New research
suggests that an excess of the stuff could prevent weight loss.
By Sally Wadyka Tue
11:39 PM
I will admit to being something of an
addict when it comes to coffee. Not just the caffeine (although, yes, that’s a
huge part of it), but also the taste, the smell and the whole ritual of sitting
down with my fix every morning. But as much as I love the stuff, I do try to
keep my consumption to a reasonable one or two lattes a day.
That’s probably a good thing. Because
it looks like, when it comes to coffee, a little can actually be healthy, but
too much is not. There have been several studies of late touting the benefits
of drinking coffee, and caffeine addicts like me have rejoiced at the news. In
one study that got a lot of attention, researchers found that moderate coffee consumption (which they defined as 3 to 4 cups a
day) could decrease the risk of developing type 2 diabetes by as much as
25 percent.
But the latest news may give
true addicts pause on their way to their next venti latte. A team of
researchers from the University of Western Australia found that gulping down
five or more cups of coffee daily could actually increase your risk of obesity (and consequently, diabetes). Granted,
the study was done on mice, but these highly caffeinated rodents could teach us
a lesson.
The researchers gave obese mice the equivalent amount of chlorogenic acid (CGA) a compound found in coffee, that a human would get from drinking five or six cups of coffee a day. They also fed them a high-fat diet. At the end of the 12-week study, the mice had not only gained more body fat, but also showed an increased glucose intolerance and poorer regulation of insulin -- both precursors to full-blown diabetes.
The results surprised even the researchers, since CGA is what was previously linked to coffee’s ability to reduce diabetes risk. As study co-author and biochemist Kevin Croft said, “It’s probably a question of dosage.”
In other words, you’ll be healthier if you give your coffeemaker a rest after polishing off that first pot.
The researchers gave obese mice the equivalent amount of chlorogenic acid (CGA) a compound found in coffee, that a human would get from drinking five or six cups of coffee a day. They also fed them a high-fat diet. At the end of the 12-week study, the mice had not only gained more body fat, but also showed an increased glucose intolerance and poorer regulation of insulin -- both precursors to full-blown diabetes.
The results surprised even the researchers, since CGA is what was previously linked to coffee’s ability to reduce diabetes risk. As study co-author and biochemist Kevin Croft said, “It’s probably a question of dosage.”
In other words, you’ll be healthier if you give your coffeemaker a rest after polishing off that first pot.
SOURCE: http://healthyliving.msn.com
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