Coffee Causes Cancer?! - The Concerns and Benefits of Coffee
Hello again:) I know the title of this post is quite alarming, but it is due to this article written recently. Basically, it states how because of the presence of acrylamide (more on that later), coffee shops may be required to have a sign posted warning people that by consuming coffee, they will be exposed to this chemical. There was a lawsuit filed in Los Angeles against shops like Starbucks for not publicly informing their customers of the presence of acrylamide in their drinks.
Okay so what is acrylamide, and why is it such a big deal? According to the National Cancer Institute, "acrylamide is a chemical used primarily to make substances called polyacrylamide and acrylamide copolymers." These are used in products like paper, plastic, food packaging, etc. It is found in some foods and also tobacco smoke; these are the two most common ways for people to be exposed to this chemical. Acrylamide forms in coffee when the beans are roasted; it is actually in a lot of foods, but only in food that is "cooked" in some form- it never seems to occur in fresh food.
There have been two studies on acrylamide and if it causes cancer. One was in a lab, where they exposed animals to very large quantities of this chemical, and also individual cells. While this can be a good indicator if something will promote cancer, these results don't usually perfectly describe what would happen to a human, who would be exposed to a lower amount of acrylamide anyway.
The second study was just comparing different groups of people to see if there was any link or difference in the rate of cancer. However, there could be so many other factors that would account for cancer! As of 2016, there has been no definite link from acrylamide to cancer.
And while you can't avoid the acrylamide in your coffee, there is such a little amount it practically doesn't matter, at least as of right now, since there is no clear link to being a carcinogen. Besides, coffee has a lot of benefits! Obviously the caffeine (which may help with Parkinson's disease) can help energy levels and wake you up, but it can help protect against Type 2 Diabetes, liver cancer and diseases, and is even an extremely rich source of antioxidants!
However, as it is with almost everything, it is best not to consume in excess. Not only can people become seriously addicted, but it can also contribute to higher amounts of anxiety. It can even encourage depression, and negatively affect your heart health. If you need 3 or more cups of coffee to feel the affects, I would recommend cycling off of caffeine, just for a few weeks! The first several days may be absolutely miserable, but I promise you it will get better! A lot of athletes also cycle off of supplements, especially pre-workout, to give their body a break from time to time. If you do decide to cycle off something, keep in mind this doesn't have to be long term!
That's my low-down on the beloved coffee bean! If you found this post interesting, comment below :) As always, thank you for your support! Stay tuned for upcoming posts!!
Hannah
Okay so what is acrylamide, and why is it such a big deal? According to the National Cancer Institute, "acrylamide is a chemical used primarily to make substances called polyacrylamide and acrylamide copolymers." These are used in products like paper, plastic, food packaging, etc. It is found in some foods and also tobacco smoke; these are the two most common ways for people to be exposed to this chemical. Acrylamide forms in coffee when the beans are roasted; it is actually in a lot of foods, but only in food that is "cooked" in some form- it never seems to occur in fresh food.There have been two studies on acrylamide and if it causes cancer. One was in a lab, where they exposed animals to very large quantities of this chemical, and also individual cells. While this can be a good indicator if something will promote cancer, these results don't usually perfectly describe what would happen to a human, who would be exposed to a lower amount of acrylamide anyway.
The second study was just comparing different groups of people to see if there was any link or difference in the rate of cancer. However, there could be so many other factors that would account for cancer! As of 2016, there has been no definite link from acrylamide to cancer.
And while you can't avoid the acrylamide in your coffee, there is such a little amount it practically doesn't matter, at least as of right now, since there is no clear link to being a carcinogen. Besides, coffee has a lot of benefits! Obviously the caffeine (which may help with Parkinson's disease) can help energy levels and wake you up, but it can help protect against Type 2 Diabetes, liver cancer and diseases, and is even an extremely rich source of antioxidants!
However, as it is with almost everything, it is best not to consume in excess. Not only can people become seriously addicted, but it can also contribute to higher amounts of anxiety. It can even encourage depression, and negatively affect your heart health. If you need 3 or more cups of coffee to feel the affects, I would recommend cycling off of caffeine, just for a few weeks! The first several days may be absolutely miserable, but I promise you it will get better! A lot of athletes also cycle off of supplements, especially pre-workout, to give their body a break from time to time. If you do decide to cycle off something, keep in mind this doesn't have to be long term!
That's my low-down on the beloved coffee bean! If you found this post interesting, comment below :) As always, thank you for your support! Stay tuned for upcoming posts!!
Hannah
Glad I can still enjoy my cup of coffee!
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