Coffee Benefits You Should Know About
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Is coffee good or bad?
A lot of us have grown up hearing from others that coffee is bad for you. This has been based on myths and misconceptions. Today, the scientific and medical community have discovered coffee benefits our lives in a variety of ways.
The Food Regulatory Authority in the United States has concluded coffee consumption is not harmful if the consumption is limited to 2.5 cups in one sitting or 4-5 cups a day.
This article is a list of the benefits of coffee. We look at what facts have been established that we can now take for granted.
Coffee Benefits to the Brain
1.Alzheimer’s Risk Reduction with coffee
Lifelong coffee consumption can reduce mental or cognitive decline in the elderly. One of the benefits of drinking coffee daily is that it could reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s Disease.
2.Coffee contributes to Parkinson’s Risk Reduction
Parkinson’s disease is caused by nerve cell damage in the brain. Again, long term coffee consumption has been shown to reduce the reduction of Parkinson’s disease.
The latest research also shows that this protection that coffee provides against Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s is not because of caffeine but another coffee component, quercetin. Data has discovered that quercetin is the major neuroprotective component in coffee.
3.Coffee creates an increase in alertness and improve our mood
In the book on food components that enhance performance, studies have shown that caffeine in coffee enhances alertness and our mood or sense of well-being. A couple of cups of coffee can create this feeling for about 3 hours.
4.Aids concentration
Since coffee improves alertness in moderate quantities, it is also shown to help with concentration.
5.Benefits of coffee include limiting depression
In studies done in 2016, coffee and caffeine consumption were significantly associated with decreased risk of depression. This in turn does result in reduction in the risk of suicide.
6.Coffee reduces the risk of strokes
Strokes happen when a clot is formed in the brain. Research has shown that drinking coffee can reduce the risk of a stroke by 7%.
7.Coffee and Multiple Sclerosis
The result of two independent studies shows that drinking coffee reduces the risk of Multiple Sclerosis. Specifically, high consumption of coffee may decrease the risk of developing MS
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Coffee Benefits to the Heart
8.Coffee lowers heart failure risk by about 8%
University of Colorado conducted a study that has shown that coffee benefits include improving heart health. It reduces the risk of heart failure by about 8%.
Benefits of Coffee to the Metabolism
9.Coffee reduces type 2 diabetes
One of the components of coffee is polyphenols. This is a molecule that has anti-oxidant properties that is believed to prevent and reduce inflammatory disease. Type 2 diabetes is an inflammatory disease due to insulin sensitivity.
A 2014 study shows a 11% reduction of type 2 diabetes with increased coffee consumption.
Coffee Protects the Liver
10.Reduction of liver cancer risk
The University of Southampton has conducted a study on coffee and the effect on liver cancer. This study has shown that a one cup a day of caffeinated coffee can reduce the risk of hepatocellular cancer by 20% and five cups a day reduce the risk by 50%.
11.Inverse relationship between coffee and liver cirrhosis
Those with chronic liver disease or cirrhosis find that drinking a couple of cups of coffee can reduce the cirrhosis.
12.Coffee provides Cancer Risk Reduction Benefits
One of the benefits of coffee consumption is also a reduction of risks of some specific types of cancers. These include liver cancer that’s mentioned above, prostate cancer, endometrial cancer, and cancers of the throat and mouth.
13.Dental protection from black coffee
If coffee is consumed without milk and sugar, it is shown to protect against dental cavities. But this benefit is negated if coffee is consumed with sweeteners like milk and sugar.
Coffee and the Kidneys
14.Coffee can help increase life span of kidney disease patients
A research study has shown that patients with chronic kidney disease can reduce their risk of dying by 24%. Coffee is therefore prolonging the life of chronic kidney disease individuals.
15.Coffee and the Gastrointestinal Function
One third of the population have been found to react to coffee that’s consumed first thing in the morning with an emptying of their bowels.
16.Coffee reduces pain from exercise
The University of Georgia has discovered that coffee can reduce the post workout pain by nearly 50%. This is particularly relevant to those new to exercise who suffer from soreness post workout.
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A morning cup of coffee does more than wake you up
Coffee benefits extend beyond the realm of giving you the buzz to wake up in the mornings. The benefits include reducing the risk of Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, creating a sense of well being and alertness, reducing certain types of cancers, reducing type 2 diabetes. Coffee also increases the life span of chronic kidney disease patient and protects the liver and heart.
So, go on and have a few cups of coffee a day but watch the dairy and sugar intake which can negate the benefits of coffee.
Now that you’ve read about the benefits of coffee, how about things to do with used coffee grounds that become waste?