The Great Coffee Debate Continues

If you’re a coffee lover, you probably can’t imagine starting the day without it. But is coffee healthy or does it pose health risks? That debate has raged on for centuries. In the 17th century, the debate was over whether it could cure alcoholism or if it caused men to become impotent. In the last century, coffee was blamed for causing bad grades among children who drank it. Some early 20th century studies found links between coffee and urinary tract cancer, liver cancer, and lung disease. A 1973 study found drinking one to five cups of coffee a day increased heart attack risk by 60 percent, and drinking more doubled the risk to 120 percent. On the other hand, a 1978 meta-analysis of 36 studies with more than 1.2 million participants refuted that claim—moderate coffee drinking was found to carry only a low risk of heart disease. Coffee continues to be studied, and new research finds new health benefits of this long-debated beverage. Read more…