Is Coffee Bad for You?

It is early morning, the sky is still pitch black, and you have to drag yourself out of bed to get to work/school/appointments on time.  Bleary-eyed, and in varying degrees of fatigue and bitterness, we all reach for that first cup of morning coffee for salvation.  Yet is that cup of Joe good for you, or bad for you?

Studies over the past decade or so, under the patronage of the National Institutes of Health, have demonstrated significant differences of opinion.  Some studies link coffee consumption to cancer formation, while others maintain that coffee consumption can in fact prevent cancer formation.  Let us take a closer look at what coffee is made of, and how it affects our bodies.

Coffee is composed of a wide assortment of different compounds that all play a role in our body’s metabolism.  The most famous of these compounds is caffeine.  The main effect of caffeine is to increase wakefulness and alertness, which is why we reach for that coffee pot in the morning.  However, caffeine also has been known to cause headaches, dizziness, nervousness, insomnia and irritability.  These effects are, in general, caused by over-consumption of coffee.  As a rule I recommend only drinking one or two cups of coffee in the morning, as drinking coffee later on in the day can affect your sleep cycle and prevent restorative sleep (which, by the way, will lead you to drink MORE coffee!).

Coffee is also packed with antioxidants, which can ward off certain cancers and preserve your body’s tissues.

With all the health benefits of coffee, why is it always linked to problems such as Type II Diabetes, heart disease and stroke?  In my opinion the reason is not the cup of coffee that you drink in the morning, but rather what you put in that cup of coffee and what you eat with it.  Very few among us drink our coffee black, instead we load our java with heavy cream and sugar (ie-your morning “Triple Triple”) or purchase a sugary drink that is loosely based on coffee (ie- Grande Salted Caramel Mocha Latte).  Once we have purchased these sugar bombs, we drink them alongside all manner of empty calorie foods such as doughnuts, scones, biscuits etc.  Many among us also regard our morning coffees as a wonderful time to light up a cigarette as well.

The fact is that coffee is not bad for you at all.  In fact, it is packed full of compounds that can be of great benefit to your body.  The trick is to avoid over-consumption and above all to avoid destroying the health benefits of coffee by stuffing it with sugar and cream (or fat, as it should be called).

One or two cups of coffee in the morning, with some non-fat or skim milk and AT MOST one teaspoon of sugar, can be a welcome and powerful addition to your daily regimen.  Coffee can give you the focus and drive to face the day, especially when combined with a healthy and balanced breakfast, so get out there and enjoy!

Dr. Korey Jay, BSc DC
Photo Credits: reway2007