**Drinking a Latte Can Have a Beneficial Anti-Inflammatory Effect, Study Reveals**
A new study from the University of Copenhagen has found that the simple act of drinking a latte can have a beneficial anti-inflammatory effect. The drink combines protein and antioxidants, doubling the anti-inflammatory properties on human immune cells.
When bacterias and other foreign substances enter our body, our immune system responds by releasing white blood cells and chemicals, this reaction is called inflammation. Polyphenols, which are present in humans, plants and vegetables, are used in the food industry to slow down oxidation and make food last longer, but also have healthy benefits for humans.
The new study, published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, researched the effect of combining polyphenols and proteins, and the results were promising. “We have shown that when a polyphenol reacts with an amino acid, its inflammation-inhibiting effect on immune cells is enhanced. It is therefore clearly conceivable that this cocktail could also have a beneficial effect on inflammation in humans,” explains Marianne Nissen Lund.
The researchers tested the effects of different doses of polyphenols on immune cells and found immune cells treated with the combination of polyphenols and amino acids were twice as effective in fighting inflammation as cells to which only polyphenols were added.
The researchers also studied the effects of combining the molecules present in coffee and in milk, which is known to be full of polyphenols and proteins. This reaction and potentially beneficial anti-inflammatory effect also occurs when combining other protein foods and fruits or vegetables.
The research community is now looking into how to add the right amounts of polyphenols in food to achieve the best quality. “Since humans do not absorb so many polyphenols, many researchers are studying how to encapsulate them in protein structures that improve their absorption in the body. This strategy has the added advantage of enhancing the anti-inflammatory effects of polyphenols,” the researcher concluded.