13 health benefits of coffee, backed by scientific studies

Coffee is one of the most popular drinks in the world.

In fact, coffee is very healthy.

Thanks to its high levels of antioxidants and beneficial nutrients, it can improve your health.

Studies show that coffee drinkers are less likely to develop many serious diseases.

Coffee health benefits

Here are 13 of the health benefits of coffee, which have been confirmed in actual human studies.

1. Increase energy and improve intelligence

Coffee helps increase energy and activity levels, and reduces fatigue.

This is due to the fact that they contain the stimulant caffeine, which is considered the most consumed substance that affects the mind in the world.

After drinking coffee, caffeine is absorbed into the bloodstream and then released to the brain.

In the brain, caffeine blocks the inhibitory neurotransmitter called adenosine.

When this happens, the amount of other neurotransmitters such as dopamine and norepinephrine increases, resulting in enhanced neuron firing.

Several controlled trials of humans show that coffee improves various aspects of brain function.

This includes:

• memory
• the mood
• vigilance
• energy levels
• Speed ​​of response and mental interaction
• general mental functions

Summary

Caffeine blocks the inhibitory neurotransmitter adenosine in the brain, which leads to a stimulant effect.

This improves energy levels, mood, and various aspects of brain function.

2. Coffee helps burn fat

Did you know that caffeine is in all fat burning supplement products?

There is a good reason for this, caffeine is one of the very few natural substances that are actually proven to help burn fat.

Several studies have shown that caffeine boosts the metabolic rate by 3-11%.

Other studies show that caffeine increases fat burning, by up to 10% in obese individuals and 29% in lean people.

However, it is possible that these effects may be reduced for long-term coffee drinkers.

Summary

Several studies show that caffeine increases body fat burning and increases metabolic rate.

3. Caffeine improves physical performance

Caffeine stimulates the nervous system, causing it to send signals to fat cells to break down body fat.

But caffeine also increases levels of epinephrine (adrenaline) in the blood.

This is the "fight or flight" hormone, designed to get our bodies ready for intense physical exercise.

Caffeine causes fat cells to break down fats in the body, releasing them into the blood, making fatty acids available as fuel for energy.

Given these effects, it is not surprising to see that caffeine improves physical performance by 11-12% on average.

Therefore, it makes sense to have a strong cup of coffee about half an hour before going to the gym.

Summary

Caffeine increases adrenaline levels and breaks down fats and uses them as fuel for energy.

It also leads to significant improvements in physical performance.

4. Coffee is rich in essential nutrients

There are many important nutrients present in coffee beans and coffee drink.

One cup of coffee contains:

• Riboflavin (Vitamin B2): 11% of the RDA.
• Pantothenic acid (vitamin B5): 6% of the RDA.
• Manganese and potassium: 3% of the RDA.
• Magnesium and Niacin (Vitamin B3): 2% of the RDA.
• Although this may not seem like a huge amount, most people enjoy several cups a day.

This allows these amounts to build up quickly.

Summary

Coffee contains many important nutrients, including riboflavin, pantothenic acid, manganese, potassium, magnesium, and niacin.

5. Coffee reduces the risk of type 2 diabetes

Type 2 diabetes is a giant health problem, and currently about 300 million people worldwide suffer from this disease.

It causes high blood sugar levels due to insulin resistance or decreased ability to secrete insulin.

For several reasons, coffee drinkers lower the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

Studies show that people who drink a lot of coffee have a 23-50% lower risk of developing this disease, and one study showed a 67% reduction.

According to a large review that looked at data from 18 studies in a total of 457,922 people, each cup of coffee per day was associated with a 7% lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

Summary

Several observational studies show that coffee drinkers have a lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes, a serious disease that affects millions of people worldwide.

6. Coffee protects you from Alzheimer's disease and dementia

Alzheimer's disease is the most common neurodegenerative disease and the leading cause of dementia worldwide.

This disease usually affects people over 65 years of age.

Unfortunately, there is no known cure for Alzheimer's disease yet.

However, there are many things you can do to prevent this disease from occurring.

This includes well-known healthy habits such as eating healthy, exercising, but drinking coffee is also very effective.

Several studies have shown that coffee drinkers have up to a 65% lower risk of developing Alzheimer's disease.

Summary

Coffee drinkers have a lower risk of developing Alzheimer's disease, the leading cause of dementia worldwide.

