Coffee: Health Hero or Villain? It all Depends

One of our great local coffee roasters, Sommo Coffees, provided this information to help de-mystify the coffee debate.

What are we to believe?

Current research has revealed impressive and astonishing health benefits and uncovered what and when coffee is healthy or not.

Research Results

In 2005 we learned coffee helps the Digestive System, Central Nervous System, Cognitive performance, Muscle Movement and is full of antioxidants, on the level of a super fruit! One cup of coffee has more antioxidants than a whole pomegranate, cup of blueberries, cup of broccoli and 4 times that of green tea. Later it was revealed that coffee antioxidants, in particular, bolster the immune system, slows the aging process, and plays a significant role in protecting the cell walls against destructive factors. In 2009 new research based on long term studies and analysis found coffee:

• cut risk of Type 2 Diabetes by 25-30% (18 studies, covering 500,000 people)
• Lowers risk of Alzheimer’s disease by 65%, similar effects of lowering risk of Parkinson disease and MS
• Custs risk of stroke by 43%
• Lessons risk and protects against many cancers by 60%: prostate, breast, colon, mouth and throat, esophageal, endometrial, and liver
• Improve memory lost (the older, the more improvement)

In 2011, Dr. Ori Hofmekler research revealed that coffee has remarkable neuroprotective properties and triggers the growth factor called Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDF), which activates stem cells to convert into new neurons and rebuild tissue. BDF has similar effects in muscles by supporting the neromotor and keeping muscle tissue young.

What Coffee is Healthy?

Coffee is a food, and like all foods, it’s nutrional health value and flavors depends on its freshness, how it’s grown and prepared. Coffee goes bad, rancid in fact after 12 weeks of being roasted. You can detect the quality of the coffee by taste and smell. Fresh coffee is smooth and flavorful. Rancid coffee is harsh, stale and useless. Current medical research serge on coffee backs this up. Accordingly, selecting qualtiy cofee is key to gaining its nutrient values and enjoyment. Research recommends you choose quality cofee that is fresh picked and fresh roasted, grown in rich soil responsisbly without pesticides or chemicals- Organic, roasted medium to dark brown, not charred, brewed (French Press or Espresso) without filters, which absorbs the healthy oils. Do not buy ground cofee but whole beans. Coffee goes bad quickly. Its also important to drink your coffee without sugar. Store coffee in air-tight containers – never in the refrigerator or freezer.