us that are diabetics and coffee lovers. There is more and more evidence that the love affair with coffee is helping reduce the risk of diabetes. In a newly published study, drinking caffeinated coffee was found to reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes as much as 60 . A Finnish study in 2004, suggested a 30 reduction in type 2 diabetes risk among people who drank three to four cups of coffee a day.

Women in the study who drank 10 or more cups a day showed a 79 reduction in the risk.

So what is the amount of coffee should we drink in a day. Well for many of us who love coffee there is just know way of knowing when to stop. But many doctors suggest that three to four cups a day is considered reasonable and a moderate amount. Just keep in mind that an 8 oz cup of coffee contains about 75 mg of caffeine and it usually recommended to not to exceed 300 mg per day.