Coffee is one of the most popular beverages in the world, and thanks to its high content of antioxidants and nutrients, coffee is a drink that offers many health benefits.
Studies show that coffee drinkers have a much lower risk of contracting several serious illnesses.
Here are the 13 reasons to drink it every day:
1: Coffee Improves Energy Levels and Makes You Smarter
Coffee can help people feel less tired and boost their energy levels; because it contains a stimulant called caffeine (the most consumed psychoactive substance in the world).
After drinking coffee, caffeine is absorbed into the blood. From there it travels to your brain; where caffeine blocks adenosine, an inhibitory neurotransmitter.
When this happens, the number of other neurotransmitters, such as norepinephrine and dopamine, increases, leading to the stimulation of neurons.
Numerous controlled studies in humans show that coffee improves various aspects of brain function; including memory, mood, alertness, energy levels, reaction times, and general mental function.
2: Coffee Can Help Burn Fat
Caffeine is present in almost all weight loss supplements. It is one of the few natural substances proven to aid weight loss.
Several studies show that caffeine can speed up metabolism by 3-11%.
Other studies indicate that caffeine can specifically increase the rate of fat burning by up to 10% in obese people and 29% in lean people.
However, these effects may diminish in long-term coffee drinkers.
3: Coffee dramatically improves physical performance
Caffeine stimulates your nervous system by signaling fat cells to catabolize body fat. And it also increases adrenaline levels in your blood. This prepares your body for intense physical exertion.
Caffeine breaks down body fat, making free fatty acids available for energy.
Given these effects, it’s no surprise that caffeine can improve exercise performance by an average of 11-12%.
Therefore, it makes sense to have a nice cup of coffee half an hour before hitting the gym.
4: coffee contains essential nutrients for health
Much of the nutrients in the coffee beans end up in the finished brewed coffee.
A cup of coffee contains (21):
Riboflavin (vitamin B2): 11% of the daily reference intake.
Pantothenic acid (vitamin B5): 6%.
Manganese and potassium: 3% of the RDI.
Magnesium and niacin (vitamin B3): 2%.
Although it doesn’t seem like a big deal, most people drink several cups a day, which adds up to those amounts quickly.
5: Coffee reduces the risk of type 2 diabetes
Type 2 diabetes is a major health problem that currently affects millions of people around the world.
It is characterized by high blood sugar caused by insulin resistance or a reduced ability to secrete it.
Coffee drinkers have a significantly reduced risk of type 2 diabetes. Studies observe that people who drink the most coffee have up to 50% less risk of contracting this disease.
According to a large review, a meta-analysis of 18 studies involving a total of 457,922 people, each cup of coffee a day was associated with a 7% reduction in the risk of type 2 diabetes.
6: coffee protects against Alzheimer’s disease and dementia
Alzheimer’s disease is the most common neurodegenerative disease and the leading cause of dementia worldwide. This condition usually affects people over the age of 65 and there is currently no known cure.
However, there are several things you can do to prevent the disease from occurring in the first place. This includes the usual suspects like eating healthy and exercising but drinking coffee can also be incredibly effective.
Several studies show that coffee drinkers have an up to 65% lower risk of Alzheimer’s disease.
7: Coffee may lower the risk of Parkinson’s disease
Parkinson’s disease is the second most common neurodegenerative disease, after Alzheimer’s disease. It is caused by the death of dopamine-generating neurons in the brain.
Studies show that coffee drinkers have a much lower risk of Parkinson’s disease. In this case, the caffeine itself appears to be beneficial, as people who drink decaffeinated do not have a lower risk of Parkinson’s.
8: coffee protects the liver
Your liver is an incredible organ that performs hundreds of important functions.
Cirrhosis is a condition where liver cells are replaced by scar tissue. However, it seems that coffee can protect you from it. People who drink 4 or more cups a day have up to 80% less risk.
9: Coffee prevents depression and makes you happier
Depression is a serious mental disorder that leads to a reduced quality of life.
In a Harvard study published in 2011, women who drank 4 or more cups of coffee a day were 20% less likely to be depressed.
Another study found that people who drank 4 or more cups a day were 53% less likely to die by suicide.
10: Coffee may reduce the risk of certain cancers
cancer is one of the leading causes of death worldwide. It is characterized by uncontrolled cell growth in your body.
Coffee appears to protect against two types of cancer: liver and colorectal cancer.
Liver cancer is the third leading cause of cancer death worldwide, while colorectal cancer ranks fourth.
Studies show that coffee drinkers have an up to 40% lower risk of liver cancer.
Similarly, another study found that those who drank 4-5 cups of coffee a day had a 15% lower risk of colorectal cancer.
11: Coffee reduces the risk of strokes
We often hear that caffeine can raise your blood pressure.
True, but with an increase of only 3-4 mm/Hg, the effect is small and usually wears off if you drink coffee regularly. however, the effect may persist in some people; so keep that in mind if you have high blood pressure.
That said, studies do not support the idea that coffee increases the risk of heart disease. On the contrary, it seems that women who drink coffee have a reduced risk of heart disease.
Some studies also show that coffee drinkers have a 20% reduced risk of stroke.
12: coffee prolongs life?
Since coffee drinkers are less likely to contract many diseases, it makes sense that coffee could help you live longer.
Several observational studies indicate that coffee drinkers have a lower risk of death.
In two very large studies, coffee consumption was associated with a 20% reduction in the risk of death in men and a 26% reduction in the risk of death in women, over a period of 18 to 24 years.
This effect appears particularly strong in people with type 2 diabetes. In a 20-year study, people with diabetes who drank coffee had a 30% lower risk of death.
13: Coffee is the greatest source of antioxidants in the Western diet
For people following a standard Western diet, coffee may be one of the healthiest parts of their diet.
Indeed, coffee is quite rich in antioxidants. Studies show that many people get more antioxidants from coffee than from fruits and vegetables combined.
In fact, coffee is perhaps one of the healthiest and healthiest beverages on the planet.
