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Connie Gayhl Knudson
Coffee has been used for thousands of years around the globe and can be traced to the highlands of Ethiopia in about 800 B.C. Shepherds observed that goats who consumed coffee fruit appeared to have more energy. They then took it to the monastary, where coffee was used to keep the monks awake during the long hours of prayer. From there, it was gradually transported to Arabia, where it was first roasted. Coffee's popularity grew and it is now consumed in virtually every country in the world — in its roasted form.

What are the benefits and drawbacks to drinking coffee?

The coffee bean grows inside a red fruit, which actually has many health benefits due to its high antioxidant content. We normally don't drink the fruit because, being a fruit, it will quickly rot after it's harvested, so it would have to be preserved quickly. However, if you did drink the coffee fruit instead of the roasted coffee bean, you would get to enjoy the coffee flavor with numerous health benefits. The coffee fruit contains an enzyme that reduces blood sugar levels and slows down the reaction of glycogen. It contains more antioxidants than blueberries, raspberries or pomegranates. Antioxidants protect us from heart disease and inflammatory skin diseases. The fruit also contains polyphenols, which may decrease your chance of developing Alzheimer's disease, heart disease or asthma, and other chronic conditions.

Roasted coffee, on the other hand, is a mixed bag. It depends on who you talk to. However, according to Dr. Lawrence Wilson, the drawbacks far outweigh its benefits. Yes, it will help you stay awake when you are studying or driving. Because of the caffeine, coffee whips the adrenal glands into action, and when used in large quantities over long periods of time, it depletes them, causing chronic fatigue and exhaustion. According to Wilson, long-term use of coffee and other caffeinated products is associated with dehydration, tremors, anxiety and irritability. He goes on to list toxic minerals, rancid oils and chemical additives. Unlike the coffee fruit, the coffee bean has been shown to have a deleterious effect on diabetes, causing dramatic spikes in blood sugar. Acid reflux and poor digestion are other frequent consequences of drinking more than one cup of coffee per day. For real energy, look into herbal supplementation, which will actually build up the adrenals, instead of tearing them down, and nourish, instead of stimulate them.

Wilson's recommendation — and mine — is to avoid drinking coffee, and when you must, to drink additional water, particularly spring water or filtered water, to make sure your body is adequately hydrated, for optimal health. Now I know there are many studies out there that tout the benefits of drinking coffee. However, when evaluating research, I look at the source and what vested interests the researchers have in promoting something. If they are unbiased or promoting health, then I will listen to what they have to say.

If you are addicted to coffee and find it very difficult to stop drinking it, you may be low on dopamine, which may lead to depression. According to Donna Gates, author of "The Body Ecology Diet," what you can do for a dopamine deficiency is to take a non-essential amino acid supplement called L-Tyrosine, which will help you easily kick the caffeine habit without the side-effects of mild depression, brain fog, headache and irritability.

In addition to L-Tyrosine, my recommendation is to find a coffee fruit drink, such as SoZo, which will give you the taste of coffee, without the negative side effects.

Connie Gayhl Knudson is a certified health coach who supports people to make better health and life-style choices for improved health, energy and weight loss. For more information, visit her website,