JUST REMEMBER IT'S
ALL THANKS TO COFFEE
Food for thought…
coffee linked to cognitive
enhancement
There is an abundance of research
into the benefits of coffee, and
everyday more literature is
produced into the plant’s health
offering, adding to its ongoing love affair
with Western culture.
A recent study by researchers at John
Hopkins University has concluded that
caffeine has incredible memory enhancing
capabilities. While coffee’s impact as a
cognitive enhanced is well known, it’s the
first time in history caffeine’s effect on
memory in humans has been scrutinized
in detail.
Researchers found that people who took
a 200mg caffeine tablet the day before
performed much better in a memory
test. Chris Buhmann, co-founder of New
Zealand’s only protein enriched coffee
PECS says it’s important that coffee is
consumed in its healthiest form.
“We have heard every reason why people
should avoid coffee and it comes up in
diet crazes every so often. However, all
you have to do is a little research into its
immense benefits such as helping prevent
illnesses and its potent antioxidants
but not if you’re taking it from a can of
coke or heart attack-in-a-can like energy
drinks,” says Buhmann.
The stimulant’s long list of benefits
have widely been studies and include
the ability to prevent several chronic
diseases, including type 2 diabetes
millitus, Parkinson’s disease and liver
diseases.
However, fad and crash diets and and
too-often unsubstantiated claims by
unqualified health ‘experts’ and popular
health and fitness personalities have
perpetuated the myth that to lead a
healthy lifestyle, one should eliminate
coffee from their diet altogether.
While it has been associated with
increased risk of cardiovascular disease,
according to research by Oregon State
University, there is little evidence that
consuming even up to three to four cups
of coffee in adults has produced little
evidence of health risks and even some
evidence of health benefits.
NZRD registered dietician Hamish
Johnstone, founder of Hamish Johnstone
Nutrition says coffee offers a wide range
of benefits which can be maximised in
different environments.
“From a general health perspective,
the recommended amount of caffeine
consumption should be no more than
300-400mg a day which is about three to
four cups. It is not advisable to included
it in children’s diets. Pregnant or breast
feeding women should exercise caution,”
Jonhstone says.
Johnstone says there are many positive
associations within recent research
between caffeine and health outcomes,
ranging from reduced rates of certain
types of cancer and cardio vascular
disease. He says while more research
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