The Benefits of Coffee

I would like to declare coffee as the new wonder drug.  As I’ve been wandering around the interweb today I found several articles from reputable news sources that claim coffee is a preventative element for many different types of ailments. This is great news for all us coffee addicts out there!

Coffee prevents oral cancer

The article says “Not smoking and limiting how much alcohol you drink are [also] excellent, proven ways to help prevent oral cancer.”  Excellent!

Coffee prevents memory loss

The article quotes Gary Arendash, a neuroscientist, who says , “Caffeine could be a viable treatment for established Alzheimer’s disease, and not simply a protective strategy. That’s important because caffeine is a safe drug for most people.” So not only does coffee prevent Alzheimer’s disease, but it can also be used to treat it. The article also says that you would have to drink 14 cups of tea to get enough caffeine, but only 2 cups of strong coffee. Take that tea-drinking hippies!

Some of you may be saying, “But drinking coffee is bad for your heart!” No it isn’t.

So what else does coffee do? Oh not much, besides protect your liver, lower death rates and reduce your risk of a stroke.

These articles are just some small anecdotes in the ongoing debate over health benefits of coffee. The same type of round-and-round debate occurs over wine, chocolate, cell phone use, microwaves, etc. The “it’s good for you,” “it’s bad for you,” “it’s good for you”… arguments will make you dizzy if you pay too close attention. It’s always best to indulge in moderation, but at least for now, there’s no need to feel too guilty about that second (or maybe third) cup of joe.