Gaby
It’s common knowledge that coffee invigorates, brings joy, warms the soul, sharpens focus, and connects people. Just as everyone is familiar with the divine aroma and taste of this beloved beverage. Hundreds of modern studies have been dedicated to exploring coffee’s health benefits.
A recent study by Danish scientists has revealed that adding a small amount of protein-rich milk to coffee enhances its health benefits.
A team from the University of Copenhagen analyzed how the antioxidants known as polyphenols in coffee interact with amino acids—the building blocks of proteins. They found that the combination of these two actively combats cellular inflammation, even more effectively than the polyphenols alone, according to Science Alert.
The Magic of Polyphenols and Their Compounds
Polyphenols are of great interest to science primarily because they combat inflammation in the human body. These antioxidants can be found in many foods, including coffee and tea, fruits and vegetables, red wine, and beer. Previous studies have shown that, like other antioxidants, some polyphenols slow down the oxidation of beneficial chemicals. They regulate inflammatory processes, protecting us from diseases.
As researchers noted, inflammation helps protect the body from infection. However, if this process is not properly controlled, it can lead to conditions such as type II diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease, and Parkinson’s disease.
In this new study, the team examined the effects of a combination of coffee polyphenols and proteins found in milk on the human body. The results were unexpected.
The focus of the scientists’ attention was on chlorogenic acid (CA) and caffeic acid (CGA)—two polyphenols found in coffee. These compounds have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. The researchers were interested in whether these polyphenols could further influence immune regulation by binding with other chemicals, such as the amino acid cysteine (Cys) found in milk proteins. Until recently, scientists had not studied the beneficial properties of the compounds formed from such reactions: CA-Cys and CGA-Cys.
Professor Marianne Nissen Lund, the lead author of the study, noted that coffee polyphenols bind extremely quickly with milk proteins. In the first phase of the experiment, the team observed how the CA-Cys and CGA-Cys compounds affected immune cells. In the second phase, they artificially induced inflammation in immune cells and analyzed the impact of these compounds on inflammation.
It turned out that the polyphenols CA and CGA inhibit various types of inflammatory reactions. When these polyphenols combined with cysteine amino acids found in milk proteins, their anti-inflammatory effect doubled.
In a report published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, the researchers noted that their findings could be used to create not only food products but also pharmaceuticals, particularly those aimed at treating metabolic, neurological, or immune disorders.
