Jim asked: I’m interested to know what the latest health and nutrition research into coffee is.  I’ve read so many mixed reports.  Is it good or bad for you?  How many cups should I have a day?  Is it better to have decaff?

Answer…

When looking at research it’s always helpful to know who asked the question, all the positive research I’ve found about coffee drinking (there may be others I’ve missed which I’d certainly be interested in reading) has come from Vanderbilt University Institute of Coffee Studies.

This organisation states quite clearly on the home page of their website that their job is to look for benefits of coffee.  They are funded by coffee producing countries and grants from the corporate sector including such companies as Nestle and Starbucks.  Their website is www.vanderbilt.edu/ics/ if you want to find a reason to keep drinking the coffee!

On the flip side most independent research finds the exact opposite.  Research published in the American Journal of Psychiatry studied 1500 psychology students and found that moderate and high consumers of coffee were found to have higher levels of anxiety and depression than abstainers, and that the highest consumers had the greatest incidence of stress related medical problems, as well as lower academic performance.  A number of studies have shown that the ability to remember lists of words is made worse by caffeine so drinking coffee before work is likely to cause a poorer start to the day than otherwise.

Coffee makes you feel more energised and alert in the morning which is why most people get hooked on it. But does it really?  Dr Peter Rogers of Bristol University wondered if caffeine really did energise or whether it simply relieved the symptoms of withdrawal. When he did his research he found that coffee drinkers after drinking coffee don’t feel any better than non coffee drinkers they simply feel better than after they’ve woken up.

Decaffeinated coffee is not caffeine free and unless it is organic you are also subjecting your body to the chemicals used to leach the caffeine from the beans.

Caffeine is an addictive drug that can cause physical withdrawal symptoms for a few days if you stop suddenly.  However, drinking water can relieve this but if symptoms are particularly bad then a few drops under the tongue can relieve the symptoms without subjecting your digestive system to any negative effects.

How much, if any, to drink comes down to personal choice.  My recommendation generally, particularly in those with health issues, is to cut right down and maybe have the occasional cup as a treat after a meal out rather than a daily fix and to make sure they “pay” for it by drinking extra water. Personally I prefer any food substance to as least “mucked about” with as possible but if you do go for decaffeinated ensure it is organic.

Carole Batchelor has diplomas in Holistic Nutritional Therapy and Allergy Intolerance Therapy and  is qualified to Diagnostix level in Callahan Techniques Thought Field Therapy.  She is also a Grief Recovery Specialist.

Ask Carole about: Food Intolerance, Thought Field Therapy, Bloating, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Fatigue, Gall Bladder Problems, Grief, Anxiety, Stress.

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Tags: detox, health, wellbeing