Healthy Coffee News Articles . . . .
A selected listing of coffee articles related to health benefits have been provided as a primer to this subject. In 2016, the United Nations World Health Organization removed coffee from its list of carcinogens. However, a cup or two of coffee per day may not have not provide any health benefits or risks. With anything, moderation is key.
Your morning coffee may be more than a half million years old
AP
ADITHI RAMAKRISHNAN
Updated Mon, April 15, 2024
That coffee you slurped this morning? It’s 600,000 years old.
Using genes from coffee plants around the world, researchers built a family tree for the world's most popular type of coffee, known to scientists as Coffea arabica and to coffee lovers simply as “arabica.”
The researchers, hoping to learn more about the plants to better protect them from pests and climate change, found that the species emerged around 600,000 years ago through natural crossbreeding of two other coffee species.
“In other words, prior to any intervention from man,” said Victor Albert, a biologist at the University at Buffalo who co-led the study.
These wild coffee plants originated in Ethiopia but are thought to have been first roasted and brewed primarily in Yemen starting in the 1400s. In the 1600s, Indian monk Baba Budan is fabled to have smuggled seven raw coffee beans back to his homeland from Yemen, laying the foundation for coffee’s global takeover.
Arabica coffee, prized for its smooth and relatively sweet flavor, now makes up 60% - 70% of the global coffee market and is brewed by brands such as Starbucks, Tim Horton's and Dunkin'. The rest is robusta, a stronger and more bitter coffee made from one of arabica's parents, Coffea canephora.
To piece together arabica coffee’s past, researchers studied genomes of C. canephora, another parent called Coffea eugenioides, and more than 30 different arabica plants, including a sample from the 1700s — courtesy of the Natural History Museum in London — that Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus used to name the plant.
The study was published Monday in the journal Nature Genetics. Researchers from Nestlé, which owns several coffee brands, contributed to the study.
The arabica plant’s population fluctuated over thousands of years before humans began cultivating it, flourishing during warm, wet periods and suffering through dry ones. These lean times created so-called population bottlenecks, when only a small number of genetically similar plants survived.
Today, that renders arabica coffee plants more vulnerable to diseases like coffee leaf rust, which cause billions of dollars in losses every year. The researchers explored the makeup of one arabica variety that is resistant to coffee leaf rust, highlighting sections of its genetic code that could help protect the plant.
The study clarifies how arabica came to be and spotlights clues that could help safeguard the crop, said Fabian Echeverria, an adviser for the Center for Coffee Research and Education at Texas A&M University who was not involved with the research.
Exploring arabica’s past and present could yield insight into keeping coffee plants healthy – and coffee cups full – for future early mornings.
AP
ADITHI RAMAKRISHNAN
Updated Mon, April 15, 2024
That coffee you slurped this morning? It’s 600,000 years old.
Using genes from coffee plants around the world, researchers built a family tree for the world's most popular type of coffee, known to scientists as Coffea arabica and to coffee lovers simply as “arabica.”
The researchers, hoping to learn more about the plants to better protect them from pests and climate change, found that the species emerged around 600,000 years ago through natural crossbreeding of two other coffee species.
“In other words, prior to any intervention from man,” said Victor Albert, a biologist at the University at Buffalo who co-led the study.
These wild coffee plants originated in Ethiopia but are thought to have been first roasted and brewed primarily in Yemen starting in the 1400s. In the 1600s, Indian monk Baba Budan is fabled to have smuggled seven raw coffee beans back to his homeland from Yemen, laying the foundation for coffee’s global takeover.
Arabica coffee, prized for its smooth and relatively sweet flavor, now makes up 60% - 70% of the global coffee market and is brewed by brands such as Starbucks, Tim Horton's and Dunkin'. The rest is robusta, a stronger and more bitter coffee made from one of arabica's parents, Coffea canephora.
To piece together arabica coffee’s past, researchers studied genomes of C. canephora, another parent called Coffea eugenioides, and more than 30 different arabica plants, including a sample from the 1700s — courtesy of the Natural History Museum in London — that Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus used to name the plant.
The study was published Monday in the journal Nature Genetics. Researchers from Nestlé, which owns several coffee brands, contributed to the study.
The arabica plant’s population fluctuated over thousands of years before humans began cultivating it, flourishing during warm, wet periods and suffering through dry ones. These lean times created so-called population bottlenecks, when only a small number of genetically similar plants survived.
Today, that renders arabica coffee plants more vulnerable to diseases like coffee leaf rust, which cause billions of dollars in losses every year. The researchers explored the makeup of one arabica variety that is resistant to coffee leaf rust, highlighting sections of its genetic code that could help protect the plant.
The study clarifies how arabica came to be and spotlights clues that could help safeguard the crop, said Fabian Echeverria, an adviser for the Center for Coffee Research and Education at Texas A&M University who was not involved with the research.
Exploring arabica’s past and present could yield insight into keeping coffee plants healthy – and coffee cups full – for future early mornings.
The Health Benefits of Coffee
By Sabrina Stierwalt, PhD, Everyday Einstein April 29, 2019
How does drinking coffee help your body and your brain? Are there differences to the health benefits of coffee versus espresso? Let's discuss the science behind a good cup of joe.
Fifty-four percent of American adults are coffee drinkers with the average intake being at least three cups of coffee per day. As you can guess, this adds up: the US spends roughly $40 billion on coffee each year. But the US doesn’t even break the top 20 in a ranking of countries by coffee consumption per capita, coming in only at number 22. Coffee consumption proves highest in the land of the midnight sun: Finland and Norway rank #1 among the top coffee drinking countries in the world, although the Netherlands and Slovenia are not far behind.
