The Many Splendored Health Benefits of Coffee
With a Starbucks, Caribou Coffee, or Seattle’s Best on nearly every city street corner in America, you’re likely to drink a lot of coffee, and think about it even more. Coffee has become a phenomenon in the American culture, and has only spread out across the world with our brands and ideas.
The Popularity of Coffee
But why is coffee so popular? Is it because of the rich aroma that permeates every room of the house when it’s brewing? Or is it the energy boost that kick-starts the day, or keeps you awake during meetings and neighbor’s long-winded stories about back pain and elbow troubles?
We contend there’s a lot more to the coffee craze than just these things. There are a lot of health benefits from coffee, too.
Health Benefits of Coffee
A lot of people ask “Is coffee good for you?” The answer is yes. There are a host of positive health benefits of coffee that should be enough to convince you to drink this rich, aromatic beverage, if you don’t already.
1. Coffee Creates a Fat Burning Power House
Everyone who drinks a decent amount of coffee has a fat-burning powerhouse in their body. The caffeine in coffee is pretty high, and that caffeine helps your metabolic system burn through fat at a higher rate than those who do not drink coffee or other highly caffeinated drinks.
2. Coffee Can Help Fight Diabetes
Some studies have shown links between coffee drinking and fighting against and preventing Type II Diabetes by regulating the estrogen and testosterone levels through increasing plasma levels of sex hormone binding globulin.
3. Coffee Can Improve Physical Performance
Ever notice how energy drinks and power drinks for athletic activities are filled with coffee or caffeine? That’s because this dark brown liquid helps your body power through endurance activities by raising your endorphin levels and stimulating your nervous system. These both help improve your physical performance in multiple areas, including athletics.
4. Coffee Decreases Pain Levels
Coffee has a protein that helps pain sufferers with a mild tranquilizer quality. This has been shown to help like a low level of morphine would, just without all those nasty side effects and dangers.
5. Coffee Can Improve Your Memory
Coffee drinkers have been shown to have improved memory. Coffee blocks adenosine receptors that cause issues for short term memory. So, if you drink a lot of coffee and feel like you’re suddenly doing better with remembering things, you’re not crazy.
6. Coffee Can Better Your Mood
Like we mentioned earlier, coffee releases endorphins. This increases your positive feelings. Coffee also has been shown to decrease issues with depression for women.
7. Coffee Has Essential Nutrients
Besides the amazing flavor and caffeine that we love, coffee has vital nutrients.
- Manganese
- Riboflavin (Vitamin B2)
- Pantothenic Acid (Vitamin B5)
- Potassium
- Magnesium
- Niacin
8. Coffee Can Decrease the Risk of Cancer and Other Fatal Diseases
Multiple studies show that coffee consumption on a daily basis can reduce your risk for:
- Liver Cancer
- Liver Disease
- Parkinson’s Disease
- Alzheimer’s Disease
- Dementia
- Colorectal Cancer
Is Coffee Bad for You?
While there are numerous positives for drinking coffee, there are potentially a few negatives as well. Be aware of these if you’re drinking a lot of the hot, brown liquid that runs the world.
1. Too Much Caffeine Can be Dangerous
Like all good things, too much can be seriously too much. An overdose of caffeine can cause heart palpitations, irregular heartbeats, and other serious heart-related problems. Be sure to consume coffee and other caffeinated beverages in moderation to protect your heart.
If you’re already drinking too much coffee, though, cut back slowly to avoid the nasty symptoms of withdrawal side-effects.
- Headaches
- Difficulty concentrating
- Depression
- Fatigue
- Irritability
2. Too Much Caffeine Can Cause Other Mild Symptoms
If you’re drinking a lot of coffee and notice any of the following symptoms, you probably want to slowly cut back before any serious issues arise.
- Jitters
- Racing heart
- Insomnia
- Restlessness
- Nervousness
- Muscle tremors
- Stomach issues
- Irritability
3. Too Much Coffee Can Make Female Fertility More Difficult in Certain Cases
We’re not saying don’t drink coffee if you’re trying to get pregnant through in vitro fertilization. We are, however, saying you should limit the amount of coffee you drink. Studies show that women that drink more than 5 cups a day will have more difficulty getting pregnant this way.
So, Now What?
If you’ve decided that the health benefits of coffee outweigh the list of risks, be sure to keep your consumption in check. While the benefits are high, they can be destroyed by abusing this rich, black liquid. Caffeine is good. Coffee is better. But only in moderation.
