According to a study published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, a cup of coffee with milk can have an anti-inflammatory impact on humans. The researchers stated that when proteins and antioxidants are combined, the anti-inflammatory actions of immune cells are doubled.

Researchers from the University of Copenhagen′s Department of Food Science and the Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences worked together on the study to examine how polyphenols interact with amino acids, the building blocks of proteins. They found that a polyphenol′s ability to prevent immune cell inflammation increases when it interacts with an amino acid.

The researchers deliberately inflamed immune cells to test if polyphenols and proteins have anti-inflammatory effects. During the study duration, some cells were given polyphenols, while another set was given different doses of polyphenols that interacted with an amino acid.

The researchers discovered that immune cells treated with polyphenols and amino acids reduced inflammation twice as well as cells treated with only polyphenols. They claimed that previous studies have shown that polyphenols bind to proteins in meat products, milk, and beer.

Dr. Marianne Nissen Lund explains that the findings showed that the interaction of proteins and polyphenols occurs in some milk-based coffee beverages. She further added that the findings are promising because humans do not absorb polyphenol. As a result, scientists are looking into methods to ensure better absorption of polyphenols in the body by encasing them in protein structures. She also added that this approach has additional benefits as it strengthens the anti-inflammatory effect of polyphenols. 

(Source: https://theprint.in/health/study-finds-coffee-with-milk-can-have-anti-inflammatory-effect/1355479/ )