The experts now agree that coffee is good for us, as long as it is drunk in moderation. Four espressos a day is fine, apparently. Just as well for Italians, who thrive on the stuff!

It seems that coffee protects our livers from cirrhosis as well as improving our blood circulation. It can also help protect us from certain cancers, particularly those of the prostate, the pancreas, and the bladder, to name just a few.

It also protects our teeth from decay and it is a wonderful source of antioxidants which protect us from the free radicals in our bodies that can cause cancer. Of course, we also get antioxidants from fresh fruit and vegetables, as well as other foods, but coffee contains 600 times the antioxidants than fruit.

Antioxidants can delay the aging process, giving our skin its youthful elasticity. They can help combat wrinkles and the crows feet that form around the eyes as we age.

Science has found that if you drink between 3 and 5 cups of coffee a day, it can protect you from developing dementia, Parkinson’s disease and that all being so, it can also help you live longer.

Coffee can also combat depression and so it can cut the risk of suicide. Of course, it would be best if you drink black coffee without sugar. Sugar certainly isn’t good for us. If only we could wean ourselves off it, we’d be much healthier.

Coffee has a part to play in the Mediterranean diet, as people who live in the Mediterranean area tend to drink a lot of coffee. They don’t usually have milk in their coffee, think about Greek coffee, for example. Recent research studies have shown that dairy products are bad for us. Milk deprives our bones of calcium, and cheese and milk have both been linked to risks of prostate cancer. The advertisers have done a great job in persuading us that milk is good for us. It isn’t! Also, children of both sexes can develop acne from consuming dairy products.

Naturally, everyone reacts differently to coffee. Some people experience panic attacks, anxiety, insomnia, disturbed sleep, and headaches because of their caffeine intake.

The brew certainly improves mental alertness, which is why a lot of people drink a cup of coffee just after they wake up in the morning. Just the smell of freshly brewed coffee usually makes us feel better and more awake.

So let’s carry on drinking coffee, secure in the knowledge that it’s good for us, as long as we don’t put sugar and milk in it.