Coffee is one of the most popular beverages around with the UK consuming a staggering 95 million cups a day. Our love of coffee is actually a positive thing, because despite popular belief to the contrary, coffee is actually good for you. In fact, drinking coffee on a regular basis offers some specific health benefits and here are the top 8 …
1 Coffee improves physical performance
Caffeine increases adrenaline (the fight or flight hormone) levels in the blood which makes our bodies ready for action. This, combined with its effect of breaking down body fat for use as fuel, makes coffee the ideal pre-workout drink.
2 Coffee is a good source of antioxidants
Coffee is high in antioxidants and also contains several of the B complex vitamins plus the minerals magnesium, potassium, chromium and manganese. Although these are only present in relatively small volumes, if you drink 3 cups of coffee a day it adds up to a worthwhile amount.
3 Coffee helps fight depression
People who drink 4 or more cups of coffee a day are significantly less likely to become depressed. Drinking caffeine can also boost energy levels and improve your mood.
4 Coffee burns fat
The reason why caffeine is found in almost every weight loss supplement is because it is proven to be one of the very few natural substances that helps burn fat. Caffeine causes fat cells to break down and makes them available for use as fuel. This results in increased fat burning, especially during exercise.
5 Coffee protects against Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s
Drinking coffee regularly has been shown to substantially reduce the risk of developing Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s by as much as 65% and 60% respectively. It’s thought that the caffeine content might be responsible for the brain-boosting benefits.
6 Coffee is good for the liver
Enjoying just one cup of coffee a day can reduce the risk of cirrhosis by up to 20% and this rises to 80% for those who enjoy four cups daily. Coffee drinkers have up to a 40% lower risk of developing liver cancer too.
7 Coffee improves cognitive function
Coffee has been shown to improve various aspects of brain function, including memory, mental clarity, focus and concentration.
8 Coffee might just help you live longer too
A 2016 review in the European Journal of Epidemiology concluded that drinking four cups of coffee a day was associated with a lower risk of mortality, including deaths from heart disease and cancer.
We always knew a great cup of coffee to be an excellent way to kick start the day. It somehow tastes even better for knowing it is actually doing us some good too.
Coffee anyone?
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