Researchers Say Dark Roast Coffee May Help Protect Brain From Disease

BOSTON (CBS)- There is more good news for coffee lovers. If you like the taste of dark roast, it may have an added benefit.

Canadian researchers say a compound in dark roast may protect your brain from disease.

Previous studies have shown a link between drinking coffee and a lower risk of developing Alzheimer's Disease and Parkinson's Disease but why coffee may be protective has not been completely confirmed.

So researchers studied three types: light roast, dark roast, and decaf dark roast. They found that dark roast coffee, both decaf and regular, contains higher levels of a compound called phenylindane which inhibits proteins associated with Alzheimer's Disease and Parkinson's Disease.

A lot more research needs to be done but this discovery could one day lead to treatment or perhaps ways to try to prevent neurodegenerative disorders.