The recently released 2015 Scientific Report of the Dietary
Guidelines Advisory Committee, available online, includes 209 references
to coffee, most of them favorable, particularly for those who don’t add
cream and sugar and limit daily consumption to three to five cups and
no more than 400 milligrams of caffeine.
It’s the first time the committee has addressed the health effects of
coffee and caffeine. Every five years, the USDA uses the report to
establish science-based dietary guidelines.
“Strong and consistent evidence shows that consumption of coffee
within the moderate range, is not associated with increased risk of
major chronic diseases, such as cardiovascular disease and cancer and
premature death in health adults,” the report states in awarding coffee a
“strong” grade.
As it turns out, the bean-like seeds inside the coffee plant’s red
and purple berries can reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes by 36 percent
with protective effects against liver and endometrial cancers. Slight
benefits were noted for other cancers the report didn’t identify.
“Moreover, moderate evidence shows a protective association between
coffee/caffeine intake and risk of Parkinson’s disease,” the report
states.
Overall, research found reductions in mortality among regular coffee
drinkers. Studies not cited in the report showed benefits in preventing
depression and Alzheimer’s disease, among other neurodegenerative
conditions.
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