(NaturalNews) Drinking coffee can lower the risk of liver fibrosis, hepatitis, and type 2 diabetes; new research has shown. Coffee has also been shown to lower the risk of prostate cancer, and even Alzheimer's disease and stroke. It is the caffeine in the coffee that is the active ingredient, but other sources of caffeine, such as green tea, black tea and chocolate may be helpful in reducing health risks, though the study showed that coffee reduced the risk for fibrosis.
The most recent coffee study was published in January 2010 in the journal, Hepatology, and titled, "Increased caffeine consumption is associated with reduced hepatic fibrosis". One hundred and seventy seven patients were studied over a six-month period. The group was comprised of close to half male and female, with 112 chronic hepatitis sufferers. The participants consumed 308 mg of caffeine a day, the same as 2.25 cups of coffee.
Another study, published in the journal Arthritis Rheumatism in 2007, concluded that coffee consumption lowered uric acid levels, which is the cause of gout and osteoarthritis.
The research on coffee and diabetes was published in the Archives of Internal Medicine. The findings also indicated that tea and decaffeinated coffee also helped reduce the risk of diabetes. Every cup of coffee consumed equaled a seven percent reduction in diabetes risk. This study was collected from over 18 various studies on coffee, totaling nearly a half million participants.
In December 2009, research presented at the American Association for Cancer Research Frontiers in Cancer Prevention Research Conference showed that coffee reduced the risk of prostate cancer because of its effect on blood sugar, insulin and glucose metabolism. The research was collected from over 50,000 men, from 1986 to 2006. Men who drank the most coffee had a 60 percent lower risk of aggressive prostate cancer, compared to the men who drank no coffee.
The more coffee you drink, the lower is the risk of diabetes and other chronic health conditions, the research suggests. Further research is needed to confirm these findings, but the indications are that the morning cup of Joe may be good for your long-term health.