Coffee Roma Coffee as an Antioxidant.

Antioxidant Activity of Coffee Antioxidants are specialized chemicals that neutralize harmful molecules, called free radicals, found in the body. The University of Scranton chemistry professor, Joe Vinson, explained that when too many free radicals build up in the body, they start to damage cells. This damage will eventually lead to the development of cancer and heart disease.

Numerous studies in recent years have touted the benefits of eating foods high in antioxidants to ward off such diseases. And coffee is only one rich source of antioxidants. “Antioxidants are compounds already in your body, but you need more than what the body produces,” Vinson said. In his study which aimed to measure the antioxidant capacity of coffee, Vinson’s team analyzed the amount of antioxidants in a variety of foods and compared those figures to how much of each food type, on average, people in the U.S. consume.

The scientists found that the average person guzzles down more than a thousand milligrams of antioxidants a day from coffee. This rate far surpasses the next runner-up, black tea, which accounts for a few hundred milligram a day on average. The beverage also easily outranked such popular antioxidant sources as tea, milk, chocolate, and cranberries. Of all the foods and beverages studied, dates actually have the most antioxidants of all based solely on serving size. But since dates are not consumed at anywhere near the level of coffee, the blue ribbon goes to the favorite pick-me-up as the number one source of antioxidants. The antioxidants in coffee are known as polyphenols. Sometimes they are bound to a sugar molecule, which covers up the antioxidant group, Vinson said. The first step in measuring them was to break that sugar link. Vinson noted that chemicals in the stomach do the same thing, freeing polyphenols.

“We think that antioxidants can be good for you in a number of ways,” Vinson said, further adding that the effects may even include affecting enzymes and genes, although more research is needed to prove that.

Besides keeping you alert and awake, coffee has also been linked to an increasing number of potential health benefits, including protection against liver and colon cancer, type 2 diabetes, and Parkinson’s disease, according to some recently published studies. But while the findings would seem to encourage people to go out and drink more coffee, Vinson emphasizes moderation. “If I say more coffee is better, then I would have to tell you to spread it out to keep the levels of antioxidants up,” Vinson said. “We always talk about moderation in anything.”

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