Most people have a definite preference when selecting a beverage to go with breakfast, and for many of them that drink is coffee. Choosing coffee first thing in the morning may turn out to be a very good decision because that early cup carries with it a number of health benefits. It also doesn’t hurt that coffee is cheap and readily available almost everywhere in the world. If that’s not enough reason to put on a pot right now, I have more reasons to help convince you. After you’re done reading this, you may decide coffee deserves a place in your regular morning routine.
Coffee Can Reduce Pain
If you like to work out frequently, coffee can help reduce post-workout pain. Up to a 48% pain reduction, according to a study published in The Journal Of Pain in March 2007 (Maridakis et al.). For those who hate to miss a workout, this can be significant because it can mean you’re back to the gym sooner.
Coffee Can Help You To Burn Fat
The caffeine in coffee has been proven to promote fat loss to the tune of 29% in lean people, which is why it’s in nearly ever weight loss supplement on the market. Combine this with a general metabolic rise of between 3 – 11%, and you may find it really helps if you’re trying to lose weight. Although the news is mostly good, there is a slight downside. As your tolerance to caffeine build up, the effects may taper off. You may want to save your coffee time to just before workouts if you’re trying to lose weight. Coffee Consumption May Prevent Development of Type 2 Diabetes Diabetes is a serious health concern worldwide, affecting more than 300 million people, and the number is steadily rising. Researchers aren’t entirely clear exactly how coffee helps prevent diabetes, but a review of several studies have shown that it reduced the risk by up to 50% on average. You don’t have to be a scientist or mathematician to realize that a 50% drop is significant. One of the reviews was reported in JAMA (The Journal of The American Medical Association), found that that daily coffee consumption reduced the risk by over 7%. (Huxley, et al). Coffee May Reduce The Risk Of Neurodegenerative Disorders Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s are two conditions that fall in this category, which as of this writing, typically progresses steadily and is incurable. The European Journal of Neurology reported in 2012 that caffeine may prevent the development of the two conditions by up to 60%. (Maia et al). 2012).
Coffee May Reduce The Risk Of Developing Certain Cancers
People who consume 4 or more cups of coffee daily were shown to have a 40% lower risk of developing liver cancer and a 15% lower risk of colorectal cancer. Coffee Can Protect Your Liver By helping optimize liver function, coffee may help prevent the likelihood of cirrhosis. Drinking four or more cups per day can translate to up to 80% reduced chance of developing cirrhosis. Coffee Is Rich In Anti-Oxidants Coffee is the primary source of antioxidants in the Western diet, and surpasses the level received from the daily consumption of veggies and fruits combined. If you don’t usually eat many more vegetables and fruits than you know you should, at least consumption of coffee can possibly help make up for that. Coffee May Prolong Life Coffee lowers the risk of a number of diseases, and when observed over the period of 18-24 years found a reduced relative mortality rate of 20% in men and 26% in women. This was especially strongly correlated in people with diabetes. Coffee May Reduce The Risk Of Depression One Harvard University study found that women who consumed 4 or more cups of coffee daily had a 20% reduced risk of depression, and 53% reduced rates of suicide. (Lucas et al, 2011.). Coffee May Reduce The Risk Of Stroke Although coffee may raise blood pressure, studies have shown that it does not negatively affect heart health. Blood pressure typically returns to baseline after after a few days, and along with it is slightly reduced rates of stroke. . Millions of people love coffee and drink it every day. For those people, they can not only can sip a flavorful cup, they can enjoy a myriad of health benefits. Although brewed coffee has no calories, do keep in mind that a lot of add-ins (like cream and sugar) or fancy coffee drinks like Frappuccinos can pack on a number of excess calories, and may not have nearly the same health benefits as a good, old-fashioned cup of brew.