There are over 21,000 Starbucks locations alone in the world (with about 12,000 of those being in the US) and our consumption continues to rise. Global demand is expected to increase by an extra 40-50 million bags of coffee over the next decade which is more than Brazil’s entire yearly production. With the current threats to coffee crops that come with climate change, the world could possibly face a severe coffee shortage.
So what has us all so hooked? Let’s discuss the science behind the making of a good cup of coffee as well as its potential health benefits.
The Science Behind a Good Cup of Joe
Coffee beans themselves have little to no taste at all. The flavor, the aroma of coffee: it all comes from the roasting process which releases a large number of chemicals from the tiny bean. In fact, the average cup of coffee contains more than 1,000 chemicals. To transfer those delicious chemicals to the hot water in our cup, we run water over those roasted beans. To increase our success, we both grind the beans to increase their surface area (and thus more exposure of those chemicals to the water) and heat the water since higher temperatures (and thus energies) speed up the removal of molecules from a solid.
Lucky for us coffee drinkers, smaller and more water soluble molecules like acids will get extracted first and those tend to be the tastier, less bitter flavors. Coffee drinkers are well aware that not every cup is created equal. I have rarely met a cup of coffee that I won’t drink (a little soy milk goes a long way) but I know others who won’t touch, say a gas station brew and insist upon espresso.
The difference lies not in the beans themselves but in the preparation. For espresso, the beans are very finely ground (almost to the texture of powdered sugar) and the brewing time is much shorter than for regular drip coffee. The way to decrease brewing time is to push the water through the ground coffee faster so espresso machines can reach up to 15 atmospheres of pressure to move a cup’s worth of water in less than 30 seconds.
Reasons to Drink Coffee
The practice of drinking coffee dates as far back as the 15th century. Although the growing the coffee plant likely originated in what is now Yemen, legend has it that the power of coffee was first realized by a goat herder in Ethiopia. The herder noticed that his goats became energized and had trouble sleeping after eating the beans.
Despite our long history with the brew, we are still discovering new additions to the list of benefits of drinking coffee. Here are ways drinking coffee helps your body and your brain:
1) Coffee lowers the risk of developing Parkinson’s disease: One study showed that drinking 4 to 5 cups of coffee a day cut the risk of developing Parkinson’s Disease in half (compared to drinking little or no caffeine). Another recent study found that drinking coffee actually lessened the effects of Parkinson’s among those who already had it.
2) Coffee offers protection from type 2 diabetes: A study tracking changes in caffeine intake (thus at some level controlling for individual lifestyles) found that those who decreased their coffee consumption by more than one cup per day simultaneously increased their risk of type 2 diabetes by 17%. Those who drink more than three cups of coffee per day reduce their chances by as much as 50%.
3) Coffee lowers rates of depression: A study of more than 50,000 women in the US found that, while all of the participants began the study free of depression, those who drank more than three cups of coffee per day were found to have a 20% lower risk of developing depression later. Studies including other sexes also found a decreased risk of depression but to a lesser degree (around 10% lower risk). Interestingly, other caffeinated beverages, like sodas, are more likely to increase depression rather than combat it.
4) Coffee is a great source of antioxidants: Antioxidants help our bodies combat cell damage. While fruits and vegetables are also great sources of antioxidants, studies show that our bodies may absorb them more readily from coffee.
5) Coffee lowers the risk of liver damage: Too much alcohol consumption damages the liver, and can eventually lead to liver cirrhosis and even liver failure. A study of over 125,000 people found that those who drank at least one cup of coffee per day were 20% less likely to develop liver disease.
6) Coffee protects against heart disease: Multiple studies have linked coffee consumption to both reduced risk of coronary heart disease and possibly a moderate reduction in the risk of stroke among women.
Among the nearly 70 different kinds of plants that produce coffee beans, the most popular are Coffea Arabica and Coffea Canephora Robusta. The Arabica beans tend to contain more of the chemicals associated with positive effects on the brain while the Robusta variety usually contain more caffeine and chemicals linked to lowered risks of heart disease and type 2 diabetes.
The Negative Effects of Coffee
So are there any downsides to drinking coffee? The bitter taste of coffee acts as a warning sign that too much coffee, a kind of alkaloid, is not a good thing. Many alkaloids are toxic, so that bitter taste is our body’s defense mechanism, warning our brain not to consume too much.
Current recommendations suggest not surpassing 400 milligrams of caffeine per day (about 3 to 5 cups of coffee, depending on your brew of choice). Too much coffee, and thus caffeine, can lead to anxiety, increased heart rate, and a lack of sleep.
The health benefits of coffee can also depend on what you are putting in your daily cup of joe. An 8 ounce cup of black coffee only contains about two calories but a tablespoon of cream will add another 50 calories. A 16-ounce Starbucks Peppermint White Chocolate Mocha with whipped cream clocks in at over 550 calories, so again, not all cups of coffee are created equal.
The sign hanging over the coffee machine in my office claims, “Coffee has a distinct smell that helps us forget how hard it is to be awake.” (And there actually might be some real science to back that claim.) Science seems to be telling us that we can drink up guilt free, but as with most things, moderation is likely key.
By Sabrina Stierwalt, PhD, Everyday Einstein April 29, 2019
How does drinking coffee help your body and your brain? Are there differences to the health benefits of coffee versus espresso? Let's discuss the science behind a good cup of joe.
