Whether or not coffee is good for us has been a highly debated topic in the field of health since it became mainstream. The new ruling as of 2015 is that coffee is actually really good for your body.
In the 1500s, people believed that coffee was correlated with illegal sex because coffee houses were known for attracting people who were trying to engage in illicit sex. In the 1600s, coffee supposedly cured alcoholism. In the 1700s, it was thought to be a way to help people work longer and to reduce the amount of disease. Additionally, in the same time period, it was thought that coffee caused blindness, stunted growth, led to bad grades among adolescent populations, and heightened the chances of getting certain diseases. So, with all of these conflicting opinions, it's hard to know whether or not coffee is actually beneficial. What is the truth?
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has stated that they now associate coffee with "health foods." The added sugars, creams, and flavors take away from coffee being considered "healthy," but if the average amount of coffee — 8 ounces (half the amount of the grande size at Starbucks) —is said to have a good impact on your body.
This verdict has to do with some of the health problems coffee helps reduce. Melanoma, certain cancers, Parkinson's disease, and heat disease are just some of the disorders/diseases that coffee can help reduce/prevent. The way coffee affects the body is different depending on the individual, with some people getting jittery with one cup and others needing several to get more energy. It’s about finding what's best for yourself as a coffee drinker.
So, in short, the way you prepare your coffee has an impact on how healthy it is for you. For example, adding a bunch of cream and sugar will make it unhealthy. Furthermore, filter coffee-makers are the best because others, like the french press, don’t filter out the compounds in coffee that increase bad cholesterol (LDL). If prepared correctly, though, coffee is supposed to be good for you.
All in all, right now coffee is in good standing with people in the health field. To be honest, though, who knows what science will say about coffee in the upcoming years.
