When it comes to the health benefits of coffee, we most often hear about these perks in connection with black coffee. According to Healthline, black coffee may have the potential to reduce the risk of liver cirrhosis or diabetes, enhance metabolic rate, and may protect against certain types of cancer, amongst other health benefits.
Often, we’re told that the addition of cream, sugar, or other sweeteners tends to make coffee less healthy. According to new 2023 study published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, however, this may not be the case for everything we dump into our morning cup of java. Rather, those who enjoy a splash of milk in their coffee may be reducing their risk of inflammation, the new study suggests. As reported via WebMD, the research team at the University of Copenhagen examined how polyphenols (natural compounds found in coffee) and the amino acids found in milk affected lab-inflamed immune cells.
How compounds in coffee and milk may improve health outcomes
The study team constructed three groups. One group of artificially inflamed immune cells received a mix of polyphenols and amino acids. Another group was given just polyphenols and no amino acids, while the third control group did not receive anything (via WebMD). Cells that received the combination of polyphenols and amino acids showed the greatest reduction in inflammatory responses, nearly double that of the polyphenols-only group.
“When polyphenols are combined with amino acids, they can enhance the bioavailability of the polyphenols and lead to an increased release of anti-inflammatory compounds, which in turn can result in improved health outcomes,” Dr. Adil Maqbool, an expert in nutritional and metabolic diseases at Allama Iqbal Medical College in Pakistan, who was uninvolved in the study, told Healthline. Delving further into the research, the study team conducted an additional study, where they specifically looked at the binding behaviors of polyphenols and proteins in dairy beverages, including milk and coffee drinks. Bonding was observed between the two in commercial coffee-containing beverages, but not in those containing cocoa. In a press release, the study team stated that they look forward to further examining this relationship in animal cells.
