Coffee is the most popular beverage in the world, and it’s easy to see why. It tastes delicious and can be consumed almost anytime of day.
Coffee has been shown to have a host of health benefits, including lowering the risk for heart disease and diabetes, protecting against Alzheimer’s and dementia, reducing inflammation in your body, improving mood, boosting energy levels and helping you lose weight (to name just a few).
Here are 15 surprising ways that coffee can improve your health and how much caffeine is really too much:
| Takeaways |
|---|
| Drinking coffee in moderation can have a range of health benefits, from improving cognitive function to reducing the risk of heart disease. |
| Timing can impact the effects of caffeine on the body – experts recommend drinking coffee earlier in the day to avoid disrupting sleep. |
| Sustainability is an important consideration when it comes to our coffee habits – even small changes can make a big difference for the environment. |
| Research suggests that coffee can interact with the body in a variety of ways to promote wellness and prevent diseases. |
| While coffee can be a part of a healthy lifestyle for many people, it’s important to be mindful of individual health concerns and caffeine sensitivity. |
1. Coffee Can Improve Energy Levels and Make You Smarter
Caffeine is a stimulant that increases alertness, concentration, and productivity. It also enhances memory function.
Plus, drinking coffee can help you reach your goals it’s been shown to increase motivation and goal attainment in people who are attempting to quit smoking or lose weight.
Want to reduce your carbon footprint and have a more sustainable coffee habit? Take a look at our 10 Simple Tips for a More Sustainable Coffee Habit to learn how small changes can make a big difference for the environment.
2. Coffee Can Help You Burn Fat
According to a study published in the journal Diabetes Care, the caffeine in coffee can boost your metabolism by increasing the amount of energy your body uses. It also increases your body’s ability to burn fat for energy, which means you can lose weight faster and keep it off.
3. Coffee Can Help Your Physical Performance
If you’re looking to get the most out of your workout, coffee can help. Caffeine has been shown to improve physical performance in several different ways.
It can increase your endurance during exercise and reduce the amount of oxygen needed during exercise (aerobic capacity), boost power output, and even improve reaction time!
In one study on young men who were given two servings of caffeine per day for a month, they were able to perform better in the gym than those who didn’t drink any caffeine at all.
This improvement was due in large part because of an increase in maximal oxygen consumption (VO2 max), meaning they could breathe quicker while working out without becoming fatigued as quickly as before.
Did you know that the time of day you drink coffee can affect its health benefits? Check out The Best Time to Drink Coffee for Maximum Health Benefits to learn more about how timing can impact the effects of caffeine on your body.
4. Coffee Lowers the Risk of Type 2 Diabetes
If you’re a coffee drinker, this is one of the most exciting benefits we can think of.
Coffee has been shown to reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes by up to 50%. Caffeine in coffee stimulates the release of insulin and increases your body’s sensitivity to it.
This means that your body will be able to use glucose more effectively, which helps keep blood sugar levels balanced.
The caffeine in coffee also speeds up your metabolism—which means you’ll burn calories faster and lose weight!
| Study | Participants | Results |
|---|---|---|
| Harvard School of Public Health | 120,000+ | Increased coffee consumption was associated with a lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes, with the lowest risk associated with those who consumed 3-4 cups per day. |
| American Diabetes Association | 28,000+ | Moderate coffee drinking was associated with a lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes, particularly for those who drank caffeinated coffee. |
| Lancet | 1.2 million | Each additional cup of coffee consumed per day was associated with a 9% reduction in the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. |
| European Association for the Study of Diabetes | 3,000+ | Study participants who drank coffee had improved glucose and insulin response, as well as a lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes. |
These studies suggest that there may be a link between coffee consumption and a lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes, with several studies indicating that moderate coffee drinking may have the most benefits.
However, it’s important to note that individual factors like diet and lifestyle can also impact diabetes risk and that more research in this area is still needed.
5. Coffee Helps Protect Your Liver
Coffee may help protect your liver.
Coffee may reduce the risk of liver cirrhosis. A study published in The American Journal of Gastroenterology found that drinking between two and four cups of coffee a day reduces the risk of liver cirrhosis by 30%. This is likely because it blocks fat from being stored in your liver, which can be harmful.
Coffee may reduce the risk of liver cancer, as well as other cancers related to obesity like colon cancer and endometrial cancer, according to research published in the journal Cancer Prevention Research.
Coffee may prevent nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), which occurs when too much fat builds up in your liver cells and causes inflammation that can lead to scarring and even death if left untreated (although it rarely gets this severe).
Drinking more than three cups per day has been shown to decrease symptoms like fatigue, nausea/vomiting, itchiness/joint pain/muscle pain/numbness that are associated with NAFLD; additionally consuming antioxidants such as vitamin C or E have also been shown to prevent or reverse some signs of this condition as well
Coffee lovers rejoice! Drinking coffee can have incredible health benefits. Discover more about the positive attributes of coffee with The Incredible Health Benefits of Coffee: Why You Should Drink It Every Day.
6. Coffee Can Lower the Risk of Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia
Coffee has been linked to a reduced risk of Alzheimer’s and dementia, which is great news for those who love their morning brew.
A 2015 study published in the journal, Molecular Nutrition & Food Research, found that drinking three cups of coffee every day can help lower your risk of developing dementia by as much as 50%.
The study also noted that people who drank four or more cups per day had an even lower risk of developing dementia.
