Some people think coffee is refreshing and helps them lose weight, so they enjoy a cup or two daily. On the other hand, some believe coffee affects cardiovascular health and choose to avoid it. Dr. Chang Chin-chien, a 78-year-old honorary professor of surgery at National Taiwan University Hospital, still operates on patients every week. One of his health-preserving secrets is drinking three cups of coffee a day.
Initially resistant to coffee, Dr. Chang began to study it after he finally did taste (and enjoyed) it. To uncover its benefits, he went as far as Vietnam, Laos, Ethiopia, and even coffee farms in Central and South America to learn how it is cultivated. Over the years, he authored several books on the topic, such as “Coffee and Health—Coffee Laboratory” and “A Cup of Coffee Fights All Diseases.” Instead of calling him a coffee connoisseur, it is more appropriate to call him a coffee addict, Dr. Chang said with a smile.
Composition and Efficacy of Coffee
In an interview with The Epoch Times health program “Health 1+1,” Dr. Chang said that in addition to caffeine, there are other even more important components in coffee, such as the antioxidant chlorogenic acid, cafestol, and caffeic acid, that remove free radicals from the body. Studies have also recognized that coffee positively affects Type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, gout, heart disease, dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, and even liver, colorectal, and breast cancers.
Some people experience heart palpitations after drinking coffee and thus believe that coffee is unsuitable for the heart. In this regard, Dr. Chang cited a recent paper published in the New England Journal of Medicine that drinking caffeinated coffee does not significantly increase atrial contractions. He said drinking coffee can help dilate the bronchi to a certain extent, which is helpful for asthma, and it is also helpful for fighting body inflammation and metabolic issues. A 2019 study published in the European Journal of Epidemiology found that drinking two to four cups of coffee daily was associated with lower all-cause mortality.
Chlorogenic acid is coffee’s most abundant antioxidant component and has various potential benefits for human health. The amount of chlorogenic acid varies according to the duration of roasting the coffee beans. The longer it is, the lower the amount of chlorogenic acid. Dr. Chang said that the amount of chlorogenic acid under extreme roasting is 4.8 percent, and that of lighter roasting is 9.6 percent. Lighter roasting is less destructive, and so is more recommended.
Coffee Drinking the Healthy Way
Dr. Chang said that brewing by filtering can help reduce cholesterol, grease, and impurities in coffee, and filtering with filter paper or iron mesh can both achieve the same effect. Moreover, buying just a small amount of coffee beans each time and grinding them at home is the best way to enjoy fresh coffee.
The U.S. 2015–2020 Dietary Guidelines recommend that the upper limit of caffeine intake should be 400 milligrams per person per day, which is about three cups of coffee. Dr. Chang believes the best time to drink coffee is from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., but drinking it in the morning is preferable if you are worried about the effect on sleep at night. If you are worried that drinking coffee will cause high blood pressure, Dr. Chang suggests you start with a small amount of coffee and increase it gradually. Usually, blood pressure will rise a little initially, but after a while, drinking coffee will help lower blood pressure.
As for the increasing popularity of coffee with coconut oil and butter (bulletproof coffee) or olive oil in recent years, are these good for health? Dr. Chang insists that black coffee is always best; adding other things makes it more difficult to control the amount consumed. However, recent research has found that when coffee is mixed with milk, an amino acid in the milk will combine with caffeic acid, which can double the antioxidant capacity. Milk can also protect the stomachs of those prone to gastroesophageal reflux or hyperacidity. And drinking coffee with milk after meals is supposedly a way to get the most benefits.
Dr. Chang emphasized that coffee has the function of increasing gastrointestinal motility. If you suffer from constipation, drinking coffee is definitely a good choice, but if you have diarrhea, it’s better to avoid it.
Some worry that drinking coffee will accelerate calcium loss. Dr. Chang said women going through menopause should drink as little coffee as possible or supplement with more calcium-rich foods such as small dried fish, milk, and green vegetables after drinking coffee. He also recommends getting more sun exposure and exercise. Coffee is diuretic, so drinking water after drinking coffee is best to avoid dehydration.