A new research has suggested that the intake of coffee per day may reduce the risk of a sub-type of breast cancer, ER-negative breast cancer, by sixty percent.

Wonder Coffee

There are many talks and written records on how coffee came to be as what we see it now, but there is that strongest and most accepted legend about the discovery and drinking of coffee.

A goat shepherd named Kaldi noticed the strange behavior of his goats that were jumping and running around in excitement and full of energy after eating the fruits of an unknown bush. Kaldi soon found out that those fruits his goats tasted were cherry-like, and tasted the leaves for himself and soon enough, he became full of energy.

Kaldi took those bush’s fruit and branches to a monastery and the Abbot there decided to cook them. However, it turned bitter and the Abbot threw the entire pot into the fire. The cherries then started to burn, and the beans inside produced a pleasant aroma that made the abbot create a drink of the roasted beans. This is how then coffee came to be.

The black liquid in our morning cup is considered to be one of the most popular beverages after water. After petroleum, it is the most traded commodity in the world.

Before we know coffee as a drink, it first originated from coffee cherries which grow along the coffee tree’s branches. It takes a year for these cherries to mature. Inside the cherries are the coffee beans, and the coffee beans are then grinded on its way to become a beverage.

Scientifically, coffee contains a substance called caffeine. Caffeine is absorbed and distributed, particularly to the brain, quickly and is excreted through the urine many hours after consumption. It acts as a stimulant for the central nervous system ad diuretic. It also relieves fatigue and drowsiness for a short while and also treats migraine head aches. However, caffeine does not reduce he effects of alcohol, for many believe that it can “sober up” an intoxicated person. Excessive intake of caffeine can also result to nausea, vomiting, anxiety, depression, tremors, difficulty in sleeping and fast heart rate.

Taking coffee must be regulated, for research suggests coffee being addictive if taken in certain amounts during the day and can cause depression, chronic headaches, deprivation of sleep and increased blood pressure and sugar. However, proper coffee intake will give you as much benefits as you can get.

Coffee can help in prevention and risk reduction of certain diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease and liver diseases. It also reduces the risk of diabetes and skin cancer. No one said that coffee can cure it, but knowing that that delicious drink every morning provides many health benefits gives reassurance. Coffee also contains antioxidants that fight the body’s free radicals. It also increases brain power every morning. It helps in mind concentration in the midst of work. Drinking coffee after a work out can also reduce muscle pains.

The Study

A new study suggests the reduction of risks of certain breast cancer types by 60 per cent through high consumption of coffee daily. Breast cancer can be divided into non-hormone responsive (estrogen receptor (ER) negative) and hormone-responsive (ER positive) subtypes.

Results of the study published at the Breast Cancer Research show that drinking five cups of coffee or more daily could help in reducing the risk of anti-oestrogen-resistant oestrogen-receptor (ER-negative) breast cancer, a breast cancer sub type.

Karolinska Institutet-based team of Swedish researchers found out that women coffee drinkers showed lower breast cancer incidence than those who rarely drank coffee by comparing the lifestyle factors of age-matched women with and without breast cancer.

According to Jingmei Li, the lead researcher, and other researchers, no evidence was found to prove that postmenopausal breast cancer overall risk is heightened by consuming coffee. However, ER-negative breast cancer decrease in postmenopausal women was found with high intake of coffee daily. Modest decrease in the overall risk of breast cancer through coffee consumption was also reported by the researchers.

Looking deeper into the study, Li and her co-workers separated the breast cancer sub types. They have found “heavy coffee drinkers”, who take 5 cups or more a day, to have a notable decrease in ER-negative breast cancer.

The Swedish researchers said that because of coffee’s complex chemical make-up, it becomes a light on the aetiology of breast cancer. Some experimental studies have also shown the potential of these chemicals to alter the risk of cancer through significant biological mechanisms. However, they also added that the stand of the scientific community is divided over that beverage’s toxicity.

In simpler words, Li and her co-workers have found out that the risk for ER-negative breast cancer was significantly decreased compared to ER-positive breast cancer with the help of high consumption of coffee. They also added that future studies should now be gradually performed as to verify the significant benefit of high coffee consumption to breast cancer sub types.

