Pickelsimer 1

Wilson Pickelsimer
Malcolm Campbell
English 1103
March 30, 2015
Coffee: The Forbidden Fruit
So there I was, knee deep in Urban Grind, a coffee shop in Atlanta, Georgia,
savoring the delicious aroma from a black forest latte. Lounging across a couch having a
conversation with two complete strangers about kayaking in Nepal. When one brought up
the name of their kayaking instructor, my ears perked up. I heard the name again and I
said, I know that guy! They asked how and I told them he was an old high school
classmate. Thanks to one cup of coffee, I met two people in one caf who went kayaking
with my long time friend from Nepal. These occurrences tend to happen often in coffee
culture. Coffee attracts people from all around the world and unites them to talk about
what is on their minds and to enjoy one of the most delicious and beneficial drinks for
your body. Coffee is a liquid bridge that unites people from all walks and provides their
bodies with beneficial ingredients.
Everyone grows up hearing the old mothers tale that coffee stunts your growth.
People have been brainwashed from day one with facts about how coffee is bad for the
body. It seems every generation wants the next separated further and further from the
drink. These reservations toward it must have been personal experiences, because there is
enough information available through various recourses to believe otherwise. Coffee,
some preparations more beneficial than others, can prove very helpful to the body and
society.

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Coffee is societys super drink. It is used in just about every household to fuel the
population and get them going in the morning and is used to keep the college students
awake at night while they are writing their papers. Obviously, it is most commonly loved
for its awakening affect. But, those who drink it also benefit from the many antioxidants
that linger in its bold taste. Coffee is one of the most beneficial drinks in existence for the
body and benefits society through its health boosters, the conversation it provokes, and its
industry that is in constant demand.
In the argument of whether coffee is better or worse for the body, there are two
main sides. There is one side that believes that coffee is harmful to the body and whom
do not support its involvement in the everyday life. On the other side, there are the people
that believe that coffee is beneficial to your body and encourage the use of it for everyday
life. But, they can only encourage this to so many people because there are still people
out there that do not like coffee for its taste or that have not tried it before. For those
people, reading this essay should convert them.
About eighty-three percent of all Americans drink an average of 3 cups of coffee
per day. And once you consider tea and the various other drinks that contain caffeine,
about ninety percent of the population consumes a caffeinated beverage (Sagon). That is
quite a large chunk of the population. With that statistic in mind, how many people really
know the affects that caffeine has on the body?
Research has proven that coffee can reduce our risk of stroke, dementia, and
Parkinsons disease. It has also been proven that it increases our concentration levels and
ability to remember. Coffee has this ability because it is considered a seed. Seeds are
known to contain protective elements. Coffee contains helps prevent these diseases

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because of their seed categorization. But, since they also have caffeine, they provide all
of the benefits that caffeine provides as well. Caffeine is known the reduce ones risk of
Alzheimers disease, and people who consume it are four to eight times less likely to
develop Parkinsons disease (Sagon). Coffee contains antioxidants that reduce oxidative
stress in brain tissue, linking it to being a possible preventer of Parkinsons and
Alzheimers disease (Taylor). A 2009 study done by the University of Florida proved that
caffeine reduces the risk of developing Alzheimers and dementia in your seventies by up
to seventy percent. Harvards School of Public Health conducted a study in 2013 finding
that drinking coffee reduces ones risk of suicide by forty-five percent. Consuming the
caffeine in coffee tends to result in a rush and eases ones mind. Coffee reduces ones risk
of oral cancers by half. A US study in 2009 and a Swedish study in 2011 found that
women who drink more than a cup off coffee a day reduce their risk of stroke by twenty
to twenty-five percent. Sweden did a study in 2008 that had similar results for men. The
National Cancer Institute and AARP collaborated for a study consisting of four hundred
thousand men and women ages fifty to seventy-one, and followed them throughout ten
years. This resulted in finding that people who regularly drink coffee are at less risk of
death than the non-drinkers. They found they were less susceptible to heart disease,
respiratory disease, stroke, accidents, and diabetes. Research has shown that coffee can
also help protect against uterine, colon, prostate, and liver cancers. A study proved that
coffee could help prevent type-two diabetes (Sagon).
Coffee is one of the main fuels behind athletes. Some of the most popular
ergogenic, or performance-enhancing, aids among endurance athletes include caffeine,
antioxidants, and carbohydrates (Taylor). Caffeine has proved to increase respiratory

