Charlyn Fargo is a registered dietitian with Hy-Vee in Springfield, Ill, and a spokesperson for the Illinois Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. For comments or questions, contact her at charfarg@aol.com or follow her on Twitter @NutritionRD.
We seem to have an unsure relationship with our morning cup of coffee. Is it good for you or not? How much is too much?
A new study finds that a few cups of coffee may actually prevent melanoma -- a skin cancer. Coffee, researchers say, contains numerous bioactive compounds.
Melanoma is one of the most common cancers in the U.S., and is the leading cause of death from skin cancer. The National Cancer Institute estimates there will be 74,000 new cases in the coming year. Currently, the only established lifestyle risk factor for this disease is exposure to ultraviolet radiation (UVR), primarily from sun and tanning beds.
The new study, called the NIH-AARP Diet and Health Study, links coffee drinking with lower risk for the most aggressive form of melanoma. The study analyzed data from about 500,000 non-Hispanic white individuals who were cancer free and ages 50 to 71 when the study began in 1995.
The researchers looked at participants' daily coffee intake -- none; one cup or less; 2 to 3 cups; or 4 or more cups. They found that those drinking four or more cups of coffee a day had a 20 percent lower risk of getting malignant melanoma compared to those who did not drink coffee. Then, they looked at whether participants drank decaf or caffeinated coffee. They did not find a significant difference in the malignant melanoma risk between decaf drinkers and non-drinkers.
Other studies have shown mixed results. However, this new study had a larger amount of skin cancer cases than previous studies, so the authors say this may have helped find a link. There are also cell and animal studies showing that substances in coffee, especially caffeine, can protect against skin cancer caused by UV radiation. These substances can protect against DNA damage, cause cancer cells to die and reduce inflammation in skin cells.
To analyze the data, the authors took into account sun exposure and potential variables like age, body mass index, physical activity, alcohol and smoking, but found that differences in these lifestyle factors did not account for the coffee drinkers' lower risk.
The study, however, had to estimate how long participants spent in the sun and if they used tanning beds.
Other studies have found coffee to be protective against endometrial and liver cancers.
What's in coffee that's so good for you?
What you get in your cup of coffee varies with how the beans are grown and how you prepare it. Overall, coffee is a good source of the B vitamin riboflavin, and is also a concentrated source of antioxidant phytochemicals.
Coffee contains:
-Chlorogenic acid, an antioxidant compound that is the major phenol in coffee
-Quinic acid, a phytochemical that contributes to the acidic taste of coffee
-Cafestol and kahweol, compounds that are extracted from the beans' oil during brewing. Unfiltered coffee, such as French press or boiled coffee, contains these compounds
-Caffeine, a naturally occurring stimulant that affects the central nervous system
-N-methylpyridinium (NMB), created by roasting, may make the antioxidants more potent
So go ahead, grab that morning cup of Joe and remember (even though it's winter) to use sunscreen, limit time in the sun and avoid tanning beds.
Q and A
Q: My local supermarket sells bell peppers in four different colors -- green, red, yellow and orange. Do the different colors of peppers have different nutritional benefits?
A: Regardless of the color of your peppers, the macronutrient (protein, fat, carbohydrate) and fiber content won't differ much. Red, yellow and orange bell peppers are simply the ripened forms of different green peppers, which is why they tend to cost more. However, there are some differences in vitamin, mineral and phytonutrient content, though not enough to warrant one better than another. For example, according to the USDA Nutrient Database, green peppers contain 80 mg of vitamin C per 100 grams (about 3 ounces), whereas yellow peppers contain 184 mg per 100 grams. Given the Recommended Dietary Amount for vitamin C is 75-90 mg per day, both peppers are a good choice for the dietary source of vitamin C. Peppers will also differ in content of carotenoids, which are plant pigments, with red peppers loaded with beta-carotene (a form of vitamin A) and yellow peppers having nearly none. Orang peppers have about 10 times the amount of lutein and zeaxanthin, carotenoids that are important for eye health. The bottom line is the more colorful your diet, the better off you may be. One should choose a variety of fruits and vegetables to get the individual benefits from each.
This information is courtesy of Tufts Health & Nutrition Letter, January 2016.
NEW YEAR'S TIP:
Most people can lose weight on a 1,500 calorie per day diet. Choose a dinner that's below 600 calories to keep on track.
RECIPE
Adding veggies to your muffins is a great way to boost their nutrition and make them tender and moist. Here's a recipe for Winter Squash Muffins with Cranberries from Eating Well magazine.
Winter Squash Muffins with Cranberries
1/2 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
1 1/2 cups white whole-wheat flour
1/3 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 1/2 cups shredded raw winter squash, such as butternut
1/2 cup chopped fresh cranberries or dried cranberries
1/2 cup toasted pecans, coarsely chopped
2 large eggs
1/2 cup low-fat plain yogurt, regular or Greek
3 tablespoons canola oil
3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
1 small apple, peeled and shredded
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line 12 muffin cups with liners. Pulse oats in a food processor or until ground to the texture of breadcrumbs. Transfer to a mixing bowl and whisk in flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, allspice and nutmeg. Stir in squash, cranberries and pecans. Whisk eggs, yogurt, oil and syrup in another mixing bowl. Stir in apple. Add the squash mixture and fold until evenly moistened. Divide the batter among the muffin cups, filling them almost to the top. Bake until the muffins are golden brown and the tops spring back when lightly touched, about 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool. Makes 1 dozen muffins.
Per muffin: 161 calories, 4 g protein, 27 g carbohydrate, 5 g fat, 32 mg cholesterol, 3 g fiber, 257 mg sodium.
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