Does coffee protect against liver cancer, melanoma, mouth and pharynx cancer OR does it cause disease? A doctor explains
New Delhi: Who doesn’t love a good cup of coffee? Whether it’s an early morning appetizer to start your day or something to relax that hardened body after a busy day at the office, or maybe a simple hot cup of tea to drink on a rainy day. Coffee has been consumed for centuries. Many swear by it too.
Thus, simple coffee is a powerhouse of chemicals.
Many have asked me if coffee can cause cancer. Conventional wisdom would say that excessive drinking is somehow associated with the dreaded disease. Any excess would be deleterious, why should coffee be any different.
In colorectal cancer, liver cancer and breast cancer, coffee has also been shown to have a protective effect.
They could not conclusively find any positive association between forms of cancer.
Finally, I would like to share my opinion on the whole conundrum of coffee and cancer. The most common answer I would give to my patients who ask these questions would be that coffee is safe! It had been consumed by our ancestors eons ago and continues to be consumed now. Any item consumed in excess is harmful, and coffee is the same. Small amounts make no difference. Many studies have been conducted to try to find associations between certain elements and certain diseases, and some may also exaggerate this association. We shouldn’t read too much into every article we find, but rather critique it with a steady head. Around a good hot coffee!
(This article was published from a news service and nothing except the title has been changed.)