Another study from UCLA researchers found that drinking caffeinated coffee was associated with better cognitive function over time among older adults. And other research suggests that caffeine can help prevent or treat Alzheimer’s Disease by preventing toxic proteins from forming in the brain.
7. Coffee May Be Good for Your Heart
In a study of more than half a million people, researchers found that those who drank coffee regularly had a lower risk of dying from heart disease, stroke or diabetes than those who didn’t drink coffee.
The results were published in the journal Circulation. Another study, published by the American Heart Association (AHA), found that drinking four or more cups of caffeinated coffee per day may reduce your risk for heart failure by up to 20%.
Coffee and Heart Health
| Study | Participants | Results |
|---|---|---|
| Framingham Heart Study | 1,000+ | Drinking coffee was associated with a lower risk of heart failure, particularly for those who consumed less than one cup per day. |
| European Society of Cardiology | 3,000+ | Study participants who drank three cups of coffee per day had lower arterial stiffness than those who did not drink coffee. |
| American Heart Association | 15,000+ | Moderate coffee consumption (up to three cups per day) was associated with a lower risk of stroke. |
| Harvard School of Public Health | 83,000+ | Coffee drinkers had a lower risk of dying from cardiovascular disease compared to non-coffee drinkers. |
These studies suggest a potential link between coffee consumption and improved heart health, including a lower risk of heart failure, improved arterial health, and a lower risk of stroke or death from cardiovascular disease.
However, it’s important to keep in mind that individual results may vary and that excessive caffeine consumption can have negative impacts on heart health.
8. Coffee May Lower The Risk Of Certain Cancers
Many studies have found that coffee may help to decrease your risk of certain types of cancer. The most common cancers that coffee can help prevent include:
- Colon cancer
- Liver cancer
- Prostate cancer
The exact mechanism for how coffee helps to lower the risk of these cancers is still not entirely understood, but researchers are investigating several possibilities.
One theory is that antioxidants in coffee act as natural anti-inflammatory agents, which can help prevent cell damage from oxidative stress (a phenomenon caused by oxygen radicals).
Another possibility is that caffeine triggers the production of a protein called P53, which has been shown to destroy mutated cells and prevent them from becoming malignant.
Have you ever wondered about the science behind the health benefits of coffee? Our article on The Science Behind Coffee’s Health Benefits: What You Need to Know explores the research behind how coffee can boost everything from mental health to physical performance.
9. Coffee Is Loaded With Nutrients And Antioxidants
Coffee is a source of antioxidants, which are protective compounds that help prevent cell damage. Antioxidants have been linked to many health benefits, including cardiovascular benefits and reducing the risk of cancer.
Coffee contains more antioxidants than green tea and red wine—and it’s also higher in antioxidants than blueberries!
10. Drinking Coffee May Help You Live Longer
Several studies have suggested that drinking coffee may help lower the risk of death from all causes, partly because it’s been linked to a lower risk of stroke and heart disease.
Coffee has also been linked with a reduced risk of type 2 diabetes, which is one of the biggest killers in America today. Not only that, but coffee may reduce your risk for depression as well!
Is coffee the new superfood? Our article on Is Coffee the New Superfood? Here’s What the Research Says dives into the latest studies and findings related to coffee and its potential to be a nutritional powerhouse.
Conclusion
Coffee is one of the most popular beverages in the world, and it’s no wonder why. Coffee has been shown to improve energy levels and make you smarter, burn fat and protect your liver—and that’s just scratching the surface.
Coffee also has many other benefits like lowering risk for Alzheimer’s disease, dementia and even some cancers.
Further Reading
If you’re interested in learning more about the health benefits of coffee, check out these additional resources:
The Benefits of Coffee You Might Not Have Known: This blog post provides a comprehensive look at a range of research-backed health benefits of drinking coffee, from boosting brain function to protecting against conditions like Type 2 diabetes.
Top 10 Health Benefits of Drinking Coffee Everyday: This article offers a helpful list of 10 of the most notable health benefits associated with regular coffee consumption, from reducing the risk of heart disease to improving liver function.
8 Health Benefits of Coffee That You Need to Know: Check out this post for an overview of eight health benefits of coffee, with a focus on how caffeine interacts with the body to promote wellness and prevent disease.
FAQ
What are some health benefits associated with drinking coffee?
Drinking coffee has been linked to a range of health benefits, including improved cognitive function, reduced risk of depression, and lower rates of some chronic diseases.
Is it safe to drink coffee every day?
For most people, drinking coffee in moderation (usually defined as no more than 3-4 cups per day) is safe and may even have health benefits. However, people with certain health conditions or who are particularly sensitive to caffeine may need to limit their coffee consumption.
Does coffee help with weight loss?
While coffee has been shown to increase metabolism and promote weight loss in some studies, the evidence is mixed and it’s not clear whether coffee alone can help with sustained weight loss.
What’s the best time of day to drink coffee?
The best time of day to drink coffee may vary depending on individual factors like metabolism and sleep habits. Many experts recommend drinking coffee earlier in the day to avoid disrupting sleep.
How much caffeine is in a typical cup of coffee?
The amount of caffeine in coffee can vary depending on a range of factors like bean variety and brewing method, but a typical cup of coffee contains around 95 milligrams of caffeine.
Hi, I’m Hellen James, founder of Unified Coffees. I created the platform to fill the gap in coffee blogging by providing tips on brewing coffee, rather than just focusing on beans and grinders.