10 Healthy Reasons why coffee is good for you

Coffee is one of the most consumed beverages globally. Despite this, some people still discourage against it, claiming that it does more harm than good. Well, I hate to be the bearer of bad news to these people, as recent scientific research shows that the benefits of coffee outweigh some of its cons. So, if someone ever tries to discourage you from your morning power cup, be sure to share this article with them.

According to recent scientific findings, coffee has proven to be quite beneficial to your brain, heart and liver, reducing the chances of diseases such as Alzheimer’s, liver cirrhosis and various types of cancers. In addition to this, coffee provides you with an energy burst and boosts your longevity more so in demanding physical tasks such as exercising.

Aside from that, this beverage is also beneficial to those who are in their weight loss journey. This is attributed to the low calorie count that coffee possesses. For this group of people, coffee both serves as a healthy beverage giving them an energy burst during their workout sessions, as well as helps in weight cutting. Whats more, is that coffee has been linked to lower risks of depression which is a good thing more so in this sedentary society we live in. In this article, we are going to discuss the Top 10 healthy reasons why coffee is good for you.

10.) Coffee may help in weight loss.

Obesity is at an all time high and more people are trying to cut down on their calorie in-take now more than ever. If you don’t know where to start, why don’t you try coffee. You see, when trying to lose weight, you need either to increase your physical activity; Eg through strenuous exercises or creating a calorie deficit. To increase your calorie deficit, all you need to do is burn more calories than you consume. This is why you hear fitness coaches encouraging people to take foods such as vegetables and fruits as they contain low calories.

Back to coffee now. Did you now that one cup of coffee (240g) contains only two calories? But there is a catch. The coffee has to be black. Hooray! To black coffee lovers. The more you add sugar and milk the more the calorie count increases. If you like your coffee black and you are trying to cut down on your weight, there is no shame in consuming up to 4 cups of coffee per day. According to recent scientific findings, those who consume 2 to 4 cups of coffee a day are less likely to get diseases such as Alzheimer’s as compared to those who drink less or none at all.

Another way coffee can help in your weight loss journey, is by acting as an appetite suppressant. Appetite is controlled by many factors including activity levels and hormones. But did you know taking caffeinated drinks may reduce levels of the hunger hormone ghrelin? Caffeinated drinks such as soda and tea have the same effects but they don’t have nearly as much caffeine as coffee does, so that’s another plus for coffee lovers.

9.) Coffee lowers the risk of depression.

Depression is as serious a disorder as they come and for the first time in history, it is at an all time high. Depression can be caused by various things ranging from stress to Alcohol and drug use and not forgetting sedentary lifestyle.

Well, good news for coffee lovers. In a recent finding, regular coffee drinkers are 20% less likely to suffer from depression. Although researchers are still looking into this matter, coffee is believed to activate neurotransmitters such as dopamine and serotonin which control the mood of a person. Although one should find engaging activities to do in order to prevent falling into the trap of depression, coffee can aid in the process.

8.) Coffee enhances performance during exercise.

For those who exercise regularly, coffee can be a good addition to your diet. Everyone knows how important it is for people to be hydrated, more so those who engage in high physical training. In the past, it was though that caffeine can dehydrate you hence it was highly discouraged. But recent findings show that normal intake of caffeine up to 500mg or an average of five cups a day does not dehydrate a person as much as it was thought before.

With this in mind coffee has been known to fight fatigue for the longest time, increasing your activity levels for a longer period of time. In addition to this, coffee has been known to strengthen muscle contractions as well as increasing fatty acids in the blood which leads to endurance.

7.) Coffee improves metabolism.

Metabolism is the process by which your body burns calories each day. Caffeine commonly found in soda, tea and coffee has been linked with an improvement in metabolism. It is no surprise that most weight loss supplements contain caffeine. But if you cannot afford buying these pills, daily intake of coffee will suffice. Another W for coffee lovers.

However, a recent study revealed that a large dose of caffeine may be required to tip the metabolism scales. But it is worth noting that consistent intake of caffeine over a sustained period of time can have the same effect, so its all good for coffee lovers once again.

6.) Coffee can get rid of headaches.

Headaches can occur for various reasons. For those who are used to taking coffee, if you skip a day or two without your power drink, you will most definitely get a headache. This type of headache is due to caffeine withdrawal. However, there are other causes of headaches including stress, symptoms of a certain disease, etc. Either way, caffeine has been linked to reducing headaches.

