Java lovers, raise your mugs! Researchers have discovered yet another way coffee may be good for your health.
A small study recently reported in the International Journal of Food Microbiology found that healthy adults who drank 3 cups of instant coffee a day experienced an increase in beneficial bacteria in their bellies. This is only preliminary positive news, however, because the researchers now have to move on to the next step, and find out if that burst of friendly bacteria actually improves your health. Researchers also don't know which component of coffee is responsible for the bacteria-boosting effect, so that too will be the focus of future studies. But for coffee drinkers, it's good news nonetheless.
The bacterium itself, Bifidobacterium, a well-known probiotic found in yogurt, is already known to enhance digestion, boost immunity and resistance to infection, and stop the growth of harmful gut bacteria by increasing acidity in the intestine. Probiotics also help prevent yeast infections and "re-colonize" the intestinal tract with good bacteria destroyed by antibiotics.
Coffee, and more specifically, caffeine, have been heavily researched for many years to determine whether there is any link between drinking it and developing high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, cancer, osteoporosis, fertility problems, anxiety, and other medical conditions. The overall conclusion is that, for most people, coffee is perfectly safe to drink in moderate amounts. Without a doubt, you might have to stop drinking coffee, at least temporarily, if you develop heartburn or stomach ulcers and coffee becomes an irritant. But coffee does not cause these conditions, so there is no reason to believe you have to stop drinking as a preventative measure.
As a result of years of effort put into researching caffeine's potentially negative effects, we now know that both caffeinated and decaffeinated coffee actually have beneficial effects on some health conditions. Coffee appears to be protective against Type II or adult-onset diabetes and certain types of dementia. And there's no doubt about caffeine's ability to improve endurance and help keep you alert and attentive. Drinking coffee can help you perform better at work, at sports, and on the road if you drink small amounts, say, 1/2 cup, every hour or so throughout the morning or the day, until you do what you have to do. Of course it works even better in these areas when accompanied by a decent night's sleep.
If you worry about caffeine's drug-like stimulating and mood-enhancing effects, there's good news on that front too. The American Psychiatric Association manual states that caffeine use does not meet the criteria associated with drug abuse for two good reasons: It's not necessary to increase your caffeine dose over time to get the desired effect and caffeine withdrawal, if it occurs, is usually limited to a few headaches and a sense that you're slowing down, which you probably are. Bottom line: Coffee drinking is a habit, but it's not an addictive or destructive drug habit. Some day, we might even call it a healthy habit!
