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Green coffee beans have supplied a new player in the antioxidant arena. An extract of green coffee beans has been found to have a stronger antioxidant effect than established antioxidants like green tea and grape seed extract.
The active constituent in coffee that is the main cause for its many health advantages is a compound called chlorogenic acid. It neutralizes free radicals, and addresses the problem of hydroxyl radicals, both of which can lead to cellular degeneration if left unchecked. Chlorogenic acid can also help regulate metabolism. As compared to green tea and grape seed extract, green coffee bean extract is twice as efficient at absorbing oxygen free radicals.
One of the advantages of utilizing the green coffee bean extract is that the negative effects of coffee are avoided. The chlorogenic acid is thought to boost metabolism by changing the way in which glucose is taken up by the body. And it does contain caffeic acids, that provide a lift to vitality like regular coffee does. But unlike boiled coffee, green coffee bean extract contains no cafestol, which is a diterpene. Along with its diterpene relative kahweol, cafestol increases concentrations of the 'bad' cholesterol, LDL, to levels that over an entire life might raise the chances of coronary heart disease by as much as 20% These diterpenes also had an impact on the degree of liver enzymes measured. When these are elevated it is an indicator of stress on the liver. However the study that measured this found this was a transient effect, and also that the degree of liver enzymes were far lower than those with liver disease.
As a side note on the health effect of the diterpenes found in regular coffee, it was discovered that by just drinking filter coffee, none of these effects on levels of cholesterol or the liver occurred. The coffee filter removed the offending diterpenes. And degrees of these diterpenes in instant coffee are low.
Other great things about green coffee bean extract include an increase in the effectiveness of pain killers, specifically for migraine medications; a decrease in the potential risk of diabetes; and assisting the body burn a greater proportion of lipids (fats) compared to carbohydrates, which could help with muscle fatigue for athletes and bodybuilders.
Interestingly, with reference to caffeine and liver disease, further studies have indicated it may actually support liver health for some people. Those who were at high risk of developing liver disease due to drinking too much alcohol were found less likely to suffer liver damage if they drank more than two cups of coffee or tea a day. This was a population based study, not a clinical trial, and so is not conclusive on the subject. But it does offer some promising information. Those drinking more than two cups or more per day were half as likely to develop liver disease compared to those drinking less than one cup every day. Researchers are not aware of what caused this protective effect.
Among the criticisms of coffee in relation to health is that it leaches calcium from the bones. But this effect has been found to be overemphasized, at least in youngsters. And adults who adhere to a diet with sufficient levels of calcium will be shielded from the little quantity of calcium that is lost because of coffee consumption.
Therefore the old axiom that caffeine can stunt a child's growth is a myth. It was based on the fact that in older studies, caffeine was linked to low bone mass because those studies were done on the elderly who both drank a great deal of coffee and had diets that were low in calcium. Recent studies in the US followed 80 teenagers over 6 years, observed no difference in the bone density of those with a high level of caffeine in their diet, compared to those teenagers who had little caffeine. Other studies determined that the quantity of calcium lost from bones is small and can be balanced by having sufficient calcium in your diet.
References: Australian Healthy Food Magazine, January.
Has anyone here tried an all natural weight loss product such as Green-Fu?
The active constituent in coffee that is the main cause for its many health advantages is a compound called chlorogenic acid. It neutralizes free radicals, and addresses the problem of hydroxyl radicals, both of which can lead to cellular degeneration if left unchecked. Chlorogenic acid can also help regulate metabolism. As compared to green tea and grape seed extract, green coffee bean extract is twice as efficient at absorbing oxygen free radicals.
One of the advantages of utilizing the green coffee bean extract is that the negative effects of coffee are avoided. The chlorogenic acid is thought to boost metabolism by changing the way in which glucose is taken up by the body. And it does contain caffeic acids, that provide a lift to vitality like regular coffee does. But unlike boiled coffee, green coffee bean extract contains no cafestol, which is a diterpene. Along with its diterpene relative kahweol, cafestol increases concentrations of the 'bad' cholesterol, LDL, to levels that over an entire life might raise the chances of coronary heart disease by as much as 20% These diterpenes also had an impact on the degree of liver enzymes measured. When these are elevated it is an indicator of stress on the liver. However the study that measured this found this was a transient effect, and also that the degree of liver enzymes were far lower than those with liver disease.
As a side note on the health effect of the diterpenes found in regular coffee, it was discovered that by just drinking filter coffee, none of these effects on levels of cholesterol or the liver occurred. The coffee filter removed the offending diterpenes. And degrees of these diterpenes in instant coffee are low.
Other great things about green coffee bean extract include an increase in the effectiveness of pain killers, specifically for migraine medications; a decrease in the potential risk of diabetes; and assisting the body burn a greater proportion of lipids (fats) compared to carbohydrates, which could help with muscle fatigue for athletes and bodybuilders.
Interestingly, with reference to caffeine and liver disease, further studies have indicated it may actually support liver health for some people. Those who were at high risk of developing liver disease due to drinking too much alcohol were found less likely to suffer liver damage if they drank more than two cups of coffee or tea a day. This was a population based study, not a clinical trial, and so is not conclusive on the subject. But it does offer some promising information. Those drinking more than two cups or more per day were half as likely to develop liver disease compared to those drinking less than one cup every day. Researchers are not aware of what caused this protective effect.
Among the criticisms of coffee in relation to health is that it leaches calcium from the bones. But this effect has been found to be overemphasized, at least in youngsters. And adults who adhere to a diet with sufficient levels of calcium will be shielded from the little quantity of calcium that is lost because of coffee consumption.
Therefore the old axiom that caffeine can stunt a child's growth is a myth. It was based on the fact that in older studies, caffeine was linked to low bone mass because those studies were done on the elderly who both drank a great deal of coffee and had diets that were low in calcium. Recent studies in the US followed 80 teenagers over 6 years, observed no difference in the bone density of those with a high level of caffeine in their diet, compared to those teenagers who had little caffeine. Other studies determined that the quantity of calcium lost from bones is small and can be balanced by having sufficient calcium in your diet.
References: Australian Healthy Food Magazine, January.
Has anyone here tried an all natural weight loss product such as Green-Fu?