Fifty-four percent of American adults are coffee drinkers with the average intake being at least three cups of coffee per day. As you can guess, this adds up: the US spends roughly $40 billion on coffee each year. But the US doesn’t even break the top 20 in a ranking of countries by coffee consumption per capita, coming in only at number 22. Coffee consumption proves highest in the land of the midnight sun: Finland and Norway rank #1 among the top coffee drinking countries in the world, although the Netherlands and Slovenia are not far behind.
There are over 21,000 Starbucks locations alone in the world (with about 12,000 of those being in the US) and our consumption continues to rise. Global demand is expected to increase by an extra 40-50 million bags of coffee over the next decade which is more than Brazil’s entire yearly production. With the current threats to coffee crops that come with climate change, the world could possibly face a severe coffee shortage.
So what has us all so hooked? Let’s discuss the science behind the making of a good cup of coffee as well as its potential health benefits.
The Science Behind a Good Cup of Joe
Coffee beans themselves have little to no taste at all. The flavor, the aroma of coffee: it all comes from the roasting process which releases a large number of chemicals from the tiny bean. In fact, the average cup of coffee contains more than 1,000 chemicals. To transfer those delicious chemicals to the hot water in our cup, we run water over those roasted beans. To increase our success, we both grind the beans to increase their surface area (and thus more exposure of those chemicals to the water) and heat the water since higher temperatures (and thus energies) speed up the removal of molecules from a solid.
Lucky for us coffee drinkers, smaller and more water soluble molecules like acids will get extracted first and those tend to be the tastier, less bitter flavors. Coffee drinkers are well aware that not every cup is created equal. I have rarely met a cup of coffee that I won’t drink (a little soy milk goes a long way) but I know others who won’t touch, say a gas station brew and insist upon espresso.
The difference lies not in the beans themselves but in the preparation. For espresso, the beans are very finely ground (almost to the texture of powdered sugar) and the brewing time is much shorter than for regular drip coffee. The way to decrease brewing time is to push the water through the ground coffee faster so espresso machines can reach up to 15 atmospheres of pressure to move a cup’s worth of water in less than 30 seconds.
Reasons to Drink Coffee
The practice of drinking coffee dates as far back as the 15th century. Although the growing the coffee plant likely originated in what is now Yemen, legend has it that the power of coffee was first realized by a goat herder in Ethiopia. The herder noticed that his goats became energized and had trouble sleeping after eating the beans.
Despite our long history with the brew, we are still discovering new additions to the list of benefits of drinking coffee. Here are ways drinking coffee helps your body and your brain:
1) Coffee lowers the risk of developing Parkinson’s disease: One study showed that drinking 4 to 5 cups of coffee a day cut the risk of developing Parkinson’s Disease in half (compared to drinking little or no caffeine). Another recent study found that drinking coffee actually lessened the effects of Parkinson’s among those who already had it.
2) Coffee offers protection from type 2 diabetes: A study tracking changes in caffeine intake (thus at some level controlling for individual lifestyles) found that those who decreased their coffee consumption by more than one cup per day simultaneously increased their risk of type 2 diabetes by 17%. Those who drink more than three cups of coffee per day reduce their chances by as much as 50%.
3) Coffee lowers rates of depression: A study of more than 50,000 women in the US found that, while all of the participants began the study free of depression, those who drank more than three cups of coffee per day were found to have a 20% lower risk of developing depression later. Studies including other sexes also found a decreased risk of depression but to a lesser degree (around 10% lower risk). Interestingly, other caffeinated beverages, like sodas, are more likely to increase depression rather than combat it.
4) Coffee is a great source of antioxidants: Antioxidants help our bodies combat cell damage. While fruits and vegetables are also great sources of antioxidants, studies show that our bodies may absorb them more readily from coffee.
5) Coffee lowers the risk of liver damage: Too much alcohol consumption damages the liver, and can eventually lead to liver cirrhosis and even liver failure. A study of over 125,000 people found that those who drank at least one cup of coffee per day were 20% less likely to develop liver disease.
6) Coffee protects against heart disease: Multiple studies have linked coffee consumption to both reduced risk of coronary heart disease and possibly a moderate reduction in the risk of stroke among women.
Among the nearly 70 different kinds of plants that produce coffee beans, the most popular are Coffea Arabica and Coffea Canephora Robusta. The Arabica beans tend to contain more of the chemicals associated with positive effects on the brain while the Robusta variety usually contain more caffeine and chemicals linked to lowered risks of heart disease and type 2 diabetes.
The Negative Effects of Coffee
So are there any downsides to drinking coffee? The bitter taste of coffee acts as a warning sign that too much coffee, a kind of alkaloid, is not a good thing. Many alkaloids are toxic, so that bitter taste is our body’s defense mechanism, warning our brain not to consume too much.
Current recommendations suggest not surpassing 400 milligrams of caffeine per day (about 3 to 5 cups of coffee, depending on your brew of choice). Too much coffee, and thus caffeine, can lead to anxiety, increased heart rate, and a lack of sleep.
The health benefits of coffee can also depend on what you are putting in your daily cup of joe. An 8 ounce cup of black coffee only contains about two calories but a tablespoon of cream will add another 50 calories. A 16-ounce Starbucks Peppermint White Chocolate Mocha with whipped cream clocks in at over 550 calories, so again, not all cups of coffee are created equal.
The sign hanging over the coffee machine in my office claims, “Coffee has a distinct smell that helps us forget how hard it is to be awake.” (And there actually might be some real science to back that claim.) Science seems to be telling us that we can drink up guilt free, but as with most things, moderation is likely key.