Coffee is a complex mixture of polyphenols and caffeine, and with this, previous experimental studies have suggested that it may play a role both as an agent for chemo-prevention and as a carcinogen.

Association between postmenopausal breast cancer risk and coffee were assessed by the researchers in a large population of 6,000 people.

Breast Cancer Prevention

The way to live a healthy and productive life is to keep the body away from diseases and illnesses. Breast cancer, a type of cancer experienced by women, prevention starts with various factors that can be controlled.

• Controlling alcohol intake is important to prevent breast cancer. If wanting to drink alcohol including beer, wine or liquor, make sure to take no more than one drink per day.
• Breast feeding could also help. The longer time you breast feed, the greater the protection you get.
• Overweight people have higher risks of developing breast cancer, especially if obesity occurs later in life, particularly after menopausal.
• Exposure to environmental pollution could also contribute to breast cancer, though further studies are needed. A link between exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons from vehicle exhaust and air pollution and breast cancer was found in some researches.
• Getting plenty of physical activity helps you prevent gaining of weight or reducing it, therefore preventing breast cancer development.
• If you are taking hormone therapy for menopausal symptom, its better to discontinue before you develop breast cancer.

No research has yet shown a direct link of diet to breast cancer prevention. Though there are some studies, only minimal effects are shown. Still, taking a healthy diet would help one reduce risk of other diseases such as cardiovascular diseases and diabetes. In addition, taking a healthy diet helps one maintain healthy weight, a key factor in preventing breast cancer.

Sources
shaka.mistral.co.uk
amolife.com
mayoclinic.com
nutraingredients.com

Researchers from the University of British Columbia found that roasting coffee beans can further improve its antioxidant content.

Drinking too much coffee can be harmful to your health. This can result to insomnia, heart palpitations and anxiety. But the moderate intake of coffee can offer some preventive health benefits. Studies have found that drinking a few cups of coffee in a day can reduce the risk of certain cancer and even dementia.

Researchers from the University of British Columbia found that dark roasted coffee beans offer the most antioxidants than other coffee varieties. They observed that roasting the coffee beans releases their antioxidant content. The researchers added that antioxidants are important because they inhibit the oxidative processes and protect cells from the damage caused by unstable free radicals; the damage caused by free radicals can lead to chronic diseases and cancer.

The study was headed by David Kitts and Yazheng Liu, and is scheduled to be published in the Food Research International. The researchers found that when raw green coffee beans are browned by exposing them to high temperatures, a chemical process called the Maillard reaction occurs which optimizes the antioxidant content of roasted Java coffee beans.

The Various Health Benefits of Coffee

More than 90 percent of the world’s population drinks coffee, and there is a reason behind this. Coffee is a rich source of essential nutrients and strong antioxidants. It also contains compounds that help in keeping people awake and alert, especially while at work. Health professionals recommend limiting coffee intake. There are several studies showing that too much caffeine can lead to health complications like increased blood pressure. But moderate drinking of coffee can actually produce beneficial health results. Studies show that the antioxidants and other compounds in coffee can counter the risk factors of stroke and heart attack like heart rhythm disturbances and diabetes.

Against Arrhythmia. A study consisting of around 130,000 Kaiser Permanente health plan members found that study participants who drank around 1 to 3 cups of coffee in a day are 20 percent less likely to be hospitalized for arrhythmia or abnormal heart rhythm than non-coffee drinkers. A study on 83,700 nurses enrolled in the Nurse’s health study found that participants who drink two or more cups of coffee in a day can lead to a 20 percent lowered risk of stroke than those who drink less. This finding was independent of other risk factors like diabetes, high cholesterol levels and high blood pressure.

Against Liver Cancer. Japanese researchers found that people who drink coffee are less likely to develop liver cancer.  The study consisted of more than 61,000 participants. The researchers believed that this is due to the chlorogenic acid content of coffee. Arabica coffee contains up to seven percent of chlorogenic acid while robusta coffee contains up to 10 percent. With the help of caffeic acid, chlorogenic acid protects the cells and cerebral neurons from the damage caused by oxidation.  It also normalizes colon function and promotes cellular differentiation. This effect has also been found to inhibit the growth and induce the death of breast cancer cells.

