Singing the praises of coffee

Around 1732, German composer Johann Sebastian Bach wrote a musical piece called “The Coffee Cantata” in honor of the buzzy beverage: “Ah! how sweet coffee tastes! Lovelier than a thousand kisses, smoother than muscatel wine. Coffee, I must have coffee and if anyone wants to give me a treat, ah! Just give me some coffee!”

Despite his passion for java, Bach couldn’t have known what recent research has revealed about this beautiful bean. It’s a potent source of polyphenols that stimulate increases in intracellular antioxidants that fight off inflammation and potentially fatal chronic diseases. Coffee consumption has also been linked to lowering the risk of Type 2 diabetes, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease, and cancer of the head, neck, mouth, prostate, endometrium and liver. And now a new study, published in JAMA Oncology, finds that regular coffee consumption may reduce the risk of colorectal cancer progression and death in folks with advanced forms of that disease.

The study involved 1,171 patients with advanced and metastatic colorectal cancer and found those who consumed two to three cups daily had a better survival outcome than those who didn’t drink coffee. While more research is needed to understand why this beneficial association happens, it’s clear you can enjoy coffee if you have a history of colon cancer.

Remember, drinking coffee won’t undo the damage you do to yourself with unhealthy food and drink choices. But if you have a healthful diet, the research does show you can emulate Bach’s enthusiasm for a cuppa Joe and get many benefits.

Mehmet Oz, M.D. is host of “The Dr. Oz Show,” and Mike Roizen, M.D. is Chief Wellness Officer and Chair of Wellness Institute at Cleveland Clinic. To live your healthiest, tune into “The Dr. Oz Show” or visit www.sharecare.com.