Should I Give Up Coffee After 40? Is Coffee Good or Bad?

I tried to answer this question this week. I went to several research sites. I read research papers from university hospitals and research senters. In the end, I had no answer.

One report claims that it causes inflamation around the heart.

Another said it reduces depression, increases your atheletic ability, and helped weight. Much-maligned caffeine appears to be a protective substance, too. Beyond waking up sluggish minds, caffeine may serve as a mild antidepressant--or so researchers theorize. One Harvard study of 80,000 American women found that those who drank more than two or three cups of regular coffee daily cut their risk of suicide over 10 years by one third

Last week's headline: Researchers at the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases found that a two-cup-a-day habit can dramatically cut the risk of chronic liver disease in those at greatest risk. "If its benefits continue to mount, coffee may come to be viewed as a health food," says Lona Sandon, a registered dietitian and spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association. They claim it protects against diabetes, Parkinson's disease, gallstones, and some cancers.

What does the Coffee Science Information Center say? "Drink up and enjoy"