Scientist at University of Georgia (UGA) have done a study that suggests that coffee has a chemical that can help decrease the risk of obesity and thus lower the chances for type 2 diabetes and liver diseases. Coffee contains chlorogenic acid, or CGA. CGA is not only found in coffee but in fruits and vegetables such as apples, pears, and blueberries. CGA is an antioxidant that can decrease chronic inflammation in animals. Chronic inflammation is a cause of obesity which can inhibit your body’s ability to receive insulin. The test was done on a group of mice who were given high fat diets and injected with CGA shots over a 15 week period. The mice revived the CGA shots bi-weekly. Without the shots, the mice would’ve gained a substantial amount of weight, but because of CGA, they had little to no weight gain, healthy liver composition and normal blood sugar levels.
While CGA does decrease the chance of obesity, it is not a cure. Yongjie Ma, “a postdoctoral research associate in UGA’s College of Pharmacy and lead author of the paper,” said that this is not a substitute for diet and exercise. The main use for CGA would be as a therapeutic method to help people at risk of obesity and potential diabetes.
Do you think CGA can make a big impact on the obesity and diabetes community?
Additional article: http://www.webmd.com/diet/news/20120328/green-coffee-beans-may-aid-weight-loss
rackolam
Looks like I can use this as my reason to drink coffee now. Very interesting article Herarst. It’s interesting how some of the simple things we drink everyday can have such benefits. Tea is also a way to therapeutically treat diabetes, and boost other metabolic functionality: (http://www.everydayhealth.com/news/drinking-tea-diabetes-prevention/). These simple, yet therapeutic drinks may make an impact on the diabetes community if awareness of their benefits are spread.
nicheloss
Nice article-all the research on coffee’s health benefits is exciting. I did some more research on beneficial components in coffee and there’s a whole lot more. Trigonelline is an alkaloid which gives coffee its aroma and helps protect our teeth! Trigonelline helps prevent “Stretococcal mutans” from adhering to teeth, thus preventing decay. Looks like coffee deserves more credit than just our morning boost!
Links:
http://www.coffeechemistry.com/trigonelline/trigonelline.html
http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/the-buzz-on-coffee
http://www.thehindu.com/thehindu/seta/2002/03/21/stories/2002032100150400.htm