French chemist Louis-Camille Maillard was first to investigate the effects of heat towards proteins, sugars and carbohydrates in food; thus, the process was named after him. During the heating process, different flavored compounds are produced and are broken down to form other compounds. Different foods produce different compounds during the Maillard reaction. As for roasting coffee beans, it produces more antioxidants.

Researchers said that other studies suggest that the antioxidants in coffee can be traced to its chlorogenic acid and caffeine content that is found in green coffee beans. But he added that the Maillard reaction is responsible for creating coffee’s antioxidant content.

Against Prostate Cancer. According to their findings, drinking dark roasted java coffee supplies the body with more antioxidants than other coffee varieties. The benefits of coffee include cancer and chronic disease prevention. A study conducted by a team of researchers from Harvard University found that drinking coffee can reduce the risk of developing prostate cancer. They observed that men who drank the most amount of coffee are 60 percent less likely to develop prostate cancer that those who were not in the habit of drinking coffee.

Against Alzheimer’s Disease. A study published in the January issue of the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease revealed than drinking coffee can have a long-term effect in maintaining cognitive function and reducing the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease and dementia at old age. The researchers from Finland randomly selected study participants from a population-based cohort who previously participated in a related study. The participants were observed for an average of 21 years. More than 1400 participants who were 65 to 79 years old completed the study. They observed that coffee drinkers had lower risk of developing dementia at midlife and Alzheimer’s disease at old age. Participants who were in the habit of drinking 3 to 5 cups in a day had a 65 percent lesser chance of developing dementia of Alzheimer’s disease.

Against Depression. A related study published in the Nutrition and Neuroscience investigated the link between coffee consumption and people’s cooperative behavior and sociability. The researchers gathered a group of 77 moderate coffee drinkers and were asked to play a game with an imaginary person. After drinking coffee, the participants displayed fewer signs of sadness and were more open and responsive to their imaginary player. Other studies had found that men and women who drank coffee are less likely to develop depressive symptoms and have lower tendencies of committing suicide.

Coffee: A Richer Source of Antioxidants

Researchers had found that coffee is the primary source of antioxidants of Americans. Studies show that there are more antioxidants in a normal serving of coffee than in a typical serving of oranges, raspberries, grape juice and blueberries. In addition, a cup of coffee has four times more antioxidants than a cup of green tea.

A Fair Warning to Coffee Drinkers

Despite the piling evidence showing that coffee is a rich source of antioxidants, James Lane from Duke University Medical Center said that there hasn’t been any study investigating whether the antioxidants from coffee can indeed reach the bloodstream. He, however, added that there is enough proof to show that caffeine from coffee can reach the blood stream and can lead to hypertension and increase levels of adrenaline.

Sources
naturalnews.com
webmd.com
healthmad.com
methodsofhealing.com

Drinking coffee may reduce a person's chances of developing oral cancer and even brain tumors.

According to a study published in the medical journal Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, it was found that people who drank three to four cups of coffee per day reduced their risk of neck & head cancer by as much as thirty-nine percent.

According to Dr. Mia Hashibe, a researcher from the University of Utah, the findings of the new study is significant because coffee is one of the most popular beverages in the world.

The survival percentage for oral cancer and other associated cancers is low, so the findings provide hope for both men and women.  Unfortunately, the study did not make use of data from people who drank decaffeinated coffee.  In addition to oral cancer and neck cancer, another study (this time, from London)  discovered that coffee also reduced the risk of people developing tumors in the brain.

Other studies agree on the benefits of coffee

Studies around the world seem to acquiesce with the recent findings in the United States; it also appears that coffee may be more than just a cancer preventive:

1. A recent study performed in Sweden states that women who drank four to five cups of Scandinavian coffee (which requires boiling) reduced their risk of developing breast cancer over the long term.

It appears that boiled coffee provides more health benefits because it can contain up to eighty different fatty acids, which have been shown to have cancer-preventing effects when taken by the human body.  The benefits of boiled Scandinavian coffee was noted for women between the ages of 49 and 55.

2. According to researchers who published a study in the Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry, regular coffee intake may ward off adult-onset diabetes or type 2 diabetes.  In animal tests, it was shown that coffee increased the sensitivity of the animals to insulin.  Coffee was also effective in combating the sudden rise of blood glucose levels according to the researchers.

