Coffee offers a lot of benefits for your health if it’s taken at the correct amount and frequency, typically 3 to 4 cups per day according to the recommendations of experts.
It is one of the most consumed hot drinks in the world. It is known for its stimulating effect, which gives us the energy to start the day in a good shape.
Coffee is consumed for centuries thanks to its taste and stimulating effects, however, coffee sometimes suffers from rumors and received ideas, but in general, it only can be risky if it’s consumed with excess, and its benefits are very important and fully outweigh its disadvantages if any.
1. Coffee is a powerful antioxidant
Green coffee naturally contains antioxidants and preserves quite enough quantities after roasting. It even contains more antioxidants than tea.
Antioxidants are said to have positive effects on several diseases such as cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, Parkinson’s disease and liver disease.
So, coffee protects our body from oxidative stress and helps prolong the life of some of our vital organs.
2. Great burner of calories
By stimulating our body, coffee reduces the feeling of fatigue and activates the heart, which may promote fat loss during exercise.
Coffee is reputed to reduce waist circumference and slow the accumulation of abdominal fat. But for this to work, you need to drink a maximum of four cups of coffee a day (without sugar of course) and maintain a healthy and balanced diet.
The caffeine contained in coffee accelerates the functioning of the basal metabolism, then amplifies the fat burning.
Intellectual activity, walking or breathing allow the body, under the effect of caffeine, to burn more energy by up to 15%.
For this reason, coffee can be a good ally when it comes to refining your body shape, and therefore can be advised as part of a weight loss diet.
3. Coffee is a memory booster
Coffee optimizes intelligence and improves attention. Indeed, caffeine is a stimulant that acts at the level of the brain and increases both concentration and memory capabilities.
So, to start your day in a good shape, it is very useful to drink some coffee in order to stimulate your alertness and alleviate the fatigue feeling.
Experts also say that regular consumption of three cups of coffee a day may reduce the risk of cognitive decline.
4. Coffee enhances the digestion processes
In reasonable quantities, coffee doesn’t cause pain or bloating. On the contrary, according to some studies, it promotes digestion through the contraction of the muscles of the small and large intestine thus facilitating the transit of food. Drinking coffee after a meal may therefore be very beneficial!
It should also be noted that coffee activates the secretion of digestive enzymes and improves intestinal transit.
On the other hand, people suffering from acid reflux should be careful, because coffee can relax the lower sphincter and therefore increase the chance of having acid reflux.
5. Coffee is a physical booster
Caffeine improves muscle strength and mental alertness which would help to be more responsive and have better reflexes. It also strengthens motivation and reduces the feeling of fatigue.
It has been observed that coffee increases performance in long-distance running, such as the marathon and has a positive effect during very intense efforts such as medium distance races as well.
6. Important nutrient intake
A single cup of coffee will be sufficient to cover the following needs:
- 10% of the daily requirement of vitamin B2.
- 5% of vitamins B5.
- 3% of manganese and potassium intakes.
- 2% of daily recommendations of magnesium and vitamin B3.
These numbers may seem small, but they help achieve the recommended daily intakes as part of a balanced and varied diet.
7. Coffee, a good ally for athletes
By increasing the heart rate and improving alertness and reflexes, the caffeine contained in the drink has a doping effect during sports activity. In addition, it amplifies muscle contraction.
So, to have a better performance during your sports activities, it is recommended to drink a cup of coffee about half an hour before starting your activity.
On the other hand, coffee has been shown to relieve sports pain during exercise. Indeed, caffeine acts on the neuromodulator system of adenosine (pain) and thus reduces muscle fatigue during exercise. Drinking a cup of coffee before a physical activity may make it less painful.
Note, however, that coffee should be consumed without excess before sports to avoid potential risks.
8. A natural pain reliever, effective against headaches
Coffee reduces pain. What is amazing is that caffeine is even found in some anti-inflammatory medications.
In case of headaches like a migraine, you may want to drink some coffee, you will notice the difference. This is because the pressure on blood vessels that caffeine makes in the brain lessens the strength and duration of headaches.
When coffee is combined with some painkillers like paracetamol or aspirin, the effects are potentiated.
9. Anti-cancer properties
With moderate coffee consumption (3-4 cups a day), the effects differ depending on the cancer type. In some cases, coffee has no effect, but in others, it is protective. There are no cases where coffee is a factor increasing the risk of developing cancer.
Coffee has a preventive effect on two cancers, colorectal cancer and liver cancer, the latter are among the deadliest cancers.
Other studies have been conducted in research institutes like Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention and others and they have found a link between coffee consumption and the reduction of other types of cancers with different prevention rates like for example endometrial cancer, breast cancer, prostate cancer, pancreas, skin cancer, etc.
10. Protect the brain
Coffee preserves brain impairments by protecting your brain from inflammation and slowing the deterioration of brain cells associated with memory. Because of this, drinking coffee regularly and without excess would reduce the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease.
However, the excess should be avoided because it can give the opposite effect. Excessive coffee consumption reduces brain volume and increases the risk of dementia, according to a new study published in the journal Nutritional Neuroscience.
