With all the hype about antioxidants in recent years--exotic fruits boasting the more antioxidants that you need in a year and thousands of other antioxidant drinks, pills and supplements--I was shocked to come across the following study's conclusion...

"Coffee is the number one source of antioxidants in the U.S. Diet--not because it is especially high in antioxidants, but because Americans drink so much of it."

Yikes.

Joe Vinson, Ph.D., and the University of Scranton in Scranton, Pa. announced the findings of their study at the end of August to the public... the public meaning MSN, MSNBC, WSJ Online and any other news source that will take the story (most likely all of them--coffee is always a hot topic.)

Coffee, to me, follows the same lines of any non-prescription or prescription medication. You take it as a quick fix to eliminate some ailment and don't worry nor care about the other effects the drug may have on the rest of your body. Give me the Vioxx now, I'll worry about the impotence and suicide stuff later.

Yes, coffee is similar. Give me the pick-me-up now, I'll worry about the acidity level in my body, the adverse effects of caffeine, the nasty breath and tooth stains later. I'll take mine with sugar and cream as well to make the drink just as nutritious as a bottle of Pepsi-- add the artificial sweetener and forget it.

Yes, there are antioxidants in coffee just as Advil stops your headache. Unfortunately, there are other ingredients in your daily joe that create free radicals in your body--this means all the good in your coffee is wiped out by all the bad it is creating. Remember--antioxidants wipe out free radicals. As for the Advil, take some time to read about Advil and the liver when you have a few minutes in the next few days.

Don't believe the hype.

Coffee drinkers are always protecting their fix. "They say one to two cups are fine" and "Plus, I couldn't imagine living without it in the morning." This is an addictive behavior and, surprise, coffee is an addictive substance.

How do I know coffee is addictive? Stop for a week. Stop cold-turkey for a week and tell me if you don't suffer from headaches, jitters, edginess. If you don't at all, then you can go right back to the drink. If you do suffer from any of these withdrawl symptoms, you should consider making your experiment a permanent diet change.

When you don't eat apples for a week, do you get headaches? Are you on edge? No.

Know why? Because apples don't change your body chemistry like coffee does. The caffeine effects the way your body works. It speeds up your heart, it messes with your metabolism. It sends you out of whack.

I see similar veins in this study and the red wine studies. Yes, there are antioxidants in red wine. Antioxidants are good for you. There is also alcohol. Alcohol negates all the good you'll ever get in a glass of red wine.

When I drank coffee a few years ago, I never thought it was a problem until I started feeling it in my heart. My heart would skip beats the more I drank coffee. Many heart arrhythmias are directly related to caffeine intake. When I stopped drinking coffee the irregular heart beat stopped as well. I haven't missed a beat in 3 years.

Get your antioxidants from fruit not coffee or tea.

Polyphenols (powerful antioxidants) are found in cranberries (very high content) and are followed in descending order by apple, red grape, strawberry, pineapple, banana, peach, lemon, orange, pear and grapefruit.

Eat these, not coffee. You will feel better, you will be more productive at work and you will be able to do what you want to do without feeling tired and weak from coffee withdrawl.

You'll hear the evangelists on the TV:

"Drink coffee for better health!" "Get your antioxidants AND your pick-me-up!"

Just remember who the information is coming from... an alcoholic would tell you the best thing in the world for you is to have a drink every once in a while. Expect the same from a die-hard coffee drinker.

Learn to listen to your body and eventually you'll recognize what is good for you--not for anyone else. Read these new studies with a critical eye. Ask questions. Read between the lines.

Your body will thank you.

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