Coffee has harmful and healthy components.
Mark_Mook_Fotografie / Pixabay – Coffee has harmful and healthy components.

Today, a Los Angeles judge ruled coffee in California needs to be labeled as a potential cause of cancer. In 2010, a lawsuit was brought by the Council for Education and Research on Toxics against coffee roasters, distributors, and retailers. It stated that these groups failed to carry the necessary warning against the chemical acrylamide.

Acrylamide is not added to any of the coffee processes. It is the result of the coffee bean being roasted. Coffee lobbyists claim that the levels of acrylamide are well below toxic levels. And, as a result, this chemical is harmless in coffee.

California’s Proposition 65 states that businesses must give customers a clear and reasonable warning about any ingredient that may affect health. The latest judicial ruling will impose the following label.

 “Chemicals known to the State of California to cause cancer and reproductive toxicity, including acrylamide, are present in coffee, baked goods, and other food or beverages sold here. Acrylamide is not added to our products but results from cooking, such as when coffee beans are roasted, or baked goods are baked. As a result, acrylamide is present in our brewed coffee…”

The Food and Drug Administration is continuing to gather data on this topic. Coffee contains caffeine which is probably the most widely consumed psychoactive substance in the world. Researchers have been studying coffee for years. Sometimes you hear about the health risks due to coffee. Other time you hear about its health benefits.

Coffee consumed an hour before a workout has been shown to improve performance by over ten percent. In addition to caffeine, it contains magnesium and potassium which helps to regulate blood sugar levels and reduce cravings for sugar.

Moderate intake (1 to 6 cups of coffee) of caffeine has been shown to help you focus and stay alert. Some studies show that coffee drinkers live longer than non-coffee drinkers. Coffee contains antioxidants that protect against free radicals. Regular coffee consumption has been shown to reduce the risk of Parkinson’s disease by twenty-five percent.

Many people drink coffee to improve their mood. Coffee has been shown to fight depression and reduce the risk of suicide. All of us are not created equally when it comes to health. Coffee might be a problem if you have high cholesterol. Additionally, if you are caffeine sensitive or pregnant, then coffee should be on your ‘don’t drink’ list.

All processed foods have different levels of impurities. These combined with your immune system and level of health could cause sickness, headaches and other maladies. The worst health condition most people know about is insomnia and restlessness.

Green coffee bean extract has high concentrations of chlorogenic acid – higher than drinking a cup of coffee. Chlorogenic acid has been studied and promotes health through several mechanisms. It helps to regulate blood glucose levels and assists the liver to function properly. For those who do not like the taste or aroma of coffee, then you can gain some of the benefits with a supplement.

It’s interesting how coffee comes into our lives. I spent over thirty-one years in the Navy and never acquired a taste for it. My wife finished months of chemotherapy and picked up the habit. She had never liked the taste before. We all have our preferences.

Everything in moderation is a good rule to follow. A couple or more cups of coffee throughout the day is probably not a health burden. It most likely will help you. Overdosing (six cups or more) might become a problem.

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