Top 10 Health Benefits of Drinking Coffee

We all know that a cup of coffee in the morning is a great energy booster. But did you know that there are plenty of other health benefits of coffee. Coffee drinks are among the most popular ones in the world, so let’s peep into the health effects of coffee.

Coffee is quite healthy as it is full of antioxidants and protects you from various diseases. Coffee is not merely black water. Coffee beans contain many nutrients. Through the centuries coffee has come in for a lot of praise as well as a lot of flak. Caffeine is a well known ingredient of this drink and its effect on the body has been researched thoroughly. However, there are arguments that even decaf could be beneficial for health. Let’s check out the scientifically proven health benefits of coffee.

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Coffee is helping millions of people all over the world to remain focused. It is not just a drink but a way of life for many of us. 83% of adults in the US start the day with coffee.

10 Incredible Health Benefits of Drinking Coffee

 

1. Benefits of Coffee: Prevention of Type 2 Diabetes

Studies suggest that coffee offers protection against Type 2 diabetes.

• The caffeine in coffee could be responsible for the link between coffee and prevention of type 2 diabetes.
• However, the link continues to remain even in case of decaf.
• Cafestol and caffeic acid are supposed to be the two components in coffee that are responsible for this. These two components are seen in caffeinated coffee as well as decaf coffee.
• Cafestol enhances intake of blood sugar by the cells. Both cafestol and caffeic also increase secretion of insulin by the cells.

2. Coffee Improves Focus/Alertness/Mental Agility

One of the benefits of drinking coffee is that it saves you from the noon slump and makes you more efficient, focused, alert and productive due to enhanced cognitive functions.

• Is coffee good for health? Caffeine in healthy coffee actually blocks adenosine, which is the neurotransmitter present in the brain, responsible for making us sleepy.

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• One of the black coffee benefits is that it gives you a burst of energy and removes sluggishness.
• Caffeine offers a mild stimulant that improves your mood, alertness and performance. It helps you focus, by driving your attention to the task on hand. It also improves concentration.
• Green coffee as well as black coffee health benefits include reduction of fatigue and help in STM or short term memory, so that you can retain information better.

Related – 4 Reasons You Should Start Drinking Black Coffee at Work

3. Parkinson’s Disease and Coffee

Parkinson’s is a problem of neurodegeneration. It generally affects people after the age of 60, with more men than women being affected. Currently, there is no treatment available for preventing or slowing down neuronal loss. However, lifestyle and dietary changes could reduce the risk, including intake of coffee.

• Coffee consumption reduces or delays the onset of Parkinson’s.
• High caffeine coffee and tea results in a dramatic reduction of risk. However, decaffeinated coffee does not offer the same result.
• The effects of drinking coffee in moderation is that it can reduce risk of most neurodegenerative conditions, such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s.
• One of the caffeine effects is that it helps maintain the cognitive functioning among elderly people, provided it is taken in moderate quantities. It also improves motor skills functioning.

4. Liver Cancer

Sanjiv Chopra, professor at Harvard Medical School and a liver specialist, says that you are doing your liver a great favor by drinking coffee! Liver cancer is the 5th most prevailing type of cancer in the world.

• When considering coffee and health, Coffee consumption reduces liver enzyme levels and protects it from cancer as well as cirrhosis.
• According to some researchers at University of Edinburgh, coffee can protect you from HCC or hepatocellular cancer.

Note: One cup of coffee is connected with a 20% reduced risk, with 2 cups leading to 35% reduced risk.

• Even decaf coffee was seen to have a beneficial effect, though it was less marked.

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5. Coffee for Healthy Heart

Earlier there were concerns that coffee led to increased risk of heart diseases, as it enhanced the cholesterol levels in the blood and increased the blood pressure. However, it is now acknowledged that the opposite is true. One of the advantages of coffee is that it reduces risks of cardiovascular diseases.

