When people think about coffee, they often imagine how it might provide them with an energy boost. According to experts, 2.2 billion cups of coffee are consumed daily around the world.
It is said that coffee might potentially have some significant health advantages. Lower risk of liver cancer, heart failure, and type 2 diabetes could be among these advantages.
Coffee can also be beneficial for diseases like liver disease, heart disease, diabetes, and inflammatory bowel disease.
Potassium, magnesium, vitamin B3 (niacin), vitamin B2 (Riboflavin), antioxidants, and phenolic compounds are among the beneficial nutrients included in coffee.
In this article, we will be looking at some benefits associated with coffee.
10 Benefits Of Coffee
Before beginning the list of benefits of coffee, you might want to note that if you are looking to lose weight and are on a calorie deficit diet, one will always recommend black coffee over coffee with milk.
Helps With Type 2 Diabetes
According to many studies, coffee consumption regularly could reduce the risk of getting type two diabetes in the long term.
An analysis of 30 studies[1] showed that drinking a cup of coffee regularly was linked to a 5% decreased rate of type two diabetes.
This is supposed to be caused due to coffee’s capacity in maintaining the functioning of the pancreas’ beta cells. These cells perform the role of producing insulin to control sugar levels.
Additionally, coffee has a lot of antioxidants and might have an impact on insulin sensitivity, metabolism, and inflammation, which are factors for the development of type two diabetes.
Might Help Cure Cancer
A review[2] for 2019 suggests that drinking coffee could lower your risk of developing liver cancer. A cohort study[3] of the United States population was conducted earlier in 2016.
It was found that, depending on the dose, drinking 2 to 3 cups of coffee per day decreased the participants’ risks of developing chronic liver disease and hepatocellular carcinoma by 45% and 36% respectively.
Any type of coffee appears to lower the incidence of cirrhosis, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, and liver cancer, according to the analysis[4] from 2018.
A study from 2020 that claims that drinking all forms of coffee might provide some protection against chronic liver disease has also supported these conclusions.
Improves Brain Health
Despite a lot of studies showing conflicting results, little evidence points to coffee’s crucial role in preventing several neurological diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.
Regular caffeine drinkers had a decreased risk of getting Alzheimer’s[5] and dementia, as per a study.
Additionally, several studies have also shown that consuming coffee in moderation might reduce your chance of developing cognitive decline and dementia.
Helps With Parkinson’s Disease
The presence of caffeine, which is found in coffee and many different drinks, has been linked to many studies that suggest it might help prevent Parkinson’s disease.
Men who drink more than five cups of coffee a day might have a fivefold lower risk of getting Parkinson’s disease than men who do not.
According to a meta-study analysis[6], a connection between a lower incidence of Parkinson’s disease and coffee drinking was hypothesized even among smokers.
Additionally, this team discovered that coffee drinkers might be less prone to suffer from cognitive disorders, such as Alzheimer’s disease and depression.
The claim that drinking decaffeinated coffee helps prevent Parkinson’s disease, however, was not supported by sufficient evidence.
Improves Cognitive Function
According to a lot of studies, drinking coffee could reduce your risk of developing a mental illness like depression.
An assessment of 7 research studies demonstrated that regular consumption of coffee was associated with a 10% decreased rate of depression.
A study[7] implied that regular consumption of coffee, say at least five cups, was correlated with a decreased rate of depression than the regular consumption of coffee of only 1 cup.
Additionally, a study[8] involving more than two lakh participants revealed a relationship between a reduced risk of suicide and coffee consumption.
Helps Cure Liver Diseases
Gallstone disease could be less common in coffee drinkers. Coffee intake among those with PBC (primary biliary cirrhosis) and PSC (primary sclerosing cholangitis) was studied in 2014.
These autoimmune diseases have an impact on the liver’s bile ducts. They discovered that those with PSC were more likely to consume less coffee than those without the illness.
There was no evidence to support the idea that coffee consumption varied between those with and without PBC.
Additionally, a study[9] found a connection between a reduced chance of developing cirrhosis which is caused by non-viral hepatitis and coffee drinking.
Three or more cups of coffee each day, according to the study, might lower the risk by 65%.
It could also benefit issues like fatty liver disease.
Improves Heart Health
According to several studies, drinking coffee might be good for your heart. A study discovered that having 3 to 5 cups of coffee each day was associated with a 16% lower risk of developing heart disease.
Another analysis of 20 research revealed that 3 to 4 cups of coffee per day was linked to a 20% decreased risk of stroke.
Additionally, a study[10] including more than twenty thousand adults discovered that an increase in coffee consumption was linked to a much lower risk of heart failure.
But be aware that caffeine could impact blood pressure levels. Consequently, those who have uncontrollable blood pressure might need to limit or decrease their coffee intake.
Rich In Antioxidants
Coffee is indeed one of the healthiest drinks we have at our disposal when it is free of additional creamers and sugars. Coffee has more antioxidants than cocoa and green tea, the two beverages which are well known for having antioxidants.
Vitamin B3 (niacin), vitamin B2 (riboflavin), potassium, and magnesium are a few more beneficial[11] components in coffee. An important dietary source of antioxidants, particularly for people who follow a Western diet, has been identified as coffee.
Aids Weight Management
Some studies suggest that coffee could improve gut health and affect the way fat is stored, both of which might be helpful for weight management.
For instance, a review[12] of 10 studies found that males could benefit from increased coffee drinking as it helps to reduce body fat.
Increased coffee consumption was connected to lower fat levels in women in another study. Increased physical exercise along with drinking coffee might also support weight management.
