Last Updated on January 2, 2021 by Lori Geurin
Do you love to drink coffee? If so, you’re in luck because it’s incredibly healthy. Research has recently discovered that coffee has impressive health benefits, such as helping prevent diabetes, improving liver and brain health, and more. Coffee is the second most consumed beverage in the world, after water. And did you know that 54% of Americans report drinking coffee every day?
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I’m not what you’d call a morning person, but the robust scent of coffee brewing helps me (and the members of our family of 6) wake up each morning. The delightful experience of drinking coffee brings with it the promise of a brand new day.
Plus, coffee is extremely high in antioxidants, which can help protect against aging, oxidative stress, and many diseases, including cancer.
Coffee Nutrition Information
One cup of coffee has about:
- 2 – 5 calories
- 0 sugar
- 10 mg magnesium
- 0 carbs
- 124 mg potassium
- 0 fat
- 11% of the RDA of Vitamin B2
- 6% of the RDA of Vitamin B6
The amount of caffeine in coffee varies, depending on the type of bean used and the manufacturer.
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9 Health Benefits of Coffee
1. Coffee Is High In Antioxidants
According to research, coffee provides more antioxidants in American diets than even fruits and vegetables (2).
Antioxidants reduce inflammation in the body. And, because inflammation leads to all sorts of diseases and conditions, this is a very good thing for coffee drinkers!
The polyphenols found in coffee may also help prevent oxidative stress and raise the body’s immune function.
The strong antioxidants, caffeic acid, and chlorogenic acid found in coffee help fight free radical damage.
2. Coffee May Reduce The Risk Of Some Types Of Cancer
Cancer is a leading cause of death worldwide, but drinking coffee may help prevent it. In fact, research has shown coffee drinkers have up to a 40% reduced risk of liver cancer (3) (4).
Colorectal cancer is the fourth leading cause of cancer death worldwide (5). In a large study of 489,706 people, drinking 4-5 cups of coffee a day reduced the risk of colorectal cancer by 15%.
Related: Top 10 Skin Cancer Prevention Tips
3. Coffee May Improve Brain Function And Give You More Energy
The caffeine in coffee is a stimulant, which can help you be more alert and reduce fatigue (7).
Coffee has also been shown to help reduce your risk or delay the onset of Alzheimer’s disease in older adults (8).
In other research, coffee was shown to protect against Parkinson’s disease (9). Also, patients with Parkinson’s were shown to have an overall improvement of symptoms when they drank coffee regularly.
Related: How To Boost Your Energy Levels And Fight Fatigue
4. Coffee Can Boost Your Metabolism
The caffeine in coffee was shown to boost the metabolism 3-11% (10). Most supplements designed to burn fat contain caffeine.
Another study showed caffeine can boost the burning of fat by as much as 29% in people who are lean, and 10% in people who are obese (11). That’s pretty impressive!
Plus, if you add coconut oil to your coffee you might be able to boost your fat burn even more.
(For more about natural ways to burn fat, check out 8 Health Benefits of Apple Cider Vinegar.)
Want more great health and wellness tips, recipes, and personal growth strategies? Be sure to follow us on Pinterest!
5. Coffee Could Lower Your Risk Of Developing Type 2 Diabetes
About 300 million people worldwide have Type 2 Diabetes, and those numbers continue to increase. Research suggests drinking coffee (six cups or more per day) could lower your risk of Type 2 Diabetes (12).
Another study showed that people who drink four or more cups of coffee per day could reduce their risk of Type 2 Diabetes by 50% (13)!
If you’re drinking this much coffee, just make sure to drink plenty of water to counteract the diuretic effects of coffee.
6. Coffee Can Help Protect Your Liver
The liver is the largest organ (and gland) in your body. It’s responsible for more than 500 important roles in the body. It removes toxins and produces chemicals that help with digestion.
And, a fun fact about the liver is that it is the only organ in the body that is able to regenerate! Pretty cool, huh?
Cirrhosis of the liver happens when healthy liver tissue is replaced with scar tissue. This is caused by alcohol or viral hepatitis B and C (14).
People who drink 4 or more cups of coffee per day have up to an 80% reduction in their risk for cirrhosis of the liver, or alcoholic liver disease (15).
Related: 5 Reasons To Drink Coffee Every Day
7. Coffee Helps With Depression
Depression is an illness that affects brain chemistry. Depression has a variety of symptoms such as insomnia, feeling hopeless or worthless, feeling persistently sad or irritable, and having trouble concentrating.
Coffee is a mild anti-depressant because it aids in the production of neurotransmitters, like serotonin and dopamine.
A Harvard study showed drinking 2-4 cups of coffee per day could reduce the risk of suicide by 50% (16).
8. Coffee Boosts Your Athletic Performance And Endurance
Coffee is a performance enhancer. Many athletes know drinking a cup of coffee before athletic training or an event can boost their endurance and performance.
Caffeine increases the levels of Adrenaline in the blood (17). This “fight or flight” hormone primes the body for intense exertion. In fact, caffeine can boost athletic performance by about 11-12% (18).
Related: The Effects Of Caffeine On The Body
9. Coffee Can Improve Heart Health And Reduce The Risk Of Strokes
Coffee is good for the heart. Consuming coffee regularly is associated with reduced mortality for all causes, including cardiovascular disease (19).
In addition, coffee was shown to reduce the rate of heart problems and stroke (20) (21).
Bulletproof Coffee makes several delicious coffees. But their Mentalist Medium Dark Roast Ground Coffee is especially delicious.
Side Effects Of Coffee
You know what they say about too much of a good thing? In this case, drinking too much coffee could cause some unwanted side effects due to the effects of the caffeine. These include:
- insomnia
- rapid heart rate
- upset stomach
- headache
- anxiety
- nervousness
- shaky hands
Although coffee is generally safe for adults (at around 4 cups a day) pay attention to how you feel and monitor your intake accordingly.
Summary – Health Benefits Of Coffee
Despite any bad press you may have heard about coffee, it’s impressively healthy and full of antioxidants. Not only is it delicious but it can help protect you from diabetes, depression, and even cancer. Drinking coffee can boost your energy, metabolism, and memory and help protect your liver.
The caffeine in coffee can cause unwanted side effects if you drink too much but most people can tolerate moderate amounts just fine.
All in all, coffee is pretty awesome, don’t you think? So enjoy that cup of joe and be well! You might like to try My Healthy Coffee Drink (With Coconut Oil.
What other health benefits of coffee can you would add to the list?
Please leave your comments below. I’d love to hear from you!
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