• Is black coffee healthy? By drinking 2 or 3 cups of black coffee, you are less at risk of developing clogged arteries that might lead to a heart attack.
• Moderate amounts of coffee leads to lowered risks of coronary calcium in the arteries. Coronary calcium leads to blood clots that can lead to a stroke or a heart attack.

6. Drinking Coffee Reduces Risk of Stroke

According to the Nurses’ Health Study, which looked at over 80,000 women, there is a marked reduction of risk to strokes among the women who drink around 2 to 3 cups of coffee a day, with a 19% reduction seen in these cases.

• This could be due to the fact that coffee enhances the functioning of the endothelium. When the endothelial cells that line the arteries are healthy, the flow of blood is easier, so the heart does not have to work so hard. This means that the person does not get atherosclerosis. Due to this, the risk of cardiac connected death is reduced.

7. Improved Physical Performance

Drinking coffee can even improve your physical or athletic performance.

• It is a safe stimulant without any side effects. Black coffee is a safe and effective, natural pre workout drink.
• A high level of caffeine from coffee pods can improve your fat burning abilities during exercise. Caffeine mobilizes the fat and encourages the working muscles to use this fat as a kind of fuel.
• The peak effects of coffee for improving physical performance comes about half an hour to one hour from drinking a cup of hot coffee. After it enters the bloodstream, the heart rate increases; fat gets broken down and the fatty acids get released in the blood. You feel energetic and are all ready for a great workout.

Note: Now you don’t have to rush to any expensive packaged drink, pills or powder for burning fat. The advantage is that you can also get the benefits of the antioxidants present in coffee.

Tip: Just take care to take coffee minus the sugar and the cream and you’ll be able to boost your workout!

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8. Coffee Helps in Losing Weight

Green coffee is an extract from unroasted coffee beans and they help in reducing weight!

Coffee is known to boost metabolic rates and burn fat more easily! So, if you’re looking to lose weight, reach out for that cup of coffee!

• Metabolic rate is the rate at which your body burns energy. Coffee drinkers typically burn energy at a faster rate, for about three hours after drinking coffee.
• Consume one to two cups of coffee an hour before training to get the best effect and burn fat.

Tip: Larger doses can be counterproductive. The more the better does not apply in this case:)

9. Coffee to Fight Depression

Drinking coffee can help fight mild or medium forms of depression. According to the Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, there is an 8% less risk of depression among coffee drinkers.

• Coffee has a positive effect on your mood.
• There is a hypothesis that depression is caused due to negative immune reactions that lead to inflammations in the brain. Coffee alleviates the inflammation due to the antioxidants present in it.
• Caffeine is responsible for the antidepressant effect, as it is a psychostimulant that keeps you alert and motivates you.

10. Preventing Colorectal Cancer and Coffee

Researchers at the USC (University of South California) state that coffee could reduce risks of colorectal cancer.

• People who drink 2 cups of coffee a day are less likely to suffer and die from colorectal cancer.
• The study result applies to caffeinated as well as decaf coffee.

Note: It is already an accepted fact that our diet and our lifestyle can have a great impact on the risks of colon cancer.

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Last Word

Coffee is much more than just a morning energy booster! If you are a coffee lover, this should be music to your ears. Coffee is a very enjoyable drink and a great way to kick start your mornings and give you energy throughout the day.

It is also known now that coffee can reduce the risk of death due to several other causes as well. The nutritional value of a cup of coffee can be affected by the amount of milk, sugar, cream or any other sweetener that you add.

Finally, it all boils down to this: everything should be done in moderation. We know the side effects of coffee, such as insomnia; tremors, rise in blood pressure levels and urination. So, remember to enjoy your coffee in moderation. Moderation means 3 or 4 cups a day. If you have to start your day with coffee, there’s absolutely no harm in it, in fact a lot of good could come from it.

So, whether you like your coffee black; decaf or even half caff and even instant coffee, just drink it up. You can also derive the benefits of organic coffee to improve the environment as well. However, don’t overdo the coffee by using artificial sweeteners, as these could offset the natural benefits. Use it as a complement to proper nutritious food and good exercise. So, sip away!!!