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Is there any beverage more exalted and reviled than coffee? In many circles, coffee is viewed as poison, and drinking coffee an unhealthy vice indicative of moral weakness. Is this truth – or urban myth? For many people, drinking moderate amounts of [preferably organic] coffee (1 to 3 cups a day) can provide significant health benefits, according to numerous recent papers. People with certain conditions, however, are not well-served by coffee, and should avoid it. This includes people with bowel disorders, gastric problems, hypertension, and women who have painful fibrocystic breasts, among others. People with extreme blood deficiency (in the Chinese medical sense) should also restrict their coffee-drinking. A recent white paper by Subhuti Dharmananda, respected herbalist and Director of the Institute for Traditional Medicine, analyzed coffee from the Chinese medical perspective and detailed its health benefits. Roasted coffee is considered a warming “herb” that moves stagnant Liver qi (energy). (Stagnant Liver qi is the Chinese medical condition responsible for a range of effects, most notably grumpiness, irritability, PMS, and more.) Furthermore, as a bitter herb, coffee purges the gallbladder and assists with detoxification. Its effects on the liver and gallbladder result in two well-known actions: relieving constipation and protecting against gallstone formation. Dharmananda notes, however, that while coffee moves Liver qi, it does not necessarily do it smoothly and, thus, can have an agitating effect or cause gastrointestinal distress in individuals with weak digestive systems. Dharmananda explains that coffee has been found to contain high levels of antioxidants, largely due to the presence of chlorogenic acid and caffeic acid. These compounds are also found in many vegetables, fruits, and culinary and medicinal herbs, though coffee contains especially high levels of them. In addition to providing antioxidants, these acids have been shown to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and cancer, to regulate blood sugar, and to have anti-anxiety and anti-depressive actions. Writer Kenneth Davids summarizes some of the recent findings about coffee as follows:
The Indian Materia Medica likewise describes coffee as a beneficial beverage, useful for assisting assimilation and digestion, and for treating such conditions as spasmodic asthma, gallstones, whooping cough, “hysterical affections,” infant cholera, and chronic diarrhea. What about the sugar and cream that so many are fond of putting in their coffee? According to Dr. Torrey Smith, a naturopathic doctor at the Natural Health Center in Anchorage, people would be well-served to use organic cream rather than half-and-half or other homogenized dairy products. The primary reason is that homogenization (a process done to half-and-half, but not to cream) breaks the fats up into small, unhealthy particles. The smaller fat particles are unhealthy because they are more readily absorbed by the body, cause increased oxidation (the process that creates free radicals), and have a higher potential for becoming rancid. This is the short version of the story, says Dr. Smith, but there is much more involved as well. Using organic products – be it cream, coffee, or anything else – reduces our exposure to unhealthy pesticides and artificial hormones. Dr. Smith also suggests that coffee drinkers reduce the amount of sugar used and, if using soy milk or creamers, to be mindful to avoid corn syrup or solids whenever possible. So, my friend, enjoy that steaming hot cup o’ joe without guilt. Remember – everything in moderation.
Jean Bodeau is a licensed acupuncturist and owner of Moonstone Acupuncture in Anchorage. |
