The coffee/cancer connection and why I was on the wrong side of the equation

I just read an article in Forbes regarding a study that shows a correlation between drinking coffee and reducing the risk of melanoma. In a large study, people who drank four or more cups of coffee a day reduced their risk of melanoma by 20%. Granted, the amount of coffee you have to drink – four or more cups a day – seemed like it would probably lead to other problems with your health. But here’s the thing – I never could acquire a taste for coffee.

Believe me, I tried at one point. I had a college boyfriend in the 90s who was all grunge and coffeehouse hipster. I visited him over the summer in his home town near Boston. Cambridge was a lot of fun to wander around and he decided we needed to stop at this too-cool coffee house. Despite my inability to like the taste of coffee, I didn’t object. However, inside there were no non-coffee options. I didn’t know a latte from an espresso and I made the mistake of telling him to order me whatever he was ordering himself. When he came back with two thimbles of coffee, I should have known I was in trouble. It took me a half hour to choke down half of the tiny cup, all the while me saying that it was just too hot to drink. He, in a rare flash of gentlemanly behavior, went and bought me a milkshake to cool it down – a coffee flavored milkshake. I finally had to fess up that I really didn’t like the taste of coffee. He ended up drinking the rest of my espresso and the milkshake. We stopped on the way home and got me a vanilla milkshake instead.

Traveling through Europe, I still attempted to try coffee. Vienna was tops for the coffee scene, or so other people who knew those things told me. I was too busy eating Sacher cake. Nicaragua has amazing coffee too, supposedly. I have no idea but the Flor de Cana rum is pretty damn good. And don’t even get me started on the Starbucks thing. People insisting that I will really like coffee once I try the caramel vanilla frappaccino or whatever the hell it is. I didn’t…but the whipped creme was pretty good as long as it didn’t come into contact with the coffee…

This has me wondering. Maybe they should do a study of people who did get melanoma and query what their preference for coffee is. Maybe the people who don’t have the gene for coffee appreciation are the ones that also have a melanoma making gene. My parents drink coffee all day long. They don’t have melanoma. Granted, they have bizarre sleep patterns now, but maybe the coffee drinking protects them from melanoma. According to the article, coffee suppresses carcinogenesis, reduces inflammation and DNA damage to cells.

If only they could make a coffee that didn’t taste like coffee, I would be all about trying to take advantage of those benefits.

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