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Author Topic:   On the coffee debate
trillian
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Posts: 3622
From: The Boundless
Registered: Mar 2003

posted September 16, 2005 09:26 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for trillian     Edit/Delete Message
Lots of folks here are fans of Dr. Mercola, so I pass this along from his latest newsletter. It's his response on the recent story about Americans getting most of their antioxidants from coffee:

quote:
Dr. Mercola's Comment:


I have drank a total of less than four ounces of coffee in my entire life. It is not like I am a dietary saint, it is just that I have never enjoyed the taste and have more than enough energy than I could possibly ever use, so I have no need for any stimulants.

Being a "coffee virgin," I was somewhat surprised that people are getting most of their antioxidants from coffee. I was oblivous to the massive quantities of the stuff that many Americans drink. But it appears that the average person in this country has more than SEVEN pounds of coffee per year.

Although coffee may have some health benefits, drinking coffee does have some well-documented problems. For example, it can interfere with your body's ability to keep homocysteine and cholesterol levels in check, most likely by inhibiting the action of the vitamins folate, B12 and B6. Coffee has also been associated with an increased risk of stroke and rheumatoid arthritis.

Also, it is vital to recognize that coffee, like alcohol, should be absolutely avoided during pregnancy, as it has been clearly linked to spontaneous abortions.

There is also a danger from drinking most decaffeinated coffees, as most of the decaf processes introduce additional chemicals that may be more harmful than the caffeine that they remove. It is likely that all of us would be wise to severely limit its use.

For more information on practial uses of coffee, please review the first related article "Coffee: How Bad is it Really?" below.

Given that the study shows that fruits like dates are actually a more concentrated antioxidant source anyway, I urge you to save the money you'd planned to spend on those extra decaf mochas, and start adding better, more natural sources of antioxidants, like the ones below:

Nuts (pecans, walnuts, hazelnuts)
Spices (ground cloves or cinnamon and oregano)
Vegetables (artichokes)
High-fiber, low-sugar fruits (blueberries, cranberries and blackberries)



Related Articles:


Coffee: How Bad is it Really?

The Truth About Caffeine (Especially During Pregnancy)

Coffee Can Raise Cholesterol



Also, please note:

quote:
Antioxidants are associated with many health benefits, including protection against heart disease and cancer. High antioxidant levels in foods, however, don't always mean high antioxidant levels found in the body, which depends on how the foods are absorbed, a process that is still not well understood.

Dates are Actually a More Concentrated Source

While coffee provided the most dietary antioxidants for Americans based on frequency of consumption, dates actually proved to have the most antioxidants per serving. However, dates are not consumed in anywhere near the same quantities as coffee.


------------------
The less I seek my source for some definitive, the closer I am to fine. -Indigo Girls

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Hedgewitch
Knowflake

Posts: 230
From:
Registered: Jul 2005

posted September 16, 2005 11:18 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Hedgewitch     Edit/Delete Message
hi trillian ~

thanks for that!

i have to confess my current indulgence in designer coffee drinks...

but omg...i love dates even more...medjool dates to be specific....

up there with avocados as the perfect food.
(my two mainstays as fruitarian )

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thirteen
Knowflake

Posts: 458
From: Rochester Hills, MI USA
Registered: May 2004

posted September 16, 2005 01:34 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for thirteen     Edit/Delete Message
I was proud to be drinking less coffee!! Seems to me you can skew anything to show what you want it to. When I read about coffee it just didn't sit right with my sELF.

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solstice42
Knowflake

Posts: 13
From:
Registered: Aug 2005

posted September 26, 2005 10:21 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for solstice42     Edit/Delete Message
Mmmm, coffee. It doesn't always agree with me, but I cannot envision giving it up.

I *have* given up BAD coffee and coffee-on-the-run, but good coffee enjoyed at leisure? It's such a beautiful time-out from life. The smell, the feeling of my hands wrapped around the warm mug, the taste... well, can you tell I like coffee?

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