Music Hello and welcome to Amanda's Wellbeing Podcast 5-Minute Food Fact Series.
I'm Amanda Hayes,
Your host and nutritionist with a passion for wellbeing.
I decided to do this series because there is so much conflicting information available about food and various diets.
Some of it is credible and some of it is not.
It can be time consuming,
Not to mention confusing,
To try and sift through the noise and get to the heart of the matter.
In this series I will do all of that for you and present factual,
Reliable information in a concise and easy to understand way.
The content of my 5-Minute Food Fact Series is for information purposes only and it is not a substitute for advice from your own health professional.
Today I am going to talk about one of my favourite subjects,
Coffee.
I will declare my bias upfront.
I love coffee,
I drink it every day,
I take it strong and black and I get very grumpy without it.
Because it's quite interesting I'll just mention a bit about the history of coffee,
Which could be the subject of a book itself and I expect it probably is.
Because legends about the origins of coffee abound I will simply say that it has been around for centuries.
Most historians believe it originated on the Ethiopian plateau.
Coffee made its way to Europe in the 17th century and along with that coffee houses sprang up and became centres of social activity.
In England coffee houses were referred to as penny universities.
For one penny one could purchase a coffee and partake in stimulating conversation.
Throughout history numerous attempts have been made to ban coffee.
My favourite is that of Frederick the Great of Prussia who in 1777 declared beer superior to coffee and argued that coffee interfered with the country's beer consumption.
Beer being the customary breakfast beverage of the time.
Anyway I digress,
This is a nutrition podcast not a history one.
So what is coffee?
Coffee comes from the cherry of the coffee tree.
The two commercial species of coffee are Arabica and Robusta.
Arabica,
Originating in Ethiopia,
Accounts for about 70% of the world's production.
Robusta,
Primarily used in blends and in instant coffee,
Has 50-60% more caffeine than Arabica.
Coffee naturally contains several compounds including caffeine,
Antioxidants and diterpenes.
I'll address caffeine in a minute but just quickly.
Antioxidants are compounds in food that scavenge and neutralise free radicals.
They are harmful molecules that can damage your cells.
Diterpenes are contained in the oil of coffee and high consumption has been linked to increased serum cholesterol.
But it depends on how the coffee is brewed.
On the contrary,
Some studies suggest that diterpenes may have a protective role against cancer but more research is needed in this area.
Black coffee contains a number of micronutrients,
Notably potassium,
Magnesium and niacin,
Associated with the healthy functioning of nerves and muscles,
Plus it is low in sodium.
So caffeine is the stimulant contained in coffee.
Caffeine is technically a drug because it stimulates the central nervous system by triggering the release of adrenaline,
Giving you that coffee buzz,
And it is psychoactive,
Meaning that it affects how we think and feel.
It increases the release of dopamine,
Accounting for your improved mood after a coffee.
A typical cup of coffee contains 75 to 100mg of caffeine.
If you're not pregnant,
A habitual intake of up to 400mg a day should not pose any safety concerns.
When you drink coffee,
These are some of the things that it can do.
It can improve your attention and alertness.
It's a bronchodilator,
Which means it may be used in asthma treatment,
And it increases glucose metabolism by improving the insulin sensitivity in muscles,
And that is why I think many runners or endurance athletes are partial to coffee,
And some even take caffeine on board during a race or training set.
So what are some of the benefits and risks of coffee consumption?
Numerous scientific studies published in reputable peer-reviewed journals have reported the following benefits of habitual coffee consumption.
Reduced risk of Parkinson's disease and type 2 diabetes.
It is associated with a lower risk of colorectal cancer and stroke in women.
It reduces the likelihood of developing dementia.
Coffee consumption in general is inversely associated with mortality,
And a study in Japan found that green tea and coffee consumption are inversely associated with the risk of cardiovascular disease and stroke.
So that's pretty good.
And just before I move on to any potential risks,
I'd just like to clear up some myths about coffee causing dehydration.
Black coffee contains in excess of 95% water,
And according to research,
When consumed in moderation,
It does not lead to dehydration.
There may be a mild short-term diuretic effect from the caffeine,
But this is not strong enough to outweigh the benefits of the fluid intake from the coffee consumption.
So are there any risks associated with coffee consumption?
One does develop a tolerance for coffee over time,
And withdrawal from it can cause a headache,
Tiredness,
And mood changes.
However,
Unlike many other drugs,
The addiction can be broken in 7 to 12 days.
Some people have a specific gene variant that makes them metabolise coffee slowly.
These poor souls can feel jittery or dizzy when they consume coffee and have an increased risk of heart attack if they consume more than two coffees per day.
It is recommended that coffee consumption be limited during pregnancy as the rate of elimination of caffeine from the body decreases and caffeine freely crosses the placenta.
Very high maternal intake can increase the risk of spontaneous abortion.
Another grave risk is that if you're drinking coffee in a café,
You're very likely to encounter groups of mammals,
That is,
Middle-aged men in Lycra,
And whilst this is not life-threatening,
It can be quite confronting.
Overall,
Research shows that coffee in moderation,
That is,
No more than four cups a day,
Is associated with health benefits.
The exceptions to this is if you're pregnant or if you're a slow coffee metaboliser,
And you would probably know that or be aware of that because coffee would be likely to make you feel jittery or a little bit agitated.
Personally,
Another thing I really like about coffee is that it's a social connector.
Meeting for coffee is a very popular way to catch up with friends,
And we know that social interaction is good for your mental health.
So that's coffee.
Thank you for tuning in to Amanda's Wellbeing Podcast.
Eat well,
Move well,
Think well.
