On Mar 29, 2:56*pm, Mark Thorson > wrote:
> Omelet wrote:
>
> > Sorry, but coffee is a very unhealthy habit. *I gave it up about 17
> > years ago after drinking a good 1/2 pot per day.
>
> What's unhealthful about it? *It has been linked to
> a lower incidence of Alzheimer's disease.
>
> The only unhealthful aspect I am aware of is the
> raising of cholesterol levels if you drink a lot
> of unfiltered coffee. *The two compounds which
> cause this effect are absorbed efficiently by
> paper filters, so this is only a risk if you
> drink espresso or use a French press.

I agree completely except there is one other negative side effect.
Coffee (caffiene) exacerbates GERD (reflux).
>
> Neurol Res. 2007 Jan;29(1):91-5.
> Alzheimer's disease and coffee: a quantitative review.
> Barranco Quintana JL, Allam MF, Serrano Del Castillo A,
> Fernandez-Crehuet Navajas R.
> Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health,
> Faculty of Medicine, University of Cordoba, Cordoba,
> Spain.
>
> PURPOSE: To estimate the pooled risk of coffee
> consumption for Alzheimer's disease (AD).
>
> MATERIAL AND METHODS: We have reviewed all observational
> studies that evaluated the association between AD risk
> and coffee consumption. Four studies were identified:
> two case-control studies and two cohorts. These studies
> were carried out between 1990 and 2002.
>
> RESULTS: There was an obvious protective effect of
> coffee consumption in the pooled estimate [risk
> estimate: 0.73 (95% confidence interval: 0.58-0.92)].
> However, the homogeneity test was highly significant
> (p<0.01), indicating heterogeneity across the pooled
> studies. Pooled analysis applying the random effect model
> wasn 0.79 with 95% confidence interval overlapping unity
> (95% confidence interval: 0.46-1.36). Three studies
> assessed coffee consumption by interview questionnaire.
> The risk of AD in coffee consumers versus non-consumers
> in studies that used interview questionnaire had a
> pooled risk estimate of 0.70 with 95% confidence
> interval 0.55-0.90.
>
> CONCLUSION: Although our pooled estimates show that
> coffee consumption is inversely associated with the
> risk of AD, the four studies had heterogeneous
> methodologies and results. Further prospective studies
> evaluating the association between coffee consumption
> and AD are strongly needed.

Coffee makes people smarter.

--Bryan