Prevention in a Cuppa: 10 Reasons to Drink Coffee and Tea

Reliable research has come to some interesting conclusions when it comes to preventing cancer: tea and coffee are beverages that should be included in a daily diet.

SignatureMD physicians are always at the forefront of wellness and prevention information.

Overwhelming evidence now reveals that coffee is linked to reducing a common form of skin cancer, and tea is shown to lower risk of Alzheimer’s. Tea’s benefits have been adding up over the years with numerous research studies and solid empirical data that shows the plant’s potency for human health.

Now, if you worry that you may be drinking too much coffee, consider the latest finds.

According to a new study, coffee has been linked to a decreased risk of developing basal cell carcinoma, the most common form of skin cancer.

Researchers at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School in Boston have compiled data from two different studies: the Nurses’ Health Study, which followed nearly 73,000 people between 1984 and 2008; and the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study, which followed nearly 40,000 people between 1986 and 2008. The results of both studies percolate with doctors:

Women who drank more than three cups of caffeinated coffee per day had a 20 percent lower risk of developing the skin cancer than those who drank less than a cup per month. Men who drank the same amount had a 9 percent lower risk.

“Given the nearly one million new cases of BCC diagnosed each year in the United States, daily dietary factors with even small protective effects may have great public health impact,” said researcher Fengju Song, a postdoctoral fellow in the department of dermatology at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School. “Our study indicates that coffee consumption may be an important option to help prevent BCC.”

Tea drinkers have a host of benefits to enjoy too, for those who cannot drink coffee or dislike the flavor.

SignatureMD compiled 10 reasons you should imbibe in these caffeinated and non caffeinated beverages daily:

1. Coffee and Tea both have antioxidants, the main line of defense to keep cells healthy and defended against the ravages of aging and the effects of pollution.
2. Tea has less caffeine than coffee. Coffee drinkers who completely go cold Turkey can experience headaches. Better to ween lower amounts of coffee and swap with teas to keep receiving benefits of both beverages.
3. Cardiovascular health: Tea may reduce your risk of heart attack and stroke by acting as an artery “cleaner” of sorts. Numerous studies have found tea is very good for helping lower cholesterol and warding off heart attacks.
4. Bone health: American Journal of Clinical Nutrition finds that tea (even without milk) protects your bones. Their study found that people who drank tea for 10 or more years had the strongest bones, even after adjusting for age, body weight, exercise, smoking and other risk factors. Thank tea’s beneficial phytochemicals.
5. Dental health: Tea made without sugar is what makes the enamel in teeth stronger by fighting plaque and bacteria. Tea contains fluoride and tannins that keep teeth from developing plaque.
6. Immune system health: Coffee and Tea bolster your immune defenses. Drinking both helps fight infections, and researchers found tea and coffee drinkers had higher immune system activity than non drinkers.
7. Cancer prevention: Coffee and Tea protect against cancer. Thank the polyphenols, the antioxidants found in tea, once again for their cancer-fighting effects. Coffee is now considered a diet strategy for skin cancer prevention.
8. Stay hydrated: Tea helps keep you hydrated. Caffeinated beverages do hydrate. Recent research has shown that the caffeine doesn’t matter — tea and other caffeinated beverages contribute to fluid needs.
9. Calorie counting: Coffee and Tea are virtually calorie-free. Try to drink as naked as possible, without sweetener or milk. Taking in just 250 fewer calories per day can result in losing one pound per week.
10. Metabolic jumpstart: Coffee and Tea increase your metabolism. Green tea has been shown to increase metabolic rate so that you can burn 70 to 80 additional calories by drinking just five cups of green tea per day.

 

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