It is a daily routine for millions of Italians--the morning cup of espresso brewed on the kitchen hob or downed swiftly in a cafe on the way to work. But for years their favourite way of kick-starting the day has had a bad press.

Now it seems the tide is turning. Forget the scare stories, says dietician Chiara Trombetti.

There is sound scientific reason to enjoy your morning espresso without worrying about the health effects.

Coffee can be good for you--the stronger, the better. Coffee contains tannin and antioxidants, which are good for the heart and arteries, Dr Trombetti says.

It can relieve headaches. It is good for the liver--and can help prevent cirrhosis and gallstones.

And the caffeine in coffee can reduce the risk of asthma attacks--and help improve circulation within the heart.

There is no denying that coffee is not for everyone. If you drink too much it can increase nervousness, and cause rapid heartbeat and trembling hands.

Pregnant women, heart patients, and anyone with a stomach ulcer are usually advised to avoid it.

And even Dr Trombetti says no one should drink more than three or four cups a day.

Many parents might be horrified at the thought. But Dr Trombetti is adamant that a cup of milky coffee could make the ideal start for the next generation of coffee lovers--Italy's drowsy school kids--stimulating their brains ahead of a day that often lasts from 0830 until 1600.

每天早上在廚房的開水架上煮一杯濃咖啡或者在上班的路上鉆進咖啡館匆匆喝上一杯，這已經成為許許多多意大利人每天的例行公事。但是很多年來，報紙上對他們所鐘愛的這種開始一天生活的方式一直有負面的報道。

現在看來情況正在發生變化。營養學家基婭拉·特龍貝蒂說，別理那些聳人聽聞的報道。

有可靠的科學依據證明你完全可以在早上享受你的濃咖啡，不用擔心它會影響身體健康。

咖啡對你有好處——而且越濃越好。特龍貝蒂說，咖啡中含有丹寧酸和抗氧化劑，對心臟和動脈有好處。

咖啡可以緩解頭痛，對肝臟有好處——有助于防止肝硬化和膽結石。

咖啡中的咖啡因可以降低患哮喘的危險——促進心臟內循環。

無可否認，咖啡不一定適合每個人。如果你喝得太多的話，咖啡會加劇神經過敏，并引起心跳加速、雙手發抖。

通常建議孕婦，心臟病患者和胃潰瘍患者不要喝咖啡。

連特龍貝蒂博士都說每天喝咖啡不應該超過3－4杯。

許多家長可能會對這樣的想法感到恐懼。但是特龍貝蒂博士堅持認為一杯牛奶咖啡對于下一代咖啡愛好者——意大利眾多愛瞌睡的學齡兒童來說是一個理想的開始，它會讓孩子們的大腦從早上8點30到下午16點都充滿活力。