Health
1 to 2 cups of coffee a day beneficial?
NEWS IN BRIEF — Posted Sept. 19, 2005
Coffee is the No. 1 source of antioxidants in the U.S. diet, according to research presented on Aug. 28 during the American Chemical Society's National Meeting held in Washington, D.C.
Researchers from the University of Scranton, in Pennsylvania, analyzed the antioxidant content of more than 100 different foods and compared them with a Dept. of Agriculture database on the contribution of each type of food item to the average estimated per capita consumption.
Coffee easily outranked tea, chocolate and cranberries, which are other popular antioxidant sources. Both caffeinated and decaf coffee appear to provide similar antioxidant levels.
Researchers did, however, recommend moderation. "One to two cups a day appear to be beneficial," said Joe Vinson, PhD, professor of chemistry at the University of Scranton. Plus, fruits and vegetables are more nutritious than coffee, he noted, and people don't eat enough of them.
Note: This item originally appeared at http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2005/09/19/hlbf0919.htm.
