Coffee Drinking Drastically Cuts Risk Of Colorectal Cancer

A study involving nearly 10,000 men and women living in Israel, some recently diagnosed with colorectal cancer, found that even moderate coffee consumption, whether regular or decaffeinated, was associated with a reduced likelihood of developing colon cancer. Drinking only one or two cups a day was linked to a 26 percent reduction in the risk, and drinking more than that – more than 2.5 cups a day – decreased the risk up to 50 percent. The researchers speculated that caffeine and polyphenols in coffee may act as antioxidants, limiting the growth of potential colon cancer cells; melanoidins generated during coffee roasting may encourage colon mobility; and diterpenes may prevent cancer by enhancing the body's defense against oxidative damage.