The Surprising Perks to Your Health of Drinking Coffee
Did you know that in the United States approximately 400 million cups of coffee are consumed every day? Recent surveys show that 73% of Americans over the age of 20 drink coffee daily, showing just how popular and widespread coffee-drinking is, despite past warnings about possible threats excessive coffee and caffeine consumption might have on our health.
But, is coffee really so bad for you?
New studies are showing that drinking coffee actually has some surprising health benefits – making that morning boost or afternoon pick-me-up even more gratifying.
Is Coffee Good for You?
It turns out that drinking coffee does more than boost your energy. Coffee can actually be part of a healthy diet, when consumed in moderation. Some of the health benefits coffee provides include:
Caffeine: This is a natural stimulant that energizes your body. It can also help to improve your memory, mood, reaction times, and your mental function.
Nutrients: Coffee beans are a good source of B vitamins, potassium, riboflavin, and many others. These nutrients are important because they help in energy production, muscle function, and healthy skin.
Reduced Risk of Certain Diseases: Coffee has been linked to reducing type 2 diabetes, heart attacks, strokes, liver disease, and in some cases, Parkinson’s disease. This is due to the antioxidants that may help protect cells in your body from damage and inflammation.
Mood Disorders: Several recent studies have shown that the boost you get from a good cup of coffee may also help ward off depression.
Healthy Aging: Coffee is a large source of polyphenols and hydrocinnamic acids. These are powerful antioxidants that fight harmful free radicals, protecting our cells from damage. Studies also show black coffee lengthens telomeres, a reliable marker of healthy aging. In a study of Japanese females, coffee drinkers showed reduced photo aging.
What Are Some Risks of Drinking Coffee?
While coffee has been shown to have a lot of benefits, there are still some risks, especially if you drink too much. Because of its high caffeine content, this can cause a temporary increase in blood pressure, for example. Also, women who are pregnant, trying to become pregnant or breastfeeding should limit caffeine intake.
A few other risks to keep in mind include:
Poor Sleep: Caffeine in coffee can stay in your system for several hours. Caffeine works to keep you awake by blocking adenosine, which is a chemical in the brain that causes sleepiness. A late afternoon coffee can wreak havoc on your sleep.
Migraines: This is a chronic neurological disorder that causes moderate to severe headaches, often on one side of the head. With these, you might also have a sensitivity to light, blurred vision, or nausea. Some people are more sensitive to caffeine and migraines can be an effect of this sensitivity or of too much caffeine.
Dehydration: This occurs when the body loses more fluids than it takes in. Since coffee can also make you urinate more often, you may take in less fluid since you will sip your coffee rather than gulp a glass of water.
Medication regimen: Caffeine can interfere with the effectiveness of some prescription medications, such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), neuroleptic drugs, and aspirin. When starting a new medication, discuss potential interactions with your healthcare provider
Other potential side-effects of caffeine consumption may include:
Anxiety
Heart palpitations
Irritability
Restlessness
Gastrointestinal upset
Nervousness
Frequent urination
Heartburn
How Many Cups of Coffee is OK per day?
An 8-ounce cup of fresh brewed coffee can contain around 100 mg of caffeine. It is typically safe for most adults to have up to 400 mg of caffeine daily. This amounts to 3-4 cups of coffee per day for the average adult.
Fun Fact About Coffee
Coffee is grown around the equator between the Tropics of Capricorn and Cancer. This region includes Central and South America, Africa, the Middle East, and Asia. In fact, coffee doesn’t come from a bean, it’s actually the seed of a plant called Coffea arabica. It originated in the forests of Ethiopia and South Sudan and spread throughout the world for the production of its seeds. These seeds grow two at a time in a cherry-like fruit. Once the fruit hits a certain ripeness, farmers begin the harvesting process, extracting the beans from the fruit and eventually roasting them. At this point, the coffee becomes the dark brown beans we all know and love!
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