Kona Coffee reduces Strokes
New studies continue to demonstrate the health benefits of coffee. Recent headlines and reports in leading medical journals (1,2) have shown that coffee drinkers may reduce their possibility of having a STROKE by 27%.
That’s according to two studies presented on Feb 19, 2009 at the American Stroke Association’s International Stroke Conference 2009, in San Diego.
Researchers attribute the benefits to the chlorogenic and caffeic acids, the strong antioxidants that are formed during the coffee roasting process (and which give coffee its color, aroma, and flavor).
The antioxidants have been proven healthful in a multitude of studies examining cancer, degenerative diseases including Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and cardiovascular disease. In the blood vessels, antioxidants reduce damage to the cells lining the blood vessels, including that done by LDL cholesterol, and smoking.
A reduction of 27% in the incidence of strokes, in a population that consumes up to 30% of its fluids, as coffee, is a very important public health benefit.
The researchers have found these health benefits to not be related to the caffeine in the coffee. Decaffinated coffee was of equal benefit to regular coffee.
However, adding milk or dairy products was found to cancel the benefits. It is believed that the antioxidants become bound and inactive by the dairy products.
(People who find coffee too “acidic” for them, requiring milk to buffer the bitter aftertaste, are advised to buy Cup O’ Kona, 100% Kona Coffee, which is silky smooth without that awful aftertaste).
It was also found that the amount of coffee consumed affected the antioxidant benefits, with better results being found in people who drank 3 or 4 cups per day, when compared to people who drank 1 to 2 cups per day.
References:
1. Coffee and Tea Consumption and Risk of Stroke Subtypes in Male Smokers
Susanna C. Larsson, PhD; Satu Männistö, PhD; Mikko J. Virtanen, MSc; Jukka Kontto, MSc; Demetrius Albanes, MD Jarmo Virtamo, MD
(Stroke. 2008;39:1681.)
© 2008 American Heart Association, Inc
2. Coffee Consumption and Risk of Stroke in Women
Esther Lopez-Garcia, PhD; Fernando Rodriguez-Artalejo, MD, PhD; Kathryn M. Rexrode, MD, MPH; Giancarlo Logroscino, MD, PhD; Frank B. Hu, MD, PhD; Rob M. van Dam, PhD
Circulation. 2009;119:1116-1123.)
© 2009 American Heart Association, Inc
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