Coffee is good for you!

Although it is tea that usually receives the favourable publicity as far as health benefits are concerned, contrary to popular belief, coffee may also be good for you! For the first time scientists have identified the antioxidants found in coffee in substantial amounts and they appear to be in a form that can be absorbed readily by the body. Professor Alan Crozier (University of Glasgow) will present his findings on Friday 2nd April at the SEB Annual Meeting at Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh where he will tell the audience that coffee can make up part of a healthy diet if, like everything else in life, it’s taken in moderation.

Professor Crozier’s research group has measured the antioxidant capacity of over 70 fruit, vegetables, and beverages including some organically grown products. Using products that were particularly rich sources of different antioxidants, studies were carried out with human volunteers to determine the fate of the antioxidants in the body following ingestion. The results obtained showed unexpectedly high levels of absorption of some antioxidants into the bloodstream while others pass in significant quantities from the small to the large intestine where they may offer protection against colon cancer.

Professor Crozier’s on-going research programme has shown that some fruits, vegetables, and beverages are much richer sources of antioxidants than others. From a practical view point he comments that “It’s important to eat a varied diet of fruit and vegetables so that your body can absorb a range of antioxidants. If you rely on supplements, with one tablet you could, for instance, be consuming the equivalent of 2 kilos of onions – not a very natural thing to do”.