[BRIEF NOTE] Coffee is good for you

[rfmcdonald]

My thanks to bitterlawngnome for pointing out this interesting article from the Telegraph.

Coffee - caffeinated and decaffeinated - emerged as easily the biggest source of antioxidants [in the British diet], taking account of the amount per serving and level of consumption. Black tea came second, followed by bananas.

"Americans get more of their antioxidants from coffee than any other dietary source - nothing else comes close," said study leader Professor Joe Vinson, from Scranton University in Pennsylvania. He was presenting his findings at the American Chemical Society's annual meeting in Washington DC.

The findings in the US probably reflect a similar trend in the UK, where people drink about 70 million cups of coffee each day. Antioxidants help to rid the body of harmful free radicals, destructive molecules that damage cells and DNA. They have been linked to health benefits, including protection against heart disease and cancer.

Studies have associated coffee drinking with a reduced risk of liver and colon cancer, type two diabetes, and Parkinson's disease.

I'm still only drinking tea, mind, but I can barely restrain myself from marching down to a coffee shop and ordering another extra large. Patience, I suppose.