Crazy for Coffee

Am I drinking too much coffee?

More on:

• Common Problems
• Nutrition

Q: I drink up to four six-ounce cups of coffee most days. How unhealthy is this?

A: Unless drinking that much gives you more jitters than an opening-night performance, you're in luck. Studies consistently show that coffee and caffeine reduce the risk of Parkinson's, and may even protect against Alzheimer's disease and cancer. Drinking 24 ounces of coffee a day can be good for you. Why? It could be the flavonoids or the antioxidants. (Coffee is America's biggest source of antioxidants. We get six times more from joe than from bananas, the largest food source.) That said, stop the java if you notice migraines, abnormal heartbeats or stomach upset.

Our quick coffee tips: At home, use a paper filter (the paper binds to a chemical that increases bad LDL cholesterol levels). If you lighten it, use skim milk (not cream) and skip the sugar. And you may want to add more calcium to your diet or consider a supplement, since caffeine pulls this must-have mineral from the bones.

From Reader's Digest - July 2006

 

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