A friend has pointed me to the very thorough and fascinating review
of all aspects of coffee to be found in Wikipedia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coffee

Including a summary of scientific studies into the potential health
benefits & health costs of coffee drinking...

Coffee consumption has been linked to breast size reduction, and
taking regular hits of caffeine reduces the risk of breast cancer.

Coffee also appears to reduce the risk of Alzheimer's disease,
Parkinson's disease, heart disease, diabetes mellitus type 2,
cirrhosis of the liver,and gout. A longitudinal study in 2009 showed
that moderate drinkers of coffee (3-5 cups per day) had lower chances
of getting Dementia, in addition to Alzheimer's disease.

However, coffee drinking increases the risk of acid reflux and
associated diseases.

Some of the health effects of coffee are due to its caffeine content,
as the benefits are only observed in those who drink caffeinated
coffee, while others appear to be due to other components. For
example, the antioxidants in coffee prevent free radicals from
causing cell damage.

Coffee consumption can lead to iron deficiency anemia in mothers and
infants. Coffee also interferes with the absorption of supplemental
iron.

American scientist Yaser Dorri has suggested that the smell of coffee
can restore appetite and refresh olfactory receptors. He suggests
that people can regain their appetite after cooking by smelling
coffee beans, and that this method can also be used for research
animals.

Over 1,000 chemicals have been reported in roasted coffee; more than
half of those tested (19/28) are rodent carcinogens.

Coffee's negative health effects are often blamed on its caffeine
content. Research suggests that drinking caffeinated coffee can cause
a temporary increase in the stiffening of arterial walls.
However, coffee is no longer thought to be a risk factor for coronary
heart disease.

Some studies suggest that it may have a mixed effect on short-term
memory, by improving it when the information to be recalled is
related to the current train of thought, but making it more difficult
to recall unrelated information.

About 10% of people with a moderate daily intake (235 mg per day)
reported increased depression and anxiety when caffeine was
withdrawn,and about 15% of the general population report having
stopped caffeine use completely, citing concern about health and
unpleasant side effects.

...


--- In cheal@yahoogroups.com, "Michael Meredith" > wrote:
> coffee drinking is one of life's slippery slopes!
> Take a look in the mirror of this funny animation illustrating how
we
> can so easily slip-sip from "occasional pick-me-up" to "wind-me-up-
then-crash-me-down"!
> http://www.sunflower-health.com/courses/anger.htm