When consumed in simple form, the way they’ve been sipped by humans for centuries, coffee can hydrate your body and offer the added bonus of plant-powered health protection. Coffee, the stimulating beverage once frowned on by health experts, is starting to enjoy some perks, due to a growing body of research demonstrating its potential health benefits.
Legend has it that coffee beans were first discovered by a goatherd who noticed that his goats become high-spirited after eating a particular berry from a tree that grew in the Ethiopian highlands. Soon after, the locals discovered that a brew made from these berries helped them to stay alert. By the fifteenth century coffee—from the genus Coffea, which includes more than 6,000 different species—was actively cultivated and traded within the Arabian Peninsula, quickly installing itself as an important feature in social traditions. Even back then, this energizing drink had a way of bringing people together in homes and coffee houses, to share thought-provoking conversation, music, and literature over a rich, steaming cup. AS coffee traveled to Europe it received a similar reception, finding a special place in public life and discourse. Coffee seeds were transported around the globe by travelers, traders, and missionaries to be cultivated in plantations, solidifying coffee’s place as one of the most beloved beverages in the world.
Not that long ago, coffee faced undue criticism because it was thought to be too “exciting” for good heart and gastrointestinal health. Since then, hundreds of mostly positive health studies have been published investigating coffee’s potential benefits for a variety of health conditions. Some of these benefits may be due to the coffee bean’s high antioxidant status: Scientists have identified more than 1,000 volatile compounds in coffee beans, which appear to have antioxidant properties. In fact, according to research, coffee is one of the leading sources of antioxidants in the US diet.
Scientists have investigated many potential coffee benefits, including the prevention of ailments ranging from gallstones to cavities, as well as reduced early mortality risk. However, a few key benefits seem to show the most promise:
• Power up mental and physical performance. It’s evident that coffee can help you stay alert, focused, and energized. Studies show that it can enhance concentration, lower fatigue, increase alertness, and improve performance and endurance during both prolonged, exhaustive activity and short-term, high-intensity exercise. Regular coffee consumption may also protect the brain. Several studies show a protection against Parkinson’s disease, and a ten-year study found a 20 percent lower risk of depression among coffee drinkers.
• Fight type 2 diabetes. Coffee may lower your risk for type 2 diabetes because it appears to offer significant metabolic benefits, such as lowering insulin resistance and slowing the absorption of carbohydrates in the intestines. Studies show that drinking three to four cups per day may reduce your risk of developing diabetes by 25 percent.
• Protect your liver. Some studies show that coffee can protect your liver. Coffee drinkers tend to have lower risks of abnormal liver function, cirrhosis, and liver cancer.
• Guard against colon cancer. That daily cup (or two or three) of Joe may even protect you against colon cancer; regular consumption has been linked with protecting smokers from advanced colon cancer and lowering women’s risk for colon cancer by half. However, not all studies have found this benefit.
To be sure, more scientific investigation is needed before we can know for sure whether coffee can really offer protection from these conditions. But it certainly seems like there’s no need to worry about sitting back, relaxing, and enjoying this fragrant, plant-based brew. It is important to note that, although coffee itself is an antioxidant-rich, plant-powered beverage, its positive elements can be negated by mixing in indulgent creams, sugars, toppings and syrups that can prompt you to pack on the pounds. One of the bonuses of enjoying coffee is that it can be a naturally calorie-free replacement for sugary beverages in your diet. Have your java black or with a small serving of plant-based milk to enjoy it at it’s finest.
Skip coffee shop frozen coffee concoctions—save money and calories by making your own plant-powered iced coffee, with the sweet, nutty taste of hazelnuts. And reap the rewards of coffee consumption—better performance and glucose control—with this wholesome, plant-powered beverage, done right.
Ingredients
Scale
½ cup brewed espresso
10 ice cubes
1 cup unsweetened hazelnut milk
1 teaspoon agave nectar
3 tablespoons hazelnuts
Pinch of allspice
Pinch of cocoa powder
Instructions
Combine the espresso, ice cubes, milk, agave, and hazelnuts in a blender. Process for 1 to 2 minutes, until the contents are very smooth. The nuts require extra processing for smoothness.
Pour into two mugs and sprinkle with a pinch of allspice and cocoa powder.
Notes
*Variation: Substitute almond milk and almonds for the hazelnut milk and hazelnuts.
*Recipe is from Plant-Powered for Life by Sharon Palmer, RDN
Nutrition
Serving Size:1 1/3 cups
References:
1. Kwant-Geun Lee and Takayuki Shibamoto, “Analysis of Volatile Components Isolated from Hawaiian Green Coffee Beans (Coffea Arabica L.),” Flavour and Fragrance Journal 17, no. 5 (2002): 349-51.
2. Claudine Manach, Augustin Scalbert, Christine Morand, Christian Remesy, and Liliana Jimenez, “Polyphenols: Food Sources and Bioavailability,” American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 79, no. 5 (2004): 727-27.
3. Brian Keisler and Thomas Armsey, II, “Caffeine As an Ergogenic Aid,” Current Sports Medicine Reports 5, no. 4 (2006): 215-19. T.A. Astorino and D. W. Toberson, “Efficacy of Acute Caffeine Ingestion for Short-Term High-Intensity Exercise Performance: A Systematic Review.” Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research 24, no. 1 (2010): 257-65.
4. J.L. Gongora-Alfaro, “Caffeine as a Preventive Drug for Parkinson’s Disease: Epidemiologic Evidence and Experimental Support.” Revista de Neurologia 50, no. 4 (2010): 221-29.
5. M. Lucas, F. Mirzaei, A. Pan, O. I. Okereke, W. C. Willett, E. J. O’Reilly, K. Koenen, and A. Ascherio, “Coffee, Caffeine, and Risk of Depression among Women,” Archives of Internal Medicine 171, no. 17 (2011): 1571.
6. Rachel Huxley, Crystal Man Ying Lee, Federica Barzi, Leif Timmermeister, Sebastien Czernichow, Vlado Perkovic, Diederick E. Grobbee, David Batty, and Mark Woodward, “Coffee, Decaffeinated Coffee, and Tea Consumption in Relation to Incident Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Systematic Review with Meta-analysis,” Archives of Internal Medicine 169, no. 2 (2009): 2053-63.
7. Gail Susana Masterton and Peter Hayes, “Coffee and the Liver: A Potential Treatment for Liver Disease?” European Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology 22, no. 11 (2010): 1277-83. F. Bravi, C. Bosetti, A. Tavani, V. Bagnardi, S. Gallus, E. Negri, S. Franceschi, C. La Vecchia, “Coffee Drinking and Heptocellular Carcinoma Risk: A Meta-analysis,” Hepatology 46, no. 2 (2007): 430-35.
8. Xiaofeng Yu, Zhijun Bao, Jian Zou, and Jie Dong, “Coffee Consumption and Risk of Cancers: A Meta-Analysis of Cohort Studies,” BMC Cancer 11, no. 96 (2011): 1-11.
Note: This article is excerpted from The Plant-Powered Diet and Plant-Powered for Life by Sharon Palmer, RDN
Thanks for sharing the recipe. Always in for a good coffee! 🙂