3. Past US studies show that coffee may be helpful in reducing LDL or “bad” cholesterol levels.  Coffee also contains polyphenols, which are natural antioxidants that protect the body from free radical damage.  Polyphenols are also present in abundant quantities in green tea.

4. Based on a Harvard Medical School study on aggressive/advanced prostate cancer and coffee-drinking, it was found that males who regularly drank coffee were sixty percent less likely to develop advanced prostate cancer, compared to males who did not drink coffee at all.

5. A Netherlands study produced the following findings for coffee consumption: 2 to 4 cups of coffee a day reduced the incidence of heart problems by twenty percent.  Coffee intake also slightly reduced the chances of a person dying from the most common causes (cancer, heart problems, stroke, heart attack, diabetes, etc.)

Sources:
sciencedaily.com
sciencedaily.com
sciencedaily.com
sciencedaily.com
sciencedaily.com
sciencedaily.com

Coffee consumption may benefit Hepatitis C sufferers.

Thought your brain was the only thing perked up after your morning cup of joe?  Well according to a new study published in the journal Hepatology, your liver likes it a whole lot, too.

Researchers from the National Cancer Institute recruited over 760 volunteers with Hepatitis C, assessing their overall health, diet and the state of their liver (if not caught early, hepatitis C causes serious damage to the liver, including scarring, liver cancer, even liver failure).  Biopsies of their livers were taken twice during the four-year long study to see how, or if, there were signs of progressive liver damage.

Seeing as how some of the patients with hepatitis C had it for longer than others, the degree of liver damage varied among the 700+ participants.  But it also varied based on how much or how little coffee they drank.

When the researchers assessed the damage of all the participants’ livers and how much coffee they usually drank, they found that those who drank as much as 3.5 cups of coffee per day (eight oz. cups) had the “healthiest” livers, that is to say the progression of liver damage wasn’t as significant as those who drank less than three cups.

The degree of progression was particularly stark when compared to those who didn’t drink coffee at all, finding that the three-a-day coffee crew were 53 percent less likely to have their liver disease advance over those four years.

“Although we can not rule out other factors that go along with drinking coffee,” said the study’s lead author in a press release, “results from our study suggest that patients with high coffee intake had a lower risk of disease progression.”

The study’s authors point out that their findings only apply to people who are living with hepatitis C, not otherwise healthy people.

Becoming infected with hepatitis C can only be done by coming into contact with infected blood.  This puts people that work with potentially-infected needles (e.g., phlebotomists, medical technologists, tattoo artists), people given blood transfusions before 1992, and people that use or have used illicit drugs at the highest risk.

Approximately three million people in the U.S. have hepatitis C, a disease that kills an estimated 10,000 people every year in the U.S. alone due to liver complications.  Hepatitis C usually has mild, flu-like symptoms, but because the symptoms are so mild, hepatitis C often goes undiagnosed.

If you have any combination of symptoms that include fever, nausea, muscle soreness, or pain in your right side (where the liver is located), see your doctor immediately.  He or she will perform a blood test, and perhaps a liver biopsy to rule out whether or not more invasive treatment is necessary.

Sources:
mayoclinic.com
health.msn.com

Equipment used to produce Dunkaccino mix for Dunkin' Donuts may have contained salmonella contamination.

As most of you know, I’m not a coffee drinker.  Nonetheless, I know that millions of Americans can’t live without their morning libation, which is why I recommend opting for organic coffee beans to brew at home, or to ask for them specifically at their favorite coffee house.

Once people enter their favorite coffee house, though, there are tempting offerings on the menu that people find hard to resist.

Dunkin’ Donuts’ flavor offering, the Dunkaccino, is a great example.   The Dunkaccino boasts a flavor profile that’s almost impossible not partake in:  smooth coffee balanced with a decadent hot chocolate – the perfect pairing, no?

It may be a tasty treat, but if you’re watching your weight, it’s nutrition facts should serve as the hand slap you need to keep your hand out of the proverbial cookie jar:  230 calories, 11 grams of fat, 35 grams of sugar and an additional nine grams of saturated fat – and that’s in a small!

With nutrition like that, it makes soda seem downright healthy!

But if the Dunkaccino’s nutritional profile isn’t enough to make you steer clear, how does a possible bout with salmonella sound?
To Dunkin’ Donuts credit, they’ve voluntarily stopped selling Dunkaccinos to customers after one of their suppliers that produce their Dunkaccino mix may have had their equipment contaminated with salmonella.

