Light roast coffee could contribute to cancer prevention, study shows

10 Apr 2018 --- Light roast coffee holds anti-cancerous properties that darker roast coffee does not, a study has found. The study, published in The Journal of Food Science, compared coffee roasted at five different levels, against the growth inhibitory activity of cancer cells that are associated with oral and colon cancers.

Coffee is one of the most widely consumed beverages in the world and contains numerous phytochemicals, such as gallic, caffeic, and chlorogenic acid, that are beneficial to consumer health. The phytochemical profile of coffee, however, can be affected by the roast level. Researchers sought to detect how such a roast level would affect cancerous cells growth activity.

The researchers compared the effect of roasting level on the growth inhibitory activity of colon (HT‐29) and oral (SCC‐25) cancer cell lines. The five different roasting stages selected for this study went from light to dark: green, cinnamon/blonde, medium, medium‐dark, and dark.

To detect the effect of coffee on cancer cell growth, the cells were treated with concentrations of coffee extracts for 72 hours. Cell viability was quantified using the thiazolyl blue tetrazolium bromide assay. 

Results showed that the lighter roast extracts, Cinnamon in particular, reduced cell growth more than darker roast extracts. The Cinnamon extract had the most significant amount of total phenolic content and antioxidant activity. Relative levels of bioactive phytochemicals gallic, caffeic, and chlorogenic acid in the extracts were also compared. The Cinnamon coffee extract had the highest levels of gallic and caffeic acids, which have both been widely‐regarded as bioactive phytochemicals.

They concluded that the consumption of lighter roasted coffee may contribute to the prevention of certain types of cancer such as oral and colon.

In terms of practical applications, the researchers outlined how the chemical compounds that may reduce the risk of certain cancers were particularly abundant in lighter roasted coffee, and therefore, lighter roasted coffee could contribute to the prevention of cancer through a healthy diet.

Consumer consumption of coffee is high, and Innova Market Insights data even shows that the number 5 trend of 2018 is “Beyond the coffeehouse,” indicating that consumers are more adventurous with their coffee choices.

Innova Market Insights states that the tea & coffee sector appears to be undergoing somewhat of a renaissance, with several major acquisitions taking place in 2017 among key manufacturers. The percentage of Americans drinking coffee on a daily basis increased to 62 percent in 2017, up from 57 percent in 2016, according to the According to the National Coffee Association’s (NCA) 2017 National Coffee Drinking Trends (NCDT) consumption tracking report.

Research that indicates the health benefits of coffee may aid it to tap into other overarching trends, such as the mindful consumer who is continually searching for food that delivers additional benefits and “good for you” feelings.

NutritionInsight has previously reported on the effect that roasting coffee can have on health benefits, as well as taste.