Is coffee good for you?
I had this thought again today while I was out & about running errands in the snow. (I am SUPER happy to see snow again, by the way, in spite of it being messy and cold. We need the precipitation to have a nice green spring & summer!) All I could think about was I wanted to try an experiment, and make my own homemade version of a café au lait. It worked (decaf, orange chocolate coffee and hot milk), it was delicious, and it was an excellent thing to warm up with after time spent running around in the cold and snow.
Other than as a comforting hot beverage, I wondered if coffee is good for me. So of course I did some research… :)
Coffee might – note I said MIGHT – help prevent type 2 diabetes, counter some of the risk factors for heart attacks or strokes, and decrease the chances of developing Parkinson’s. Caffeine, it must be noted, does increase blood pressure, which is not always helpful, so decaf coffee might be best if you’re trying to drink the 7 or 8 cups per day that one of the studies showed decreased chances of diabetes. (Seven or eight?!)
And, of course, all of those delicious additions to your coffee will probably largely negate the health benefits. So maybe it’s time to skip the triple-shot, non-fat, no-whip, caramel macchiato, and stick to a lovely cup of black coffee. At least on a daily basis, that is! A caramel & coconut breve occasionally is a delightful treat!
Cheers! Here’s to your health!