Benefits of coffee has been studied for decades. Coffee is one of the most popular drinks in the world. In fact, it is estimated that every year, more than 400 billion cups of coffee are consumed all across the world. For many, it is the choice of drink early in the morning before work while for others it is the drink of choice when they want to burn the midnight oil.
Well, whatever the case, there are many benefits of coffee and some are quite shocking and unexpected too!
1. Drinking coffee lowers risk of death
One of the most surprising benefits of coffee (caffeinated or decaffeinated) is the fact that it has been linked to living longer. According to various studies, including one that was done by the National Institutes of Health, people who drank 1 cup of coffee daily reduced the risk of dying by as much as 6% while those who drank at least 2 cups of coffee daily reduced the risk of death by 10%. In yet another study, drinking coffee was found to reduce the risk of dying by 20% in men and 26% in women. Most of these studies spanned between 18 and 24 years. Even those diagnosed with diabetics were found to reduce the risk of death by 30% just by drinking coffee.
2. Less stress. Less depression
Drinking coffee is a sure way of becoming happier and less stressed. In fact, just the smell of coffee in itself can relieve stress especially if it is the kind caused by lack of sleep. This is according to studies done at the Seoul National University in which the brains of sleep-deprived rats were exposed to the aromas of coffee. Yet another study by the National Institute of Health determined that drinking at least 4 cups of coffee everyday reduced the chances of getting depressed by up to 10%. This is because of the antioxidants found in coffee. However, that is not all; another research by the Harvard School of Public Health determined that coffee was instrumental in the production of chemicals such as serotonin and noradrenaline, which in turn helps fight depression subsequently reducing the chances of suicide by a whopping 50%!
3. Lower risk of skin cancer in women
In yet another study done by the Harvard Medical School, it was found that drinking at least 3 cups of coffee daily was associated with lower risks of contracting skin cancer especially in women.
4. Benefits of coffee and a Healthier brain
One of the worst things about aging is the negative effects that it has on the brain. With age comes an increased risk of contracting neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s, which in turn may lead to dementia. However, several studies have found out that drinking coffee can help keep the advent of Alzheimer’s disease at bay. One study determined that drinking at least 3 cups of coffee would reduce the risk of contracting Alzheimer’s by 65% while another study by the University of Florida and the University of Miami determined that drinking coffee delayed the onset of Alzheimer’s disease by between 2-4 years. Simply put, drinking coffee is directly linked with healthier brains!
5. Benefits of coffee and a Healthier heart
Contrary to what many people think, drinking coffee is not associated with an increased risk of heart disease. In fact, drinking coffee does the exact opposite; it decreases the risk of contracting heart disease. One study in Japan showed that drinking at least 1 cup of coffee on a daily basis reduced the risk of dying from heart disease by 38% in men. Yet another research carried out by Harvard School of Public Health in conjunction with Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center concluded that drinking at least 4 cups of coffee daily reduced the risk of heart failure by 11%. Studies have also shown that drinking coffee can help minimize the risk of arteries being clogged.
6. Benefits of Coffee and intelligence
There are numerous studies that have shown that drinking coffee can improve memory, cognitive function, reaction time and even logical reasoning. All these are of course associated with higher levels of intelligence and sharpness. The main reason for this is that coffee helps stimulate the production of chemicals such as dopamine, which subsequently fire up the neurons.
7. Benefits of Coffee are instrumental when it comes to weight loss
Coffee contains caffeine which has is a natural aide when it comes to losing weight. This is largely because caffeine enhances the process of burning fat and boosts metabolism rates by between 3% and 11%.
