Much has been said about the health benefits of coffee, even if it sometimes gets a bad rap for its supposed negative effects. While coffee can indeed be harmful when taken excessively, like anything else, the key is moderation—only then will you be able to reap its health benefits.
Most people see coffee as a pick-me-up, not knowing each cup is actually good for their health. For years, scientists have recognized the significant health benefits of coffee, with several studies highlighting its antioxidant effects and brain-enhancing abilities.
You can even make your coffee healthier by using filtered water and organic coffee, nixing sugar, or adding a superfood like coconut oil.
Recent research brings a wave of good news for coffee lovers. Below are 10 health benefits you get from every cup of joe you enjoy—backed by science.
1. Coffee is Packed with Antioxidants
Researchers have long known that coffee shows remarkable antioxidant activity, equal to that of green tea, another antioxidant superstar.
Over the course of several studies, scientists have identified at least 1,000 antioxidants in coffee beans, with hundreds more added when they’re roasted.
As most people get their dose of antioxidants from beverages, coffee was recognized as a major and sometimes primary source of antioxidants, which have been observed to have potential effects in fighting obesity and encouraging weight loss.
2. Coffee is a Memory Booster
The caffeine in coffee doesn’t just keep you awake, it also stimulates your brain and memory. A team of Austrian researchers conducted an experiment involving a group of volunteers, each given a 100-milligram dose of caffeine—about the same amount in a cup of coffee.
Using an MRI, the researchers measured the volunteers’ brain activity as they performed a memory task. They found the reaction times and memory of caffeinated volunteers was better compared to the control group on a placebo, who showed on enhanced brain activity.
3. Coffee May Protect You Against Cognitive Problems
Aside from offering a temporary brain and memory boost, regular coffee intake has been shown to have potential benefits in terms preventing cognitive decline associated with diseases like Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia.
A 2010 Finnish study found that drinking 3 to 5 cups of coffee in your midyears might have the ability to reduce your risk for cognitive decline by up to 65 percent.
4. Coffee is Good for Your Heart
A study conducted in the Netherlands, which analyzed the coffee habits of more than 37,000 people over the course of 13 years, found that individuals who drank at least two to four cups of coffee had a lower risk (20 percent) of developing heart disease compared to those who only drank one cup of coffee and none at all.
Scientists suspect that coffee may have the ability to support cardiovascular health by protecting the arteries against inflammation.
5. Coffee May Prevent Certain Types of Cancer
Studies show that men who regularly drink coffee may have a lower risk of developing a fatal type prostate cancer later in life.
On the other hand, recent studies by the Harvard School of Public Health suggest that women who consume at least four cups of coffee every day may reduce their risk of developing endometrial cancer by as much as 25 percent, compared to women who only drank one cup of coffee a day, or none at all.
Researchers also found links between regular coffee intake and reduced rates of rectal, breast, colon, and liver cancers.
6. Coffee May Reduce your Risk of Type 2 Diabetes
The results of an increasing number of studies consistently show a link between been regular coffee intake and a reduced risk of developing Type 2 diabetes.
In 2009, one study found that with each daily cup of coffee their subjects drank, their risk of developing diabetes dropped by 7 percent.
Furthermore, previous epidemiological studies found that heavy coffee drinkers (more than four cups daily) had as much as a 50 percent reduced risk of Type 2 diabetes compared to those who drank less coffee, or those who drank none at all.
7. Coffee is Good for Your Liver
Besides lowering your risk of developing cancer, studies show that regular coffee intake is linked to a lower risk of cirrhosis, particularly alcoholic cirrhosis.
One study published in the US Journal Archives of Internal Medicine highlights the inverse relationship between an increase of coffee consumption and a reduction in risk for developing cirrhosis.
In fact, each cup of coffee was found to reduce the risk of cirrhosis by up to 20 percent.
8. Coffee Complements your Physical Fitness
Coffee is sometimes believed to cause dehydration, which is why most fitness experts advise against drinking coffee before and after a workout.
However, recent studies show that light to moderate caffeine intake (around 500 milligrams, equal to 5 cups of coffee) isn’t enough to dehydrate exercisers to compromise their workout, and may instead help you burn more calories.
The caffeine in coffee increases your physical and mental performance, allowing you to exercise longer.
9. Coffee May Fight Depression
Several studies have associated coffee intake with a reduced risk of depression in both men and women.
Other studies suggest an inverse correlation between coffee intake and depression; people who drank more cups of coffee were less likely to suffer depression by up to 20 percent compared to nondrinkers.
Scientists aren’t quite sure how and why coffee has this particular effect on depression, but it’s known that caffeine stimulates the neurotransmitters dopamine and serotonin, which regulate mood.
10. Coffee Prevents Gout
Several studies also show that regular coffee drinking in both men and women can reduce the risk of developing gout, a disease where poor metabolism of uric acid leads to arthritis and swelling in the hands, feet, and knees.
One study in the Nurses’ Health Study analyzed the health information of close to 90,000 female nurses over the course of 26 years, finding a positive relationship between regular coffee drinking and a reduced risk of gout.
The scientists found that women who drank more than four cups of coffee every day lowered their risk of developing gout by as much as 57 percent, while those who drank between one to three cups of coffee had a reduced gout risk of 22 percent.
While coffee has several health benefits, it can also be harmful when consumed in high levels. The key to getting coffee benefits is moderation, so don’t go overboard thinking more coffee will automatically make you healthier.
Enjoyed 10 Reasons You Should Drink More Coffee? Share it with your friends so they too can follow the Superfoodsliving journey.
Share on Pinterest