7. Caffeine reduces the risk of developing Parkinson's disease

Parkinson's disease is the second most common neurodegenerative disease, right after Alzheimer's disease.

It is caused by the death of dopamine-producing neurons in the brain.

As with Alzheimer's disease, there is no known cure yet, which makes the focus on prevention even more important.

Research has shown that coffee drinkers have a much lower risk of developing Parkinson's disease, with a 32-60% lower risk.

In this case, the caffeine itself appears to be causing the effect.

Because people who drink decaffeinated coffee do not have a lower risk of developing Parkinson's disease.

Summary

Coffee drinkers have up to a 60% lower risk of developing Parkinson's disease, the second most common degenerative neurodegenerative disorder.

8. Coffee has protective effects on the liver

The liver is the nurturing organ that performs hundreds of important functions in the body.

Many common diseases primarily affect the liver, including hepatitis, fatty liver disease, and many others.

Many of these diseases can lead to cirrhosis, in which the liver is largely replaced by scar tissue.

And it turns out that coffee protects against cirrhosis. People who drink 4 or more cups a day have an 80% lower risk.

Summary

Coffee drinkers have a lower risk of developing cirrhosis, which can be caused by many diseases affecting the liver.

9. Coffee fights depression and makes you happier

Depression is a serious mental disorder that causes a significant decrease in quality of life.

It is a very common disease, as about 4.1% of people in the United States currently meet the criteria for clinical depression.

In a Harvard University study published in 2011, it was shown that women who drink 4 or more cups of coffee per day are 20% less likely to develop depression.

Another study of 208,424 people found that those who drank 4 or more cups a day were 53% less likely to die by suicide.

Summary

Coffee reduces the risk of depression and may significantly reduce the risk of suicide.

10. Reduces the risk of some types of cancer

Cancer is one of the leading causes of death in the world, it causes the uncontrolled growth of cells in the body.

Coffee appears to protect against two types of cancer:

Liver Cancer

colorectal cancer

Liver cancer is the third leading cause of cancer death in the world, while colorectal cancer ranks fourth.

Studies have shown that coffee drinkers have a 40% lower risk of developing liver cancer.

Another study in 489,706 people found that those who drank 4-5 cups of coffee per day had a 15% lower risk of developing colorectal cancer.

Summary

Liver and colorectal cancer are the third and fourth leading causes of cancer death worldwide.

Coffee drinkers have a lower risk of developing them.

11. Coffee does not cause heart disease and reduces the risk of stroke

Caffeine is often said to increase high blood pressure.

This is true, but with a small effect (high 3-4 mm/Hg), and this effect usually goes away if you drink coffee regularly.

However, the effect may persist in some people, so keep this in mind if you have high blood pressure.

However, studies do not support the idea that coffee increases the risk of heart disease.

Conversely, there is some evidence that women who drink coffee have a lower risk of heart disease.

Some studies also show that coffee drinkers have a 20% lower risk of stroke.

Summary

Coffee may cause slight increases in blood pressure, which usually decrease over time.

Coffee drinkers do not have an increased risk of heart disease, but a lower risk of stroke.

12. Coffee helps you live longer

Given that coffee drinkers are less likely to get many diseases, it makes sense that coffee could help you live longer.

Several observational studies indicate that coffee drinkers have a lower risk of death.

In two very large studies, drinking coffee was associated with a 20% lower risk of death in men and a 26% lower risk of death in women, over 18-24 years old.

This effect appears to be particularly strong in people with type 2 diabetes.

In a 20-year study, diabetics who drank coffee were 30% less likely to die.

Summary

Several studies show that coffee drinkers enjoy living healthier for longer.

13. Coffee is the largest source of antioxidants in the Western diet

For people who follow a standard Western diet, coffee may be a healthy aspect of their diet.

This is because coffee contains a huge amount of antioxidants.

Studies show that many people get more antioxidants from coffee than from fruits and vegetables combined.

Summary

Coffee is rich in powerful antioxidants, and many people get more antioxidants from coffee than from fruits and vegetables combined.

Conclusion

Coffee is one of the healthiest drinks on the planet.

Coffee is a very popular drink all over the world and has a number of great health benefits.

A daily cup of coffee not only helps you feel energized, burn fat and improve physical performance, but also reduces your risk of many conditions, such as type 2 diabetes, cancer, Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease.

If you enjoy its taste and tolerate its caffeine content, feel free to drink a cup or more throughout the day.

References :

Healthline article "9 Unique Benefits of Coffee"