Back in September, we reviewed one of the myriad of superfood lists, noting it identified coffee as a superfood. (My sister is skeptical of this list because it included coconut oil, but not olive oil.) How great is that? But how did coffee end up on the list, especially with respect to Alzheimer's disease?
Probably this 2002 study from Portugal. It evaluated the caffeine consumption of 54 patients with probable Alzheimer's disease, matched with a control group of the same number of subjects. It found "Caffeine intake was associated with a significantly lower risk for AD, independently of other possible confounding variables. These results, if confirmed with future prospective studies, may have a major impact on the prevention of AD."
According to this article or originating in Inverse, there are other reasons to consider coffee a net plus for health benefits. It cites:
- Decreased risk of heart disease
- Reduce risk of colorectal cancer
- Protection of the liver
One problem for some of us who must limit coffee intake for other reasons: the real benefits don't appear to kick in until four cups per day. Maybe when I was younger, but no now. As I got into my early 60s, I cut back when it began to interfere with my sleep. In the past year I've had to cut back because, according to my urologist, some of the acids were irritating my bladder and causing me to awaken repeatedly throughout the night. So now I'm down to 1/2 cup (6 oz.) per day.
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