Good for You

Coffee lovers generally drink coffee due to its rich flavor and energizing effects.

But did you know that coffee can benefit you in other ways? For example, the Journal of Conservative Dentistry noted that the right amount of coffee could help you have healthier and whiter teeth.

Who would have thought coffee could also help you achieve a picture-perfect smile? You can check this site to see how cosmetics and dental health complement each other.

Suppose you’ve wondered whether your daily caffeine fix is a net positive for you. In that case, this article has got you covered.

Learn why drinking the right amount of your favorite morning pick-me-up is good for you.

1. Boosts Energy Levels

         Coffee gets its kick from caffeine, a natural stimulant that can make you feel alert and energized. 

         Caffeine acts as an adenosine receptor antagonist. As such, the psychoactive compound promotes wakefulness.

         A European Journal of Applied Physiology study noted that caffeine intake improved time to exhaustion during high-intensity cycling exercise by 12%.

         This study and many others support the idea that coffee increases one’s energy levels.

2. Decreases Your Risk of Acquiring Alzheimer’s Disease

          Two-thirds of Alzheimer’s patients in the United States are women.

         However, the caffeine in two cups of coffee could help protect against acquiring the condition.

Some researchers noted that women aged 65 and older who drink two or three cups of coffee daily are less likely to develop dementia.

3. Lowers Risk of Developing Type 2 Diabetes

         Regular coffee consumption could also help decrease the risk of developing type 2 diabetes (T2D) at a later age.

         For example, a systematic review of 30 studies indicated that the risk of getting T2D dropped by 6% per cup of coffee consumed.

         Some suggest that the inverse association between coffee consumption and T2D is due to coffee’s ability to maintain the functionality of the beta cells.

         These compounds in your pancreas produce insulin, a hormone that regulates blood sugar levels.

         Coffee is also rich in antioxidants and influences inflammation, insulin sensitivity, and metabolism, all critical factors determining the risk of developing T2D.

4. Acts as an Antidepressant

          That pick-me-up you experience when sipping a foamy cappuccino is not an illusion.

         Caffeinated and decaffeinated coffee contain naturally occurring polyphenols that can act as antioxidants to inhibit oxidative stress and cellular inflammation.

         This function may have neurological benefits in some individuals, causing coffee to act like an antidepressant.

         Moderate caffeine consumption of fewer than six cups of coffee daily may be linked to a reduced risk of depression and suicide.

However, excessive caffeine consumption may worsen anxiety, restlessness, and insomnia for some sensitive individuals.

Also, suddenly stopping caffeine intake can cause fatigue, headaches, anxiety, and depression that may persist for several days.

5. Promotes Weight Management

Coffee could help you manage your weight, as the beverage may be linked to the decreased overall expansion of body fat (adiposity).

Coffee consumers are also more likely to be physically active, a crucial part of weight management.

6. Strengthens DNA

         Dark roast coffee helps prevent natural DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) strand breaks. While DNA strand breakage is a naturally occurring process in the human body, it can cause cancer or tumors if these DNAs are not repaired.

7. Benefits Your Liver

          Coffee can help make your liver healthier. It helps prevent liver cirrhosis in at-risk individuals with alcohol use disorder or a history of developing fatty liver disease.

8. Supports Kidney Health

Coffee consumption might also be crucial in reducing chronic kidney disease (CKD) risk.

9. Helps People Live Longer

         A Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) study involving around 500,000 participants observed for 10 years indicated a link between drinking coffee moderately and a lower mortality rate.

Compared to non-drinkers, those who drink three to five cups of coffee daily have a 15% lower all-cause mortality rate, including death due to suicide, cardiovascular disease, and Parkinson’s disease.

Decaffeinated and caffeinated coffee offer similar benefits. The bioactive compounds in coffee may interfere with disease progression by preventing inflammation and insulin resistance.

Moreover, in a review of 21 studies comprising 10 million participants, drinking coffee (with or without caffeine) may correlate with a 3% lower mortality risk. Drinking three cups of coffee was also linked to a 13% lower death rate.

In conclusion, researchers have studied coffee extensively for its potential health benefits, including increased energy levels, improved weight management, enhanced athletic performance, and protection against chronic diseases.

Coffee contributes to proper hydration at modest intake levels and still contributes to fluid consumption.

However, remember that excessive caffeine can cause health problems like dehydration.

Other people may feel jittery or anxious after drinking caffeine. Too much caffeine can disrupt sleep, especially if you drink coffee late at night.

Coffee can be served with less nutritious toppings like sugar, sweet-flavored syrups, and whipped cream. Some coffee drinks have a reputation for empty calories. Still, others are less like coffee and resemble coffee-flavored milkshakes.

References

1. Effects of caffeine on neuromuscular fatigue and performance during high-intensity cycling exercise in moderate hypoxia
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27864638/

2. Women and Alzheimer’s
https://www.alz.org/alzheimers-dementia/what-is-alzheimers/women-and-alzheimer-s

3. 9 Reasons Why (the Right Amount of) Coffee Is Good for You
https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/9-reasons-why-the-right-amount-of-coffee-is-good-for-you

4. Coffee consumption and reduced risk of developing type 2 diabetes: a systematic review with meta-analysis
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29590460/

5. Coffee and Lower Risk of Type 2 Diabetes: Arguments for a Causal Relationship
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33807132/

6. Coffee
https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/food-features/coffee/

7. Coffee Intake and Obesity: A Meta-Analysis
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6628169/

8. A Daily Cup of Tea or Coffee May Keep You Moving: Association between Tea and Coffee Consumption and Physical Activity
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30135386/

9. This Should Perk You Up: The Surprising Health Benefits of Coffee
https://health.clevelandclinic.org/the-health-benefits-of-coffee/

10. Effect of Coffee Consumption on Renal Outcome: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Clinical Studies
https://www.jrnjournal.org/article/S1051-2276(20)30209-0/fulltext

11. Association of Coffee Drinking With Mortality by Genetic Variation in Caffeine Metabolism
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmedicine/fullarticle/2686145

12. Caffeinated and decaffeinated coffee consumption and risk of all-cause mortality: a dose-response meta-analysis of cohort studies
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30786114/

13. Coffee and Health
https://www.ncausa.org/About-Coffee/Coffee-Health