6 HEALTH
BENEFITS OF
COFFEE
DrAxe.com
6 HEALTH BENEFITS OF COFFEE
According to the National Coffee Association, more than 50 percent of
all U.S. adults drink coffee every single day. Worldwide, coffee is the
second most consumed beverage to water in many nations, and it’s the
leading contributor of caffeine to the average person’s diet.
In recent years, we’ve seen the number of studies researching coffee
nutrition facts skyrocket—and while some of the results signal this
beloved beverage might have some serious health benefits, there is a
lot of science backing coffee nutrition health benefits too.
In fact, in July 2017, a pair of large studies published in the Annals of
Medicine found drinking coffee seems to promote longevity. Looking at
roughly 700,000 people from different racial, cultural, and ethnic
backgrounds, drinking more coffee was linked to a lower risk of death.
The first study looked at non-white populations and found drinking two
to four cups of coffee translated into an 18 percent lower risk of death
during the study period compared to non-coffee drinkers. Drinking more
coffee appeared to lower the chances of dying from cancer, heart
disease, stroke, kidney disease, diabetes or chronic lower respiratory
disease.
The second study looked at people living in 10 European countries,
finding that the top coffee drinkers were 25 percent less likely to die
during the 16-year-study compared to the non-coffee drinkers.
But this isn’t the first-time coffee nutrition benefits surfaced in the
literature.
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Previously, researcher Miriam Nelson, a professor in the School of
Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University, said: “We looked at all the
science…we have found no negative, adverse effects on health when you
drink up to three to five cups a day… In fact, there is a decreased risk of
cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, Parkinson’s disease and a
couple of cancers, including breast and prostate cancer.”
6 Health Benefits of Coffee
High Source of Antioxidants
Somewhat surprisingly, many health care practitioners now
recommend drinking coffee and consider it a “guilty pleasure” that
you don’t necessarily need to feel “guilty” about. That’s because
some sources show that coffee is a natural anti-aging beverage,
with potentially more antioxidant activity than cocoa or even some
forms of tea leaves.
How does the antioxidant level in coffee compare to other healthy
beverages? Research shows that an average cup of coffee might
even contain more polyphenol antioxidants than cocoa, green tea,
black tea, and herbal tea! For many people, coffee supplies as
much as 70 percent of the total amount of important antioxidants
in their daily diet. While, of course, you should increase antioxidant
intake from whole foods like vegetables and fruit, coffee might be
another good addition if you tolerate it well.
Can Improve Heart Health and Prevent
Cardiovascular Disease
Unfiltered coffee is a significant source of cafestol and kahweol
antioxidants, which are diterpene compounds that have been
implicated in the cholesterol-balancing effects of coffee. Habitual
coffee consumption in large epidemiological studies is associated
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with reduced mortality, both for all-cause and cardiovascular
deaths. In addition, coffee intake is associated with lower risks of
heart failure and stroke. Surprisingly, coffee is even associated with
neutral to reduced risks for heart arrhythmia even though many
people feel it raises their heartbeat and makes them feel “jittery.”
Helps Preserve Brain Function and Prevents
Cognitive Decline
Love drinking coffee? Well good news for you: For coffee drinkers,
getting old doesn’t mean you losing your mind. Some evidence
exists showing that beneficial antioxidants in coffee may help
protect against Parkinson’s disease, an incurable neurological
disorder, as well as preventing dementia and acting as a natural
Alzheimer’s disease treatment. Coffee might even have protective
qualities against depression in some people.
In animal studies, mice given caffeine in their drinking water from
young adulthood into older age showed protection against
memory impairment and lower brain levels of the abnormal
protein (amyloid-beta or Abeta) thought to be central to
Alzheimer’s development. “Aged” cognitively impaired mice
exhibited memory restoration and lower brain Abeta levels
following only one to two months of caffeine treatment.
Local Might Help Prevent Diabetes
If you want to reverse diabetes naturally, in addition to avoiding
sugary drinks and drinking plenty of water, coffee might be the next
best drink for you. Coffee has also gotten a bad rap from the low-
carb diet movement for a while now because of concerns about
whether it raises blood pressure and insulin levels. The exact
answer on this is not exactly clear yet, but some research shows
coffee actually has an inverse relationship with insulin and blood
sugar markers, which means it might have a positive effect and
could reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes instead of raising it.
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There’s a good deal of evidence that drinking coffee (six or more
cups a day) could significantly lower the risk for type 2 diabetes,
but even less might be beneficial. According to the Nurse’s Health
Study, two or three cups a day of coffee can help lower the
incidence of type 2 diabetes and decrease gallstone formation,
too.
Increases Physical Performance and Endurance
Many studies show that coffee increases alertness and improves
mental and physical performance in the short run. The slight
increase in blood sugar from caffeinated coffee is potentially good
for athletes who need blood sugar to go up in order to fuel their
muscles before physical activity. According to the research,
caffeine doesn’t improve maximal oxygen capacity directly but
could permit athletes to train at a greater power output and/or to
train longer. It has been shown to increase speed and/or power
output in simulated race conditions and activities that last as little
as 60 seconds or as long as two hours.
Helps Protect Liver Health
Several studies consistently show that coffee drinkers have a
reduced risk of abnormal liver function tests. A study published in
the Archives of Internal Medicine shows that coffee may protect
against alcoholic liver disease; for every one cup of coffee a day
(up to four times daily), the study showed a 20 percent reduction
in alcoholic liver syndrome.
This content is strictly the opinion of Dr. Josh Axe, and is for informational and educational purposes only. It
is not intended to provide medical advice or to take the place of medical advice or treatment from a
personal physician. Readers of this content are advised to consult their doctors or qualified health
professionals regarding specific health questions. Neither the author nor publisher of this content takes
responsibility for possible health consequences of any person or persons reading or following the
information in this educational content. All readers of this content, especially those taking prescription or
over-the-counter medications, should consult their physicians before beginning any nutrition or
supplement or lifestyle program.
Note: References for this content can be found at draxe.com.
