We all have our reasons for drinking coffee. Whether coffee is the only thing worth getting out of bed for in the morning, or that it makes you a better person, or that it helps to get your bowel moving or simply the joy to be found in the rich aroma and flavor of your regular brew. There is no denying that coffee has not only become a staple in today’s society but a culture in its own right.
The majority of scientific studies carried out in recent years now seem to be in agreement that coffee is not just a low-calorie feel-good beverage but that for a healthy individual; there are tremendous health benefits to be gained from moderate, regular consumption of coffee.
Here are some of the health benefits of coffee
- Any coffee drinker will tell you that the first benefit of coffee you will notice is increased alertness due to the stimulant effect of caffeine on the brain. It also increases attention span and memory performance, an effect exploited by college students everywhere. Alertness also plays an important role in preventing accidents and injury, especially for drivers and people who operate heavy machinery.
- Another health benefit of coffee is it seems to have a preventative effect against type II diabetes. Observation studies have shown the risk to be reduced by 23-67%. A review carried out of 18 studies showed a decreased risk of 7% for every additional cup of coffee drank throughout the day.
- Coffee, particularly roasted coffee, is rich in antioxidants which inhibit the damaging effect of free radicals on the body’s cells. Free radicals have been a contributing factor in the development of many cancers.
- Yet another health benefit of coffee is that it reduces the risk of liver disorders, such as liver cirrhosis (by as much as 80% according to a recent study), non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and even liver cancer (by as much as 40%).
- Moderate caffeine consumption has also been associated with a decreased risk of heart disease through improved vascular function, with people who drink more than four cups in a day seeming to derive the biggest health benefit according to a meta-analysis carried out in 2012.
- A 10 year study carried out in 1996 in the US suggested that women who drank coffee were less likely to suffer from depression than women who did not drink coffee. In 2004 a review was published which associated coffee consumption with reduced rates of suicide. This is because caffeine blocks adenosine reception in the brain making us feel alert. A domino-effect type of reaction then causes adrenaline to be injected into the system giving us a boost. Caffeine also manipulates the levels of dopamine produced in the brain making us feel good.
- Another effect of moderate caffeine consumption is an increase in physical performance and muscular recovery, which is great news if you are planning to run the local charity marathon.
- Studies have shown that habitual drinking of coffee is associated with a reduced risk of Parkinson’s Disease, dementia, Alzheimer’s Disease and gout.
- Saved the best for last because as health benefits of coffee go, this one is definitely up there. A study carried out in 2012 by the National Institutes of Health showed that people who regularly drink coffee, of any kind, tend to live longer than people who do not! This effect seemed to be magnified in people suffering from type II diabetes.
Good news for decaff fans! Decaffeinated coffee seems to show similar preventative effects against type II diabetes and prostate cancer as regular coffee. This suggests that the health benefits of coffee are not entirely because of the caffeine it contains.
Word to the wise, DO remember to drink plenty of water because caffeine does have a diuretic effect and be sure to get a good night’s sleep. We wouldn’t want dehydration and sleep deprivation to counteract all those exciting health benefits of coffee now would we?
