7 Health Benefits of Coffee

7 health benefits of coffee

For centuries, coffee has been both admired and mocked. It has been praised for treating lethargy and called a “gift from God” while being accused of causing insanity and impotence. However, what are the real, scientifically verified health benefits of coffee?

The most well-known element in coffee is caffeine, the world’s most widely ingested psychoactive chemical. Although the impact of coffee on the human body has been widely studied, coffee on its own is a complicated drink consisting of various chemicals. In fact, multiple studies state that both caffeinated and decaffeinated coffee have similar health effects, proving that caffeine isn’t responsible for most of the health benefits of coffee.

So, while research on coffee’s health benefits for humans is far from complete, here is a rundown of what we currently know:

Coffee Might Help Reduce Disease-Causing Inflammation

When we talk about inflammation here, we are referring to the kind of inflammation that’s induced and aggravated by old age.

According to a study published in Nature Medicine, one of the many health benefits of coffee includes its powerful effect on your immune system, keeping you away from various inflammatory diseases.

Caffeine inhibits particular receptors on brain cells, giving coffee its stimulating “wake-up” effect. In addition, the researchers discovered that caffeine suppresses pathways that produce inflammatory chemicals by blocking these receptors.

In this study, older men and women who consumed more caffeine had lower blood pressure and more flexible arteries. So, don’t be afraid to drink coffee as you become older!

It Might Lower Risk of Death From Disease and Disorders

According to a study conducted on more than 185,000 people, coffee consumption reduces the risk of death from various health disorders and diseases.  For example, when participants in the study drank one cup of coffee a day, they had a twelve percent lower risk of dying from kidney disease, respiratory failure, cancer, stroke, and heart disease.

Furthermore, for those who drank two to three cups each day, the reduction in mortality was considerably greater – eighteen percent.

In another research, experts at the University of Southampton in England looked through 218 prior studies to see how coffee consumption affects health. They concluded that drinking three to four cups of hot coffee per day helped people suffering from heart disease, liver disease, and certain malignancies.

Coffee Consumption Might Improve Mental Sharpness

Yes! You read that right. This is probably one of the biggest health benefits of coffee; it helps improve mental sharpness. So, while you may not be able to prevent cognitive deterioration completely, studies suggest that coffee can help your brain.

According to a study, participants who consumed 3 to 5 cups of coffee per day had a 65 percent lower risk of acquiring Alzheimer’s disease or dementia later in life. A big plus for coffee drinkers!

Coffee Might Help You Ward Off Diabetes

Diabetes affects 11.8 percent of American men over the age of 20. In fact, it’s a growing worry that the medical community is paying close attention to. As it turns out, drinking coffee might help with diabetes too.

Harvard researchers studied the effects of coffee consumption on the development of type 2 diabetes in over 40,000 males between 1986 and 1998. They discovered that long-term coffee consumers had a much lower chance of getting type-2 diabetes, with the risk decreasing as the amount of coffee consumed increased. So, remember to keep your sugar intake in check and enjoy that cup of joe every day!

Coffee Consumption Might Also Help With Pain Reduction

Do you experience pain during the course of your workday? It’s not unheard of. As it turns out, drinking coffee can help you on that front.  

Norwegian researchers studied 48 people performing office work and discovered that those who drank coffee only reported a pain intensity level of 41. But on the other hand, those who didn’t get their daily caffeine intake reported a pain intensity level of 55. So, we’ll let you be the judge of that!

Coffee Might Help Promote Weight Loss

One of the biggest health benefits of coffee is its ability to help you achieve your weight loss goals. For example, green coffee extract can be a good option if you’re trying to lose weight. After a 22-week trial of 16 overweight people, researchers discovered that those given green coffee bean extract lost significant weight, with 37.5 percent of them moving from a pre-obesity to a normal weight range.

So, if weight loss is your primary goal, search in the green bean capsule section of your local health food store to supplement your workouts.

Coffee Might Help Improve Aerobic Performance

Do you struggle to get a spring in your step when you step on the treadmill or ride the Peloton? Coffee, according to scientists, could be just what you’re looking for.

In a study, 38 men and women rode an exercise bike for five kilometers without drinking anything prior. Then, an hour before performing the same task the next day, some participants drank a coffee-flavored placebo or plain old coffee. A third group didn’t drink anything. 

According to the findings, participants in the coffee group cycled faster and finished their workout quicker than those in the control and placebo groups. According to the researchers, the effect of coffee on cycling performance was also similar in women and men.

Wrapping Up

You should completely stay away from coffee if you have a child on the way, are caffeine sensitive, or have high cholesterol. However, for other people, a low to medium coffee intake, like one to three cups every day, can help them take advantage of the many health benefits of coffee. For example, it can help you avoid dangerous diseases, improve your body and mind, and lose weight.

However, always remember that you also need to drink chemical-free specialty coffee to enjoy these benefits. So, please give coffee the love it deserves, and don’t forget to share this article with your friends and family so they can enjoy coffee and its various health benefits as well!