Drinking coffee reduces breast cancer risk

Coffee drinkers enjoy not only the taste of their coffee but also a reduced risk of cancer with their cuppa, according to a research. 

It showed that drinking coffee specifically reduces the risk of antiestrogen-resistant estrogen-receptor (ER)-negative breast cancer.

Swedish researchers compared lifestyle factors and coffee consumption between women with breast cancer and age-matched women without. They found that coffee drinkers had a lower incidence of breast cancer than women who rarely drank coffee.

The group from Karolinska Institutet explained that, "There is often conflicting information about the beneficial effects of coffee – when we compared our results to that of a German study we discovered that their data showed the same trend, but the relationship was much weaker. We suggest that this may have something to do with the way the coffee was prepared, or the type of bean preferred. It is unlikely that the protective effect is due to phytoestrogens present in coffee since there was no reduction in the incidence of ER-positive cancer in this study."

So while it is evident that coffee may have beneficial effects in protecting women from ER negative breast cancer the exact mechanism and compounds involved are not yet clear and not all types of coffee are the same.

The study has been published in the BioMed Central's open access journal Breast Cancer Research 

Black tea health benefits

It is said that coffee is harmful to health, unlike tea. But it's important to know why tea is beneficial to health. Black tea, for that matter, has many health benefits. 

Black tea (just like green tea) is plucked from a plant called camellia sinensis. The leaves of black tea, are steeped such that it can give a dark colour when used as a beverage. Also, the leaves are mature dry and processed such that it has a dark colour. Black tea has extremely low caffeine content, which is great for circulation.

Fluoride is another content of black tea and thus allows oral and bone health. Black tea, contains flavonoids which are also found in apples. Unlike green tea, black tea, once processed eliminates all antioxidants existing in it. Black tea not only helps to fight bacteria but also strengthens the immune system. As one knows, drinking tea hydrates the body, thus a cup of black tea helps moisturise the skin. Black tea also balances the hormone levels, which fends off stress. Not only does black tea have anti-inflammatory qualities, it also keeps a check on the digestive tracts functioning. It can help reduce stroke risks as it balances the cholesterol level.

DYI: To reduce puffiness of the eye, just store black tea bags in the fridge and apply it to the eye area.

Chocolate healthier than fruit juices

 Chocolate is healthier than many fruit juices and is a 'superfood' in its own right, says a new study conducted by a US-based chocolate company. 

Superfoods are high in anti-oxidants and compounds that help prevent damage to healthy cells.

Researchers from the Hershey Centre for Health & Nutrition in the US found that powdered dark chocolate had more anti-oxidants and polyphenols, believed to protect us from cancer and cardiac conditions, the Chemistry Central Journal reports.

They compared single servings of dark chocolate, cocoa, and hot chocolate mix with fruit juices including acai berries, cranberries and pomegranates, according to a Hershey statement.

The research showed that both dark chocolate and cocoa had more antioxidant activity and more flavonols than fruit. Debra Millar, who led the study, said chocolate should be labelled a "superfruit".