Growing up, I saw so many people around me drinking coffee, and I always wondered what it tasted like. I never had a chance to have any coffee until I was in college. The first time I had a cup, it tasted so bitter and I wondered how anyone could like something so bitter. I was at an event my Campus Ministry group had sent me on, and I had to keep adding milk and sugar so the bitter effect would be less obvious. After this time, I told myself that I did not care how popular coffee was; I did not like and would never drink it again.

Then, a couple of years ago, I had a health scare. My foot doctor thought I had diabetes, but thankfully, I had nothing to worry about. Shortly after this, I began hearing all sorts of new medical information that said coffee has some health benefits.

One was that coffee helps to keep insulin levels stable. Something in the coffee beans accomplishes this. I told myself to wait and see it there are other benefits, and then maybe I will consider going back on my promise.

Then, I heard that coffee helps to prevent several cancers, including liver and pancreatic cancers. This is because something in the coffee helps to digest food alot quicker, reducing the need for digestive juices to be released. Getting better. Diabetes and cancer are two of the diseases and illnesses I fear most, so if I could prevent them somehow, I would definitely look into it soon.

With this new news about coffee being a benefit, there was some cautionary tales as well. One said that coffee increases women's risk of breast cysts. It had originally been said it increased the risk of breast cancer, but this turned out to be false after more research happened. The cysts would most likely be benign, and they said this happens only after drinking a few cup of coffee a day, not just one.

I also have heard that coffee raises level cholesterol levels, and that caffeine causes liver and heart problems. It was then confirmed that only unfiltered causes raises cholesterol, and since caffeine causes organ problems, decaffeinated beverages would be a safer choice.

Well, it has been a couple of years since hearing all this news, and I now drink only one cup of coffee when it is offered to me or when I go out for breakfast. I do not have more than one, and I always have filtered, decaffeinated coffee. I am not drinking coffee to stay alert and awake, after all; I am drinking it to prevent illness and stay alive. Coffee is great on cold days with breakfast; it warms you up.

For those of you deciding on whether or not to drink coffee because of conflicting medical stories, I would tell you to read the fine print. As I have stated, unfiltered coffee only raises cholesterol, and caffeine only increases the risk for liver and heart problems. When you are getting a cup of coffee, whether at a friend's house or in a restaurant, ask how it is prepared, and do not be afraid to assert how you would like your coffee. Like most food and drink, everything is good in moderation. Have no more than two cups a day, and order non-filtered decaffeinated coffee. You will still be preventing illness and disease while not giving up one of your favorite habits.

Learn more about this author, Erin Yarrobino.
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