Dark or Light Roast?

Dark Roasted Coffee Improves Human Antioxidant Status
Recent results from prospective cohort studies have shown that moderate coffee consumption is associated with a reduced risk for diabetes mellitus type II or Alzheimer's disease. Since reactive oxygen species (ROS) are believed to be involved in the pathogenesis of these diseases, antioxidants in coffee might contribute to this risk reduction. We aimed at elucidating whether a dark roast coffee beverage has stronger antioxidant effects on human erythrocytes than a light roast. Intake of the dark roast most effectively improved the antioxidant status of erythrocytes: superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase activity decreased by 5.8 and 15%, respectively, whereas tocopherol and total glutathione concentrations increased by 41 and 14%, respectively. Furthermore, administration of the dark roast led to a significant body weight reduction in pre-obese subjects, whereas the light roast did not. Molecular Nutrition & Food Research