Dunkin’ Donuts says that none of their equipment was contaminated, but they still want to make sure no one’s health is adversely affected by salmonella.  Again, kudos to Dunkin’ Donuts.

As of this writing, there have been no reported illnesses linked to the salmonella scare, which is why Dunkin’ Donuts plans to continue Dunkaccino production “shortly.”  But just as every fire and every murder isn’t reported, the same applies to food poisoning.  Who knows how many salmonella poisonings there have actually been.

People are obviously free to choose what they’ll drink and whether or not they trust the media or a restaurant when they say that a salmonella scare has past.  But some people need more than nutrition facts to steer them away from tempting treats like Dunkaccinos, which can become addictive.

The best way to stop any addictive behavior is to replace it with another behavior.  And with this salmonella scare in place, now is a great time in which to make that replacement.

So, instead of driving out of your way for that Dunkaccino, pick up a bag of organic coffee beans instead.  Before you know it, you’ll find it to be every bit as good as a regular cup of coffee and can rest assured in knowing that it’s free of salmonella and is the best nutrition among stores’ coffee coffers.

Sources:
baltimoresun.com
dunkindonuts.com

In our society, sleep deprivation is becoming a way of life and because of this; studies are constantly being conducted to find a solution to this problem, which does not include slowing down our lifestyles. When we are short on sleep it is fair to say that we are more likely to be stressed during the day and this study is taking this common occurrence to a scientific level. The researchers within this project allowed lab rats to inhale coffee bean aroma and tested their results. One group was left without the influence of coffee aroma. The results showed that 17 of the genes within the brain showed different expressions than the rats who did not inhale coffee bean aroma.

When it comes to drinking coffee, there are many health benefits that can be associated with this brewed beverage including:

-Control of asthma

-Reduce the risk of colon cancer with 2 or more cups per day

-Decrease your risk of gall stones

-Cures certain types of headaches

-Reduce your risk of Parkinson’s by 80%

There are many different reasons to drink coffee, although you will find some reports that state drinking coffee is actually bad for your health; this is another controversial subject in the medical world. There are health benefits with drinking coffee but there are health risks if you drink too much coffee. This is where a happy medium comes in to play. You want to drink coffee consistently at 2-3 cups per day. Many people take studies like this and choose to drink entire brews of coffee in order to get the health benefits but this is not necessary, in fact it is more harmful than beneficial.

Watch for more and more follow-up studies to this research so you can learn the dosages of coffee, which should be consumed in order to boost the function of your brain.

Within this study, 84,214 women were studied and followed through the period between 1980 and 2004. Within this follow-up period, the research showed that women who drank anywhere from 2-3 cups of coffee per day decreased their risk of death by heart disease by 25%. Additionally, an 18% decrease in risk of death of anything other than cancer or heart disease was found within these participants in comparison to those who do not drink coffee.

For men on the other hand, 41,736 participated in this study from the years 1986 to 2004. The research associated with men who drink 2-3 cups of coffee per day found that they received neither a higher or lower risk of death; providing evidence that women are the most vulnerable to the health benefits of coffee. It is important to note here that the participants within the study were free of heart disease and cancer during the entire research project.

The participants within the study also completed a generic questionnaire every 2 years, which included lifestyle questions such as if they smoke, diet habits, current health conditions, how frequently they drink coffee, etc. The researchers then took these questions and applied them to the study so their findings would be nothing less than accurate. Taking all these factors into consideration, the above statistics were found. In the women’s participant group, 2,368 deaths occurred due to heart disease, 5,011 were due to cancer and 3,716 were associated with other causes. Within the male group, 2,049 deaths were caused by heart disease, 2,491 were due to cancer and 2,348 were associated with other chronic conditions.

It has not yet been determined as to what it is about coffee that prolongs the lives of the people within this study, however further testing is required. If you are currently a coffee drinker, this study is not stating that it is healthy to drink 12-20 cups of coffee per day. This study simply states that there are health benefits to be taken advantage of from coffee from moderate, consistent drinking habits. Caffeine can be one of the leading causes of weight gain and other health problems as well so make sure to keep your consumption moderate to receive the best of both worlds.