"Coffee Leaf Drink" might sound like a novelty to the western world. However, indigenous people from coffee-producing countries were consuming coffee-leaf beverages for centuries and for a good reason. Beyond its appealing taste, Coffee Leaf Drinks have a wide range of health-promoting properties. It was not until recently that leading universities and pharmaceutical companies started studying compounds in the coffee leaf for their health benefits.
COFFEE LEAF COMPOUNDS
There are three main classes of bioactive compounds present in coffee leaves, namely: Chlorogenic Acids, Xanthones, and Alkaloids.
Chlorogenic Acids (CGAs) are a class of polyphenols (micronutrients that naturally occur in plants) with significant health benefits primarily related to their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities. One of the most abundant chlorogenic acids in the coffee leaf is 5-CQA (5-O-caffeoylquinic acid). It has been proven to have neuroprotective, cardiovascular protective, and anti-inflammatory effects.
Xanthones are natural bioactive compounds known to possess a wide spectrum of pharmacologic properties. Mangiferin is a xanthone found in significant levels in the coffee leaf. It is a powerful antioxidant with anti-inflammatory, antidiabetic, immunomodulatory, and analgesic effects.
Alkaloids are naturally occurring organic compounds with essential biological effects in small doses. Trigonelline is an alkaloid present in the coffee leaf, with therapeutic potential for diabetes and central nervous system disease. It also has neuroprotective, sedative, memory-improving, and antiviral activities.
CONDITIONS COFFEE LEAF DRINK MIGHT HELP WITH
Coffee Leaf has been found to effectively help with several health disorders and also boost natural processes in our body like digestion and metabolism.
DIABETES
Diabetes Mellitus is a disease that occurs when your blood glucose, also called blood sugar, is too high. This occurs when the pancreas is no longer able to make insulin (a hormone that allows your body to use sugar from carbohydrates for energy or to store for future use) or when the body cannot make good use of the insulin it produces.
Tests were done on both, Mangiferin and Chlorogenic Acids and showed that these compounds can ameliorate insulin resistance and enhance insulin sensitivity, reduce total cholesterol, and enhance liver glycogen content. These results validate that Coffee Leaf may be effectively used in type 2 diabetes treatment.
INFLAMMATION
Inflammation is a critical part of your body’s healing process. It happens when inflammatory cells travel to the area of an injury or foreign body, such as bacteria or viruses. If inflammatory cells stay too long, it may lead to chronic inflammation. Chronic inflammation can last months or years, even after the first trigger is gone.
Mangiferin and Chlorogenic Acids (especially 5-CQA) can effectively inhibit the expression of pro-inflammatory mediators and also enhance the activity of the anti-inflammatory proteins. Coffee Leaf can be used to relieve the inflammation of the lungs, stomach, kidneys, colon, and other body organs.
NEUROPROTECTIVE ROLE
Alzheimer’s disease is a neurodegenerative disease characterized by progressive deterioration of learning, memory, and other cognitive deficits. The neuroprotective mechanisms of coffee leaves are suggested to be related to the anti-inflammatory effects of Chlorogenic Acids on A1 and A2 brain receptors. In addition, it reduces toxic deposits of " β-amyloid peptides" - the main component of amyloid plaques (extracellular deposits found in the brains of people with Alzheimer's disease).
Mangiferin has a protective role against neurotoxicity and cognitive impairment and it also protects against neuroinflammation and oxidative damage in the brain.
CARDIOVASCULAR PROTECTIVE ROLE
Cardiovascular diseases such as congenital heart disease, cerebrovascular disease, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, heart failure, and rheumatic heart disease are the most prevalent diseases around the globe and are responsible for high rates of morbidity and mortality.
The high antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity of Mangiferin and CGAs can improve endothelial dysfunction (a disease in which large blood vessels on the heart's surface constrict instead of dilating), and reduce insulin resistance which could be critical mechanisms to enhance the cardiovascular protection attributed to these compounds, as shown in a large number of in vitro and in vivo studies.
ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITY
During the metabolic process, free radicals are produced in the human body, causing oxidation in biological macromolecules such as proteins, fatty acids, and nucleic acids. Free radicals at high concentration levels in the human body can cause oxidative stress. There is a strong correlation between oxidative stress and the development of various
degenerative diseases such as cancer and other ageing-related diseases.
CGAs are known to exhibit a radical scavenging effect similar
to ascorbic acid. There is enough evidence to support that CGAs can inhibit the formation of reactive oxygen species and play a beneficial role in preventing oxidative and ageing-related diseases.
Mangiferin can significantly reduce blood sugar, elevate plasma insulin levels, and increase antioxidant enzymes in the liver, Mangiferin protects against oxidative stress by regulating the production of proteins responsible for immunity protection.
CONCLUSION
More studies are necessary to determine all the health benefits of the Coffee Leaf and its compounds in particular. But we know that it is important for all major body organs, and daily consumption of Coffee Leaf Drinks helps us to live a healthier life and protects us from diseases.
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