The Truth Behind Coffee Myths
The following article was written by Heinen’s Chief Dietitian, Melanie Jatsek RD, LD.
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A vice is defined as any trivial fault or failing, act of self-indulgence, etc. We often use this term to describe our self-proclaimed “bad” food choices, like potato chips, pizza, chocolate, cheese, and my personal “vice”, coffee.
You could imagine my surprise and subsequent delight when I learned that coffee has benefits above and beyond being a stimulant and mood-booster.
5 Health Benefits of Coffee
If you share in my love of—and if I’m being honest, dependence on—coffee, then get ready to join me in a happy dance as you discover these five rejuvenating benefits of this beloved brew.
- Coffee packs an antioxidant punch: One of the leading antioxidants in the American diet, coffee contains more than a thousand bioactive compounds. The polyphenol chlorogenic acid is the most abundant antioxidant in coffee beans. The type of roast matters too! Dark roast may wipe out nearly 90 percent of the chlorogenic acid in the beans, so if you want the most bang for your antioxidant buck, choose medium or light roast.
- Coffee stimulates autophagy: Autophagy is your body’s internal recycling system, a metabolic process that removes damaged or dysfunctional parts of cells in order to regenerate healthier cells and maintain homeostasis/stability. There’s some good news for decaf drinkers, as the autophagy-promoting properties of coffee appear to be independent of the caffeine content.
- Coffee lessens liver disease: Drinking two or more cups of coffee a day appears to protect against the progression of almost all forms of liver disease, including fibrosis, cirrhosis, liver cancer, and fatty liver disease.
- Coffee supports protection against several diseases: Coffee intake is associated with a lower risk of kidney disease, along with reduced risk of gout, type 2 diabetes, skin cancer, and Parkinson’s disease. Decaf was also associated with a range of health benefits.
- Coffee increases strength and stamina: Epidemiological studies (a study of how often diseases occur in different groups of people and why) have tied greater coffee drinking with higher physical performance and a greater muscle mass index, less functional disability at two or more cups a day, and less sarcopenia (muscle loss) at three or more daily cups.
Fx-Approved Coffee at Heinen’s
Some of my favorite Fx-Approved light and medium roast coffees at Heinen’s include:
- Equal Exchange Organic Breakfast Blend or Guatemalan Blend
- Bent Tree Organic Breakfast Blend
- North Coast Coffee Cleveland Blend
- Four Sigmatic Organic Gut Health Coffee (with mushroom extracts and probiotics)
- Intelligentsia Organic House Blend
What You Add to Coffee Matters
Adding dairy milk or creamer may block the absorption of chlorogenic acid in your digestive tract. Drink it black or stick with plant-based milk like unsweetened soy, almond, cashew, or walnut milk. Malk almond milk creamer and Nutpods coconut creamer are two Fx-approved options you can feel good about stirring into your morning brew!
Also, it goes without saying that sugar detracts from the benefits of coffee, so leave it out if you can.
For a flavor kick and antioxidant lift, I like to sprinkle a little ground cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, or nutmeg into my coffee grounds before brewing.
Potential Downsides of Coffee
Because coffee is a stimulant, you might not want to drink too much of it if you have trouble sleeping. It could also be helpful to consider a noon cut-off just to be safe.
In addition to sleep disturbances, certain conditions may not play nicely with coffee, including:
- Glaucoma or even a family history of it: caffeine can temporarily increase intraocular pressure
- Acid reflux disease: caffeine and chlorogenic acid can be triggers for reflux
- Pregnancy
It’s always best to check with your healthcare provider to make sure.
Key Takeaway
It doesn’t happen often, but occasionally, a vice turns out to be a virtue. Today is that day! So, grab your favorite mug and rejoice in your love of coffee.
