Coffee has been in the news a lot lately… and mostly in a good way. New research reports that people over the age of 65 who drank 3 to 4 cups of coffee each day were more apt to postpone or prevent the development of Alzheimer’s. Study leader Chunhai Cao, PhD, a neuroscientist at the University of South Florida believes that caffeinated coffee may suppress enzymes that play a part in the formation of neuron-damaging plaque. Java may also amp up the levels of cytokines, which can protect against dementia – Dr. Cao drinks 2 to 3 cups of coffee each day. Keep in mind of course if coffee happens to be a headache trigger for you.
While this may be positive news for coffee drinkers, it’s also a good idea to remember that coffee and coffee drinks are not created the same. Prevention magazine has pointed out to it’s readers the dietary reference intake on a fall coffee drink favorite:
A 16 OUNCE PUMPKIN SPICE LATTE has 380 calories (About the same as 7 Chips Ahoy! cookies). It has 8 grams of saturated fat, and 49 grams of sugar (Almost double the amount found in 16 ounces of cola). Keep in mind that this coffee drink also has 51 grams of carbohydrates – about the same as 4 slices of white bread. While it probably tastes delicious, and can provide you with some caffeine, you may want to reconsider ordering a pumpkin spice latte on a regular basis……. Prevention Magazine October 2012