Lindsey Smith

Dr. Michael Zemel

17 February 2008
Claims Paper

Is Coffee Your Friend?

Coffee is a multi billion dollar industry that is loved by so many of us, yet when

one is asked to voice his/her opinion about it, the opinion normally consists of a negative

statement about caffeine. Coffee is commonly perceived as an unhealthy staple in the

American diet. One often looks for justification when indulging in such a negative

stereotype and Caffe Sanora is working to put consumers’ apprehensions at ease by

marketing an organic antioxidant coffee. A few studies have been conducted and the

results are surprising. Coffee has been effectively shown to contain more antioxidants

than any other beverage or food item, including fruits and vegetables.

Coffee consumption has been linked to several health claims including protection

in “experimental carcinogenesis […], reduced incidence of human bladder and colorectal

cancer, Parkinson’s disease, liver cirrhosis, and type 2 diabetes in epidemiological

studies” (Svilaas). A claim in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute states “that

people who drank coffee daily, or nearly everyday, had half the liver cancer risk of those

who never drank it” and the Harvard School of Public Health “found that drinking coffee

cuts the risk of developing the most common form of diabetes” (Study). There are many

types of antioxidants present in various types of foods. Polyphenolic compounds are

responsible for the antioxidative properties in plants. The most abundant polyphenol in

coffee is chlorogenic acid.

One study conducted by a chemistry professor at Univ. of Scranton found that the

average American coffee drinker (with 1.64 cups per day) consumes 1,299mg of
antioxidants daily from coffee. Tea was 1,000 mg less and next in line were bananas at 76

mg. Other food items tested were less than that (Study).

A Norwegian study, published in The American Society for Nutritional Sciences,

also concluded that coffee supplied more total antioxidants than the other items tested

including unspecified fruits and vegetables, tea, wine, cereals, fish, and meat. The study

did indicate that walnuts, sunflower seeds, most berries, ginger, and pomegranates are

high in antioxidants. The study also indicated that coffee supplied 66% of the total

antioxidant intake, with a mean daily intake of 480mL. Lastly, the discussion explained

that when specific antioxidants were isolated, they didn’t pack as much power. This leads

to the assumption that “many antioxidants may interact in a network” (Svilaas).

A different study, performed by the Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry at

the Univ. of Pavia, Italy, tested antioxidant amounts and differences in green

(unprocessed) and roasted beans, and the degree of roasting (light, medium, dark). They

found that although green coffee contained higher antioxidant activity than roasted beans,

the roasted beans had a higher protective activity (Daglia). This results from what is

known as the Maillard Reaction; some properties are lost due to the high heat, but other

beneficial properties are gained because of the high heat.

According to these results, people can rest a little easier when consuming

their daily cup of java, but shouldn’t go overboard. Caffeine is still a major concern, but

as with anything, moderation is key. Those more sensitive to caffeine should forego this

beverage, or consider decaf. , and rely on a healthy diet of fruits and vegetables. A

healthy diet should not be substituted for coffee by anyone. One should always listen

closely to his/her body and use a good dose of common sense when making decisions.

Works Cited
Daglia, M., Papetti, A., et al. “In Vitro Antioxidant and ex Vivo Protective Activities of

Green and Roasted Coffee” Journal of Agricultural Food Chemistry 48:5 1449-

1454 (18 April 2000).

“Study Touts Coffee’s Health Benefits”. USA Today. 28 August 2005:Health and

Behavior. <http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2005-08-28-coffee

antioxidants_x.htm>.

Svilaas, A., Sakhi, A., et al. “Intakes of Antioxidants in Coffee, Wine, and

Vegetables are Correlated with Plasma Carotenoids in Humans.” The American

Society for Nutritional Sciences 134:562-567 (March 2004).