Coffee has many health benefits, but can it help combat cancer?
For many people coffee isn’t just a drink, it’s a ritual. Despite the negative aspects of coffee addiction, it is a regular part of many Americans’ lives, and the proven health benefits of it make it even more appealing.
The coffee bean itself comes from a plant and is full of healthy antioxidants, so it isn’t unreasonable to assume that it could be used to help fight diseases like cancer.
The National Cancer Institute recently analyzed data from over 400,000 people and 13 years of data to find that people who drank between 3-4 cups of coffee per day reduced their risk of early death by up to 13%.
A recent study conducted in Sweden suggests that coffee may actually help inhibit tumor growth, and reduce the risk of cancer reoccurrence in women who have survived breast cancer, when combined with the drug Tamoxifen. The study focused on the anticancer properties of caffeine and caffeic acid. When taken in conjunction with the drug Tamoxifen, the caffeine helped to reduce breast cancer growth.
READ MORE: Can Coffee Be Good For You? Five Health Benefits of Your Morning Coffee
While this study is pretty preliminary, there are obviously other considerations as well. The amount of caffeine you consume is important, and adding sugar and cream to your coffee might mitigate the effects.
So the moral of the story is, two cups of black coffee a day won’t hurt you, and if you are in treatment for breast cancer, it may actually help your prognosis.
As always however, make sure you check with your doctor before making any health decisions, especially based on thing you read on the Internet. And always remember that no matter what it is, moderation is key to a happy and healthy life.
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