Coffee is the #1 source of antioxidants in the American diet. And... it's not that healthy.

Date:   7/12/2006 7:33:01 PM ( 18 y ago)

Okay, I heard this when it came out, and found it alarming; Coffee is the #1 source of antioxidants in the American diet. Essentially, coffee is the healthiest thing Americans consume with any regularity. And... it's not that healthy!

Here's how this works. (Imaginary conversation)
JANE: Gosh, I thought other foods had more antioxidants than coffee. You know, like broccoli. Or lettuce.
JOHN: They do.
JANE: Then why does this study say that coffee is the #1 source of antioxidants?
JOHN: Because coffee has more antioxidants than chicken nuggets, french fries, soft drinks, donuts, and iceberg lettuce with thousand island dressing, cheese, and baconbits "salad". Which is the type of food Americans mostly eat.
JANE: !!!!!
JOHN: So, out of all the junk, coffee had more antioxidants. Bananas, apples and tomatoes made the list, but people didn't eat enough of them to bump them to #1.

Dates were found to have the highest antioxidants in the study. But who eats dates? Not many Americans. My point exactly.

On a different note, I know someone who is high-raw vegan. She is doing the Hallelujah diet (www.hacres.com). She was out in California running a marathon. She had her antioxidant level in her body tested and she was off the charts! The highest levels the man administering the test had ever seen! He was amazed and asked her a lot of questions. That's because she gets her antioxidants from a lot of potent sources instead of coffee, tea, corn and potatoes!!!

I don't drink coffee, really. Never have, so it's not a big deal. I'm pretty big on green tea and herbal teas. I'm not saying that people should all stop drinking coffee. I'm just saying that it's about time they started eating some fruits and vegetables, for crying out loud!

I think coffee should be enjoyed like dessert or fine wine. Choose a good cup of coffee, savor it, enjoy it. Buy your favorite cappuccino, or order specialty beans, roast your own, etc. Not something to chug back in order to keep yourself awake, or as a habit, or a crutch. It should be a conscious choice each time, in small amounts, enjoyed to the fullest. IF you love it.

ARTICLES AND EXCERPTS
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"Coffee is not richer in antioxidants than these other foods; Americans are simply not eating enough fruits and vegetables, which contain much higher overall nutritional value."

"Some of the highest concentrations of antioxidants are found in broccoli, red peppers, nectarines, cantaloupes, blueberries, blackberries and teas, especially green tea. But for optimal disease protection, a wide variety of antioxidants is needed."

http://xpress.sfsu.edu/archives/life/004111.html
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Original Article: http://www.physorg.com/news6067.html

Is Coffee the Solution?
http://www.seniorjournal.com/NEWS/Nutrition-Vitamins/6-01-18-IsCoffeeTheSolut...

Coffee - The new health food? http://www.webmd.com/content/article/80/96454.htm

The Effects of Coffee http://www.anti-aging-guide.com/41coffee.php
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The Dangers of Coffee: http://www.bamboo-delight.com/Wu_Files/coffee.txt
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Coffee - How Bad is it Really?
http://www.mercola.com/2003/dec/10/coffee.htm
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Here are several reasons to eliminate coffee from your diet:

* Coffee beans are frequently grown outside of this country. Therefore, we have limited controls on the use of pesticides where the beans are grown. Coffee beans are known to be high in pesticides.

* Coffee will interfere with your cells' ability to use water.

* Coffee has been shown to raise cholesterol, worsen your insulin control, contribute to rheumatoid arthritis and stroke, damage your blood vessels, increase risk of heart disease and contribute to miscarriage.
http://www.mercola.com/nutritionplan/advanced_beverages.htm
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