Dr. Mercola Explains the Benefits of Dark Roast Coffee

Many coffee lovers love the flavor of light roast, but scientists say it is better if you drink the dark roast variety. A recent study revealed that dark roast coffee has a stronger antioxidant effect compared to light roast, and may help lower your risk of type 2 diabetes and Alzheimer’s disease. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) plays a significant role in the development of these illnesses, and drinking antioxidant-rich black coffee will help reduce these species.

Green Med Info reports:

“Furthermore, administration of the [dark roast] led to a significant body weight reduction in pre-obese subjects. (link)”

The Perks of Drinking Dark Roast Coffee

Dr. Joseph Mercola says that coffee, just like other natural herbs and plants, may provide therapeutic benefits, as long as it’s prepared properly. “If you are drinking the popular coffee beverages doused with creamer, milk, sugar, and other sweeteners and flavorings, you are missing out on the therapeutic benefit and only causing potential harm to your health,” he warns.

Dr. Mercola says you should drink organic whole-bean black coffee—the darker the roast, the more benefits you get. Compared to light roasts, dark roasts also have less caffeine, which can be toxic.

The darkness of your coffee comes from the ending coloration of a bean after it has been roasted for a specific period of time.

Coffee roasting is a complex art. It’s done by exposing the beans to high temperatures very quickly and then, when the desired roast is reached, cooling them off quickly.

According to a new research in Molecular Nutrition and Food Research, dark roast coffee restored antioxidants vitamin E and glutathione blood levels better than light roast coffee. Pre-obese volunteers who drank dark roast also lowered their body weight significantly. Light roast did not produce this effect. (link)

Another research revealed that dark roast coffee is more abundant in N-methylpyridinium. This is a chemical produced during the roasting process and helps prevent your stomach from creating excess acid. This means dark roast coffee is easier on your stomach, unlike lighter roasts that give you the acid-like stomach irritation. (link)

More Health Benefits of Coffee

Author and coffee enthusiast Ori Hofmekler also promotes the benefits of drinking coffee, such as helping keep your brain and muscle tissue young. In his upcoming book, Unlocking the Muscle Gene, he says that coffee can trigger glutamate reuptake inhibition. Coffee also triggers a mechanism in your brain that releases a growth factor called Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF).

“BDNF activates brain stem cells to convert into new neurons, and also expresses itself in your muscles. It does this by supporting the neuromotor, which is the most critical element in your muscle. Without the neuromotor, your muscle is like an engine without ignition … Neuro-motor degradation is part of the process that explains age-related muscle atrophy,” explains Dr. Mercola.

Other studies have also revealed that drinking coffee can help reduce the risk of cancer. One Japanese study revealed that people who drink coffee every day or almost daily had about half the risk of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), a type of liver cancer, compared to those who never drank coffee. (link) Another study involving 50,000 men also discovered that those who drank six cups of coffee daily had 60 percent lower risk of prostate cancer. (link)

Coffee is also associated with lower rates of:

• Stroke
• Type 2 diabetes
• Parkinson’s disease
• Dementia
• Heart rhythm problems

Drink Only High-Quality Coffee

Dr. Mercola advises you to choose high-quality coffee to make sure you get the therapeutic benefits. It should have these characteristics:

• Black – Drink your coffee without cream and sugar, which can spike your insulin levels and lead to insulin resistance.
• Organic – Many coffee products today are heavily contaminated with pesticides. Coffee is one of the most heavily-sprayed crops grown.
• Whole bean – Most pre-ground coffees are already rancid when you drink it. To prevent rancidity, purchase the whole bean form and grind it yourself.
• Properly dried and roasted – Pick coffee that smells and tastes fresh. If your coffee does not have a pleasant aroma, it may be of poor quality, rancid, or both.

It’s also advisable to use non-bleached filters, instead of the white chlorine-bleached types many people use. This is because some of the chlorine may be extracted during the brewing process and mix into your drink. Chlorine-bleached filters can also contain dangerous disinfection byproducts like dioxin.

Follow these recommendations and you will definitely get the best benefits from organic, dark roast coffee.

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