The Beneficial Brew: Health Benefits of Drinking Coffee

Having a cup of coffee is like having a cheerful company during the most tiresome and exhausting day. It keeps us awake, enlivens our mind and body, helps us go on with our day, however stressful it may be. That is why most people drink coffee more than once a day. Thought, you might have wondered: is it healthy to drink coffee? Here are 7 reasons why drinking coffee can be good for you.

Flat white and espresso at Seniman Coffee in Ubud

A day without a coffee is not the same as a day fueled by it. Aside from the rousing effects that it does to our body, coffee also has an aromatic smell that can lure us into preparing a cup for ourselves. Coffee beans have different flavours ranging from bitter to floral, citrus to nutty. The taste of coffee gives pleasure to our tongue and the caffeine kick keeps us hooked to it.

The taste of coffee gives pleasure to our tongue and keeps us hooked to it

Of course, there are numerous choices of coffee brands, varieties of beans and roasts to choose from. Each type has a distinct taste and aroma. Thus, before purchasing a bag of coffee to consume at home, read first some reviews on websites such as Jiale Coffee. It might help you determine which brand or coffee variety suits your taste best. The health benefits that we can get from coffee are a whole lot to mention, but here are a few of them:

Help You Lose Weight

Coffee contains caffeine that helps in increasing your metabolic rate. The higher or, the faster your metabolism is, the more calories that your body burns during physical activities or even at rest. Therefore, drinking coffee, as a caffeine source, might help you burn excess calories and lose weight.

A Good Source of Antioxidants

We need antioxidants to guard our body from free radicals that can cause cancer, heart diseases, and damaged cells. These free radicals are unstable molecules produced when we are exposed to radiation and smoke. One of the ways to neutralize these free radicals is to have an intake of antioxidants. Luckily, coffee is a good source of this substance.

Red coffee cherries at a coffee farm in Gran Canaria

Lower The Risk of Type II Diabetes

Type II Diabetes occurs when our body has a high sugar level and is going through insulin resistance. Insulin resistance takes place when our cells fail to respond to insulin, a hormone that allows our cells to take in sugar or glucose to be used for energy. When this happens, our pancreas is continuously releasing more insulin, which then increases our sugar level.

Studies show that one of the components of coffee includes polyphenols. Polyphenols, particularly chlorogenic acids, can help lower blood sugar levels and can reduce the chance of enduring the risk of Type II Diabetes.

Improves Your Mood

When you drink a cup of coffee, especially in the morning, you can feel a sudden improvement in your energy level. You suddenly feel energetic and enthusiastic. And that’s because of the psychoactive substance such as caffeine that the coffee contains.

According to some research, since coffee can improve one’s mood, it can also alleviate depression and lower the number of attempts suicide. However, caffeine intake should not exceed the amount of caffeine that our body needs. It should still be regularized to avoid overdose and being dependent on the substance.

Coffee can improve your energy level and mood

Contains Essential Minerals and Vitamins

Our body needs vital minerals and vitamins to keep us healthy and energetic throughout the day. A good serving of coffee comes with plenty of essential nutrients that regulate our body’s chemical processes and provide us ample energy to spend for the day. A coffee bean is a seed which grows inside red or purple fruits (referred to as cherry) of the coffea plant. The coffee beans are washed, processed, roasted and ground, and through this process they retain essential nutrients: vitamin B5 that helps in converting food nutrients into energy; riboflavin or vitamin B2 that breaks down carbohydrates, fats, and protein; potassium and manganese are essential for muscle function and blood pressure regulation; and other nutrients.

A coffee plant with ripe red cherries in Rwanda

Lower The Risk of Acquiring Multiple Sclerosis

Multiple Sclerosis is a disease that centers on the nervous system of a human body. It is a disease that can cause your immune system to attack the layers of the nerves in your brain and spine. And since caffeine, which is present in coffee, directly impacts the whole nervous system, it can help protect those layers from inflammation.

Improves Physical and Mental Performance

The rousing effects of coffee on our minds and bodies is one of the reasons we drink coffee. Each intake can sharpen our thoughts and can improve our physical performance. That is why, when we are bombarded with loads of paperwork and other stuff, we always prepare a cup of coffee on our desk, ready to be gulped down for a fresh energy restart.

Photo by Andrew Neel on Unsplash

With these health benefits that we can get, we can finally debunk the belief that “coffee is an unhealthy beverage because it contains caffeine.” In reality, most of these benefits are the aftereffects of the caffeine present in our coffee. Thus, there is nothing to worry about enjoying this beverage, as long as it is consumed in a healthy and regularized way.

Disclaimer: this is a collaborative post.