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efficiency and increase endurance while reducing leg muscle pain during endurance
(Taylor). In the cases of exercise and all around alertness, the awakening effect of
caffeine can be a large benefit. Caffeine is so efficient that it is recognized as a
performance-enhancing drug by the International Olympic Committee (Weinberg).
Research shows a relationship between high coffee consumption and reduced weight gain
(Taylor). Caffeine helps the body release stored fat and raises the metabolic rate, resulted
in possible weight loss (Weinberg). Drinking coffee puts you at a lower risk for
symptomatic gallstone disease, one of the most common digestive-related causes for
hospitalization (Taylor).
Coffee plays a major role in many cultures. Cafes have the ability to influence
society in great ways. A group of Vietnam and Afghanistan war veterans founded a coffee
shop named Coffee Strong. Coffee Strong is located just down the road from a military
facility in Tacoma, Washington. The shop offers soldiers, veterans, and members of
military families a venue in which to openly discuss politics, combat experiences, and the
impact of war. Coffee strong also offers counseling for the many post-war struggles such
as post traumatic stress disorder. Coffee Strong was opened to raise awareness and
support the veterans in need. Coffee Strong screen-prints t-shirts to assist financially and
to raise awareness (Gilman). Coffee is not only beneficial to the body, but to society as
well. Coffee provides a reliable foundation for a business and is in constant demand.
Coffee provides a reason to gather and a reason to socialize.
Although there are countless benefits to the bold beverage, there are a few
significant drawbacks. Caffeine is considered a drug, therefore can be highly addictive.

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Small doses are one thing, but large doses can become problematic. Consumers begin to
rely on it, and if the consumers do not receive the amount they need, they may develop
painful headaches and drowsiness of the mind and body. Caffeine is a key cause of
insomnia and increases anxiety. Consumers rely on coffee to keep them awake during the
day, drink too much of it, and cause this cycle of insomnia to be endless. Although it
helps prevent type-two diabetes, it raises blood sugar levels and blood pressure. Coffee
can negatively interact with certain medications such as thyroid medications. A professor
at Washington State University, Linda Massey, claims that caffeine potentially leads to
some spinal bone loss in postmenopausal women if they typically drink more than three
cups, or 300 mg of caffeine, a day, but don't get enough calcium in their diet (Sagon).
Coffee can definitely upset your stomach. Drinking coffee can sometimes worsen acid
reflux and heartburn, especially on an empty stomach. Coffee is not the drink for
heartburn because it is very acidic and irritates the gastrointestinal tract. As for acid
reflux, it is not the best drink either. The caffeine relaxes the sphincter muscle, which
normally keeps stomach acid from rising up the esophagus (Sagon).
Coffee also contains cholesterol. Cholesterol only appears in unfiltered coffee
such as in espresso and French press. Coffee brewed with a paper filter traps the cafestol,
the element in coffee that is responsible for raising LDL cholesterol levels (Sagon). Lowdensity lipoprotein or LDL is the unwanted form of cholesterol. Coffee that is boiled over
a stovetop also contains cafestol (Taylor). Therefore, the only preparation of coffee that
can filter out cholesterol is through the paper filter method.

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Coffee is also considered a mild diuretic (Taylor). This could result in the obvious
and dehydration. Also, heavy caffeine intake can result in the urinary excretion of
calcium, slightly increasing ones risk of osteoporosis by decreased bone mineral density
(Taylor). Coffees relationship with bone loss can be counteracted with a daily dose of
milk, restoring the calcium lost by coffee (Weinberg). This can be done by simply
consuming a glass of milk, or making a latte or pouring milk into your coffee. The
Finnish conducted a study and concluded that people who drank four cups of coffee a day
are more likely to develop rheumatoid arthritis. Caffeine is also associated with chronic
back pain (Weinberg).
Coffee is a beverage that contains antioxidants that help prevent against many
diseases such as Alzheimers and Parkinsons. It fuels nations across the world and
provides a reason for gathering and socializing. Coffee is one of the most misunderstood
drinks in existence. It all boils down to knowing your limits. No matter what mothers tail
you heard, coffee can be good for you. But, it is up to you to find out the amount that is
the most beneficial.

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Works Cited
Gilman, Lisa. Grounds for Resistance: Stories of War, Sacrifice, and Good Coffee. New
York, N.Y: Films Media Group, 2011. Web. 04 March. 2015.
Sagon, Candy. "Caffeine for Your Health Too Good to Be True?" AARP. AARP, 30
Oct. 2013. Web. 04 March. 2015.
Taylor, Sarah R, and Barbara Demmig-Adams. "To Sip or Not to Sip: the Potential
Health Risks and Benefits of Coffee Drinking." Nutrition & Food Science. 2007.
Web. 04 March. 2015.
Weinberg, Linda. "Coffee Break Or Caffeine Fix? Pros And Cons Of Stimulating
Beverages. (Cover Story)." Environmental Nutrition 23.11. Academic
Search Premier. 2000. Web. 04 Mar. 2015.