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Can something as simple as a cup of coffee with milk have an anti-inflammatory effect in humans? A study from Denmark suggests that.
Coffee is good, coffee is bad: Hardly any drink is discussed as much as the morning pick-me-up. For many people, a cup of freshly brewed beer has a revitalizing effect, for others it can even lead to panic attacks. Now researchers at the University of Copenhagen in Denmark have discovered that coffee with milk can have a health-promoting effect. Whether as a cappuccino, latte macchiato or flat white: the anti-inflammatory effect of the drinks improved – and doubled in fact.
Study: Coffee with milk may have anti-inflammatory effects
Coffee contains a lot polyphenols, called antioxidants. They are good for the body because they prevent oxidative stress. Because it can promote inflammation in the body. So far, little research has been done on the reaction of antioxidants with other substances. The research team led by study leader Marianne Nissen Lund wants to change that.
In previous studies, the researchers observed what happens when antioxidants bind to meat, milk or beer. In order to examine the effect of the combination of polyphenol-rich coffee and protein-heavy cow’s milk, the team looked at how inflamed immune cells react to polyphenols and the combination of polyphenols and amino acids. A control group was fed neither coffee nor cow’s milk.
Read here: Drinking coffee on an empty stomach: Why it can be unhealthy
The immune cells treated with polyphenol and amino acid were twice as effective in fighting the inflammation, like those who received only polyphenol. “Our result shows that the reaction between polyphenols and proteins also takes place in some of the coffee drinks with milk that we examined. The reaction is so fast that it could not be avoided in any of the foods examined so far,” says Nissen Lund.Science Daily“.
Also interesting: Only black coffee: Why you should avoid milk
Polyphenols briefly explained:
- Polyphenols are a group of naturally occurring antioxidants important to humans.
- They prevent or delay the oxidation of healthy chemical substances and organs in our body, protecting them from damage or destruction.
- Polyphenols are found in a variety of fruits and vegetables, tea, coffee, red wine and beer.
- Due to their antioxidant properties, polyphenols are used in the food industry, in particular to minimize the oxidation of fats and the deterioration of food quality, to avoid off-flavors and rancidity.
Coffee with milk: Animal experiments are already being planned
So far they found experiments exclusively on cells and with cow’s milk. It has not yet been possible to prove whether the results can be transferred to plant-based milk alternatives. In follow-up studies, they first want to present their thesis animals to verify. If their guess is true, it could transform the food industry.
Read here: Coffee increases risk of death: those who are not allowed to drink too much
Because both industry and Research have recognized the benefits of polyphenols. They work on the right amount in food to increase quality. Here, too, the research results are promising: “Since humans do not absorb as much polyphenols, many researchers are investigating how to encapsulate them in protein structures that improve their absorption in the body. This strategy has the additional advantage of increasing the anti-inflammatory effects of polyphenols ‘ explains Nissen Lund. (soy)
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