Those of you who receive my newsletter (hint - sign-up box at right) know that it is called The Middle Way, due to my belief that things which are bad for you in excess, can be acceptable in moderation.

So here is more good news about coffee in the moderate range:  it can contribute to your daily fiber needs ( or "fibre", as I also used to spell it!). 

More Fibre in coffee than there is in orange juice

I though perhaps it was just age turning me into a fuddy-duddy, when I refused to add vitamin water, vitamin energy bars, vitamin this and that, to my store inventory.  They made me feel uncomfortable, even though  the only expressed reason I could give, was the fear that people might be unbalancing their intake .

Sort of - I do not like you, Dr. Fell: the reason why I cannot tell.  But this I know, and know full well - I DO NOT LIKE YOU, Dr. Fell.

The first supportive evidence for my decision turned up the other day, sent to me by Chris Gupta of http://www.newmediaexplorer.org .  As he says "This alert  demonstrates how chemicals in processed foods, while considered safe on their own can create havoc when mixed with even safe nutrients like Vitamin C."

"When vitamin C in your drink can cause cancer

Unfortunately, many people drink soft drinks instead of water. You may already know how terrible these beverages are for your health. ..... But now there's an even bigger reason to avoid soft drinks. Many of these drinks have sodium benzoate as an ingredient. It's a common preservative you'll find in many processed foods. Food manufacturers typically use sodium benzoate in acidic foods because it controls bacteria, mold, yeasts, and other microbes. In addition to soft drinks, you'll find it in juices, pickles, salad dressings, and jams. You'll also find it in your car's anti-freeze, as it also inhibits corrosion.

.... When you mix sodium benzoate with ascorbic acid (vitamin C), a chemical reaction occurs. It turns the mixture into benzene. And benzene is a proven carcinogen.

In an effort to make their drinks more nutritious, many soft drink manufacturers are adding vitamin C to their drinks. And you'll also find the same problem with naturally occurring vitamin C in many canned juice drinks.

How bad is the problem? The FDA recently tested 84 soft drink products and found that 54 of them had some detectable benzene. And some had levels as high as 79.2 ppb. Federal rules specify less than 5 ppb in drinking water. But there's no legal limit on benzene in drinkable fluids other than water. Isn't that a bit strange? In 2001, California published information that manufacturers should keep benzene levels below 0.15 ppb. "

Read your labels - avoid processed foods.  I would even say,  avoid foods and drinks with added nutrients:  stick to the natural food, and control your supplementation levels.

Like most nutritionists, I have been for many years aware of the problems with MSG usage, its status as an excitotoxin, the many ways its presence can be camouflaged.

However, not until reading this post did I realize the full extent of the problem, nor was I aware of the possible connection between this chemical and the obesity epidemic.

Read, and if you are convinced - share the information with your friends and neighbors.

If you feel you HAVE to have a cup of coffee before you work out, go ahead!

Researchers at the University of Georgia recruited some college age women who didn't normally drink coffee, and found that it not only increased their strength, but also reduced subsequent soreness by up to 48%. "This finding may improve the quality of life of individuals who experience skeletal muscle pain after engaging in unaccustomed, eccentrically biased exercise."

Of course, this may not be applicable to those of us who are past our college days, but it may be the start of establishing caffeine as an anti-inflammatory - in moderation, I need hardly add!

See the abstract here