That extra cup of coffee may not be so bad after all. The 2015 Dietary Guidelines say for healthy adults, it's alright to have up to 400 milligrams of caffeine a day, or the amount found in three to five cups of coffee. Research has found that drinking coffee is associated with minimal health risks and may have several benefits.
Earlier, Harvard researchers reported in the journal Circulation an association between drinking three to five cups a day and lower mortality risk. The association was seen for cardiovascular disease, neurological diseases such as Parkinson's disease, type 2 diabetes and even suicide. Drinkers of both caffeinated and decaffeinated coffee saw benefits leading researchers to surmise the benefit may come not from caffeine but from antioxidants in coffee.
Researchers analyzed health data from participants in three large ongoing studies: 74,890 women in the Nurses' Health Study, 93,054 women in the Nurses' Health Study 2 and 40,557 men in the Health Professionals Follow-up Study. Coffee drinking was assessed using validated food questionnaires every four years over the course of about 30 years. During the study period, 19,524 women and 12,432 men died from a range of causes. The analysis took into consideration potential factors such as smoking, body mass index, physical activity, alcohol consumption and other dietary factors.
Drinking up to three cups of coffee a day was associated with a 6-8 percent lower risk of overall mortality. Among people who had never smoked, the protective association of coffee was more evident. For never-smokers, drinking three to five cups a day was associated with a 15 percent lower risk.
The bottom line is coffee lovers still need to be aware of what they add to their coffee. Fancy coffee drinks can contain calories, sugar and saturated fat.
Q and A
Q: Is steel-cut oatmeal more nutritious than other kinds of oatmeal?
A: Despite its super-nutritious image, steel-cut oats are similar in nutrition to other forms of oatmeal that don't contain added sugar or sodium. All forms of oatmeal are whole-grain, containing the same vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals and fiber (including the soluble fiber shown to lower blood cholesterol). Both steel-cut and rolled oats are relatively slow to raise blood sugar and therefore classified as low in glycemic index (GI), an estimate of how a carbohydrate food affects blood sugar. Traditional oatmeal is referred to as rolled oats, because the whole-grain oats are softened by steam and flattened on rollers to form flakes. Steel-cut oats, also known as Irish or Scotch oatmeal, are oats cut by steel blades into small pieces without being flattened. Quick-cooking (one-minute) and instant oatmeal are steamed, cut and flattened in progressively smaller pieces to cook more quickly. Most of these basic kinds of oatmeal differ mainly in cooking time and texture. Steel-cut takes longest to cook and has a heartier, chewier texture. Quick-cooking oatmeal is 100 percent oats and has zero sodium. A serving of instant oatmeal may seem lower in fiber than other forms when you check label information, but that's only because a packet usually makes a smaller serving. Instant oatmeal does have added salt, with one packet having about the same amount of sodium as in 20 potato chips, almost one-tenth of the most sodium you should have in one day. Moreover, many varieties of instant oatmeal contain almost three packets of added sugar (12 grams). A few varieties of flavored instant oatmeal use zero-calorie sweeteners instead of sugar, and some add gums or soy protein isolate to add additional fiber or protein. Make sure to check Nutrition Facts panel information at the store to see what's in oatmeal so you can compare the added sugar and sodium among the options. -- American Institute for Cancer Research.
RECIPE
February is heart healthy month, and a good time to try to get more omega 3 fatty acids from foods like salmon. Here's a recipe from Cooking Light for heart-healthy salmon.
Roasted Salmon with Thyme and Honey-Mustard Glaze
10 thyme sprigs
1 (3-pound) skin-on salmon fillet
1/4 cup country Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 lemon, thinly sliced
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Arrange thyme sprigs in a long row on parchment. Place salmon, skin side down, on top of thyme. Combine mustard, honey and vinegar in a bowl. Brush mixture evenly over top of salmon. Sprinkle salmon with 2 teaspoons thyme leaves, salt and pepper. Arrange lemon slices over salmon. Bake salmon at 450 degrees in center of oven 26 minutes or until desired doneness. Serve hot or at room temperature. Serves 8 (serving size: 6 ounces salmon).
Per serving: 387 calories, 48 grams protein, 6 grams carbohydrate, 17.4 grams fat, 116 milligrams cholesterol, 0 grams fiber, 527 milligrams sodium.
Charlyn Fargo is a registered dietitian at Hy-Vee in Springfield, Ill., and the media representative for the Illinois Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. For comments or questions, contact her at charfarg@aol.com or follow her on Twitter @Nutrition Rd. To find out more about Charlyn Fargo and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.
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