It’s surprising when something that was once considered questionable
for your health turns out to have health benefits, usually with the
proviso to use it “in moderation.” That happened with chocolate
and alcohol, and now it is coffee’s turn. Study findings from
2004 and 2005 suggest coffee might actually be good for us. However,
coffee hasn’t been completely exonerated.

Coffee contains antioxidants that may offer some cardiovascular protection,
and research is showing that it reduces the likelihood of developing
diabetes, which is itself a major heart disease risk factor. But it also
increases homocysteine levels and may have negative effects on the aorta.
In general, when a risk factor has been carefully studied and the results
flip back and forth like this, it often means that if there is any harm
or benefit, it’s pretty minor.

Here’s some of the mostly good news about coffee:

Blood pressure. True, a cup of coffee can temporarily
kick up your blood pressure. But results from long-term studies are showing
that coffee may not increase the risk for high blood pressure over time,
as previously thought. It’s possible that people develop a tolerance
to coffee’s hypertensive effects after a while.

Cancer. Coffee might have anti-cancer properties. Last
year, researchers found that coffee drinkers were 50% less likely to
get liver cancer than nondrinkers. A few studies have found ties to lower
rates of colon, breast, and rectal cancers. Several studies have shown
that caffeinated and decaffeinated coffee have different health effects
(see chart).

Cholesterol.  Two substances in coffee — kahweol
and cafestol — raise cholesterol levels. Paper filters capture
these substances, but that doesn’t help the many people who now
drink non-filtered coffee drinks, such as lattes. Researchers have also
found a link between cholesterol increases and decaffeinated coffee,
possibly because of the type of bean used to make certain decaffeinated
coffees.

Diabetes. Heavy coffee drinkers may be half as likely
to get diabetes as light drinkers or nondrinkers. Coffee may contain
ingredients that lower blood sugar. A coffee habit may also increase
your resting metabolism rate, which could help keep diabetes at bay.

Gallstones. Coffee drinkers are less likely to suffer
symptomatic gallstone disease, possibly because coffee alters the cholesterol
content of the bile produced by the liver.

Parkinson’s disease. Coffee seems to protect
men but not women against Parkinson’s disease. One possible explanation
for the sex difference may be that estrogen and caffeine need the same
enzymes to be metabolized, and estrogen captures those enzymes.

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