Thinking of kicking your coffee habit? Have another cup instead. Research has come up with a startling discovery. Drinking coffee can help prevent tooth decay.

Putting on the anti-bacterial skids

Italian researchers from the University of Ancona in Italy led by Gabriella Gazzani, Ph.D., tested samples of green and roasted arabica and robusta coffee. They concluded that every sample of the roasted coffee had the unique ability to inhibit some microorganisms, particularly Streptococcus mutans, from binding to tooth enamel, the hard outside surface of our teeth. S mutans bacteria produce acid, which breaks down the enamel, causing cavities. Trigonelline, a component of coffee responsible for its aroma and bitter taste, is the anti-adhesive that prevents dental caries from forming.

All coffee solutions have high anti-adhesive properties due to both naturally occurring and roasting-induced molecules, says Gazzani. The study concluded that coffee from green, unroasted beans was only somewhat protective, coffee prepared from roasted beans was more protective, and instant coffee provided the greatest protection. The degree of protection was unrelated to the amount of caffeine.

Coffee's myths and false alarms

Caffeine in coffee has been debated for decades. Scientists report information and health claims that vary with the phases of the moon. For java jolters who are concerned over their Colombian, here are clarifications.

On the plus side, the American Dietetic Association states that drinking as much as three cups of coffee a day poses no risk if you're healthy.

Furthermore, there are some real benefits to drinking coffee. Occasional coffee drinkers get a potent metabolic kick from the estimated 100 milligrams of caffeine in a cup of coffee. About half an hour after a strong cup of coffee, resting metabolic rate, or calories burned while sitting quietly, increases by as much as 10 percent, says Tony Chou, M.D., a University of California, San Francisco, cardiologist.

So what else is good news about that oh-so-good-tasting cup of joe? Well, it actually does what we think it does. Caffeine enhanced the learning of information by volunteers who drank caffeinated coffee in the morning before the administration of tests. The journal Psychological Science reported caffeine's ability to boost memory by raising calcium levels in brain cells of elderly people who drank a cup or two of coffee in the morning. Caffeinated beverages also have been found to improve attention, psychomotor skills and long-term memory.

No higher risks for coffee drinkers

On the minus side, 30 minutes after drinking coffee, there is an increase in blood pressure, heart rate, and breathing, Chou says.

Is that something to worry about? Chou reassures us that after a week or two of regular intake, coffee drinkers don't get so much as a wobble in their blood pressure. An article in The Archives of Internal Medicine reports findings from a group of male medical school graduates followed for 33 years. Drinking one cup of coffee a day led to no significant increase in the risk of developing high blood pressure.

What about heart disease risk? There is no difference, according to a 10-year study of more than 85,000 women. Some women drank six or more cups of coffee a day. They weren't any more likely to have a heart attack than women who drank one or two cups.

Even drinking as much as five cups of coffee a day didn't seem to bother patients with irregular heartbeats, also called arrhythmias. Five arrhythmia studies were reviewed and showed no increases in the frequency or likelihood of skipped beats.

Alarms about breast cancer linked to caffeine also proved to be false. Researchers reported no link could be found. The same was true for osteoporosis when a study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition showed women who drank coffee didn't have a higher rate of bone thinning.

So, what's not to like about coffee?

Because coffee is a stimulant, too much of it can contribute to wakefulness during the night and worsen sleep problems. If you're having problems getting to sleep and staying asleep at night, take a look at your caffeine intake and schedule. Consider cutting out that cup after dinner or reducing your intake throughout the day.

Sometimes, caffeine will increase feelings of anxiety or depression. So if you experience these feelings, ease up on the caffeine.

Caffeine also has been linked to infertility by some researchers. So if you're thinking about getting pregnant or having trouble doing so, cut back or cut out caffeine.

Tips to energize without caffeine

Instead of reaching for another cup of coffee or cola when you're tired, try these strategies for good energy levels:

Get a good night's sleep. If you are tired during the day, take a short nap.
Take a brisk, 10-minute walk.
Eat regular, healthful meals. Use the food guide pyramid to build your meals. Fatty foods and alcohol can make you feel draggy.
Try not to skip or delay meals. Avoid eating very large meals. Digesting a large meal can make you want to nap.