What could be better than finding out the drink we love actually has plenty of health benefits as well?
That’s right, having that cup of coffee in the morning can prevent diseases, improve brain function and even help to burn fat. The most popular drink in the world is not only delicious but it’s also high in antioxidants and several beneficial nutrients. So, if you were looking for another reason to keep drinking coffee other than the rich flavor, here is a list of 10 top health benefits of drinking coffee.
Helps to burn fat.
The caffeine in coffee blocks Adenosine which increases the firing of neurons and the release of neurotransmitters like Dopamine and Norepinephrine. It also stimulates the nervous system to send signals to fat cells causing them to break down fat.
Coffee improves your memory and brain function.
Research published by the journal Nature Neuroscience has shown that caffeine can enhance certain memories for at least 24 hours after it was consumed. It can also improve your mood, reaction times and your overall mental function.
Coffee contains beneficial nutrients.
Just one cup of coffee contains 11% of the daily intake of Riboflavin, 3% of Manganese and potassium, 6% of pantothenic acid and 2% of magnesium and niacin. Although the amounts are low, they go up for every cup of coffee you have in a day.
Coffee can help to prevent depression.
A 2011 study from Harvard showed that the women who drank 4 or more cups of coffee a day had a 20% lower risk of suffering from depression.
It may lower the risk of some types of cancer.
There have been studies that have shown that coffee drinkers have a reduced risk of 40% for liver cancer and people who drank at least 4 cups of coffee a day had a reduced risk of 15% for colorectal cancer. Coffee may also protect against other diseases that affect the liver like hepatitis, and fatty liver disease.
Coffee can reduce the risk of Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease.
Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s are the two most common neurodegenerative diseases and there is no known cure for either. There have been studies that have shown that coffee drinkers have a reduced risk of 32-60% of developing Parkinson’s disease and a 65% lo9wer risk of Alzheimer’s.
Coffee can lower your risk of type 2 diabetes.
Studies have shown that coffee drinkers have a reduced risk of 23-50% of developing type 2 diabetes which affects millions of people around the world.
It improves your energy levels and physical performance.
Coffee increases the adrenaline levels in your blood which better prepares your body for physical exertion and breaks down body fat making the fatty acids available for fuel. On average it can improve your physical performance by 11-12%.
Coffee can lower your chance of stroke.
There have been some studies that have shown that those who drink coffee have a reduced risk of 20% of having a stroke.
And, finally, coffee can help you to live longer.
Studies have shown that the risk of death was 20% lower in men and 26% lower in women who drank coffee regularly. This risk was even lower in people with type 2 diabetes at 30%
So the next time someone gets on your case about having that second cup of coffee, you’ll be able to provide them with all the benefits that coffee actually provides for its drinkers.