Something as simple as a cup of coffee with milk can have an anti-inflammatory effect, says a study published in the ‘Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry’. Research has found that a combination of proteins and polyphenols doubles the anti-inflammatory properties in immune cells. Polyphenols are known to be healthy because they help reduce oxidative stress in the body that gives rise to inflammation.
Scientists at the University of Copenhagen had earlier found that polyphenols bind to proteins in milk. Because coffee beans are filled with polyphenols, and milk is rich in proteins, in the new study, they tested whether the molecules also bind to each other in a coffee drink with milk. They discovered that this combination indeed has a beneficial effect on inflammation.