Coffee is many people’s favorite drink and it’s likely yours too. It’s tasty and comforting, and mornings are dull and tiresome without it. No wonder it’s coffee the most popular drink in America! On top of that, coffee has many health benefits. I know, it sounds too good to be true, but it is.
Here are some of the most prominent benefits of drinking coffee, as proven by research and science-backed studies.
1. It’s Filled with Antioxidants and Nutrients
Antioxidants are your shield against many diseases and coffee has lots of them. In fact, coffee is considered the primary provider of antioxidants in western and American diets. It has more antioxidants than some fruits and vegetables.
In addition to antioxidants, coffee has essential nutrients like potassium, manganese, and vitamins B2, B3, and B5. Manually, home-ground coffee is your best choice to get the most out of those nutrients. Many coffee enthusiasts give great reviews and tips on how to grind coffee beans and the benefits of grinding them at home, and a quick online search will point you in the right direction. You will probably like home-ground coffee more because it hasn’t lost its nutrients and has an even fresher taste and stronger flavor than pre-ground coffee.
2. It Gives You Energy
You probably drink coffee to feel more energetic and less tired, but why does it give you energy? One standard cup of coffee has 100 milligrams of caffeine, a psychoactive substance that stimulates the brain and nervous system. Studies conducted on humans show that coffee improves brain functions like memory, mood, alertness, and energy levels.
3. It Lowers the Risk of Some Diseases
- Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia: If you drink coffee regularly, you are 65% less likely to get Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. It also helps fight the mental decline that comes with age.
- Types of Cancer: Studies show that coffee lowers the risk of different types of cancer, including head, neck, liver, colorectal, skin, breast, and endometrial cancer, thanks to its active biological components..
- Type 2 Diabetes: Along with a healthy diet, drinking coffee helps prevent type 2 diabetes. According to numerous studies, the more cups you consume, the lower risk you have. Simply, every additional cup of coffee you drink can decrease the risk by 7%.
- Heart Diseases: Coffee lowers the risk of cardiovascular diseases as well, though the studies were conducted on middle-aged and older people only. It was also noted that females benefited more from the effect of coffee regarding the lower risk of heart diseases.
4. It Improves Physical Performance
Coffee has an ergogenic effect, meaning it improves physical performance. Caffeine enhances athletic performance, so when you’re working out, it stimulates your body to use stored fats instead of muscle, which increases the durability of exercising. For the best results, you should drink coffee between 30 to 60 minutes before exercising. The amount of caffeine doesn’t have much to do with improving performance, so more is not better.
Coffee also reduces pain after working out and helps you recover faster.
5. It Improves Mental Focus
Coffee will impact your mental focus during work-out sessions and other activities. This means that you will perform better after drinking coffee, as research shows that coffee affects the parts of the brain responsible for concentration, planning, and attention.
6. It Can Prevent Depression
Over the span of 10 years, a study was conducted on 51,000 women and it concluded that regular caffeine intake decreases the chances of getting depression. However, if you suffer from anxiety, you should lower your intake as it may make you more anxious and jittery.
7. It May Aid Weight Loss
Coffee is good for you if you’re trying to lose or maintain weight as it will help suppress your appetite. It may also increase your metabolic rate, which if high, will make you less prone to weight gain. If you’re watching your weight, we advise drinking black coffee with no additives as it has close to 0 calories, and adding cream, milk, sugar, or syrup will significantly increase the calories in it.
8. It Prevents Cavities
Coffee is exceptional at helping prevent cavities. It basically breaks down bacterial biofilms that coat the teeth and cause tooth decay. It’s worth noting that only black coffee with no additives can fight and prevent cavities, as sugar and cream cancel its protective functions.
Next time you have your cup of Joe, think about all these benefits, from preventing diseases to improving mental capacity and physical performance. Note that coffee is most useful when combined with healthy diets and physical activity. But in any case, if you’re a lover of coffee, we encourage you to drink a cup or two a day and enjoy its goodness and the benefits it has to offer.