Coffee Is More Than Just A Hug In A Mug: Health Benefits of Coffee!

Coffee, a favorite drink for many of you out there, is not just kicking away your Monday blues but might actually be making you healthier with every cup you have. The consumption of espresso-based beverages and gourmet coffee beverages in the USA has significantly increased in the present days. Many studies have been carried out on the benefits that coffee can provide. The result is that coffee lovers have more reasons to grab one more cup of their favorite joe.

Here are 15 health benefits of coffee that make it more than just a hug in a mug!

1. Coffee makes you smarter.

Coffee contains caffeine, a stimulant and widely consumed psychoactive substance in the world. When you take coffee, the caffeine in your coffee travels up to your brain and it increases energy metabolism throughout the brain and activates the neurons. Studies show that caffeine has effects on various brain functions such as learning, memory, performance, and coordination.

2. Coffee improves your energy levels and physical performances.

The caffeine in the coffee actually improves your energy levels and physical performances significantly by increasing adrenaline levels. The study has shown that it has positive effects on athletic performance and endurance exercises. Since caffeine fights fatigue and strengthens muscle contraction, it can improve your physical performance by 11–12%.

3. Coffee helps you burn fat.

Coffee energizes you to move around and keeps you active and burns calories faster. Caffeine stimulates energy expenditure to varying degrees and the use of caffeine has been proposed for the treatment of obesity. Coffee can help to mobilize fat from fat tissues and increase the metabolic rate. A study shows that caffeine can enhance the metabolic rate by 3-11%.

4. Coffee is nutritious.

Coffee is actually nutritious than you think. Every cup of coffee contains Riboflavin (11% of the RDA), Pantothenic acid (6% of the RDA), Manganese (3% of the RDA), Potassium (3% of the RDA), Magnesium (2% of the RDA) and Niacin (2% of the RDA). Next time, when you are making yourself a cup of coffee, you will see the invisible nutrients floating.

5. Coffee makes you happier and keeps depression away.

Various studies have shown that caffeine can help people see positivity and brighter side, which may make you happier. Also coffee lowers the rate of depression. A study found out that women who drank 4 or more cups had a 20% lower risk of depression. Have one more cup and kick your blues away.

6. Coffee slashes the risk of Type 2 Diabetes.

A study has shown that coffee and type 2 diabetes have an inverse relationship. In another study, it has been found that daily consumption of at least 3 cups of coffee lowers the risk of type 2 diabetes by approximately 42%. Coffee keeps diabetes away by protecting insulin-producing cells and helping the body use insulin, preventing tissue damage and battling inflammation.

7. Coffee improves your Cognitive health.

Regular consumption of coffee may help reduce cognitive decline. A study reveals that drinking 3-5 cups of coffee at middle age was associated with a decreased risk of Alzheimer’s and Dementia by about 65% at old age. Regular consumption of coffee protects cognitive health and lowers the risk of mental degradation in old age.

8. Coffee protects your liver.

You might not know but your liver loves coffee as coffee protects it. One of the ingredients in coffee protects the liver against cirrhosis. Regular coffee consumption lowers the risk of liver cancer and cirrhosis, especially alcoholic cirrhosis. It was found out that those who drink 4 or more cups of coffee every day have 80% less risk of cirrhosis.

9. Coffee reduces the risk of various types of cancers.

Cancer has become one of the main causes of death all over the world. Various studies and experiments are being carried out to find a cure for cancer. Some ingredients found in a coffee show anticarcinogenic properties and it lowers the risk of various types of cancers: liver cancer, skin cancer, colorectal cancer, endometrial cancer, oral cancer, and prostate cancer.

10. Coffee improves cardiovascular health.

Like the liver, coffee is good for your heart. Though it slightly increases your blood pressure level, it decreases over time. A study shows that greater coffee consumption lowered the risks of cardiovascular disease and stroke. Other study shows that habitual moderate coffee drinking lowered the risk of Coronary Heart Disease (CHD) in women.

11. Coffee may lessen the risk of Parkinson’s disease.

Parkinson’s disease is a progressive disorder and malfunction of the nervous system after the death of neurons in the brain that generate dopamine. A study revealed that higher consumption of coffee and caffeine significantly lowers the risk of Parkinson’s disease. Some individual studies show that consumption of 4 cups of coffee per day reduces risk by 80%.

12. Coffee may give you longevity.

Since coffee lowers the risk of various diseases, coffee helps you live longer. A Japanese study shows that men and women who drink at least 3 cups of coffee per day have a lower risk of mortality from heart disease, cerebrovascular disease, and respiratory disease. Another study also suggests that higher consumption of coffee is associated with a lower risk of premature death.

13. Coffee is a great source of antioxidants.

Coffee is one of the great sources of antioxidants for western diet. Coffee contains more antioxidants than both fruits and vegetables. The unprocessed coffee beans have thousands of antioxidants, which increases even more when roasted. These antioxidants protect our cells from damage at the micro level, fight inflammation and cut the risk of cardiovascular disease.

14. Coffee reduces the risk of gout.

Gout is a common type of inflammatory arthritis and occurs in almost 4% of American adults. There are many treatments and dietary guidelines for gout; however, regular consumption of coffee reduces the risk of developing gout. A study shows that long-term consumption of coffee lowers the risk of gout in men. Another study shows women who drink more than 4 cups of coffee per day has a 57% lower risk of gout.

15. Black coffee prevents cavities and improves dental health.

Coffee is also good for our teeth. A study has found out that roasted coffee has an antibacterial capacity that fights against bacteria in our teeth that cause dental caries. But make sure that you have your coffee without additives. Another study shows that coffee consumption is actually beneficial for periodontal health.

All those benefits make coffee a healthy drink and tempt you to have one more cup. But how much coffee is enough for you? Many studies show that you should have 3-4 cups of coffee per day to take those health benefits. But the amount of caffeine varies widely depending upon the preparation of coffee.

Drinking 2-3 cups of coffee per day is moderate but if you encounter any of the following side effects, you might want to cut down your daily intake of coffee:

• Anxiety
• Insomnia
• Fatigue
• Restless
• Palpitation
• Dizziness/Nausea
• Stomach aches
• Mood swings

Though coffee is a healthy drink, not everyone can have coffee. If you have acid reflux or heartburn and high cholesterol, then you should stay away from coffee. However, if you still want to have it, you can have decaf coffee.

All things considered, if you are a coffee lover, you have more reasons to grab one more cup of that amazing drink.

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Note: This post first appeared on Huffington Post’s Contributor Platform as Coffee Is More Than Just A Hug In A Mug: It Has Health Benefits!