Coffee is Good for You…But it Might Not be the Caffeine

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Good news for coffee drinkers: a review article published in the New England Journal of Medicine concluded that drinking coffee does not increase risk for cardiovascular diseases and cancers, as once thought. In fact, consumption of three to five standard cups of coffee daily has been consistently associated with a reduced risk of several chronic diseases. These effects may not be due to caffeine, however. Coffee contains hundreds of other biologically active phytochemicals that may reduce oxidative stress, improve the gut microbiome, and impact the metabolism of fat and blood sugar.

Any health benefits conferred by drinking coffee are not strong enough to suggest non-coffee drinkers should start. Be aware that unfiltered coffee (such as French press or Turkish coffees) contain a compound called cafestol, which has been shown to increase serum cholesterol levels. Be mindful to minimize the sugar, syrups, and cream often added to that cup of coffee.

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