For many people, the day hasn’t really started before you’ve managed to get some coffee in your system.
Now, new guidelines suggest that your coffee habit may help to reduce your risk of a number of cancers.
New guidelines published by the American Cancer Society suggest that drinking coffee can reduce your risk of liver and endometrial cancer, cancer of the mouth, pharynx and larynx and skin cancer.
The advice also suggests that drinking coffee may contribute to a reduced risk of some digestive cancers.
The guidelines, which were developed by a research team led by Dr Cheryl Rock, explain: “Whether coffee consumption reduces or increases the risk of different types of cancers has been an active area of research.
“Studies have suggested that coffee consumption likely reduces the risk of liver and endometrial cancers, although confounding by smoking may explain this latter association.
“There is some evidence that coffee reduces the risk of cancers of the mouth, pharynx, and larynx as well as basal cell skin cancer in both men and women, and possibly malignant melanoma in women.”
The reason for coffee’s protective effects still aren’t completely understood, according to the researchers.
They said: “Hundreds of biologically active compounds, including caffeine, flavonoids, lignans, and other polyphenols, are found in roasted coffee.
“These and other coffee compounds have been shown to increase energy expenditure, inhibit cellular damage, regulate genes involved in DNA repair, have anti‐inflammatory properties, and/or inhibit metastasis.
“Coffee also influences intestinal transit time and liver metabolism of carcinogens, and therefore these factors may also contribute to a lower risk for some digestive cancers.”
However, the researchers highlight an important caveat - you should drink coffee at modest temperatures.
They added: “Previous studies have suggested that consuming very hot beverages, above 149 degrees Fahrenheit, such as coffee and/or tea, may increase the risk of esophageal cancer, and a recent meta‐analysis supported this conclusion.
“There may be an advantage to consuming coffee and other beverages at a modest (rather than very hot) temperature.”
