02/04/2015
Perks of Coffee in Skincare
By Allison B. Kontur
Coffea is a genus of flowering shrubs or small trees whose seeds, called coffee beans, are used to make coffee. Coffee ranks as one of the world’s most valuable and widely traded commodity crops and is an important export product of several countries, including those in Central and South America, the Caribbean and Africa.
Coffea arabica seed oil and Coffea robusta seed extract (which contain chlorogenic acid and caffeine) have been shown in studies to defend against photoaging and support the skin’s structure to restore moisture for the appearance of more youthful-looking facial skin. Caffeine, probably the most recognized component of coffee due to its stimulant activity when consumed, actually serves a protective role in the biology of the coffee plant. The caffeine in coffee beans acts as a natural defense mechanism which makes the coffee berry toxic to predators.
Research is emerging that green, unroasted coffee beans provide numerous skin-related benefits when applied topically due to higher levels of chlorogenic acid prior to roasting. While green coffee beans do exhibit some benefits, the roasting of coffee beans dramatically increases their total antioxidant activity. A roasting time of 10 minutes (medium-dark roast) was found to produce coffee with optimal oxygen scavenging activities in vitro. Melanoidins, compounds formed during coffee roasting, constitute up to 25% of the coffee beverages’ dry matter. Antioxidant activity of melanoidins isolated from different coffee brews was studied and data suggests that melanoidins must be carefully considered when the relevance of coffee intake in human health is studied.
Among the positive effects, coffee has anti-oxidative properties that may help reduce inflammation. Topical caffeine has been used for the treatment of psoriasis and coffee intake may improve the efficacy of oral drugs like methotrexate and sulfasalazine for psoriasis treatment. Caffeine is used as an active compound in anti-cellulite products because it prevents excessive accumulation of fat in cells. Caffeine also has potent antioxidant properties, helps protect cells against UV radiation and slows the process of photoaging. Moreover, caffeine contained in cosmetics/soaps increases circulation of blood in the skin.
A study of Japanese middle-aged females showed that coffee and polyphenol consumption was associated with lower incidence of facial pigmentation (dark spots). Japanese researchers speculated that coffee helps protect human skin from photoaging, and polyphenols, including chlorogenic acids, may contribute to the decreased hyperpigmentation of skin.
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