Coffee & Health – The Good Side of Coffee

By Rahul Aggarwal, CEO & Founder, Coffeeza

On World Coffee Day, we bring to you some health benefits of coffee.

Today, worrying about consuming one or two cups of coffee a day is decreasing, as studies supporting the health benefits of coffee keep coming in. Coffee is not only a very popular beverage around the world, but it also has a number of remarkable health benefits. Your daily cup of coffee can do so much more than just wake you in the morning. It helps burn body fat, improves physical performance, it may also reduce your risk of several health conditions due to high levels of antioxidants and beneficial nutrients in it. Since coffee beans are seeds inside a fruit, they are rich in antioxidants. In excess however, coffee, and especially caffeine, can cause problems. 

Let us look at the healthy side of drinking coffee.

Coffee holds many essential nutrients – Many of the nutrients in coffee beans are found in the final brewed cup. Coffee contains several important nutrients like riboflavin, pantothenic acid, manganese, potassium, magnesium and niacin.

Can help you burn fat & improve physical performance – Caffeine can increase fat burning and boost your metabolic rate, it can increase adrenaline levels and release fatty acids from your fat tissues. This also leads to significant improvements in physical performance.

Reduces the risk of getting common neurodegenerative disorders – Coffee drinkers have a much lower risk of getting Alzheimer’s disease, which is a leading cause of dementia. They also have up to a 60% lower risk of getting Parkinson’s disease, the second most common neurodegenerative disorder.

Coffee may lower risk of Type 2 diabetes – Caffeine decreases your insulin sensitivity and weakens glucose tolerance, in turn helping reduce your risk of type 2 diabetes.

Coffee drinkers have a much lower risk of cirrhosis – The liver carries out important functions, but many common diseases largely affect it, including hepatitis, fatty liver disease and so on. Many of these conditions can lead to cirrhosis. Studies have linked that drinking coffee daily can reduce the risk of liver cirrhosis. It is important to note that coffee cannot offset lifestyle choices that can severely damage the liver.

Can Reduce the Risk of Depression

Coffee is shown to lower the risk of developing depression. This impact on mental health may be related to the beverage’s anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Caffeine has the ability to block receptors in people’s brains from binding with a chemical that causes fatigue and depressed mood. It also stimulates the central nervous system and boosts production of neurotransmitters like dopamine, serotonin and noradrenaline, which elevate your mood.

All in all, if you love coffee you should enjoy its benefits. Avoid mixing your coffee with unhealthy additions like excess sugar or artificial sweeteners and don’t combine it with other stimulants. Always listen to your body, if you think caffeine is causing some unwanted effects, try decaf. Also, make it a point to drink loads of water every day. Remember moderation is the key, but drinking coffee in reasonable amounts can be a healthy activity.