Health Benefits of Drinking Coffee Moderately
Many of us already have read or heard warnings about the negative effects of drinking coffee. Popular beliefs about drinking coffee include promotes high blood pressure, creates sleep disorders, increases diabetes, and others. These effects make us think that coffee is an unhealthy drink. But various researches prove otherwise.
Coffee has a number of health benefits:
1. Reduces risk of gallstone disease.
The Harvard School of Public Health conducted two studies which showed that men and women who drink coffee have lower incidences of gallbladder or gallstone disease.
2. Reduces risk of Alzheimer’s disease.
Several studies conducted showed a positive correlation of drinking coffee moderately a day to a reduced risk of contracting Alzheimer’s disease later in life. The same is true with the effect of coffee on dementia.
3. Reduces risk of Parkinson’s disease.
A study conducted found out that those who drink 3-4 cups of coffee daily have a reduced risk of developing Parkinson’s disease.
4. Promotes better cognitive performance
Women who are more than 80 years old and frequently drink coffee perform better in cognitive tests according to a recent study.
5. Enhances the Effects of Analgesics.
Some pain killers work best as an effect of caffeine in coffee. This is especially true with pain killers for headaches and migraine.
6. Reduces risk of Type 2 Diabetes.
Those who are frequent coffee drinkers are also found to have a lower risk of getting Type 2 diabetes. This health benefit can be attributed to the presence of chlorogenic acid and caffeic acid in coffee which block the development of hIAPP or human islet amyloid polypeptide associated with Type 2 diabetes.
7. Reduces the number of deaths due to cardiovascular diseases.
According to a study published in 2008, coffee can reduce the incidence of people dying from cardiovascular disease. This is supported by another study conducted in Japan in 2009 which studied around 77,000 individuals aged 40-79. The study found a relationship between consuming coffee and a reduced incidence of deaths due to cardiovascular diseases.
8. Reduces risk of cirrhosis of the liver.
Drinking coffee is also associated with a reduced risk of getting cirrhosis of the liver and hepatocellular carcinoma which is a liver cancer. But it is still unknown how much amount of coffee should one drink to achieve this health benefit.
9. Helps prevent constipation.
Coffee is a powerful stimulant which also helps in preventing constipation.
10. Helps prevent dental cavities.
Coffee contains tannins which can help in reducing the cariogenic potential of eating food. The tannins interfere with glucosyltransferase activities by mutans streptococci which in turn reduces the formation of plaque.
11. Other health benefits
Other health benefits of coffee include reducing the risk of certain types of cancers particularly esophageal, oral and pharyngeal cancers, reducing the risk of gout, and helping lower blood pressure.
This long list of health benefits of drinking coffee proves that coffee is a healthy drink if consumed in moderation. Moderate means consuming 3-5 cups of coffee daily. And to maximize the health benefits of coffee, drink coffee that is fresh, organic, and without any flavorings such as sugar or creamer.