Increasing daily coffee consumption may protect against type 2 diabetes
By Loren Grush April 25, 2014
Coffee: The antioxidant-filled beverage is adding another benefit to its ever-growing roster.
A new study published in the journal Diabetologia has revealed that increasing your daily consumption of coffee may help protect against diabetes. According to the researchers, individuals who increased their daily coffee intake by more than one cup over a four-year period had an 11 percent lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
The findings further strengthen previous research linking coffee consumption with a reduced diabetes risk.
“The link between coffee consumption and type 2 diabetes is pretty well established,” lead author Shilpa Bhupathiraju, research fellow in the department of nutrition at Harvard School of Public Health, told FoxNews.com. “What we don’t know is what happens when people change their consumption. That’s never been studied, but that reflects people changing their diet in real life.”
For their research, Bhupathiraju and her team utilized data from three large cohorts: 48,464 women in the Brigham and Women’s Hospital-based Nurses’ Health Study (1986 – 2006); 47,510 women in the Nurses’ Health Study II (1991 – 2007); and 27,759 men in the Health Professionals Follow-up Study (1986 – 2007). For all the groups, diet was assessed every four years, while medical and lifestyle changes were reported every two years. Over the study periods, 7,269 people developed type 2 diabetes.
The researchers found that changing coffee consumption – either increasing it or lowering it – had an impact on the risk for diabetes.
“Compared to people who made no changes to coffee consumption habits over a four-year period, those who increased coffee by more than a cup each day had an 11 percent lower risk of type 2 diabetes,” Bhupathiraju said. “Those who decreased coffee consumption by more than cup had a 17 percent higher risk of type 2 diabetes.”
Additionally, the researchers examined the risks and benefits associated with drinking decaffeinated coffee and certain types of tea – in order to better determine if caffeine played an important role. Overall, they didn’t see any association between diabetes risk and these types of beverages, but Bhupathiraju explained that few people in the study made changes to their decaf or tea consumption, making the numbers too low to analyze.
As for why caffeinated coffee may have this protective health effect, Bhupathiraju said the morning drink holds a number of beneficial compounds, which may play important roles in both metabolism and cardiovascular health.
“Coffee has a lot of bioactive compounds and phenolic compounds, such as chlorogenic acid. Chlorogenic acid improves glucose metabolism in animal models that have been studied," she said. Coffee also has other compounds like lignans, and it’s also a source of magnesium, which is associated with a lower risk of type 2 diabetes. So the biology is definitely there,” she said.
However, coffee isn’t without its critics. Although recent research has pointed to many of the drink’s health benefits, other studies have also found some downsides associated with the beverage – with one study linking heavy coffee consumption with a higher risk of early death.
Bhupathiraju said coffee isn’t a miracle “drug” by any means, and it’s important not to drink too much of it.
“With respect to chronic disease, there’s been consistent evidence that, up to six cups a day, it’s associated with a lower risk of type 2 diabetes. The evidence is pretty solid,” Bhupathiraju said. “For cardiovascular disease, you see a U-shaped association. So there’s no association at the lower end or higher end, but you see a protective effect in the middle. So three cups a day, you see a lower risk.”
And of course, the best way of reducing your risk of diabetes is through proper nutrition and exercise, she said.
“It’s so important to maintain a healthy body weight and follow a healthy lifestyle,” Bhupathiraju said. “In this context, moderate coffee consumption is associated with lower chronic disease.”
By Loren Grush April 25, 2014
Coffee: The antioxidant-filled beverage is adding another benefit to its ever-growing roster.
A new study published in the journal Diabetologia has revealed that increasing your daily consumption of coffee may help protect against diabetes. According to the researchers, individuals who increased their daily coffee intake by more than one cup over a four-year period had an 11 percent lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
The findings further strengthen previous research linking coffee consumption with a reduced diabetes risk.
“The link between coffee consumption and type 2 diabetes is pretty well established,” lead author Shilpa Bhupathiraju, research fellow in the department of nutrition at Harvard School of Public Health, told FoxNews.com. “What we don’t know is what happens when people change their consumption. That’s never been studied, but that reflects people changing their diet in real life.”
For their research, Bhupathiraju and her team utilized data from three large cohorts: 48,464 women in the Brigham and Women’s Hospital-based Nurses’ Health Study (1986 – 2006); 47,510 women in the Nurses’ Health Study II (1991 – 2007); and 27,759 men in the Health Professionals Follow-up Study (1986 – 2007). For all the groups, diet was assessed every four years, while medical and lifestyle changes were reported every two years. Over the study periods, 7,269 people developed type 2 diabetes.
The researchers found that changing coffee consumption – either increasing it or lowering it – had an impact on the risk for diabetes.
“Compared to people who made no changes to coffee consumption habits over a four-year period, those who increased coffee by more than a cup each day had an 11 percent lower risk of type 2 diabetes,” Bhupathiraju said. “Those who decreased coffee consumption by more than cup had a 17 percent higher risk of type 2 diabetes.”
Additionally, the researchers examined the risks and benefits associated with drinking decaffeinated coffee and certain types of tea – in order to better determine if caffeine played an important role. Overall, they didn’t see any association between diabetes risk and these types of beverages, but Bhupathiraju explained that few people in the study made changes to their decaf or tea consumption, making the numbers too low to analyze.
As for why caffeinated coffee may have this protective health effect, Bhupathiraju said the morning drink holds a number of beneficial compounds, which may play important roles in both metabolism and cardiovascular health.
