Coffee or Tea?
With coffee shops on almost every corner, Canadians love their coffee. According the the Coffee Association of Canada, 81% of Canadians drink coffee occasionally and over 63% of Canadian adults drink it daily; compared to only 49% of Americans. Canadian coffee drinkers drink an average of 2.6 cups per day.
Thanks to our love of coffee it seems that every day there is a new article on the benefits of coffee. However but most alternative practitioners will tell you that it is not healthy. But is it healthy? The research is truly contradictory; here are a few points to keep in mind...
Coffee messes with your body’s calcium balance, causing you to excrete more calcium than you absorb. This increases your risk of osteoporosis.
Coffee blocks iron absorption. One study showed that coffee reduced iron absorption by 39%. If you are planning a pregnancy or at risk for anemia; you should not drink coffee.
Coffee is a diuretic, which means that you excrete more water than you retain. This puts you at a greater risk for dehydration. Lately there have been articles on how you can count coffee in your daily water intake; I totally disagree because of coffee’s diuretic properties.
Coffee can also raise cholesterol levels and contribute to the clogging of arteries, which makes coffee dangerous if you are at risk of heart disease or stroke.
The caffeine in coffee increases your heart rate, blood pressure, respiration, gastrointestinal activity, stomach acidity, kidney function and mental activity. If you are at risk for heart disease, Crohn’s disease, irritable bowel syndrome or kidney problems you should not drink caffeinated beverages.
Pregnant and nursing mothers should definitely avoid coffee. Coffee blocks the absorption of folate and the caffeine in coffee crosses the placental barrier and passes through breastmilk. Research shows that drinking coffee increases the risk of miscarriage, cleft palate, low birth weight and SIDS. Even if a mother does not feel the effect of a cup of coffee, the baby does for hours because neither a fetus nor new baby have the ability to detoxify caffeine from its body.
Women planning a pregnancy should stay away from coffee as it is associated with increased levels of estrogen. Estrogen dominance is linked to infertility as well as breast and endometrial cancer.
Coffee is a highly sprayed crop. Drinking organic coffee will reduce your exposure to cancer-causing pesticide residue and will promote healthier planting practices in coffee growing countries.
Be a wary consumer. Remember when reading articles about the benefits of coffee it is important to first read between the lines to see who funded the studies. The coffee industry is huge and funding studies touting the benefits of coffee is one part research, one part marketing.
Now after all of that good news, what else is there to say?
Some studies are finding that it is not necessary the coffee that is bad as much as the caffeine in the coffee. Coffee does contain anti-oxidants which are showing to improve insulin sensitivity and glucose metabolism. This is what is believed to help reduce the risk of Type 2 Diabetes. However, these can be shadowed by the effects of caffeine. Decaffeinated coffee can be a suitable substitute, however be sure to choose ‘Swiss-Water Process’ decaffeinated coffee as there are no chemicals used in the decaffeination process.
What about tea?
Polyphenols are the magic substances found in tea leaves that are powerful antioxidants. Polyphenols inhibit cancer by blocking cancer-causing compounds, they suppress the activity of carcinogens and they detoxify cancer-causing agents. Their strength is in increasing the enzyme activities in the small intestine, liver and lungs; preventing gastrointestinal cancer, lung cancer, breast and prostate cancer.
However there is a qualification... Green tea is produced by steaming fresh tea leaves, while black tea leaves are allowed to oxidize; this is what causes the difference in colour and flavour in tea. The oxidization of black tea leaves reduces the activity of the polyphenols, thereby reducing all of the anti-cancer benefits. So if you are a tea drinker Green Tea is the way to go. As for the caffeine in Green Tea, the levels are so low that the benefits of the polyphenols outweigh the hazards of the caffeine.
As with everything, moderation is key. Try making your next cup of coffee ‘half decaf’ or have a cup of green tea instead.
What’s New with LkM Nutrition?
Workshops at the Fieldhouse are on hold for the summer. If you know of anyone interested in a workshop, send a note my way as I can host them at my home if there is interest.
New Baby & Toddler Food Recipes are being added to the Baby Bites Blog weekly. Coming soon... Dairy, Meat, Veggie options and Make-your-own Golfish crackers!
