The Benefits of Coffee for our Health
As an active coffee lover in the, “I only need coffee on days ending with Y’’ club, for me, coffee does my daily productivity a justice. However, how can we really trust whether our coffee consumption can benefit our health? Brought to you through trusted research and studies, I have gathered three benefits for your health offered by the magical coffee bean.
Lowers the risk of liver disease.
What would you think, If I told you that drinking moderate amounts of coffee may contribute to reducing the risk of liver disease? The words of a coffee lover, where’s the evidence? An estimate of 6% of the EU’S population suffers from liver diseases. This is approximately 29 million people within the EU. As the body’s largest internal organ, breaking down our food, making enzymes and proteins, performing over 500 other functions for our body and essential to life, the liver combats a vast amount of infections to our bodies during our lifetime. The British Liver Trust has recently released a study with evidence leading researchers to the opinion that a moderate amount of coffee consumption can contribute to preventing liver disease. During their research, they found that patients experienced a positive correlation between higher coffee consumption and a slower progression and a milder course of fibrosis. So, whilst the evidence is there to form your own opinion… I’m off to get a coffee for the rest of this coffee talk!
Improves mental and physical performance.
As a well-known statement, coffee is perfect for an energy boost due to its ingredient, caffeine. Whilst this isn’t anything new to us… how does it work? Travelling directly through the bloodstream to the brain, caffeine blocks some of the Adenosine neurotransmitter allowing a higher percentage of the norepinephrine and dopamine level in the brain. It has been proven to increase the cognitive activity in our brains and enhance certain functions such as our mood, our reaction time, and our memory. As well as increasing the level of the Epinephrine neurotransmitter in our brain which is otherwise known as our ‘fight or flight’ hormone preparing us for intense physical activity, caffeine breaks down fat cells to create fatty acids within our bloodstream as a source of energy.
Say hello to happiness.
Protect your body from harmful molecules called free radicals. Found in coffee, antioxidants have been proven to help prevent medical conditions such as Alzheimer’s, heart diseases, and cognitive disorders. Though it is unclear how, studies have shown that caffeine can enhance our happiness by altering the brain’s chemistry. Coffee also contains chlorogenic acid, ferulic acid, and caffeic acid. These acids can reduce the inflammation of nerve cells that takes place in the brain of people who are experiencing a lower mood. Having a further insight into the benefits coffee offers our physical and mental well being, I’ll leave you with a quote which is in my opinion, one of the best benefits that a cup of coffee offers.
Whilst to some it may remain a cup of coffee, to others, it’s a pause in our day to connect people and create a community.