“Coffee has a lot of bioactive compounds and phenolic compounds, such as chlorogenic acid. Chlorogenic acid improves glucose metabolism in animal models that have been studied," she said. Coffee also has other compounds like lignans, and it’s also a source of magnesium, which is associated with a lower risk of type 2 diabetes. So the biology is definitely there,” she said.
However, coffee isn’t without its critics. Although recent research has pointed to many of the drink’s health benefits, other studies have also found some downsides associated with the beverage – with one study linking heavy coffee consumption with a higher risk of early death.
Bhupathiraju said coffee isn’t a miracle “drug” by any means, and it’s important not to drink too much of it.
“With respect to chronic disease, there’s been consistent evidence that, up to six cups a day, it’s associated with a lower risk of type 2 diabetes. The evidence is pretty solid,” Bhupathiraju said. “For cardiovascular disease, you see a U-shaped association. So there’s no association at the lower end or higher end, but you see a protective effect in the middle. So three cups a day, you see a lower risk.”
And of course, the best way of reducing your risk of diabetes is through proper nutrition and exercise, she said.
“It’s so important to maintain a healthy body weight and follow a healthy lifestyle,” Bhupathiraju said. “In this context, moderate coffee consumption is associated with lower chronic disease.”
Top 13 Evidence-Based Health Benefits of Coffee
November 25, 2013 by Kris Gunnars
Coffee is actually very healthy.
It is loaded with antioxidants and beneficial nutrients that can improve your health.
The studies show that coffee drinkers have a much lower risk of several serious diseases.
Here are the top 13 evidence-based health benefits of coffee, that have been confirmed in actual human studies.
1. Coffee Can Improve Energy Levels and Make You Smarter
Coffee can help people feel less tired and increase energy levels (1, 2).
This is because it contains a stimulant called caffeine, which is actually the most commonly consumed psychoactive substance in the world (3).
After you drink coffee, the caffeine is absorbed into the bloodstream. From there, it travels into the brain (4).
In the brain, caffeine blocks an inhibitory neurotransmitter called Adenosine.
When that happens, the amount of other neurotransmitters like norepinephrine and dopamine actually increases, leading to enhanced firing of neurons (5, 6).
Many controlled trials in humans show that coffee improves various aspects of brain function. This includes memory, mood, vigilance, energy levels, reaction times and general cognitive function (7, 8, 9).
Bottom Line: Caffeine blocks an inhibitory neurotransmitter in the brain, which leads to a stimulant effect. This improves energy levels, mood and various aspects of brain function.
2. Coffee Can Help You Burn Fat
Did you know that caffeine is found in almost every commercial fat burning supplement?
There’s a good reason for that… caffeine is one of the very few natural substances that have actually been proven to aid fat burning.
Several studies show that caffeine can boost the metabolic rate by 3-11% (10, 11).
Other studies show that caffeine can specifically increase the burning of fat, by as much as 10% in obese individuals and 29% in lean people (12, 13).
However, it is possible that these effects will diminish in long-term coffee drinkers.
Bottom Line: Several studies show that caffeine can increase fat burning in the body and boost the metabolic rate.
November 25, 2013 by Kris Gunnars
Coffee is actually very healthy.
It is loaded with antioxidants and beneficial nutrients that can improve your health.
The studies show that coffee drinkers have a much lower risk of several serious diseases.
Here are the top 13 evidence-based health benefits of coffee, that have been confirmed in actual human studies.
1. Coffee Can Improve Energy Levels and Make You Smarter
Coffee can help people feel less tired and increase energy levels (1, 2).
This is because it contains a stimulant called caffeine, which is actually the most commonly consumed psychoactive substance in the world (3).
After you drink coffee, the caffeine is absorbed into the bloodstream. From there, it travels into the brain (4).
In the brain, caffeine blocks an inhibitory neurotransmitter called Adenosine.
When that happens, the amount of other neurotransmitters like norepinephrine and dopamine actually increases, leading to enhanced firing of neurons (5, 6).
Many controlled trials in humans show that coffee improves various aspects of brain function. This includes memory, mood, vigilance, energy levels, reaction times and general cognitive function (7, 8, 9).
Bottom Line: Caffeine blocks an inhibitory neurotransmitter in the brain, which leads to a stimulant effect. This improves energy levels, mood and various aspects of brain function.
2. Coffee Can Help You Burn Fat
Did you know that caffeine is found in almost every commercial fat burning supplement?
There’s a good reason for that… caffeine is one of the very few natural substances that have actually been proven to aid fat burning.
Several studies show that caffeine can boost the metabolic rate by 3-11% (10, 11).
Other studies show that caffeine can specifically increase the burning of fat, by as much as 10% in obese individuals and 29% in lean people (12, 13).
However, it is possible that these effects will diminish in long-term coffee drinkers.
Bottom Line: Several studies show that caffeine can increase fat burning in the body and boost the metabolic rate.
3. The Caffeine Can Drastically Improve Physical Performance
Caffeine stimulates the nervous system, causing it to send signals to the fat cells to break down body fat (14, 15).
But caffeine also increases Epinephrine (Adrenaline) levels in the blood (16, 17).
This is the “fight or flight” hormone, designed to make our bodies ready for intense physical exertion.
Caffeine makes the fat cells break down body fat, releasing them into the blood as free fatty acids and making them available as fuel (18, 19).
Given these effects, it is not surprising to see that caffeine can improve physical performance by 11-12%, on average (20, 21).
Because of this, it makes sense to have a strong cup of coffee about a half an hour before you head to the gym.