Additionally, compared to individuals who drank less than a cup per day, a study indicated that those who drank two to three cups per day were 18 percent more likely to fulfill physical activity levels.
Might Increase Lifespan
According to this research[13], persons who drink up to 8 cups of coffee daily had a 15 percent lower risk of dying younger than those who do not.
Although there are many factors to be considered, consuming coffee has been associated with a reduced incidence of colon and liver cancer, as well as diabetes, heart attacks, and respiratory conditions.
Additionally, a lot of individuals believe that coffee has a minor role in their happiness. And as we are all aware, longevity and happiness are related.
That happiness might be finding a comfortable space to relax with a cup of coffee, going out for a brew with pals, or discovering new hangouts.
Conclusion
One of the most advantageous and healthiest beverages you might have is coffee as it is very rich in antioxidants.
It also possesses several different qualities which help to reduce the risk of developing several illnesses, including depression, liver disease, and Parkinson’s.
Regular coffee intake could be a component of a healthy diet as long as you refrain from adding excessive amounts of creamer and sugar.
Coffee could be consumed in several ways. Caffeine is a key component of coffee, but it also contains several different substances.
This makes it quite challenging to pinpoint precisely the way coffee affects a person and also which ingredients have disadvantages and advantages.
If someone wants to drink coffee for health reasons, they should keep an eye on the ingredients and attempt to stay within the daily suggested amount.
References/Sources
Working4Health prefers using primary and verified references. We have strict sourcing guidelines and our primary references include peer-reviewed research, academic, and medical institution studies.
- Mattias Carlström, Susanna C Larsson Coffee consumption and reduced risk of developing type 2 diabetes: a systematic review with meta-analysis Nutr Rev. 2018 Jun 1;76(6):395-417. doi: 10.1093/nutrit/nuy014. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29590460/
- Manami Inoue , Shoichiro Tsugane Coffee Drinking and Reduced Risk of Liver Cancer: Update on Epidemiological Findings and Potential Mechanisms Curr Nutr Rep. 2019 Sep;8(3):182-186. doi: 10.1007/s13668-019-0274-1. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30977056/
- Manav Wadhawan and Anil C. Anand. Coffee and Liver Disease. J Clin Exp Hepatol. 2016 Mar; 6(1): 40–46. Published online 2016 Feb 27. doi: 10.1016/j.jceh.2016.02.003.
- Oliver J. Kennedy, Jonathan A. Fallowfield, Robin Poole, et. al. All coffee types decrease the risk of adverse clinical outcomes in chronic liver disease: a UK Biobank study. Date of Publication: 22 June 2021. Available from: https://bmcpublichealth.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12889-021-10991-7
- Marjo H Eskelinen, Miia Kivipelto Caffeine as a protective factor in dementia and Alzheimer’s disease J Alzheimers Dis. 2010;20 Suppl 1:S167-74. doi: 10.3233/JAD-2010-1404. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20182054/
- Chien Tai Hong, Lung Chan, and Chyi-Huey Bai The Effect of Caffeine on the Risk and Progression of Parkinson’s Disease: A Meta-Analysis Nutrients. 2020 Jun; 12(6): 1860.Published online 2020 Jun 22. doi: 10.3390/nu12061860
- Hayom Kim, Sung Hoon Kang, Soon Ho Kim, et al. Drinking coffee enhances neurocognitive function by reorganizing brain functional connectivity Sci Rep. 2021; 11: 14381.Published online 2021 Jul 13. doi: 10.1038/s41598-021-93849-7
- Michel Lucas, Eilis J. O’Reilly, An Pan, et. al. Coffee, caffeine, and risk of completed suicide: results from 3 prospective cohorts of American adults. World J Biol Psychiatry. 2014 Jul; 15(5): 377–386. Published online 2013 Jul 2. doi: 10.3109/15622975.2013.795243
- Ryan D Heath, Mihir Brahmbhatt, Asli C Tahan, et al. Coffee: The magical bean for liver diseases World J Hepatol. 2017 May 28; 9(15): 689–696.Published online 2017 May 28. doi: 10.4254/wjh.v9.i15.689
- James H O’Keefe, James J DiNicolantonio, Carl J Lavie Coffee for Cardioprotection and Longevity Prog Cardiovasc Dis. May-Jun 2018;61(1):38-42. doi: 10.1016/j.pcad.2018.02.002. Epub 2018 Feb 21. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29474816/
- Alexander Yashin, Yakov Yashin, Jing Yuan Wang, et al. Antioxidant and Antiradical Activity of Coffee Antioxidants (Basel). 2013 Dec; 2(4): 230–245.Published online 2013 Oct 15. doi: 10.3390/antiox2040230
- Reza Tabrizi, Parvane Saneei, Kamran B Lankarani, et al. The effects of caffeine intake on weight loss: a systematic review and dos-response meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr. 2019;59(16):2688-2696. doi: 10.1080/10408398.2018.1507996. Epub 2018 Oct 18. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30335479/
- George L Sutphin, Emma Bishop, Melana E Yanos, et al. Caffeine extends life span, improves healthspan, and delays age-associated pathology in Caenorhabditis elegans Longev Healthspan. 2012; 1: 9.Published online 2012 Dec 1. doi: 10.1186/2046-2395-1-9
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Alisha Matthew has been a practicing nutritionist since 2016. She holds a master’s degree in nutrition from the University of IOWA. She is a staunch believer in improving the human health index by educating people about nutrition and the importance of nutrition in leading a healthy and happy life. Her long-term goal is to keep educating people on general health and keep herself updated with the latest trends in the field of health.