Caffeine: Friend or Foe??

Is that cup a joe a friend or foe? You hear people say, "Oh I have got to give up caffeine." Somewhere along the line caffeine has become negatively associated with health and wellness. So, how much is too much and are there any health benefits to caffeine?

The answer might surprise you... caffeine is NOT your enemy. In fact, there are documented health benefits to caffeine and in some cases, more is better (that does not include more whipped cream and sugar- that has not been documented as health benefit).

"There have been more than 19,000 studies on caffeine and coffee in the past 30 years in an attempt to determine its exact effects on the human body. One of the most thorough and exhaustive studies was done by Harvard University, in which they examined 126,000 people over an 18-year period. The findings indicate that people who drink one to three cups of coffee a day are up to 9 percent less likely to contract diabetes. What's interesting is what happened to those who drank six or more cups of coffee per day - men slashed their chances of contracting diabetes by 54 percent, and women by 30 percent [source: Kirchheimer].

Other studies have shown similar results in many facets of human health:

• Regular coffee drinkers are 80 percent less likely to develop Parkinson's disease.
• Two cups a day gives you 20 percent less risk of colon cancer.
• Two cups a day causes an 80 percent drop in cirrhosis.
• Two cups a day prevents gallstone development by 50 percent.
• It has also shown to be beneficial in asthma, stopping headaches, boosting mood and even preventing cavities [source: Kirchheimer]."

Of course, if you have underlying health concerns, consult your physician about products that contain caffeine, but the rest of you need not feel guilty about caffeine!