Fifty-four percent of Americans drink coffee daily. And it’s really no wonder—it tastes great and gives you a kick start in the morning. Plus, studies show it protects you against dementia, depression, weight gain, Type II diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and even many types of cancer.
And now—a new study published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute has found it protects against a rare, but aggressive type of cancer that, in recent years, has increased in prevalence in the U.S. by an alarming 43 percent.
I’ll tell you all about that new study in a moment. But first, let’s back up to discuss why coffee continues to get such a bad rap within the medical and nutritional community…
Coffee continues to get a back rap—despite the science
Dieticians, nutritionists, and government health experts love to tell you what you shouldn’t eat or drink. And they often return again and again to indict certain foods and drinks—including coffee, which they view as an unhealthy “vice” or a “crutch.”
But when was the last time these so-called experts cracked open a current medical textbook or scientific journal? (For example, I continuously update my textbook Fundamentals of Complementary and Alternative Medicine with current data, which is why it is now in its 6th edition.) Because many of the foods being labeled as “bad” aren’t really bad for you at all, according to the latest science.
In fact, beginning in the 1980s, research began to show that coffee does not cause adverse health effects. And, on the contrary, drinking it has many impressive, long-term benefits!
I remember talking about these benefits to a journalist named Mike Rowe about 20 years ago for his weekly health show in Philadelphia. I could tell the journalist was smart and a cut above the rest. We really hit it off, and he even had me back to do another show.
Of course, Mike soon went on to achieve greater fame with a Discovery Channel show called Dirty Jobs. (Ironically, being a journalist today is probably one of the dirtiest of all jobs!)
Since that interview 20 years ago with Mike, the science on the benefits of moderate coffee consumption has continued to accumulate. In fact, as I mentioned earlier, a new study published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute caught my eye because it looked at the effect of coffee on hepatic (liver) cancer.
Plus, Dr. Demetrius Albanes is one of the study’s co-authors. He’s an old friend and colleague from the National Cancer Institute (NCI) who always had a good eye for new ideas and approaches in medical research. So, let’s take a look at what he found in his recent study on coffee…
Coffee-drinkers gain protection against liver cancer and liver disease
The new study led by my old friend and colleague looked at the effect of drinking coffee on hepatic cancer and fatal hepatic diseases.
As I mentioned last month, hepatic cancer rates are lower in the U.S. when compared to many other countries, particularly Africa and Asia.
But its incidence in the U.S. has been skyrocketing in recent years. In fact, between 2000 and 2016, it rose by a staggering 43 percent.
Most experts believe this dramatic increase relates to the increasing rates of hepatitis C. (People with chronic hepatitis B or C run a greater risk of getting hepatic cancer, as I studied with Nobel laureate Baruch Blumberg in the 1980s in China.)
So, for this study, Dr. Albanes and his team measured actual metabolites of coffee found in the blood of about 500 men and women and then followed them for up to 27 years. (As I’ve said before, using this highly accurate, scientific method makes the results much more reliable than when using food surveys.)
After analyzing all the data, the researchers found that the men and women who had more coffee metabolites in their blood were far less likely to develop hepatic cancer or fatal hepatic problems than those who didn’t have the metabolites (indicating they didn’t drink coffee).
So, there you have it.
It appears we can now add protection against liver cancer and liver disease to coffee’s very long list of health benefits. And I’m not at all surprised, because, as I’ve reported before, ground coffee contains hundreds of healthy constituents and antioxidants that help your body ward off disease.
So, go ahead and enjoy a few cups of coffee per day. Just make sure to skip the sugar and artificial sweeteners and creamers. And skip the decaf coffee too, as manufacturers use harmful chemicals to process it and remove the caffeine.
Of course, coffee is just one of many natural foods shown to protect against cancer. And you can learn about the many other natural approaches for preventing and reversing cancer in my Authentic Anti-Cancer Protocol. In this protocol, I also share how simple adjustments to your lifestyle, diet, supplement routine, and screening methods can make all the difference. Click here to learn more, or to enroll today.
Source:
“Investigation of Serum Metabolites, Coffee Drinking, Liver Cancer Incidence, and Liver Disease Mortality Prospective.” J National Cancer Institute 2020; 112(3): 286-294. doi.org/10.1093/jnci/djz122