Coffee's Perks Not in the Caffeine

While caffeine has some risks, cups of joe pack a jolt of benefits

(NEWSER) - Coffee’s health risks and benefits have been widely debated, often with contradictory “facts” emerging simultaneously—but can they all be right? Yes, Jane Brody writes in the New York Times. For instance, below 550 milligrams of caffeine, beverages are not diuretic (though they are beyond that); and while caffeine causes blood pressure to spike temporarily, long-term hypertension among coffee-drinkers is no more likely. More»

Coffee, caffeine may have health benefits

(NEWSER) - Get this: Coffee's not bad for you, and it could have health benefits. New studies do a better job of separating the effects of coffee from those of its formerly frequent partner, cigarettes, the Los Angeles Times reports. And when you look beyond caffeine, "coffee is a complex beverage with hundreds, if not thousands, of bioactive ingredients," a Canadian researcher notes. Among the health benefits:

• Diabetes: Studies suggest the chlorogenic acid in coffee cuts the risk for Type 2 diabetes.

3-5 cups per day seen to reduce chance of Alzheimer's by up to 65%: study

(NEWSER) - Researchers don’t quite know why, but a new study suggests that moderate coffee intake dramatically reduces the likelihood of Alzheimer’s disease, AFP reports. A 20-year Finnish study of 1,409 subjects shows middle-aged people who drink 3-5 cups a day are 60% to 65% less likely to contract the disease later in life. More»

Women who drank 3 cups daily suffered 25% fewer fatal episodes

(NEWSER) - Regular coffee drinking has been linked to a reduced risk of fatal heart attacks, according to a new study of the health effects of coffee. Women who regularly drank three cups of coffee a day had a 25 percent lower risk of death from heart disease than women who didn't drink coffee. Some studies have found that coffee is a source of antioxidants, which may protect people from heart disease. More»

Japanese study finds benefits of 3 cups a day apply only to women

(NEWSER) - Drinking three or more cups of coffee a day can cut the risk of colon cancer in half—but the benefit manifests itself only in women. What's more, Reuters reports, the research was conducted in Japan, where men drink and smoke so much that scientists had trouble controlling for those factors. More»