“Methodist Holy Water” and Health

By Lanny Carlson

“Methodist Holy Water” and Health

During 33-years as a United Methodist pastor, I often heard coffee referred to as “Methodist Holy Water.” There was no disrespect intended. It was simply an acknowledgment of the fact that wherever two or three Methodists are gathered together, someone will always start a pot of coffee.

Over the years, though, we’ve been told that the “holy” water wasn’t healthy water. But recent research may be changing that assessment.

Thomas DePaulis, PhD, research scientist at Vanderbilt University, says that “Overall, the research shows that coffee is far more healthful, than it is harmful.”

Of course, we all know that coffee can help with alertness and concentration. But the benefits go far beyond this.

Harvard researchers, after studying the data on more than 126,000 people over a period of up to 18 years, concluded that people drinking 1-3 cups of coffee per day reduce their risk of diabetes by single digits, while drinking 6 or more cups per day reduced the risk in men by 54% and women by 30%, results similar to those of an earlier Dutch study. The reason for this may be, according to researcher Frank Hu, MD, in an interview with WebMD, that “coffee has large amounts of antioxidants such as photogenic acid and tocopherols, and minerals such as magnesium. All these components have been shown to improve insulin sensitivity and glucose metabolism.”

At least six studies also show that regular coffee drinkers are up to 80% less likely to develop Parkinson’s disease. Dr. DePaulis suggests that this may be directly related to caffeine, and points out that there are drugs being developed for Parkinson’s disease which contain a derivative of caffeine.

Other studies suggest that drinking 2 cups of coffee per day can reduce the risk of colon cancer by 25%, cirrhosis of the liver by 80%, and gallstones by 50%.

Among asthma sufferers, coffee has been correlated with a 25% reduction in onset attacks, and may even control attacks when medication isn’t available. And the reason may be that one of the compounds in coffee is theophylline, which is a bronchidilator.

Caffeine can also reduce headache pain (no big secret, considering the fact that a dose of Excedrin or Anacin contains more caffeine than an 8 ounce cup of coffee).

Italian researchers even suggest that another compound in coffee, trigonelline, which gives coffee its aroma and its bitter taste, has antibacterial and anti-adhesive properties which help prevent tooth decay!

None of this is to ignore the possible negative effects of excessive coffee intake. Drinking more than your body can tolerate can increase nervousness, trembling, rapid heartbeat, and may even increase cholesterol levels in some people. And many heavy coffee drinkers can attest to the severe headache sudden withdrawal may induce.

Still, it is gratifying to learn that coffee drinking may not be such a vice after all, that in fact coffee can “do a body good”!

Well, I better wrap this up, because a meeting is just about to start. Has someone started the coffee?