Can coffee be good for your eyes?



It used to be said coffee was bad for us.  Many still drank coffee for the taste and a  pick me up. Now they keep finding health benefits for coffee drinkers.  The latest comes from Cornell University, a study that finds coffee is good for our eyes.
Study:  Cornell University’s study found that coffee has a strong antioxidant in it that prevented mice retinal degeneration.  Our retinas need lots of oxygen and antioxidants help because they help prevent tissue damage.  According to the study’s senior author, Chang Y. Lee, The study “is important in understanding functional foods, that is natural foods that provide beneficial health effects.”  (Coffee is good for your eyes) . 
Coffee and Your Health:  Coffee has been found to have many health benefits including:
Type 2 diabetes – coffee has been found to lower your risk of developing type 2 diabetes.  People who drink more than  one cup of coffee a day over four years were found to have less chance of getting type 2 diabetes than  those who drank less coffee.  In fact, those who drank 3-5 cups a day had a significant reduction in risk of type 2 diabetes (Coffee and diabetes).
Cognitive decline – coffee helps cut the risk of Alzheimer’s and other age-related declines in cognitive ability.
Parkinson’s Disease – coffee drinkers reduced their risk of developing Parkinson’s disease by 80%
Gallstones – yes, drinking coffee cuts your risk of developing gallstones, by half.
Athletic performance – athletes have found  that 2 cups of coffee can improve their athletic performance.  Probably because caffeine stimulates our nerves and brain and helps ward off fatigue. 

So is drinking coffee good or bad?  If you drink black coffee, it can have health benefits.  Add a lot of sugar and cream, and you add a lot of calories.  If you prefer milk or cream in your coffee, switch to low fat milk.  Then you can get the calcium and other nutrients from milk as well as the benefits of coffee.  Or drink it black, a healthy choice.
Sources:  Coffee and health, Coffee and diabetes, Coffee is good for your eyes  
Image source:  http://www.couponmamacita.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/coffee-time-free-clipart.jpg



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