Norwegians are at the top of the world when it comes to coffee drinking, and as many as three out of four prefer it black, according to a survey by Kaffe.no.
But a skim of milk in the coffee cup can pay off, according to new Danish research.
The study, which was carried out by food researchers at the University of Copenhagen, shows that milk in coffee can reduce inflammation in the body.
– Surprising findings
Coffee contains large amounts of a type of antioxidants called Polyphenols, which are known to have anti-inflammatory properties.
In combination with milk, this effect becomes even greater.
RESEARCHER: Marianne Nissen Lund is among the researchers who found that milk in coffee can reduce inflammation in the body. Photo: Claus Boesen
– The findings show that polyphenols bind to the proteins in the milk and thus strengthen the anti-inflammatory process, says the Danish researcher Marianne Nissen Lund to TV 2.
It was forskning.no who first mentioned the matter.
That coffee can reduce inflammation in the body is not new, but that milk can strengthen this effect has not been researched before, according to Nissen Lund.
– These are surprising and very interesting findings. We are in an early phase of the research project, but want to look further into the health effects of this, she says.
As of now, the study has only been tested on cells in a laboratory, but the aim is to get more answers by testing on animals and humans.
However, the Danish researchers have only tested coffee mixed with milk from cows.
– We currently know nothing about whether you will get the same effect if you have oat milk or other plant-based milk in the coffee, says the researcher.
Critical
Eating food that is supposed to reduce inflammation in the body has skyrocketed in recent years.
Immunologist and professor of medicine at the University of Oslo, Anne Spurkland, is skeptical of the food trend.
– Inflammation does not necessarily have to be fought. By talking about an anti-inflammatory diet, we make a completely normal process that takes place in the body sick, says Spurkland.
She believes that healthy people should not focus on whether the food they eat contributes to less inflammation in the body.
GOOD HEALTH: Eating a varied diet in addition to plenty of fruit and vegetables is the best recipe for good health, says immunologist and professor Anne Spurkland. Photo: Terje Pedersen
The body uses inflammation to remove diseased cells or foreign substances that threaten the body, explains the professor.
In some cases, this inflammatory process does not stop, because there are conditions in the body that keep the process going.
There are several diseases where chronic inflammation is part of the disease picture, including autoimmune diseases, cardiovascular diseases or chronic lung diseases.
– If you eat a lot of fruit and vegetables, fish and coarse grain products, you will strengthen your immune system. It also helps to reduce the need for inflammation in the body. A single food item will not have a health-promoting effect in itself. It is the totality of the diet that counts, says Spurkland.
– In order to have the best possible immune system, it is therefore important to eat varied food and preferably a little fewer calories than you need. You should also avoid a lot of sugar and fat.
