Coffee
beans have yielded surprising discoveries in the anti aging battle.
Green coffee beans offer a host of health benefits without the jittery
effects associated with drinking too much caffeine. And there is new
news on the belief that coffee leaches calcium from the bones.
Green coffee beans have supplied a new player in the antioxidant arena.
An extract of green coffee beans has been found to have a stronger
antioxidant effect than established antioxidants like green tea and
grape seed extract.
The active constituent in coffee that is responsible for its many
health benefits is a compound called chlorogenic acid. It neutralizes
free radicals, and addresses the problem of hydroxyl radicals, both of
which can lead to cellular degeneration if left unchecked. Chlorogenic
acid also helps regulate metabolism. Compared to green tea and grape
seed extract, green coffee bean extract is twice as effective in
absorbing oxygen free radicals.
One of the advantages of using the green coffee bean extract is that
the negative effects of coffee are avoided. The chlorogenic acid is
thought to boost metabolism by changing the way glucose is taken up by
the body. And it does contain caffeic acids, which give a boost to
energy levels like regular coffee does. But unlike boiled coffee, green
coffee bean extract contains no cafestol, which is a diterpene. Along
with its diterpene relative kahweol, cafestol increases concentrations
of the 'bad' cholesterol, LDL, to levels that over a lifetime might
increase the risk of coronary heart disease by as much as 20% These
diterpenes also had an effect on the levels of liver enzymes measured.
When these are elevated it is an indicator of stress on the liver.
However the study that measured this found this was a transient effect,
and also that the levels of liver enzymes were much lower than those
with liver disease.
As a side note on the health effect of the diterpenes found in regular
coffee, it was found that by simply drinking filter coffee, none of
these effects on cholesterol levels or the liver took place. The coffee
filter removed the offending diterpenes. And levels of these diterpenes
in instant coffee are low.
Other benefits of green coffee bean extract include an increase in the
effectiveness of pain killers, especially for migraine medications; a
reduction in the risk of diabetes; and assisting the body burn a higher
proportion of lipids (fats) compared to carbohydrates, which could help
with muscle fatigue for athletes and bodybuilders.
Interestingly, on the subject of caffeine and liver disease, further
studies have indicated it may in fact support liver health for some
people. Those who were at high risk of developing liver disease due to
drinking too much alcohol were found less likely to suffer liver damage
if they drank more than two cups of coffee or tea a day. This was a
population based study, not a clinical trial, and so is not conclusive
on the subject. But it does offer some promising information. Those
drinking in excess of two cups or more a day were half as likely to
develop liver disease compared to those drinking less than one cup a
day. Researchers do not know what caused this protective effect.
One of the criticisms of coffee in regards to health is that it leaches
calcium from the bones. But this effect has been found to be
overemphasized, at least in children. And adults who consume a diet
with sufficient levels of calcium will be protected from the small
amount of calcium that is lost due to coffee consumption.
So the old axiom that caffeine can stunt a child's growth is a myth. It
was based on the fact that in older studies, caffeine was associated
with low bone mass because those studies were done on elderly people
who both drank a lot of coffee and had diets that were low in calcium.
Recent studies in the US followed 80 teenagers over 6 years, and found
no difference in the bone density of those with a high level of
caffeine in their diet, compared to those teenagers who had little
caffeine. Other studies determined that the amount of calcium lost from
bones is small and can be balanced by having sufficient calcium in your
diet.
References: Australian Healthy Food Magazine, January.
http://www.nutraingredients.com/news/ng.asp?n=643516&m=1FSND06&idP=2&c=qgtqmovbyiaxdub
http://www.sciencenews.org/pages/sn_arch/11_30_96/food.htm