Bottom Line: Caffeine can increase adrenaline levels and release fatty acids from the fat tissues. It also leads to significant improvements in physical performance.
4. There Are Essential Nutrients in Coffee
Coffee is more than just black water. Many of the nutrients in the coffee beans do make it into the final drink.
A single cup of coffee contains (22):
· Riboflavin (Vitamin B2): 11% of the RDA.
· Pantothenic Acid (Vitamin B5): 6% of the RDA.
· Manganese and Potassium: 3% of the RDA.
· Magnesium and Niacin (B3): 2% of the RDA.
Although this may not seem like a big deal, most people are drinking more than one cup per day. If you drink 3-4, then these amounts quickly add up.
Bottom Line: Coffee contains several important nutrients, including Riboflavin, Pantothenic Acid, Manganese, Potassium, Magnesium and Niacin.
5. Coffee May Lower Your Risk of Type II Diabetes
Type 2 diabetes is a gigantic health problem, currently afflicting about 300 million people worldwide.
It is characterized by elevated blood sugars in the context of insulin resistance or an inability to secrete insulin.
For some reason, coffee drinkers have a significantly reduced risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
The studies show that people who drink the most coffee have a 23-50% lower risk of getting this disease, one study showing a reduction as high as 67% (23, 24, 25, 26, 27).
According to a massive review that looked at data from 18 studies with a total of 457,922 individuals, each daily cup of coffee was associated with a 7% reduced risk of developing type 2 diabetes (28).
Bottom Line: Several observational studies show that coffee drinkers have a much lower risk of getting type II diabetes, a serious disease that currently afflicts about 300 million people worldwide.
6. Coffee May Protect You From Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia
Alzheimer’s disease is the most common neurodegenerative disease and the leading cause of dementia worldwide.
This disease usually affects people over 65 years of age.
Unfortunately, there is no known cure for Alzheimer’s.
However, there are several things you can do to prevent the disease from showing up in the first place.
This includes the usual suspects like eating healthy and exercising, but drinking coffee may be incredibly effective as well.
Several studies show that coffee drinkers have up to a 65% lower risk of getting Alzheimer’s disease (29, 30, 31).
Bottom Line: Coffee drinkers have a much lower risk of getting Alzheimer’s disease, which is a leading cause of dementia worldwide.
7. Caffeine May Lower The Risk of Parkinson’s
Parkinson’s disease is the second most common neurodegenerative disease, right after Alzheimer’s.
It is caused by death of dopamine-generating neurons in the brain.
Same as with Alzheimer’s, there is no known cure, which makes it that much more important to focus on prevention.
In studies, coffee drinkers have a much lower risk of developing Parkinson’s disease, with a reduction in risk ranging from 32-60% (32, 33, 34, 35).
In this case, it appears to be the caffeine itself that is causing the effect. People who drink decaf don’t have a lower risk of Parkinson’s (36, 37).
Bottom Line: Coffee drinkers have up to a 60% lower risk of getting Parkinson’s disease, the second most common neurodegenerative disorder.
8. Coffee Appears to Have Protective Effects on The Liver
The liver is an amazing organ that carries out hundreds of important functions in the body.
Several common diseases primarily affect the liver, including hepatitis, fatty liver disease and others.
Many of these diseases can lead to a condition called cirrhosis, in which the liver has been largely replaced by scar tissue.
It turns out that coffee may protect against cirrhosis. People who drink 4 or more cups per day have up to an 80% lower risk (38, 39, 40).
Bottom Line: Coffee drinkers have a much lower risk of developing cirrhosis, which can be caused by several diseases that affect the liver.
9. Coffee Can Fight Depression and Make You Happier
Depression is a serious mental disorder that causes a significantly reduced quality of life.
It is incredibly common and about 4.1% of people in the U.S. currently meet the criteria for clinical depression (41).
In a Harvard study published in 2011, women who drank 4 or more cups per day had a 20% lower risk of becoming depressed (42).
Another study with 208,424 individuals found that those who drank 4 or more cups per day were 53% less likely to commit suicide (43).
Bottom Line: Coffee appears to lower the risk of developing depression and may dramatically reduce the risk of suicide.
10. Coffee Drinkers Have a Lower Risk of Some Types of Cancer
Cancer is one of the world’s leading causes of death and is characterized by uncontrolled growth of cells in the body.
Coffee appears to be protective against two types of cancer… liver cancer and colorectal cancer.
Liver cancer is the third leading cause of cancer death in the world, while colorectal cancer ranks fourth (44).
Studies show that coffee drinkers have up to a 40% lower risk of liver cancer (45, 46).
One study of 489,706 individuals found that those who drank 4-5 cups of coffee per day had a 15% lower risk of colorectal cancer (47).
Bottom Line: Liver and colorectal cancer are the 3rd and 4th leading causes of cancer death worldwide. Coffee drinkers have a lower risk of both.
11. Coffee Does Not Cause Heart Disease and May Lower The Risk of Stroke
It is often claimed that caffeine can increase blood pressure.
This is true, but the effect is small (3-4 mm/Hg) and usually goes away if you drink coffee regularly (48, 49).
However, the effect may persist in some people, so keep that in mind if you have elevated blood pressure (50, 51).
That being said, the studies do NOT support the myth that coffee raises the risk of heart disease (52, 53).
In fact, there is some evidence that women who drink coffee have a reduced risk of heart disease (54).
Some studies also show that coffee drinkers have a 20% lower risk of stroke (55, 56).
