Coffee

scientific name: Coffea arabica

Common names: Java

Ayurvedic names: Mlech-phala

Chinese names: Ke fei

Bangladesh names: kafi

Arabic names:    بن (bunn)

Rain Forest names:

Family: Fabaceae?

Approximate number of species known:

Common parts used: Bean (the seed when ripe)

Collection:

Annual/Perennial: Perennial

Height: 15 to 40 feet

Actions: Vasodilator, stimulant

Known Constituents: Oil, wax, caffeine, aromatic oil, tannic acid, caffetannic acid, gum, sugar, protein

Constituents Explained:

Description: 

Traditional Use:

It’s hard to imagine western culture without coffee.  It’s not uncommon for caffiene to be used in tablets to relieve headache.  In moderate amount its used to improve mental alertness and concentration.

Excess coffee can lead to headache, poor sleep, irriatbiltiy, and heart complaints.  Stopping coffee can lead to withdrawl symptoms.

Its believed perculation extracts the most cofee and is least healthy.  Espresso extracts more flavour and less caffiene.

Clinical Studies:

A 12-week, double-blinded, randomized, controlled clinical usage study was conducted to evaluate the efficacy and tolerance of a novel topical, multi-ingredient, polyphenol, high antioxidant skin care system (facial wash, day lotion, night crème and eye serum) to reduce the appearance of photoaging.

A total of 40 Caucasian female participants were randomly assigned to apply the test regimen or control regimen for 12 weeks. One group washed with the test antioxidant facial wash twice daily, applied the test antioxidant day lotion each morning and the test antioxidant night creme and eye serum each evening.

The second group washed with a control facial wash twice daily and applied a control moisturizer each morning and evening. Clinical evaluations for efficacy were made by a board-certified dermatologist at baseline and after six and 12 weeks of product use.

Overall, the results of the study showed that the test regimen produced statistically significant improvements in the appearance of photodamaged skin. Most impressive was the significantly greater improvements produced by the test regimen over the control regimen for nearly every grading parameter. 

The results from this study demonstrate that this high Total ORACsc scoring antioxidant skin care system was well tolerated, with no adverse events reported by the participants during the course of the study, and improved, significantly greater than a control regimen, the appearance of wrinkles, firmness, hyperpigmentation, blotchy redness, tactile roughness and clarity in photodamaged skin.

Lipid-induced insulin resistance has been investigated primarily with i.v. infusions, and caffeine-induced insulin resistance, with alkaloid caffeine. The effects of orally consumed lipids and coffee have not been established and to our knowledge have never been simultaneously investigated.

A study setermined whether an oral lipid challenge and caffeinated coffee would disrupt glucose homeostasis and to characterize their respective incretin responses. It was hypothesized that oral ingestion of saturated lipids would impair glucose tolerance and that caffeinated coffee would further hinder glucose management.

Ten young, healthy males participated in 5 trials in a randomized, cross-over design. At time 0 h, they underwent an oral fat tolerance test (OFTT: 1 g lipid/kg body weight) or consumed water, followed 5 h later by caffeinated (5 mg/kg) coffee, decaffeinated coffee, or water.

At 6 h, volunteers underwent an oral glucose tolerance test. Consumption of the OFTT increased glucose concentrations after a subsequent OGTT. At 7 h, caffeinated coffee produced the highest glucose concentrations. Glucagon-like peptide-1 active and glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) were both increased for up to 6 h in all OFTT trials.

Compared to all other treatments, caffeinated and decaffeinated coffee produced higher GLP-1a response, whereas only caffeinated coffee increased GIP secretion. These results show that oral consumption of lipids and caffeinated coffee can independently and additively decrease glucose tolerance.

References:

Palmr DM, Kitchin JS. “A Double-Blind, Randomized, Controlled Clinical Trial Evaluating The Efficacy And Tolerance Of A Novel Phenolic Antioxidant Skin Care System Containing Coffea Arabica And Concentrated Fruit And Vegetable Extract.” 2010 December http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21120255

Beaudoin MS, Robinson LE, Graham TE. “An Oral Lipid Challenge And Acute Intake Of Caffeinated Coffee Additively Decrease Glucose Tolerance In Healthy Men.” 2011 April http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21346110