Coffee keeps showing up on the good list, when it comes to healthy foods! This is great news for coffee lovers! Coffee is very popular, with the average coffee consumption in Canadian adults being approximately 2.8 cups each day.

A recent study revealed how one cup of coffee per day can help slow the deterioration of eyesight, and help stave off blindness for some.

At Cornell University, researchers studied the retina, which is a thin tissue layer on the rear surface of the eye. The retina is responsible for collecting and arranging what is seen by the eye. This is a type of tissue that is complex and requires a great deal of oxygen.

Because of this metabolic need, oxidative stress can result, and, ultimately free radicals are produced. When free radicals are produced, molecular damage can occur that can lead to eyesight deterioration.

One of the compounds found in coffee, which is probably the most popular drink worldwide, and consumed in every nation, contains chlorogenic acid (CLA). Caffeine only makes up 1% of the chemical compounds in coffee, while CLA is about 7-9% of the chemistry. Because CLA is a known antioxidant, it was examined to see if it could help prevent degeneration of the retina in mice.

When mice were given nitric oxide, which is known to result in metabolic processes that create oxidative stress and produce free radicals, and they were also treated with CLA, there was no retinal damage noted.

Not only can coffee help preserve eyesight, many studies have previously shown how coffee can help slow the progression of Parkinson’s Disease, Alzheimer’s Disease, prostate cancer, diabetes and even age-related memory and cognitive deficits. 

Researchers are now focusing on clarifying the effects of CLA on eyesight health, with the hopes of creating eye drops that contain the chemical and can help people with deteriorating eyesight retain vision for longer.

SOURCES: https://news.nationalpost.com/2014/05/07/coffee-compound-linked-to-protection-of-eyesight-prevention-of-retinal-damage-and-blindness-study-finds/;https://www.mdconnects.com/articles/1476/20140508/drinking-coffee-helps-prevent-blindness-and-retinal-damage.htm; Image courtesy of winnond / FreeDigitalPhotos.net