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A HARMLESS CUP OF COFFEE

Around the world, everyday millions of people wake-up to “Smell Coffee”. The smell, the taste, the caffeine-lift and the association that coffee has, to the good start of a day, sums up the “ultimate coffee experience”. Most of the people have a false belief that “coffee is bad for health”, which is not totally right. There is no conclusive evidence to suggest that a moderate amount of coffee is bad for health. “In excess nector turns to poison” Since years the merits and de-merits of coffee has been studied by scientists. The results of one paper can never tell the whole story. Taken as a whole, the results of thousands of investigations reveal that besides its ill effects, coffee also has factors which contribute towards good health.

There are many aspects of lifestyle and diet (ex:-Smoking, Fast-food, Alcohol, etc) which when misjudged and haphazardly taken will trigger and intensify the ill effects of coffee and thus affect our health such factors are called as Confounding Factors.
Coffee- A Antioxidant: Antioxidant is a substance that removes potentially damaging oxidizing agents in a living organism.
Many studies have implied that coffee contains high levels of antioxidants compared to other commonly consumed beverages. Though coffee is equally enjoyed throughout the world, studies show that the antioxidant activity is greatly influenced by the method of preparation with reference to the ratio of the ingredients used and the quantity intake.
A Comparative study between coffee, tea and cocoa was conducted in Switzerland for their antioxidant activity on a single serving basis. The Researchers examined the effects on LDL1 oxidation and confirmed the strong antioxidant properties of coffee and concluded that coffee was four times more effective than tea.
The study showed that each cup of roasted coffee had a large amount of antioxidant polyphenols which does not gets diminished by adding milk or by decaffeination.
US Scientist working on this topic quotes -“It is interesting that most people consider herbal tea as healthful and coffee as potentially hazardous to health. But this work suggests that, with respect to antioxidant activity, the opposite may be true”.
Coffee beans are known to contain hundreds of compounds that may help to deal with some of the most prevalent diseases of our time. Several of these compounds contribute to the antioxidant defense system in the body and these latest findings help confirm some of the significant health benefits that coffee can offer.
Coffee contains polyphenol: Polyphenol is a type of antioxidant containing a polyphenolic substructure. In human health these compounds, numbering over 4000 distinct species, are thought to be instrumental in a combating oxidative stress, a syndrome causative of some neurodegenerative diseases and some cardio vascular diseases.
 
1. P.G. Scholar,
Dept. of Kaya chikitsa
2. Dean & Proff. Dept.of Kaya Chikitsa
A.L.N.Rao Ayu Medical College,
Koppa- 577126, Chikmagalur Dist. Karnataka.