Bottom Line: Coffee may cause mild increases in blood pressure, which usually diminish over time. Coffee drinkers do not have an increased risk of heart disease, but a slightly lower risk of stroke.
12. Coffee May Help You Live Longer
Given that coffee drinkers are less likely to get many diseases, it makes sense that coffee could help you live longer.
There are actually several observational studies showing that coffee drinkers have a lower risk of death.
In two very large studies, drinking coffee was associated with a 20% lower risk of death in men and a 26% lower risk of death in women, over a period of 18-24 years (57).
This effect appears to be particularly strong in type II diabetics. In one study, diabetics who drank coffee had a 30% lower risk of death during a 20 year study period (58).
Bottom Line: Several studies show that coffee drinkers live longer and have a lower risk of premature death.
13. Coffee is The Biggest Source of Antioxidants in The Western Diet
For people who eat a standard Western diet, coffee may actually be the healthiest aspect of the diet.
That’s because coffee contains a massive amount of antioxidants.
In fact, studies show that most people get more antioxidants from coffee than both fruits and vegetables… combined (59, 60, 61).
Bottom Line: Coffee is one of the healthiest beverages on the planet.
Please see published article for footnotes: authoritynutrition.com/top-13-evidence-based-health-benefits-of-coffee
Caffeine stimulates the nervous system, causing it to send signals to the fat cells to break down body fat (14, 15).
But caffeine also increases Epinephrine (Adrenaline) levels in the blood (16, 17).
This is the “fight or flight” hormone, designed to make our bodies ready for intense physical exertion.
Caffeine makes the fat cells break down body fat, releasing them into the blood as free fatty acids and making them available as fuel (18, 19).
Given these effects, it is not surprising to see that caffeine can improve physical performance by 11-12%, on average (20, 21).
Because of this, it makes sense to have a strong cup of coffee about a half an hour before you head to the gym.
Bottom Line: Caffeine can increase adrenaline levels and release fatty acids from the fat tissues. It also leads to significant improvements in physical performance.
4. There Are Essential Nutrients in Coffee
Coffee is more than just black water. Many of the nutrients in the coffee beans do make it into the final drink.
A single cup of coffee contains (22):
· Riboflavin (Vitamin B2): 11% of the RDA.
· Pantothenic Acid (Vitamin B5): 6% of the RDA.
· Manganese and Potassium: 3% of the RDA.
· Magnesium and Niacin (B3): 2% of the RDA.
Although this may not seem like a big deal, most people are drinking more than one cup per day. If you drink 3-4, then these amounts quickly add up.
Bottom Line: Coffee contains several important nutrients, including Riboflavin, Pantothenic Acid, Manganese, Potassium, Magnesium and Niacin.
5. Coffee May Lower Your Risk of Type II Diabetes
Type 2 diabetes is a gigantic health problem, currently afflicting about 300 million people worldwide.
It is characterized by elevated blood sugars in the context of insulin resistance or an inability to secrete insulin.
For some reason, coffee drinkers have a significantly reduced risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
The studies show that people who drink the most coffee have a 23-50% lower risk of getting this disease, one study showing a reduction as high as 67% (23, 24, 25, 26, 27).
According to a massive review that looked at data from 18 studies with a total of 457,922 individuals, each daily cup of coffee was associated with a 7% reduced risk of developing type 2 diabetes (28).
Bottom Line: Several observational studies show that coffee drinkers have a much lower risk of getting type II diabetes, a serious disease that currently afflicts about 300 million people worldwide.
6. Coffee May Protect You From Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia
Alzheimer’s disease is the most common neurodegenerative disease and the leading cause of dementia worldwide.
This disease usually affects people over 65 years of age.
Unfortunately, there is no known cure for Alzheimer’s.
However, there are several things you can do to prevent the disease from showing up in the first place.
This includes the usual suspects like eating healthy and exercising, but drinking coffee may be incredibly effective as well.
Several studies show that coffee drinkers have up to a 65% lower risk of getting Alzheimer’s disease (29, 30, 31).
Bottom Line: Coffee drinkers have a much lower risk of getting Alzheimer’s disease, which is a leading cause of dementia worldwide.
7. Caffeine May Lower The Risk of Parkinson’s
Parkinson’s disease is the second most common neurodegenerative disease, right after Alzheimer’s.
It is caused by death of dopamine-generating neurons in the brain.
Same as with Alzheimer’s, there is no known cure, which makes it that much more important to focus on prevention.
In studies, coffee drinkers have a much lower risk of developing Parkinson’s disease, with a reduction in risk ranging from 32-60% (32, 33, 34, 35).
In this case, it appears to be the caffeine itself that is causing the effect. People who drink decaf don’t have a lower risk of Parkinson’s (36, 37).
Bottom Line: Coffee drinkers have up to a 60% lower risk of getting Parkinson’s disease, the second most common neurodegenerative disorder.
8. Coffee Appears to Have Protective Effects on The Liver
The liver is an amazing organ that carries out hundreds of important functions in the body.
Several common diseases primarily affect the liver, including hepatitis, fatty liver disease and others.
Many of these diseases can lead to a condition called cirrhosis, in which the liver has been largely replaced by scar tissue.
It turns out that coffee may protect against cirrhosis. People who drink 4 or more cups per day have up to an 80% lower risk (38, 39, 40).
Bottom Line: Coffee drinkers have a much lower risk of developing cirrhosis, which can be caused by several diseases that affect the liver.
9. Coffee Can Fight Depression and Make You Happier
Depression is a serious mental disorder that causes a significantly reduced quality of life.
