Coffee won’t fill you up for the day, and can definitely not be classified as a health food. However, it does have its health benefits. A 13-year study of 402, 260 AARP members conducted by the National Cancer Institute, which was published May 17 in the “New England Journal of Medicine,” concluded that devoted coffee drinkers were associated with a reduced risk of early death by up to 16 percent. Below are some of the reasons why coffee is good for you.
1. Less risk for diabetes
A study in china has linked coffee with a reduced risk of diabetes, and according to researcher Kun Huang, PhD, a professor of biological pharmacy at the Huazhong University of Science & Technology, “We found three major coffee compounds can reverse this toxic process and may explain why coffee drinking is associated with a lower risk of type 2 diabetes”. The three compounds include: caffeine, caffeic acid or CA, and Chlorogenic acid or CGA. Studies have also found out that those who drink four or more cups daily have 50% lower risk of getting type 2 diabetes.
2. Performance enhancing benefits
Studies have shown coffee and caffeine to increase endurance and short-term performance, which makes it a go-to supplement for many athletes. A study found that 9.8 mg/lb (4.45 mg/kg, or about 400 mg total) of caffeine increased endurance in athletes. Also, a 2008 study concluded that the benefit of caffeine before exercise occurs during endurance events, stop-and-go events and long-term high-intensity activity.
3. Antioxidative properties
Recent studies have shown that caffeine (present in coffee, cocoa, tea, and other foods) may help to protect people from Alzheimer’s and other diseases, due to the powerful antioxidant effects it possesses. Harvard researcher Edward Giovannucci, in a research study published in “Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention,” noted that coffee has more antioxidants than most vegetables and fruits. Also, Annia Galano and Jorge Rafael León-Carmona describe evidence suggesting that coffee is one of the richest sources of healthful antioxidants in the average person’s diet.
4. Decreases cancer risk
Coffee is rich in antioxidants and its consumption has been linked with decreased risk of cancers including breast, endometrial, prostate and liver cancers. A 2011 study in “Breast Cancer Research” found that drinking five or more cups could translate to a 20 percent less chance of developing estrogen-receptor-negative breast cancer. A recent study out of the Harvard School of Public Health also found that both regular and decaf coffee resulted in a reduced risk of prostate cancer.
Some decades ago, several studies on coffee were contradicting, and people were asked to limit how much they consume. However, the last decade has shed so much light on how taking coffee can benefit our health, and we are now encouraged to drink up!
image courtesy of: pinterest.com, eskipaper.com.
