Coffee

Positive aspects

Combats drowsiness, temporarily boosts athletic performance, eases congestion due to colds and flu, prevents asthma attacks and enhances the pain-relieving effects of aspirin.

This is one herb that helps a sleepy world wake up in the morning while providing therapeutic value: It acts as a decongestant for colds, helps prevent asthma attacks, boosts athletic performance and increases the pain-relieving power of aspirin.

Of course, coffee can also cause problems -- jitters and insomnia.

History

The Coffee beans were first discovered in Caffa, a region of Ethiopia. Until the seventeenth century, Arabia supplied all the world's coffee through the port of Mocha. The Dutch introduced the plant into one of their islands - Java.

Notes

Coffee is best known as the powerful stimulant that helps people stay awake during night drives and cramming before final exams.

The medically important constituent of coffee is caffeine, but coffee's caffeine content depends on how it is prepared. A cup of instant contains about 60 milligrams of caffeine. Drip or percolated coffee has about 100. A cup of espresso contains about 100 milligrams of caffeine but this is in a 2 1/2-ounce cup -- the traditional serving size for espresso.

Some over-the-counter cold formulas contain caffeine, partly to counteract the sedative effects of the antihistamines they contain. Caffeine may also help open the bronchial tubes, relieving the congestion of colds and flu. Coffee's action as a bronchodilator can also help prevent asthma attacks. If you take aspirin try to add caffeine: the combination relieves pain significantly better than aspirin alone.

Coffee and Cholesterol

Studies suggest that coffee can increase cholesterol levels. (Decaffeinated coffee has the same cholesterol-boosting effect as regular, suggesting that caffeine is not the culprit.) For reasons that remain a mystery, filtered coffee raises cholesterol less than boiled coffee. If your cholesterol is high, discuss your coffee consumption with your physician. The danger level is more than four cups a day.

Caveats

Coffee is most notorious for causing insomnia and increasing anxiety, irritability and nervousness. It can also aggravate panic attacks. Coffee increases the secretion of stomach acids and can upset the stomach. Doctors say that people with ulcers or other gastrointestinal conditions should use it cautiously, if at all. Contrary to popular mythology, coffee does not cause ulcers. It can, however, make ulcers worse in people who already have them.

Coffee also raises blood pressure in those who are not accustomed to drinking it. However, once Java junkies have developed a caffeine tolerance, the body adjusts, and normal consumption no longer affects blood pressure.

There are also reports that coffee aggravates premenstrual syndrome in many women. Moreover, coffee has been accused of contributing to infertility, birth defects, gallstones, immune impairment and many forms of cancer. To date, none of these allegations has been proven.

'Withdrawal' symptoms

Be cautious if you are planning to discontinue coffee consumption altogether. Some people develop withdrawal symptoms. A throbbing headache usually begins within 18 to 24 hours and lasts a few days. Constipation is also possible for a day or two.