java/coffee

Okay now the sceintists say coffee is good for you. I wish they'd make up their minds. It may have its benefits but remember too much of it has draw backs and addiction to caffiene is possible.

* The antioxidants in your morning coffee may improve insulin's ability to do its job. More research is needed to determine why coffee does this, so for now, , keep to one or two cups daily.

*In moderation, caffeine may actually do your diet some good by boosting metabolism and helping to burn more body fat-even while you're eating. Five minutes after you down a caffeinated drink, your body starts to react: blood vessels dilae, the pulse rate quickens and your metabolism undergoes a meteoric rise. Suddenly, you're alert, energetic, focused-and you'll probably stay that way for several hours.

* Caffeine starves off hunger, which is why it's an ingredient in many diet pills. Dieters who have just one cup of coffee with beakfast or lunch will boost their metabolic rate by 25 to 30 percent for three to four hours.

* Caffeine appears to protect brain cells from the damage that leads to Parkinson's disease. In a study thoes who had up to six cups a day were five times less likely to develope Parkinson's.

* Other studies found that people who imbibed four to five cups daily cut their risk of type 2 diabetes by 30%.

* There is a compound in coffee that appears to protect against colon cancer.

* The caffeine in a cup of coffee can increase alertness and improve performance on tests of mental function.

* Coffee drinkers had slightly higher blood pressure, but weren't at greater risk of developing hypertension. A cup a day protects against heart disease- but not for heavy drinkers.

Don't forget there are pros and cons to everything. When in doubt always check with your physician. I always say it's better to be safe than sorry. Some destructive habits can't be reversed. Bottoms up, good to the last drop!