The Hidden Health Benefits: 10 Scientifically-Backed Reasons to Start Drinking Coffee
Coffee. It’s the first thing people go to before they start their day. That boost of caffeine can really make a difference by perking us up so that we feel less groggy. Coffee, as a whole, has drawn some very controversial opinions from researchers in regards to its impact on one’s health. Many people believe it can lead to insomnia and indigestion, for example. However, coffee has plenty of health benefits that you may not even be aware of.
Here are 10 reasons why you should consider drinking coffee.
1. Coffee Provides a Short-term Memory Boost
Caffeine has an effect on the part of the brain that is responsible for memory and concentration. Studies have shown increased brain activity after subjects too 100 mg of caffeine, the same amount found in a cup of coffee. Subjects were shown several pictures and were asked to identify them as indoor or outdoor. They were then provided with caffeine or a placebo, and the second set of questions involved whether the next set of pictures were newer, older, or exactly the same as the first set of pictures.
Those who took the caffeine were more accurate in their answers as to whether the pictures were similar. However, there was no difference between the caffeine takers and those who took placebos when it came to pictures that were older or newer. It was also difficult to determine if there were any improvements in memory whether caffeine was taking 5 minutes or an hour before questions were asked.
2. Coffee Protects Against Cognitive Decline
It has been shown that coffee can also prevent the cognitive decline of dementia and Alzheimer’s. Many dementia care specialists are even considering these benefits of caffeine for those start to show early symptoms. Some studies have even shown that drinking at least three to five cups per day during your 50s has shown a 65% decreased risk in Alzheimer’s and dementia. Drinking tea showed no signs of making a difference.
The way this works is that caffeine prevents the buildup of beta-amyloid plaque that interferes with the neural system of the brain, which as promoted the onset of Alzheimer’s and dementia.
3. Coffee is Rich with Antioxidants
Coffee actually has more antioxidants than cocoa and green tea, with at least 1,000 antioxidants in unprocessed coffee beans. During the roasting process, even more antioxidants are developed, making it an excellent source if you’re interested in boosting your antioxidant intake.
Not only are antioxidants great at reducing the free radicals in your body that are responsible for cancer, but it’s also good for fighting inflammation and reducing the pain associated with arthritis and atherosclerosis.
4. Coffee Reduces the Risk of Cancer
Because coffee is full of antioxidants, it has many connections to the reduction in many kinds of cancer, from liver and rectal cancers to breast and colon. For men, daily cups of coffee have reduced the risks of very aggressive forms of prostate cancer, while women who have at least 4 cups have a decreased risk of endometrial cancer by 25% in comparison to women who only drink one cup of coffee.
Coffee is also rich with polyphenols, which have anticarcinogenic properties that have reduced the inflammation associated with cancer and tumors.
5. Coffee Promotes a Healthy Heart
Since coffee protects the cells of the body from damage and keeps inflammation down, this is very important for the cells that make up the heart. It’s a hard-working muscle that can be damaged very easily if it’s not taken care of properly. The majority of coffee drinkers who had at least two to four cups a day had a 20% lower risk of heart disease than non-drinkers and those who had one cup of coffee a day.
6. Coffee is Good for your Liver
Coffee is great for protecting your liver against cirrhosis of the liver. In fact, there is an inverted correlation: the more coffee a person drank, the lower the risk of cirrhosis. This is particularly true of alcohol-related cirrhosis. When consuming alcohol, certain enzymes are found at elevated levels and cause inflammation of the liver; consuming coffee, however, lowered the levels of these enzymes.
7. Coffee helps to Fight Depression
In both men and women alike, the more coffee a person consumed, the lower the risk of depression. This is because coffee is a stimulant, exciting neurotransmitters so that there are more signals traveling at faster speeds in the brain. Studies have shown that drinking coffee can reduce the chances of depression by at least 20%.
Drinking coffee has also shown that it increases the production of dopamine (which sends signals from the body to the brain) and serotonin (the brain chemical responsible for well-being and happiness).
8. Coffee Reduces the Risk of Diabetes
Coffee is great for keeping diabetes at bay in several ways. Firstly, it helps the body to use the insulin already present and provides protection for insulin-producing cells so that blood sugar levels can be regulated. Secondly, it prevents tissue damage, which diabetes is known to do once there’s an onset. Thirdly, it tackles inflammation, which is a contributing factor for type 2 diabetes.
These benefits are the result of what is known as caffeic acid. It plays a significant role in reducing the concentration of amyloid fibrils which is found in those who suffer from type 2 diabetes.
9. Coffee Protects Against Gout
Gout is the increased concentration of uric acid in the bloodstream. These high levels lead to needle-like crystals forming which collect in the joints and cause a lot of pain. However, by drinking coffee, you’re lowering insulin levels which, in turn, reduces uric acid in the blood.
Studies have shown that women who drank more than four cups of coffee per day had a 57% reduced risk of gout, while women who only drank one to three cups showed a 22% decreased risk of gout.
10. Coffee Enhances Performance in Exercise
Coffee is usually considered dehydrating and its consumption usually isn’t recommended right before or after exercise. However, new studies are showing that those who drink coffee on a regular basis – up to five cups a day – weren’t dehydrated enough to avoid working out, and they actually exercised for a lot longer.
This is because coffee is designed to fight fatigue and promote higher endurance. By increasing fatty acids in the bloodstream, a person can exercise for much longer periods of time before they start to experience pain.
Don’t knock coffee until you’ve tried it. Though it’s been labeled as addicting and bad for your health, in moderation, it can actually provide plenty of benefits to your physical and mental well-being. Give one cup of joe a try and don’t overload it with too many sweet syrups; these will make coffee more unhealthy than beneficial.