7 Extraordinary Health Benefits of Coffee

A recent survey found 64 percent of Americans have at least one cup of coffee daily. If you’re one of the millions of Americans who can’t wake up without a cup of joe, you might wonder how healthy it is for you.

When it comes to the health benefits of coffee, reviews are mixed. Some studies say coffee is great for you, while others say it could have some negative impacts.

That made us wonder, how healthy is coffee? We took a look and found these seven amazing benefits.

1. Get a Dietary Boost with Coffee

You’re aware that coffee gives you a boost in physical and mental energy. As a stimulant, it helps you wake up. That’s one reason you drink it.

One of the lesser-known advantages of coffee is the boost it gives to your diet. Coffee actually contains many essential nutrients, like manganese and potassium. It also gives you a B-vitamin boost, which can help improve your energy levels.

Coffee is also a great source of dietary fiber. It’s rich in antioxidants too. In fact, it’s the biggest source of antioxidants in the Western diet.

2. Keep Your Heart Healthy

Some people worry the caffeine in their morning cup of joe could affect their heart in a negative way. After all, coffee can increase your blood pressure. The effect is small though.

Some research suggests coffee may actually do more to protect your heart. Coffee drinkers had a lower risk of stroke. Other studies showed coffee drinkers weren’t at increased risk of heart disease. The acids in coffee can lead to heartburn for people with sensitivities. Try drinking a low acid coffee like this 100% kona coffee to avoid this problem. 

Some research even found that drinking coffee helped people who had heart attacks. People who drank coffee after the attack were less likely to die.

Coffee seems to reduce the calcification of arteries. Coffee drinkers were also less likely to show the start of heart disease.

If you eat heart-healthy foods and get regular exercise too, coffee could help you stay healthier.

3. Protect Your Mind

Coffee health effects protect another vital organ in the body. Drinking coffee could help you keep your brain healthier longer.

Coffee seemed to lower the risk of conditions like Alzheimer’s and dementia. These two conditions affect cognition and memory. Coffee may prevent the build-up of brain plaque associated with Alzheimer’s.

Alzheimer’s and dementia affect the nervous system, as do many other conditions. Coffee shows protective traits here too. For example, it may reduce the risk of multiple sclerosis and Parkinson’s disease.

4. Keep Those Pearly Whites Healthy

When you think of the health benefits of coffee, you probably don’t think of your teeth. After all, coffee is notorious for staining teeth.

There’s evidence that drinking a cup of coffee could be good for your dental health. Black coffee seems to ward off cavities. Coffee fixed with milk and sugar didn’t have the same effect.

Coffee may also reduce the risk of gum disease. Despite your dentist’s warnings, coffee could actually be a power move for dental health.

5. Boost Your Mood

There are plenty of jokes about coffee drinkers being cranky until they get that first sip into their systems. There’s some truth to this stereotype though, since coffee can have profound effects on your mood.

Coffee seems to lower the risk of mental health conditions like depression. People who drank coffee were less likely to experience depression. It also lowered the risk of suicide.

On a day-to-day scale, coffee seems to make it easier to get along with other people. Drinking coffee seemed to make people more positive about their co-workers. They were also more likely to take part in workplace activities.

6. Lower the Risk of Disease

Among the long list of health benefits, coffee seems to fight back against a whole range of diseases. Research suggests it could lower the risk of Type 2 diabetes. It also seems to protect against cirrhosis of the liver.

It’s also associated with a lower risk for a whole host of cancers, including:

• Colorectal cancer
• Melanoma
• Liver cancer
• Uterine cancer

We already mentioned that it protects against heart disease and Alzheimer’s. It may also protect against inflammatory conditions like gout. It may even protect against some eye conditions.

Keep in mind that correlation isn’t causation. People who drink coffee may also take other steps to protect their health. Living a healthy lifestyle is always the best bet.

7. With Health Benefits, Coffee Equals Longevity

Some research has made a link between drinking coffee and living longer. Given the list of health benefits of coffee, this shouldn’t come as any surprise.

Since coffee lowers the risk of many diseases, people who drink it are less likely to die. Heart disease and cancer are two major causes of mortality. Coffee protects against both.

If you already have a condition such as diabetes, coffee could still help you live longer. People who drank coffee not only had a lower risk of getting a disease. Coffee also helped lower the risk of dying prematurely.

It seems the case is closed. If you’re a coffee drinker, you’re going to be sticking around a little longer.

That means you’ll have plenty of time to explore different roasts and origins. This company provides information on crops and origins. With their help, you can find a better cup of joe to start your mornings.

Three Cheers for Coffee

This is a partial list of the health benefits of coffee. It can also help your athletic performance and it may even help you recover after a workout.

It’s important to remember researchers are always discovering new things. For now, it seems drinking coffee in moderation can lead to improved health. So go ahead and enjoy your morning cup of coffee.

If you’re looking for something to read while you’re sipping, why not take a look at our blog? We have more great articles to help you improve and protect your health. A healthier you is right around the corner.