WASHINGTON: Health food advocates who have been discouraging people from drinking coffee may have to rethink their diet philosophy. A recent study by researchers of the University of Scranton has provided evidence that coffee provides more oxidants to Americans than any other food or beverage.
Antioxidants are compounds of vitamins and minerals that neutralize the harmful effects of toxins that accumulate in the body and thus help cut the risk of heart disease, cancer and lesser diseases. They also prevent oxidation which destroys cells leading to faster wear and tear of the body and aging. Antioxidants thus make one’s body more immune to disease.
In the recently concluded study the researchers had measured and analyzed the antioxidant content in over 100 different food items – fruits, vegetables, nuts, beverages, etc. that commonly feature in the average American’s list of food items and beverages. The Scranton Univ. chemists had also tracked antioxidants hidden in sugar molecules, which were added to the antioxidant content of coffee.
The researchers then compared their findings to U.S. government data on food consumption. The comparison proved beyond doubt that coffee was the main source of antioxidants for Americans providing more antioxidants than any other food or beverage. Over 50 percent of Americans drink coffee every day and a very large percentage of these consume no less than three cups a day.
Coffee is, without a doubt, the most popular beverage in the country. Second on the list of popularity is black tea but it hardly compares to coffee which provides four times the antioxidants that tea does. The antioxidant data on coffee was then compared with figures provided by the U.S. Department of Agriculture to determine the per capita consumption on each food.
Among foods, the top three items were bananas, dry beans and corn. Extensive research on food items and beverages has earlier established that fruits such as red grapes, dates and cranberries and many vegetables provide high amounts of fiber and antioxidants. These food items aren’t very popular in the U.S. In any case, Americans are not eating enough fruits and vegetables and coffee could be compensating for the deficiency.
The chemists however cautioned that high levels of antioxidant do not necessarily mean a person consuming coffee gets the full benefit. A lot depends on the person’s metabolism, digestive system and how well it can break down the beverage into vitamins, minerals, trace elements and other nutrients. Medical science has yet to fully understand this process.
The study was partially funded by the American Cocoa Research Institute.
