The first thing that most of us want after getting up from our bed is a hot cup of coffee. Many of us know coffee as an energy booster, whereas others prefer it as a mood lifter. Well, one thing that we might overlook is its health benefits. Yes, you read it correctly. Coffee is rich in antioxidants and several essential nutrients, especially vitamins and minerals. To name a few: Vitamin B-2 and B3, potassium, and magnesium. Researches have shown that coffee also contains numerous phenolic compounds.
Studies have shown that coffee can be very helpful in preventing several diseases, including liver disorder, heart failure, and type 2 diabetes. We do have scientific evidence to back some of the health benefits of coffee, but not all.
In this article, we have covered some of the significant health benefits of drinking coffee.
1. Coffee may help protect against type 2 diabetes
Nowadays, type 2 diabetes has become very common among people. In this, the blood sugar level in the body tends to increase. Improper diet, lack of exercise, lack of quality sleep, unhealthy lifestyle habits, etc. are some of the most common factors that might result in Type 2 disease. Researches have shown that coffee drinkers have a lower risk of getting Type 2 Diabetes.
Various researches have shown that the risk of Type 2 diabetes was lowered by at least 23%-50% in people who drink coffee every day.
How does this work?
- Scientists believe that coffee helps the body in using insulin. This further results in maintaining the sugar level in the blood.
- Coffee helps in preventing inflammation and tissue damage.
- Also, caffeic acid in coffee helps in lowering the accumulation of protein deposits. These toxic accumulations are toxic in nature and are quite common in people who have Type 2 diabetes.
2. Coffee consumption lowers the risk of liver cancer
The liver is the largest organ in the human body, performs various essential functions.
A healthy liver is vital for living a healthy life. Studies have shown that drinking coffee helps in reducing the various liver disorders like cirrhosis and non-alcoholic fatty liver disorder. Researchers have also claimed that drinking coffee every day can reduce the chances of liver cancer by almost 40%. This percentage was reduced by nearly 50% in the people, who drink 3 cups of coffee every day.
How does this work?
Coffee is rich in antioxidant phytochemicals and polyphenols. These components are known for their anticarcinogenic properties. Studies have shown that these components also help in reducing inflammation. This further helps in preventing tumor formation.
3. Coffee help protect against Parkinson’s disease
Parkinson’s disease is a kind of neurodegenerative condition. Death of dopamine-producing nerve cells in the brain results in Parkinson’s disease. To date, researchers have not found any proper treatment for this disease. However, caffeine has proved to be very effective in preventing this disease. As we all know, coffee is rich in caffeine.
Studies have shown that the risk of getting this disease reduces by 32%-60% in coffee drinkers. As per the 2017 study, coffee was found to be effective in preventing Parkinson’s diseases in people who are into smoking.
An important thing to note here is, it’s the caffeine that helps in preventing this disease. Hence, consuming decaf coffee would not work.
4. Coffee can enhance exercise performance
Many physical fitness experts advise having nixing coffee before and after the workout session. The reason is that coffee causes dehydration. However, researchers claim that a daily intake of 5 cups or about 500mg of coffee does not cause that much dehydration. Besides this, coffee intake helps in fighting fatigue. As a result, the exerciser can work out for a longer duration.
How does it work?
Caffeine present in the coffee increases the amount of fatty acids in the blood. Hence, act as an endurance enhancer. Besides fighting fatigue, it also helps in strengthening the muscle contraction and reducing the perception of pain in the individuals. Hence, helping in enhancing the performance of the exerciser.
5. Can help you burn fat
If you are looking forward to burning fat and get that perfect shape, then drinking coffee can be very beneficial. Studies have shown that caffeine enhances fat metabolism in the body. This is the reason that almost all the fat burning supplements have caffeine as one of their ingredients.
Researches have shown that in lean individuals, caffeine can increase the fat burning by 29% whereas, in obese people, this percentage reduces to 10%. So, next time you have coffee, just think about the calories you are going to burn that too in a natural way. It would add an extra reason to enjoy your coffee.
6. Coffee guards against gout
Researchers have proved that coffee also helps in reducing the risk of gout in both men and women. Both regular and decaf coffee are quite effective in preventing gout. Depending on the coffee intake, this reduction was around 22%-57%. In men, the risk of getting gout was reduced by 40%-60%.
How does it work?
Gout is generally caused by an increase in the uric acid level in the body. The antioxidant properties of the coffee decrease the insulin level in the body, which further results in lowering the uric acid levels in the body. Hence, reducing the risk of gout.
7. May protect you from Alzheimer’s disease and dementia
Alzheimer’s disease is a kind of brain disorder that results in degeneration and, finally, the death of brain cells. Also, it is one of the most common causes of dementia. Just like Parkinson’s disease, there is no treatment available to cure this disease.
It generally occurs at the age of 65 and above. Regular exercise, eating a healthy diet, etc. have found to be highly effective in keeping our brain healthy. Studies have shown that coffee reduces the risk of getting Alzheimer’s disease by 65%.
How does it work?
Caffeine present in coffee may help in preventing building up of beta-amyloid plaque in the brain. The formation of this plaque results in Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. Also, type 2 diabetes increases the risk of dementia. Coffee has found to be very effective in preventing type 2 diabetes. Hence reducing the chances of getting dementia.
The bottom line
Whether to drink coffee or not, has always been a debatable topic. However, when taken within an appropriate limit, coffee can prove to be very beneficial for our health. 2-3 cups of coffee/day are considered to be an acceptable quantity. However, you need to remember that the caffeine content in coffee depends on the type and preparation of coffee. The caffeine content in an 8 ounce of brewed coffee may vary from 80-200mg.
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