Can Drinking Coffee Really Improve Your Eyesight?
The news always seems to be full of negative publicity about our beloved coffee. But For those of us who absolutely must have a caffeine injection before our brain starts to function properly in the morning, it isn’t all doom and gloom. In fact, reported in the national news recently, a study carried out by a Cornell University has revealed that our morning pick-me-up can actually be beneficial to our eyesight!
The Bean
Caffeine is the ingredient that doctors warn us about, high blood pressure and insomnia are just two side effects that can apparently cause problems when we over indulge. But a coffee bean is only made up of a tiny one percent of caffeine. Chlorogenic acid accounts for about 8 percent of the bean, and this is the wonder ingredient that is currently making some very big news in scientific and medical circles alike.
The Science Bit
Scientists have recently discovered that by using this powerful antioxidant on test mice, their eyesight degeneration has dramatically reduced. Retina degeneration is a leading cause of blindness and overall poor sight ability in us humans. As well as diabetes and glaucoma, the aging process denies the supply of oxygen to the retinal tissue layer. This lack of oxygen has a dramatic effect on the tissues and the results are usually bad news for our eyesight.
How Coffee Helps
Every cup of coffee that passes our lips actually contains a percentage of this wonderful antioxidant that scientists believe will help oxygen to reach our retinas without added stress on those sensitive tissue areas. Coffee has also been linked to a number of other beneficial health outcomes in recent times:
- Diabetes risks are cut down
- Prostate cancer risks can be reduced
- Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia risks are less likely