Recently there have been quite a few rumors about coffee. First, Northwestern University published a study in Nutrients claiming that drinking coffee is linked to a lower risk of COVID-19, and then there were claims that smelling coffee aroma can restore your sense of smell. Are these claims actually reliable? This article sorts through the complete data and conclusions of that study, and shares the personal experience of trying coffee inhalation to recover the sense of smell. The core point is very clear: coffee is not a miracle drug for preventing or treating COVID-19. What truly plays the key role is the human immune system, and a balanced diet, adequate nutrition, and proper protective measures are fundamental. At the same time, a reminder: there is no need to be overly anxious about a temporary loss of smell or taste. The body needs time to repair itself.

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During this period, many friends around me either had sore throats and kept crying out "Baojuan," or were the "chosen workers" holding down the fort, though their throats still felt uncomfortable. (Remember to drink more honey water.)

To add another layer of protection for themselves, while browsing various anti-virus guides, some people noticed that Northwestern University had published a study in the journal Nutrients about coffee and COVID-19 prevention. So the thermoses originally filled with all kinds of health drinks were uniformly switched to coffee. But before long, those who were going to get infected still got infected... My friend turned around and complained to me.

So I found the original paper: https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/13/6/2114

The study included participants who were tested between March 16 and November 30, 2020, conducting 74,878 tests on 42,699 UKB participants. The researchers excluded participants with missing baseline data on nutritional factors and covariates (n=4711), leaving a final sample of 37,988 UKB participants.

The baseline dietary factors involved in the study included: daily intake of coffee, tea, fish, processed meat, red meat, fruits, and vegetables, and the daily intake amounts of these participants were recorded in detail.

The results showed that compared with people who drank less than one cup of coffee per day, drinking one or more cups per day was associated with about a 10% lower risk of COVID-19 infection. Other conclusions included: consuming at least 0.67 servings of vegetables per day was associated with a lower risk of infection; consuming at least 0.43 servings of processed meat per day was associated with a higher risk of COVID-19; and compared with those who had no history of breastfeeding, those who were breastfed as infants had a 10% lower risk of COVID-19.

A careful reading of the entire research process reveals that coffee is not the protagonist in preventing the novel coronavirus—the immune system is! The researchers involved also pointed out that caffeine is not the main factor in fighting the virus. Even if you do not drink coffee every day or drink only one cup, as long as you eat a balanced diet and keep exercising, you can likewise reduce the risk of infection.

From the research process, it can be seen that participants obtained nutrients every day from different meats, fruits, and vegetables, and these nutrients continuously strengthened the body's immunity. The researchers added at the end of the paper: a person's nutritional status affects immunity, and the immune system plays a key role in an individual's susceptibility and response to infectious diseases such as COVID-19.

Coffee may play a certain role, but that absolutely does not mean that drinking coffee alone is enough! Therefore, a balanced diet, good protection, and careful disinfection are the real essentials!

One moment there was the claim that coffee prevents COVID-19, and the next moment there was talk that coffee restores the sense of smell! Coffee has really been incredibly busy these days... 😂 I believe many people have also come across posts while surfing the internet saying that "when you lose your sense of smell after contracting COVID-19, you can recover it by smelling coffee aroma."

The post claimed that coffee beans contain more than 800 aromatic components, which can stimulate olfactory receptors to produce nerve impulses, thereby helping to restore the sense of smell.

So I tried it myself! Hmm... for me personally, it did not work. Under the steam of hot coffee, nasal congestion did ease briefly for a little while, but when it came to distinguishing smells, it still took some time to recover.

The reason some people temporarily lose their sense of smell is that nerve damage caused by inflammation weakens the brain's perception of smells, but the degree of inflammation varies from person to person. People with milder symptoms may, under the stimulation of certain specific smells (not necessarily coffee), recover to their olfactory threshold.

So if you really feel that you cannot distinguish tastes, you can give it a try, and it does not matter if it does not work. After all, the body needs time to recover after illness, and the loss of taste or smell is temporary, so there is no need to be too anxious~ It really is fine!!!

Finally,

I hope everyone takes good care of themselves during this period, eats well, and carefully does personal disinfection and protection. May everyone welcome the new year healthy and happy!

Keep it up!!!

Image source: Internet

The above content is compiled by CoffeeHunters, a coffee news website.