In fact painkillers such as paracetamols and Ibuprofen have caffeine in them which has been linked to improving their efficiencies. If you don’t want to chug on these pills, a simple cup of coffee will do the trick. Whats more, is that dissolving painkillers in coffee may improve their efficiency up to 40%

How does caffeine get rid of headaches? I am glad you asked. According to the National Headache Foundation (which is a real organization by the way), Caffeine has properties which narrow the blood vessels restricting blood flow, which in turn relieves you from the throbbing pain you may be experiencing.

5.) Coffee can help prevent against certain types of cancers.

In recent findings by Harvard School of Public Health, drinking four cups of coffee a day decreased endometrial cancer in women by up to 25% as compared to those who drank less or none at all. Whats more, is that men who drink coffee have a lower chance of developing prostate cancer. Drinking coffee has also been linked to lower chances of getting Liver, colon, breast and rectal cancers.

So how does coffee work its magic? Well, coffee contains Polyphenols and Antioxidant Phytochemicals which have been linked to having anti-carcinogenic properties. With this in mind, these substance help reduce inflammation that could be responsible for some tumors.

4.) Coffee is good for your brain health.

One of the most scary things a person can go through is losing your memories and being unable to remember life events or even your loved ones. This is the main symptom of Alzheimer’s disease which is the most common type of dementia. In one Finnish study, daily intake of coffee at midlife was associated with 65% less risk of developing Alzheimer’s later in life. Tea which is a close cousin to coffee, ironically, did not reveal any association with cognitive decline.

So, how does coffee aid in cognitive decline? Well, caffeine prevents the build up of beta amyloid plaque which is associated with the onset and development of Alzheimer’s. Since coffee also lowers the risk of getting Type 2 Diabetes, a risk factor for dementia, it lowers the risk of these cognitive-decline related diseases.

3.) Your liver loves coffee.

As we discussed earlier, coffee lowers the risk of getting certain cancers including liver cancer. Aside from that, liver cirrhosis which damages your liver, has been linked to decrease with intake in coffee. (up to 20% reduction for each cup consumed).

Scientists have found an inverse relationship between coffee intake and blood levels of liver enzymes. Typically, high liver enzymes reflect inflammation and liver damage. So, the higher your coffee consumption, the lower the liver enzymes in your blood. (Of course you should take coffee in moderation to prevent its side effects which can be dire to one’s health)

2.) Coffee boosts energy levels.

Coffee has been known to boost energy levels in individuals. This is why we take coffee in the morning to give us that extra boost rather than right before bed. (Unless you are a night owl). In addition to this, as we discussed earlier, coffee reduces fatigue and enhances longevity both in mentally and physically demanding tasks.

In a test done a while back, a group of volunteers received a dose of 100mg of caffeine which is typically one cup of coffee while another group was administered a placebo. With the group which received caffeine, there was a surge in brain activity which was measured by a functional Magnetic Resonance Imagery (fMRI) as they performed memory tasks. With this control group, there was an improvement in memory skills and reaction time as compared to the other group which was administered a placebo.

Coffee which contains caffeine, is a central nervous stimulant known to increase energy levels and fight fatigue. With this in mind, caffeine blocks the receptors of a neurotransmitter called Adenosine and increases the levels of other neurotransmitters such as dopamine which regulate your energy levels. Caffeine has also been known to affect areas of the brain responsible for memory and concentration providing a momentary memory boost. It is not clear how long this boost lasts, as it varies from one person to another. If you ever feel fatigue and your work is due in a few hours time, be sure to take your coffee for that boost in energy levels.

1.) Coffee is packed with Antioxidants.

Antioxidants are natural substances that help neutralize harmful free radicals in our bodies. When talking about antioxidants, substances such as Green Tea and Cocoa are often mentioned but coffee barely gets any recognition considering it shows more antioxidant activities as compared to the two antioxidant superstars. In fact, over 1000 antioxidants have been found in unprocessed coffee beans and hundreds more develop during the roasting process.

With this in mind, let’s look at some of the functions of antioxidants in our bodies.

• Antioxidants fight the damaging effects of inflammation. (NB: Chronic inflammation can often lead to diseases such as cancer, arthritis and bowel diseases like Crohn’s disease).
• Chlorogenic acid which is an antioxidant found in coffee can help prevent Cardiovascular diseases such as a heart attack or even stroke.

Final thoughts.

Coffee being one of the most consumed beverages today is greatly beneficial to one’s health. In saying that, moderation is also key. Don’t go chugging cups of coffee as its side effects could be dire to one’s health. Fo the following group of people, it is good to keep your distance with coffee as it could have dire effects on your health (or at least consult your doctor before consuming).

• People with glaucoma.
• People with heart conditions.
• Pregnant women.
• Lactating women.

With all this knowledge on coffee, do with it as you may and be sure to share it with other people in order to increase awareness on the benefits of coffee.