Coffee - Surprising Superfood: Our #1 Source of Antioxidants

By Cal Orey
5 QUESTIONS
Joe A. Vinson “Coffee is Our #1 Source of Antioxidants”

While coffee company players make the news, researchers, such as Joe A. Vinson, Ph.D., from the University of Scranton in Pennsylvania, made a big buzz, about the world’s favorite beverage, too. In 2005, he discovered that the average American consumes most of his antioxidants-healthy compounds from coffee. Vinson and his research team analyzed over 100 foods and beverages and then compared the intake of these foods to that of the diet in the United States. The results were surprising and the professor made his mark showing that coffee is a top ranking winner in the world of disease-fighting antioxidant foods and beverages. While his past research has gone down in history, he continues to study superfoods. Recently, I asked him some follow-up questions right before his new research that redo potatoes are rich in antioxidants, too. 

Q: Back in 2005, you said: “Most people drink it for the caffeine.” You added, “But it’s the number 1 source of antioxidants in the U.S. diet. Is this fact true?

A:  Yes.

Q: Does decaf have antioxidants?

A:  Decaf has 20 percent less polyphenols than caffeinated coffee but this is not significantly lower.

Q: Are there hundreds of antioxidant compounds found in coffee? Why is the mix important and not just chlorogenic acid and caffeic acid?

Excerpt from The Healing Powers of Coffee

A: There are hundreds of compounds and the effects of pure compounds are never as large as a combination of compounds.

Q: You found the average person gets 1,299 milligrams of antioxidants daily from coffee. The closest competition was teas at 294 milligrams.

A: Coffee contribution is revised to 691 milligrams/day and total from all foods and beverages is revised to 2056 mg/day of polyphenols.

Q: Does The French Paradox come into play with coffee?

A:  The French consume 30 percent more per capita than does the U.S.A. So coffee is an essential part of the French lifestyle, the Mediterranean Diet.