How to drink away obesity, diabetes and heart disease

If you’re like me, one cup of morning coffee is enough. But on cold days, or when my brain just isn’t prepared to focus on work, a second cup is needed.

That morning cup of java may be the only way you can launch yourself into a productive day. But its helpful effects may go even further…

Most of us coffee lovers already know that previous research has pinpointed many beneficial effects of drinking coffee daily, like these…

• In 2010, scientists from the Harvard School of Public Health and the American Cancer Society identified a connection between caffeine consumption and a lowered risk of Parkinson’s disease.
• A 2015 study included coffee on a short list of foods that are protective against non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.
• And much earlier than that, in 2005 and 2007, studies supported the role of coffee consumption in preventing liver cancer.

Now, a report from the Institute for Scientific Information on Coffee (ISIC) reports that drinking four cups of coffee a day may reduce the risk of metabolic syndrome, a cluster of symptoms that include obesity and diabetes and increases the risk of heart disease and stroke.

It’s probably the polyphenols

At the 13th European Nutrition Conference in Dublin, Ireland, Dr. Giuseppe Grosso reviewed his own research on the connection between coffee consumption and metabolic syndrome in Polish and Italian populations.

“While traveling abroad for my research, I realized that the main dietary sources of polyphenols in some European populations were coffee and tea.”

“Thus came the idea to explore whether such beverages have positive or detrimental effects on health, especially coffee, which historically has been depicted in a negative light,” said Dr. Grosso.

Coffee is particularly rich in antioxidants including polyphenols which may prevent cancer, heart disease and type 2 diabetes.

Not a “magic bullet”

While coffee offers some health benefits, it can’t undo the effect of bad health habits.

“Poor diet, smoking, and physical inactivity have a much stronger role on health than coffee alone,” commented Dr. Grosso.

In fact, in some studies, the positive effect of coffee drinking on, say, cancer rates could not be observed when many of the subjects were smokers.

Health habits should be the top priority for anyone who wishes to prevent or reverse metabolic syndrome:

Exercise.  A sedentary lifestyle is a sure ticket to metabolic syndrome. You don’t need to run marathons, but do maintain a regular, daily exercise routine that includes aerobic exercise. Thirty to 60 minutes is ideal. Consult your doctor if you’re just beginning a regular exercise habit.

Diet. Lean proteins, lots of fruits and vegetables, whole grains and low-fat dairy should be the mainstays of your diet. Go easy on the trans fat, cholesterol, salt, and sweets.

Weight loss. Talk to your doctor about a weight loss plan, if this is an issue for you.

Smoking. If you smoke, get help with quitting.

Regular checkups. Metabolic syndrome is silent, so you need to have your blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar checked regularly.

If you do all these things, then those few cups of coffee can only help. If you don’t, no amount of coffee will keep metabolic syndrome away.

Editor’s note: If this health issue really matters for you or a loved one… if you want to discover how to slash you risk of stroke… stop sudden cardiac death — and drop heart disease risk by 400 percent, click here to keep reading!

Sources:

1. Research suggests coffee consumption is associated with reduced risk of metabolic syndrome — EurekAlert!
2. Plasma metabolite biomarkers of boiled and filtered coffee intake and their association with type 2 diabetes risk — Coffee and Health
3. Caffeine and risk of Parkinson disease in a large cohort of men and women — Movement Disorders
4. Oily fish, Coffee and Walnuts: Dietary Treatment for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease — Coffee and Health
5. Association of daily coffee and tea consumption and metabolic syndrome: results from the Polish arm of the HAPIEE study — European Journal of Nutrition