Why Coffee is Good for You
Coffee is now the most consumed drink in the world, next only to water. We rely on it so much that many of us don’t consider ourselves fully functional or awake until we’ve had our cup of joe in the morning. Not to mention at noon, in the afternoon, after we get home from work, etc.
If you can’t live without coffee, here’s good news; every cup you drink is good for you. Here’s how:
Coffee fights free radicals.
Free radicals form in our bodies due to our exposure to pollution and other harmful elements. We need antioxidants to neutralize those free radicals; coffee is a good source.
In particular, two essential antioxidants can be found in coffee; chlorogenic acid and caffeic acid. Cocoa and tea are good antioxidants, but cup-for-cup coffee contains more antioxidants than both beverages.
It can prevent cardiovascular disease.
Some people immediately discount this benefit because coffee causes palpitations and an elevated heartbeat. However, unfiltered coffee contains the antioxidants cafestol and kahweol; these two help balance the cholesterol in the body.
Also, coffee intake is associated with lower risks of heart failure and stroke as it allows the release of fatty acids from fatty tissue.
It improves alertness and brain performance.
This should be no surprise, considering coffee stimulates the central nervous system. How does this work?
Our brains have a chemical called adenosine; this chemical tells the brain it is tired and needs rest after a certain period of use. The caffeine in coffee suppresses the actions of adenosine, temporarily increasing our alertness and thought processes for a while.
Studies also found that the antioxidants in coffee may protect against Parkinson’s disease, prevent dementia, and can be helpful as a treatment for Alzheimer’s disease.
It improves physical performance.
It’s not hard to imagine athletes guzzling sports drinks, but what about coffee? It was initially thought the caffeine in coffee helped improve how oxygen is absorbed into the athlete’s body, but coffee helps the body in another way.
Drinking coffee temporarily heightens blood sugar, which can be helpful for prolonged physical activity because sugar becomes a fuel source. Coffee is also suitable for athletes because it stimulates physical activity.
Coffee protects your liver.
Studies show that coffee drinkers have lower chances of abnormal liver function. One of these published in the Archives of Internal Medicine revealed that individuals who drank up to four cups of coffee daily were found to have reduced alcoholic liver syndrome by 20 percent.
How does coffee work for the liver? Drinking coffee reduces the risk of fibrosis (scar tissue in the liver) and cirrhosis, two other liver conditions, according to a report published in June 2016 by the British Liver Trust. Regular consumption of moderate amounts of coffee may also prevent liver cancer.
Now for the best news; while there is such a thing as too much coffee, you can have at least three up to five cups a day with no grave consequences to your body. So drink up!