Earlier this month, I shared the results of a study that drinking coffee reduces the risk of a genetic type of breast cancer. Good news for women who enjoy a cup of java -- or two -- or three -- to start the day. I have found more good news about coffee. Did you know that a cup of coffee is the number one source of antioxidants in the U.S. diet? So this could mean that we do not get very much in the way of antioxidants in our diet, or it might be that coffee has antioxidant super powers.

"Americans get more of their antioxidants from coffee than any other dietary source. Nothing else comes close," says study leader Joe Vinson, Ph.D., a chemistry professor at the University of Scranton.

Dr. Vinson explained that, "Although fruits and vegetables are generally promoted as good sources of antioxidants, the new finding is surprising because it represents the first time that coffee has been shown to be the primary source from which most Americans get their antioxidants." Antioxidants protect from the potential damage to cells of free radicals. Past research findings have indicated that coffee provides a certain level of cancer prevention for breast, colon and liver  cancers.

Researchers analyzed the antioxidant content of more than 100 different food items, including vegetables, fruits, nuts, spices, oils and common beverages and the amount of daily consumption. Coffee was number one on the list. According to the National Coffee Association, over 50 percent of Americans drink coffee. With all the constant news concerning what is bad for you, this is better than good news for coffee drinkers.

For women with the BRCA1 mutation, a specific genetic mutation that puts them at greater risk of developing breast cancer, study results suggest that drinking caffeinated coffee offers a significant level of breast cancer prevention. In a study funded by the Canadian Breast Cancer Research Alliance and National Cancer Institute, researchers examined the records of 1,690 women who have the genetic mutations BRCA1 or BRCA2 and had the women give answers to a questionnaire about coffee consumption. Women who drank one-to-three cups of caffeinated coffee per day reduced their breast cancer risk by 10 percent; women who drank four-to- five cups of caffeinated coffee reduced their breast cancer risk by 25 percent and women who drank six or more cups of caffeinated coffee per day were 69 percent less likely to develop breast cancer than women who drank no coffee. Good news for all of us who jumpstart our morning with a jolt of java.