Java jive

Once again, coffee-drinkers can rejoice:

Though the virtues of coffee drinking may have been debated in the past, now there appear to be new reasons to rejoice over java. More and more studies have linked coffee consumption to a number of health benefits, including a reduced risk of diabetes, Parkinson’s disease, gallstones, colon cancer and potentially heart disease.
“Coffee has much more in it than caffeine,” said Dr. PeMartin, director of the Vanderbilt University’s Institute for Coffee Studies, which conducts medical research on coffee and is funded by a grant from a consortium of coffee-producing countries. “It’s a very complex beverage that contains hundreds of compounds, including many with antioxidant effects.”
Though the tea industry has been touting its antioxidants, turns out coffee may contain even more–specifically polyphenols. One of the most potent antioxidants in coffee is called chlorogenic acid, which is partially responsible for the coffee flavor. Some reports estimate that more than 850 compounds are packed inside the humble bean.
Martin said that the roasting process appears to change the structure of the compounds in coffee–boosting the potential disease-fighting benefits. Martin, who is also a professor of psychiatry and pharmacology at Vanderbilt, is looking at the potential use of coffee compounds to treat addiction and depression. Past studies indicate that coffee may help lift moods, reduce anxiety and depression, and even reduce the risk of suicide.
Some of the strongest and latest research may be the connection between coffee drinking and a reduced risk of type 2 diabetes, a growing health epidemic that is closely linked to the rising rates of obesity.

And it perks you up! Huzzah!

(via Instapundit)