Coffee has to offer much more than just boosting energy. Many Scientific studies have shown that coffee is a healthy drink. Health benefits of coffee include heart health improvement, protection against diabetes 2 and liver diseases. It is helpful to prevent certain cancers. There is strong evidence that coffee drinkers live longer. So coffee is really good. It is not considered a bad drink any more.
Let us discuss coffee benefits at length.
Why Coffee is Beneficial?
The antioxidant content of coffee is one of the biggest beneficial aspects of it.
Various studies have proved that people get most of their antioxidants from coffee then from any other sources including fruits and vegetables.
Yes, it contains more antioxidants than blueberries, raspberries and grape juice.
The antioxidant properties of both coffee and decaf coffee are the same. It doesn't lose antioxidants in the decaffeination process.
11 Health Benefits of Coffee
If you consume 2 to 6 cups of coffee daily when you will reap the maximum benefits out of coffee.
Even the new 2015 guidelines of USDA recommend drinking 3-5 cups of coffee a day to reduce the risks of diseases and maintain overall good health. Adding sugar or creams reduces beneficial effects of coffee.
1. Coffee Lowers Risks of Diabetes Type 2
Various studies have shown that people who drink 6 cups of coffee reduce their risks of developing diabetes type 2 significantly. In one of the study (1) researchers tracked more than 48000 people for 20 years found that higher doses of coffee delays the onset of diabetes type 2.
However, some studies have shown adverse results of coffee on those people who already have diabetes type 2. So if you don't have diabetes type 2 then coffee consumption is good for you.
2. Coffee Protects Against Parkinson's
Parkinson's disease is generally a genetic disorder. A scientific study done in Sweden reveals that coffee reduces the onset of Parkinson's in those who are genetically at risk.
Earlier studies (2) around the world have already confirmed that coffee protects against Parkinson disease.Most of these reports indicate that moderate coffee consumption may lower the risk for common neurodegenerative conditions such as parkinson's.
3. Coffee Reduces Risks of Certain Cancers
A study done on 5100 men and women by the researchers at university of Southern California (3) have shown that moderate coffee drinkers have lower risks of developing colorectal cancer by almost 26%.
Another study had shown that people consuming 1-3 cups of coffee daily have 29% lower risks of developing the most common type of liver cancer called hepatocellular carcinoma.
Another study published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute found that drinking coffee reduces risks of melanoma. Higher consumption of coffee reduces risk much better.
4. Coffee Improves Longevity
Numerous studies have shown that people who drink coffee regularly lower their risk of death from cancer heart diseases and many other factors. As a result they live longer.
Studies in US (4) , Europe and Japan at different times have concluded that people who drink coffee regularly live longer than those who don't.
So, premature deaths due to diseases can be avoided by drinking coffee daily.
5. Coffee Maintains Oral Health
A US study shows that coffee showed protective benefits against gum diseases. The massive study was conducted for 30 years of time span between 1968-98 (5).
Another study done in Brazil found that black coffee prevents Cavities (5a). It kills the bacteria that causes tooth decay and cavities.
6. Coffee Reduces Depression
A study conducted by Harvard School of Public health revealed lower depression among the women who drank 4 or more cups of coffee daily. These women were found to be at 20% less risks developing depression than those who didn't drink coffee.
Another 10 year long study (6)conducted on 86000 women (nurses) found lower risks of suicides among the high coffee drinkers as compared to non coffee drinkers.
7. Coffee Lowers Risks of Multiple Sclerosis
Coffee prevents neural inflammations, it helps in preventing recurrences of MS. A paper published in the Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry (7) citing two different studies in the US and Sweden found that drinking 4 cups or more ( 900ml) of coffee daily reduces development and recurrences of Multiple Sclerosis.
Drinking more coffee was directly useful irrespective of whether the coffee consumption started a decade ago or after the onset of the condition.
8. Coffee Lowers Alzheimer's Risks
A study published in the European Journal of Neurology in 2002 (8)revealed that coffee may protect against the risks of developing Alzheimer's. Another study published in 2010 (8a) indicates that coffee drinking of 3-5 cups per day at midlife was associated with a decreased risk of dementia/AD by about 65% at late-life.
9. Coffee Prevents Gout Risks
A large study done on 45,869 men over a long period of 12 years funded by NIH and Tap Pharmaceuticals and published in 2007 (9) found that drinking coffee reduces development of gout in people with no history of previous gout. The conclusion of the study is long term consumption of coffee reduces risks of developing gout.
10. Coffee Reduces Pain
According to study published in the Journal of Pain in 2007(10), just two cups of coffee can delay onset of and intensity of muscle pain post workouts. This finding is very useful for the people who experience skeletal muscle pain after certain types of exercises.
11. Coffee Increases Fiber Intake
One cup of brewed coffee (200ml) contains 1-1.5 grams of soluble dietary fiber as against recommended daily allowance of 25-30 grams from food sources. According to a study published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry in 2007 (11) the dietary fiber in coffee contains a large amount of associated antioxidant phenolics (8.7- 10.5 mg/100mL of brewed coffee.
Precautions and Tips
According to a study published in British Medical Journal, drinking coffee is generally safe and offers more benefits than harm.
Take following precautions to drink coffee and stay healthy.
- Drink 2-3 cup of coffee daily to get the maximum benefits
- Avoid coffee if you are a pregnant woman
- Caffeine is addictive, so keep control on your consumption.
- Do not drink coffee if you are caffeine sensitive
- Too much caffeine can cause anxiety
- If you have mild hypertension then it is better to avoid coffee
So, if you drink coffee in moderation, then you will be able to reap all the benefits it offers.