Health Benefits From Drinking Coffee
I am not a coffee drinker. Can’t stand the taste. When I had my first real job (outside fast food and baby sitting), I decided that I needed to drink coffee like everybody else. I tried out those International flavored coffees. It lasted about 2 weeks before I gave up and have never had coffee since then.
Everything you read talks about how bad coffee is for you with all the caffeine, so it came as a surprise to read an article that talked about the health benefits of coffee. Coffee has been around for hundreds of thousands of years. It is believed to have been discovered by a goat herder in Ethiopia. The story goes that he observed his goats in a spirited mood after eating some berries off some shrubs. He tried the berries, like them and spread the word.
Today thousands of people enjoy their cup of “joe” in the morning even while rumors spread about how bad coffee is for you. In excessive amounts – meaning more than whatever an individual’s body can tolerate – coffee can cause nervousness, jitters, and rapid heartbeat. But studies now show that there are a lot of benefits to drinking coffee as well.
One such study showed that coffee may reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes. It was proven that people drinking 1-3 cups of coffee each day can reduce the risk of diabetes by several percentage points. 6 cups cut men’s risk by 54% and women’s risk by 30% over those who avoided coffee.
In a laboratory study, it was found that a group of compounds called quinines found in coffee increases insulin sensitivity. This sensitivity improves the body’s response to insulin. Coffee also contains large quantities of the antioxidants tocopherols and chlorogenic acid, as well as minerals such as magnesium. All of those components have been shown to improve insulin sensitivity and glucose metabolism.
Other studies showed the following results:
* 80% lower risk of developing Parkinson’s disease
* 25% lower risk of colon cancer
* 80% lower risk of liver cirrhosis
* 50% lower risk of gallstones
Another impressive study showed that a history of consuming caffeinated coffee appears to help preserve cognitive skills such as thinking, memory and comprehension — possibly because of long-term caffeine exposure.
Of course, too much caffeine can cause restlessness, anxiety, irritability, tremors, sleeplessness, headaches, gastrointestinal symptoms and abnormal heart rhythms. In some individuals, caffeine can increase blood pressure. Some people are extra sensitive to even slight amounts of caffeine.
Something to watch out for. Some studies have tried to prove that coffee can cause high cholesterol. But it was found that it is the coffee oils that are responsible in unfiltered or boiled coffee. So remember to filter your coffee.
Here’s the bad news. It’s not the coffee that causes the most health issues, it’s the dairy and sugar you add to it. So if you do drink coffee, try it black or at least cut back on the sugar. Sorry all you latte drinkers!
February 27th, 2009 at 9:59 pm
Enjoyed your article so much. I drink 1 to 2 cups of black coffee per day, so this information makes me feel better about that!