coffee? coff ?

Who’s for We down 70 million cups every day in the UK! But is it good for us?

Latte, cappuccino, espresso, Americano...we love the taste, we adore the aroma and it picks us up when we’re flagging but what – if any – are its health benefits?

Downside

Coffee gets bad press as the caffeine blocks sleepy signals to our brain. This makes us alert but can cause insomnia. Other effects are: l Anxiety l Irritability l Restlessness l Fast heartbeat l Upset stomach l May lower the birth weight of babies in pregnancy l Withdrawal symptoms like headaches if you abstain

Upside

Now the good news! Trials show that coffee can improve memory, mood and energy. It’s loaded with nutrients and antioxidants that boost your health. Polyphenol, a natural chemical in coffee, may: l Decrease blood pressure,

reducing the risk of heart attack or stroke l Increase blood supply to the brain, possibly giving some protection against dementia l Reduce risk of type 2 diabetes by 50 per cent. Harvard Medical School found drinking decaffeinated had the same or even better effect l Lower the risk of bowel cancer by 26 per cent l Protect against liver, throat and mouth cancer l Lower the risk of Parkinson’s disease and even improve symptoms – found by a Canadian study

Limit your intake…

Can you gain the benefits without the bad effects? It’s probably safe for the average adult to have no more than 400mg of caffeine a day, and if pregnant, 200mg.