Thanks to its high levels of antioxidants and beneficial nutrients, it also appears quite healthy. Studies show that coffee drinkers have a much lower risk of several serious diseases.
Here are the main health benefits of coffee.
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It can improve energy levels and make you smarter
Coffee can help people feel less tired and increase energy levels.
That’s because it contains a stimulant called caffeine, the most widely consumed psychoactive substance in the world.
After drinking coffee, the caffeine is absorbed into the bloodstream. From there, it travels to your brain.
In the brain, caffeine blocks the inhibitory neurotransmitter adenosine.
When this happens, the amount of other neurotransmitters such as norepinephrine and dopaminewhich leads to increased activation of neurons.
Many controlled human studies show that coffee improves various aspects of brain function, including memory, mood, alertness, energy levels, reaction times, and general mental function.
It can help you burn fat
Caffeine is found in almost all commercial supplements for burn calories, And for good reason. It is one of the few natural substances proven to help burn calories.
Several studies show that caffeine can increase your metabolic rate between 3 and 11%.
Other studies indicate that caffeine can specifically increase fat burning by up to 10% in obese people and 29% in thin people.
However, these effects may be diminished in long-term coffee drinkers.
Can dramatically improve physical performance
Caffeine stimulates your nervous system, signaling fat cells to break down body fat.
But it also increases epinephrine (adrenaline) levels in your blood. This is the fight or flight hormone, which prepare your body for intense physical exertion. Caffeine breaks down body fat, making free fatty acids available as gas.
Given these effects, it is not surprising that caffeine can improve physical performance by 11-12%, on average. Therefore, it makes sense to have a cup of strong coffee about half an hour before going to the gym.
Contains essential nutrients
Many of the nutrients from the coffee beans make their way into the finished coffee.
A single cup of coffee contains:
- Riboflavin (vitamin B2): 11% of the reference daily intake (RDI).
- Pantothenic acid (vitamin B5): 6% of the RDI.
- manganese and potassium: 3% of the IDR.
- magnesium and niacin (vitamin B3): 2% of the RDI.
Although this may not seem like a big deal, most people enjoy several cups a day, allowing these amounts to add up quickly.
It can protect you from Alzheimer’s disease and dementia
Alzheimer’s disease is the most common neurodegenerative disease and the leading cause of dementia worldwide.
This condition usually affects people over the age of 65 and no known cure.
However, there are several things you can do to prevent the disease from occurring in the first place.
This includes the usual suspects like eating healthy and exercising, but drinking coffee can also be incredibly effective. Several studies show that coffee drinkers have up to a 65% lower risk of Alzheimer’s disease.
May reduce your risk of Parkinson’s
Parkinson’s disease is the second most common neurodegenerative condition, just behind Alzheimer’s. It is caused by the death of dopamine-generating neurons in your brain.
As with Alzheimer’s, there is no known cure, which makes it that much more important to focus on prevention. Studies show that coffee drinkers have a much lower risk of Parkinson’s diseasewith a risk reduction ranging from 32 to 60%.
In this case, caffeine itself appears to be beneficialsince people who drink decaf do not have a lower risk of developing Parkinson’s).
can protect your liver
Your liver is an amazing organ that performs hundreds of important functions. Several common diseases primarily affect the liver, including hepatitis, fatty liver disease, and many others.
Many of these conditions can cause cirrhosisin which the liver is largely replaced by scar tissue.
Curiously, coffee can protect against cirrhosis: people who drink 4 or more cups per day have up to 80% less risk.
It can fight depression and make you happier
Depression is a serious mental disorder that significantly reduces quality of life.
It is very common, with about 4.1% of people in the US currently meeting the criteria for clinical depression.
In a Harvard study published in 2011, women who drank 4 or more cups of coffee a day had 20% less risk of depression.
Other study in 208,424 people found that those who drank 4 or more cups per day were 53% less likely to die by suicide.
May reduce the risk of certain types of cancer
Cancer is one of the leading causes of death in the world. It is characterized by uncontrolled cell growth in your body.
Coffee appears to protect against two types of cancer: liver and colorectal cancer.
The Liver cancer it is the third leading cause of cancer death in the world, while colorectal cancer ranks fourth.
Studies show that coffee drinkers have up to a 40% lower risk of liver cancer (41, 42).
Similarly, a study in 489,706 people found that those who drank 4 to 5 cups of coffee per day had a 15% lower risk of Colorectal cancer.
It can help you live longer
Since coffee drinkers are less likely to get many diseases, it makes sense that coffee could help you live longer.
Several observational studies indicate that coffee drinkers have a lower risk of death.
In two very large studies, coffee consumption was associated with a 20% reduction in the risk of death in men and a 26% reduction in Death risk in women, between 18 and 24 years.
This effect seems particularly strong in people with type 2 diabetes. In a 20-year study, people with diabetes who drank coffee had a 30% lower risk of death.
The largest source of antioxidants in the Western diet
For people following a standard Western diet, coffee can be one of the healthiest aspects of their diet.
That’s because coffee is quite rich in antioxidants. Studies show that many people get more antioxidants from coffee than from fruits and vegetables combined.
In fact, coffee may be one of the healthiest beverages on the planet.