A
recent paper, published in the British Medical Journal (BMJ), looked at over
200 studies on coffee drinking and health outcomes. The work was done at the University of Southampton (England)
and the University of Edinburgh.
Researchers reviewed over 200 observational studies across many
countries. Drinking coffee was
consistently associated with a lower risk of death from all causes and from
heart disease, with the largest reductions at 3 cups a day, compared with
non-coffee drinkers. Drinking more
than 3 cups daily was not associated with harm, but the beneficial effect was
less pronounced. There was less evidence for the positive aspects of decaf
coffee, but it had similar benefits for a number of outcomes. Some but not all of the studies
corrected for factors that may be associated with coffee drinking, such as
smoking, that may influence health outcomes.
Coffee was also associated with a lower risk of
several cancers, including prostate, endometrial (uterine), skin and liver
cancer, as well as type 2 Diabetes, gallstones, gout and cirrhosis of the
liver. Finally, there seemed to be beneficial associations between coffee use
and Parkinson’s disease, depression and Alzheimer’s.
The authors concluded that coffee drinking seems
safe within usual patterns of use, except during pregnancy and in women with
increased risk of fracture. They
also wrote that there is substantial uncertainty about the effects of higher
levels of intake. It may be a
trigger for rapid or irregular heartbeat in some people. Additionally – coffee is often consumed
with sugars and unhealthy fats which
may not be beneficial.
The warnings about coffee during pregnancy are
based on an English and Swedish study showing that caffeine use may be
associated with lower birth weight babies and an increased risk of
miscarriage. Caffeine
from coffee, tea, chocolate , soft drinks and some medicines should be
counted. The authors suggest
limiting caffeine use - a cup of
coffee contains about 100 mg of caffeine, while tea may have half that
amount. It may be prudent not to
exceed one cup a day in pregnancy.
Avoid colas, whether sweetened with sugars or chemicals. In addition do
not smoke during pregnancy and limit alcohol use to one small glass of wine
once a week. It is best to avoid
alcohol completely, since studies on minimal amounts have not been done. Binge drinking is associated with
serious harm to the fetus.
Warnings against caffeine use in post-menopausal
women come from a few studies looking at osteoporotic fractures and diet. A 2001 study from Creighton University showed
that a caffeine intake of more than 300 mg daily was associated with decreased
bone density of the spine in women with a particular genotype influencing vitamin
D receptors. There is
currently no test for this problematic vitamin D receptor. The authors suggest that postmenopausal women at risk of
osteoporosis decrease caffeine intake (no more than 3 cups daily) and use
vitamin D supplements.
Ways
to Avoid Overeating during the Holidays!
*Include lean protein sources at every meal –
such as chicken (minimal skin), beans and fish. Protein triggers a hormone that signals the brain to slow
down emptying of the stomach. This
hormone also acts to decrease the
hunger promoting hormone called ghrelin.
*Choose minimally processed, high fiber
carbohydrates, such as whole grains and vegetables. You will feel full more
quickly, and help your microbiome!
*Chew your food thoroughly, don’t gulp! Eating more slowly allows you to know
when you’ve had enough.
*Get enough sleep. Inadequate sleep is
associated with increased levels of hunger and weight gain.
Sadja
Greenwood, MD, MPH
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