Drinking Coffee a Healthy Choice for Most

The last 25 years have witnessed an upsurge in the study of coffee on the human body. No wonder: Over 400 million cups of coffee are consumed every day throughout the world.

For decades researchers warned consumers about the health hazards associated with drinking too much coffee. Now, however, recent studies have shown that the benefits may outweigh the risks. Caffeine, one of the main ingredients of coffee, has been long known to be a mild stimulant, and one that can aid digestion, which accounts for its popularity as an after-dinner drink. Coffee can temporarily raise blood pressure, increase the heart rate, and increase the presence of stomach acids. There is also strong evidence that coffee can reduce the incidence of colon cancer, although for that to happen, one must drink about four cups a day. But other benefits accrue at even moderate levels of coffee drinking.

Like wine, coffee contains anti-oxidants that help prevent heart disease and certain cancers by removing cell-destroying oxygen radicals from the blood. Some studies even suggest that the concentration of antioxidants is greater than that found in cranberries, apples or tomatoes. There is also some evidence that coffee can reduce the incidence of kidney stones and gallstones. Caffeine has been shown to reduce the constriction of airways in asthma sufferers in the case of moderate consumption. Caffeine also contains a natural bronchodilator that assists breathing.

There are also certain risk factors associated with coffee drinking as well -- including calcium loss for women and elevated levels of cholesterol. Most researchers, however, agree that the benefits of drinking coffee outweigh the risks.