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In Food & Wine, Roxana Ehsani explains recent research on the gut benefits of coffee, writing:
As if coffee drinkers needed another excuse to keep brewing their favorite cup, new research suggests that coffee is beneficial for gut health.
Known for its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, coffee has long been touted for its many health benefits. In fact, thousands of compounds are packed into every cup, helping to improve mental alertness, reduce inflammation, support heart health, and even ease post-workout pain. A recent study published in Nature Microbiology reveals a new benefit of coffee: It supports the growth of beneficial gut bacteria.
What did researchers discover?
In this study, researchers analyzed stool samples from 22,867 participants to understand the impact of coffee on gut bacteria. They categorized participants into three groups: the “never” group (those who drink fewer than three cups per month), “moderate” coffee drinkers (those who consumed at least three cups per month up to three cups a day), and “heavy” coffee drinkers (those who drink three or more cups per day).
The researchers found that coffee drinkers had high levels of one specific bacteria strain, L. asaccharolyticus. The results suggest that drinking coffee can have a positive effect on your gut by helping the growth of good bacteria — an exciting win for coffee drinkers.
How important is it to have a healthy gut in the first place?
“It turns out that the microbiome in the gut is probably way more important than we even ever expected,” says Michael Caplan, MD, clinical professor at the University of Chicago and chief scientific officer at Endeavor Health. He explains that the beneficial bacteria in our gut are essential to our overall health, and having a diverse microbiome is crucial. A healthy gut can help prevent traveler’s diarrhea, antibiotic-induced diarrhea, and may even play a role in managing obesity, heart disease, and chemotherapy outcomes, according to Caplan.
Our gut also houses the majority of our immune cells, making it vital to protect and maintain its strength. A healthy gut also supports digestion, reduces inflammation, and influences our thoughts. Have you ever felt nervous and noticed your gut starting to feel uneasy? Our gut and brain are closely intertwined.
How exactly does coffee boost beneficial bacteria?
Dr. Chaplan points out that it’s actually not only the caffeine that boosts the beneficial bacteria, as even drinking decaf coffee has a positive effect on our gut. The key contributors are likely the polyphenols, including chlorogenic acid and quinic acid, found in coffee, which help boost the growth of this beneficial bacteria. Science suggests that polyphenols act like prebiotics. They feed and encourage the growth of beneficial gut bacteria.
Read more here.
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