Ask any coffee drinker and they’ll tell you: coffee has worthwhile benefits. Beyond the pleasant aroma and the morning pick-me-up, there is growing evidence that our coffee habits could actually be impacting our health… for the better!
So just how does coffee affect your well-being?
There might be a reason why a cup of coffee can turn a morning frown into a smile. There’s growing evidence that coffee boosts dopamine production in the brain.
People who drink a lot of coffee are less likely to develop type 2 diabetes than people who drink smaller amounts, or no coffee at all, according to
It isn’t known which ingredient causes this effect. Because the effects can actually be stronger with decaffeinated coffee, it’s probably not caffeine.
Two or more cups of coffee each day could protect against heart failure, according to one
Studies have shown that the caffeine in coffee could help people who have Parkinson’s disease manage their uncontrollable movements. Others have shown that having a higher intake of coffee
Gallstones are painful, but coffee could help keep them at bay. A
Several studies have linked coffee consumption to liver health. Many researchers agree that the type of coffee you drink matters. Filtered coffee, for example, is believed to be
Coffee consumption has been linked to a 50 percent reduced risk of liver cancer. Several studies confirm that coffee drinking significantly lowers your risk for liver cancer, especially if you are a man. This is thought to be partially because coffee stops the expression of genes that cause inflammation, especially in the liver.
A study that accounted for poor lifestyle habits (eating red meat and skipping exercise, for instance), found that those who drank at least one cup of coffee each day lowered their risk of dying from lifestyle-related health problems over the period of a decade.
Coffee could very well deliver a wealth of benefits, but don’t fill up just yet. Some research has tied drinking large amounts of unfiltered coffee like espresso to increased cholesterol levels, most likely due to cafestol. Also, if you’re sensitive to caffeine, jumping on the coffee bandwagon could bring unpleasant side effects like anxiousness, nausea, and headaches.