Coffee—Your Top Source of Essential Antioxidants

by Djulia Montana ‘tahna’ de Veyra

This is yet another good news for coffee lovers—your favorite drink is the top source of antioxidants. This news is not new though and has been the buzz for quite some time now.

“Americans get more of their antioxidants from coffee than any other dietary source. Nothing else comes close,” said Joe A. Vinson, a chemistry professor at the University of Scranton, Pennsylvania.

Professor Vinson’s research, which was funded by the American Cocoa Research Institute, revealed the following figures:

Daily Antioxidant Consumption of every Average Adult:

1,299 milligrams from coffee*

294 milligrams from tea

76 milligrams from bananas

72 milligrams from dry beans

48 milligrams from corn

*The typical American adult consumes 1.64 cups of coffee on a daily basis.

True enough—“Nothing else comes close.” The figure speaks for itself.

Top Source does Not Mean Sole Source

“The antioxidants in coffee are primarily of a specific type … ,” Jeffrey B. Blumberg said. “We know relatively little about its activity in humans and its biological role.”

Blumberg, the director of Antioxidants Research Laboratory based at Tufts University’s Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging, Boston, Massachusetts, stresses that there are many different types of antioxidants and that coffee only accounts for a few of these components.

“The idea is to get a variety of antioxidants. With just coffee you are not getting all the kinds there are,” Professor Vinson said.

It goes without saying that though coffee is the top source of antioxidants, you should not make it your sole source. Both Blumberg and Vinson agree that eating more sources of antioxidant is still the best way to go. This translates to more fruits, vegetables, whole grains and nuts included in your diet.

Moreover, the study does not look into the question of whether the antioxidants in coffee are well-absorbed by the human body or not. A balanced and healthy diet is definitely still your best option, especially since fruits and vegetables offer essential sources for your other nutritional needs.

“Unfortunately, consumers are still not eating enough fruits and vegetables, which are better for you from an overall nutritional point of view due to their higher content of vitamins, minerals and fiber,” Professor Vinson said.

Moreover, experts recommend that coffee be taken in moderation. Moderation is still the best way to go!

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