CHICAGO, Jan. 22 Moderate drinking of coffee is being shown to have generally positive and protective effects on the emergence of disease conditions, say U.S. researchers.Food Technology reports that recent studies of coffee in combination with reviews of research gathered over the past 30 years reveal that consumption improves glucose regulation and lowers the risk of developing type 2 diabetes, among other favorable effects.Many negative health myths about coffee drinking may now be transformed into validated health benefits, says Roger A. Clemens, a functional food expert with the Institute of Food Technologists and nutritional biochemist. Scientific evidence now suggests that moderate coffee consumption -- 3 to 5 cups a day -- may be associated with reduced risks of certain disease conditions.Another area of coffee's positive affect on the body is its possible cancer-protective properties, possibly due to its naturally occurring and brewing-produced antioxidants, according to Clemens.Some research strongly links coffee's properties to protect blood vessels from dilating as one possible mechanism that brain cells use to defend against Parkinson's disease. One cup of coffee a day may as much as halve the risk of developing this disease, the article states.Copyright 2007 by UPI