It is incredibly common and about 4.1% of people in the U.S. currently meet the criteria for clinical depression (41).
In a Harvard study published in 2011, women who drank 4 or more cups per day had a 20% lower risk of becoming depressed (42).
Another study with 208,424 individuals found that those who drank 4 or more cups per day were 53% less likely to commit suicide (43).
Bottom Line: Coffee appears to lower the risk of developing depression and may dramatically reduce the risk of suicide.
10. Coffee Drinkers Have a Lower Risk of Some Types of Cancer
Cancer is one of the world’s leading causes of death and is characterized by uncontrolled growth of cells in the body.
Coffee appears to be protective against two types of cancer… liver cancer and colorectal cancer.
Liver cancer is the third leading cause of cancer death in the world, while colorectal cancer ranks fourth (44).
Studies show that coffee drinkers have up to a 40% lower risk of liver cancer (45, 46).
One study of 489,706 individuals found that those who drank 4-5 cups of coffee per day had a 15% lower risk of colorectal cancer (47).
Bottom Line: Liver and colorectal cancer are the 3rd and 4th leading causes of cancer death worldwide. Coffee drinkers have a lower risk of both.
11. Coffee Does Not Cause Heart Disease and May Lower The Risk of Stroke
It is often claimed that caffeine can increase blood pressure.
This is true, but the effect is small (3-4 mm/Hg) and usually goes away if you drink coffee regularly (48, 49).
However, the effect may persist in some people, so keep that in mind if you have elevated blood pressure (50, 51).
That being said, the studies do NOT support the myth that coffee raises the risk of heart disease (52, 53).
In fact, there is some evidence that women who drink coffee have a reduced risk of heart disease (54).
Some studies also show that coffee drinkers have a 20% lower risk of stroke (55, 56).
Bottom Line: Coffee may cause mild increases in blood pressure, which usually diminish over time. Coffee drinkers do not have an increased risk of heart disease, but a slightly lower risk of stroke.
12. Coffee May Help You Live Longer
Given that coffee drinkers are less likely to get many diseases, it makes sense that coffee could help you live longer.
There are actually several observational studies showing that coffee drinkers have a lower risk of death.
In two very large studies, drinking coffee was associated with a 20% lower risk of death in men and a 26% lower risk of death in women, over a period of 18-24 years (57).
This effect appears to be particularly strong in type II diabetics. In one study, diabetics who drank coffee had a 30% lower risk of death during a 20 year study period (58).
Bottom Line: Several studies show that coffee drinkers live longer and have a lower risk of premature death.
13. Coffee is The Biggest Source of Antioxidants in The Western Diet
For people who eat a standard Western diet, coffee may actually be the healthiest aspect of the diet.
That’s because coffee contains a massive amount of antioxidants.
In fact, studies show that most people get more antioxidants from coffee than both fruits and vegetables… combined (59, 60, 61).
Bottom Line: Coffee is one of the healthiest beverages on the planet.
Please see published article for footnotes: authoritynutrition.com/top-13-evidence-based-health-benefits-of-coffee
Coffee helps prevent diabetes, now scientists learn why
By Marni Jameson, Orlando Sentinel; January 16, 2012
Scientists have long known that coffee drinkers have a lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes, but researchers out of China may have figured out why.
Researchers Ling Zheng, of Wuhan University, and Kun Huang, of Huazhong University of Science and Technology, have found that compounds in coffee inhibit hIAPP (human islet amyloid polypeptide), a substance linked to diabetes. Their study appeared in a recent issue of the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.
Prior global epidemiological studies have shown that those who drink four or more cups of coffee a day have a 50 percent lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes, the most prevalent type of diabetes accounting for 95 percent of all cases. Every additional cup reduces the risk by an additional 7 percent.
Scientists looking for ways to prevent diabetes have been investigating ways to block hIAPP, which is present in high levels in the pancreases of those with the disease. Zheng and Huang decided to study whether coffee was doing that.
They analyzed the effects of the major active compounds in coffee, including caffeic acid and caffeine, on hIAPP, and found it inhibited hIAPP significantly. "These findings suggest that the beneficial effects of coffee consumption on type 2 diabetes may be partly due to the ability of major coffee components to inhibit the toxic aggression of hIAPP," the authors concluded.
"A beneficial effect may thus be expected in regular coffee drinkers," they said.
Scientists have long known that coffee drinkers have a lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes, but researchers out of China may have figured out why.
Researchers Ling Zheng, of Wuhan University, and Kun Huang, of Huazhong University of Science and Technology, have found that compounds in coffee inhibit hIAPP (human islet amyloid polypeptide), a substance linked to diabetes. Their study appeared in a recent issue of the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.
Prior global epidemiological studies have shown that those who drink four or more cups of coffee a day have a 50 percent lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes, the most prevalent type of diabetes accounting for 95 percent of all cases. Every additional cup reduces the risk by an additional 7 percent.
Scientists looking for ways to prevent diabetes have been investigating ways to block hIAPP, which is present in high levels in the pancreases of those with the disease. Zheng and Huang decided to study whether coffee was doing that.
They analyzed the effects of the major active compounds in coffee, including caffeic acid and caffeine, on hIAPP, and found it inhibited hIAPP significantly. "These findings suggest that the beneficial effects of coffee consumption on type 2 diabetes may be partly due to the ability of major coffee components to inhibit the toxic aggression of hIAPP," the authors concluded.
"A beneficial effect may thus be expected in regular coffee drinkers," they said.
