Coffee drinkers, rejoice!
Aside from filling your home with a lovely aroma, perking you up in the mornings, and serving as a reason to meet up with a friend, coffee has been shown to serve many health benefits.
A list of studies has given the thumbs up to coffee drinkers – seeing improvements in everything from liver function, brain health, and athletic performance to a lowered chance of type 2 diabetes.
Now, caffeine may be the main character in coffee but there are antioxidants, amino acids, and more that play a part in the drink’s superpowers.
Here is a list of some of the health benefits of coffee:
Boosts Energy
Coffee’s most popular benefit is the energy-boosting caffeine, which stimulates the central nervous system and blocks neurotransmitter adenosine which acts as a depressant before sleep. Caffeine also stimulates the release of dopamine and helps keep your energy on an upward trend.
Brain Enhancer
Some studies have suggested that drinking coffee daily can protect against degenerative mental disorders such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s.
Research performed by C.T. Hong, L. Chan and C.H. Bai showed that coffee kept Parkinson’s away, and slows the disease once it has developed.
Another study followed more than 29,000 people while measuring for Alzheimer’s and concluded: “The present study suggests that higher coffee consumption is associated with reduced risk for Alzheimer's disease.” Pretty cool stuff!
Increases Athletic Performance
Caffeine is often used in pre-workout powders and is widely accepted as a workout enhancer. Caffeine aside, Coffee contains an ergogenic acid that serves as a performance enhancer. In a review of nine studies, people who drank coffee reported a higher level of endurance when compared to the control group.
Decreased Depression
Multiple studies have pointed towards a “the more the merrier” correlation between coffee and a decrease in depression. In one study, coffee was shown to decrease depression, with each cup contributing to an 8% drop that the drinker suffering from the mental illness.
Lower Rise of Type 2 Diabetes
Type 2 Diabetes can be a debilitating disease where the body doesn’t produce or recognize insulin from the pancreas. A review of 30 studies concluded that each additional cup of coffee someone consumes contributes to a 6% lowered risk of developing Type 2 Diabetes.
This may be because coffee helps preserve beta cells in the pancreas, where insulin is produced. The antioxidants in coffee can help decrease inflammation, and maintain a healthy metabolism – both of which are linked to diabetic health.
Coffee Promotes a Healthier Weight
A study has reported that coffee changes the way your body stores fat and aids in digestion. There has also been a correlation found between people who drink at least two cups of coffee per day and more physical activity compared to people who drink less than one cup per day.
Between the fat storage, more frequent trips to the bathroom, and extra physical activity, coffee can be a useful tool in weight management!
Decreased Chance of Colon Cancer
One in 23 women develop colon cancer, but a 2016 study found that consistent coffee drinkers were 26% less likely to develop cancer.
Isn't it exciting that coffee, known and loved throughout the world, improves lives in more ways than originally thought?
