Although coffee first appeared in human culture as a medicine, the kind we now patronize as "herbal," the modern medical establishment has viewed coffee over the years with suspicion. So much so that coffee has become one of the most intensely scrutinized of modern foods and beverages.

Stores may carry as many as thirty varieties of coffee. Internet sites may offer even more. Each one has a name, plus a few aliases. The whole business is not quite as complicated as it may appear at first encounter, however. No matter how many names there are, they all refer to the degree to which the bean is roasted, the place the bean came from before it was roasted, the dealer's name for a blend of beans, or a flavoring that was added to the beans after they were roasted.

Why has the medical establishment chosen to focus so much attention on coffee in particular? Why not on scores of other foods, from white mushrooms to black pepper to spinach, all of which have been accused of promoting various diseases? Perhaps because coffee is such an appealing dietary scapegoat. Since it has no nutritive value and makes us feel good for no reason, coffee may end up higher on the medical hit list than other foods or beverages that may offer equal or greater grounds for suspicion, but are more nourishing and less fun.