Louise Pyne, a leading nutritionist, has recently challenged the commonly held belief that coffee may be harmful, suggesting instead that it could be considered a superfood due to its positive effects on gut health. Joining forces with renowned gut health specialist Tim Spector, Pyne highlights the advantages of this widely consumed morning beverage.
What’s particularly interesting is that coffee drinkers tend to harbour a unique type of bacteria in their intestines, which correlates with lower blood sugar levels.
While Louise and other experts acknowledge the health benefits of coffee, they also caution that it should be enjoyed in moderation to prevent the negative effects associated with excessive intake.
Sharing her insights in The Standard, Louise outlined the reasons why your everyday flat white might be seen as a super dietary choice. She wrote: “The truth is your morning flat white can be considered a superfood on so many levels. Firstly, as health guru and self-professed coffee lover Tim Spector will tell you, coffee is good for microbiome health.”
Adding to the evidence, she referred to studies, sharing: “Interestingly, according to research, coffee drinkers enjoy higher numbers of a specific gut bacteria strain called lawsonibacter which has been associated with lower blood pressure and stable blood sugar levels.”
The health benefits linked to coffee are not entirely new revelations. An earlier study rolled out this year suggested a connection between regular coffee consumption and a lowered risk of heart disease.
Reporting on these findings, America’s Tulane University observed that those with a higher intake of coffee had a diminished risk of premature death.
Dr Lu Qi, the lead author of a recent study, discussed that not only the biomechanics of coffee but its consumption timing plays a vital role in health outcomes. As per a report on Sky, Dr Qi suggested that morning is the best time for coffee drinkers to have their brew.
He clarified: “This is the first study testing coffee drinking timing patterns and health outcomes. Our findings indicate that it’s not just whether you drink coffee or how much you drink, but the time of day when you drink coffee that’s important.”
Additionally, Dr Qi mentioned the lack of guidance on timing in current dietary advice, hinting at future considerations, “We don’t typically give advice about timing in our dietary guidance, but perhaps we should be thinking about this in the future.”
Professor Thomas Luuscher supports the theory that coffee is most beneficial in the morning hours.
Are there potential health drawbacks to drinking coffee?
However, the topic of potential health drawbacks was raised by Professor Luuscher, who pointed out that individuals consuming coffee throughout the day could “suffer from sleep disturbances”. Furthermore, other specialists like Agnieszka Kozlowska have advised against drinking coffee with certain vitamin supplements, as reported by the Daily Express.
Ms Kozlowska recommends waiting 30 minutes after taking a supplement before drinking coffee, using vitamin D as an example, she stated: “Caffeine can reduce your body’s ability to absorb and utilise vitamin D effectively, as caffeine interferes with the receptors that help your body use vitamin D.”
Moreover, the NHS has issued a caution to individuals on beta blockers, particularly those taking verapamil, advising them to steer clear of tea, coffee, and alcohol. This is due to the adverse side effects that can occur when these beverages interact with the medication, one of the most noticeable being flushing.
The NHS provided guidance, stating: “Flushing – try cutting down on coffee, tea and alcohol. It might help to keep the room cool and use a fan. You could also spray your face with cool water or sip cold or iced drinks. The flushing should go away after a few days. If it does not go away or it’s causing you problems, contact your doctor.”