Coffee is a beloved beverage known for its ability to fine-tune your focus and boost your energy levels.
In fact, many people depend on their daily cup of joe right when they wake up to get their day started on the right foot.
Introduction
I love coffee. I love the smell, the taste, and most importantly, how it makes me feel when I drink it. But coffee isn't just delicious—it's also good for you! (You were probably expecting that.) And since coffee is such a big part of my life, I want everyone to be able to enjoy its benefits. So here are some science-backed reasons why you should drink more coffee:
It's energizing.
The caffeine in coffee is a stimulant, meaning it increases alertness and energy. It does this by blocking the effects of adenosine, a neurotransmitter that makes you feel tired and sleepy. The result? More alertness for you!
While too much caffeine can cause jitters and irritability, moderate amounts—about 300 milligrams—can help keep you focused during your day without making you wired or unable to sleep at night. But remember: The effects of caffeine are different for everyone, so start small (like one cup) before ramping up your intake if you're not sure how much is right for you. And remember: Caffeine works best when paired with regular exercise and good sleep habits; don't expect it to be an excuse not to get out there!
It may help you lose weight.
You may be surprised to learn that coffee can actually help you lose weight. This isn't just a product of your imagination: there's research to back up the idea. For example, one study found that drinking four cups of black coffee daily led to a significant increase in participants' metabolisms and fat oxidation (the breakdown of body fat). The researchers concluded that regularly consuming caffeine-containing beverages, like coffee or tea, could potentially result in lower body mass index (BMI) scores and less abdominal fat over time.
Another study found that adding decaffeinated green tea extract into your diet can aid in weight loss as well! Researchers discovered that this ingredient caused people's bodies to burn more calories[8], which means it could help eliminate some extra calories from their diets
It might be good for your liver.
You may have heard that coffee can be bad for your liver, but that's not true. In fact, research suggests that drinking coffee is actually good for the liver.
One study found that drinking a cup of coffee per day could lower your risk of developing nonalcoholic fatty liver disease by 25%. In another study, participants who regularly drank three or four cups per day had a 50% lower risk of death from liver disease than those who didn't drink any coffee at all.
There are several reasons why this might be true:
- Coffee helps break down acetaldehyde, a toxic chemical produced when alcohol is metabolized in the body and linked to liver damage; it also prevents alcohol from damaging cells' DNA.* Coffee helps break down medications in your body so they can work better.* It helps break down toxins in our bodies and remove them more efficiently.* It helps reduce insulin resistance—the process whereby sugar builds up in the bloodstream instead of being used as energy by our bodies—which may reduce fat storage around the midsection (aka belly fat).* And lastly, it increases calorie burning!
It could help you live longer.
Coffee could help you live longer.
A study published in the Journal of Internal Medicine in January 2016 found that coffee drinkers were less likely to die over a six-year period than people who didn't drink coffee or drank decaf. The researchers examined data from more than 400,000 adults aged 50 and older and found that those who consumed three to five cups of coffee each day had a lower risk of death over the course of the study. The effect was most dramatic for women, who reduced their risk of death by 12 percent if they consumed at least four cups per day, compared with non-drinkers—and by 17 percent if they were heavy drinkers (five or more), according to an editorial accompanying the study.
It can lower your risk of type 2 diabetes.
Coffee is not only a source of antioxidants, but it may also help improve insulin sensitivity. A study in the journal Diabetes Care found that drinking coffee can reduce blood sugar levels and even lower your risk of type 2 diabetes.
In addition, coffee boosts the metabolism by increasing adrenaline and noradrenaline levels in the body. These two hormones increase fat oxidation (the breakdown of fat into energy), which can help you lose weight if you drink coffee regularly and exercise regularly.
It may help protect against skin cancer.
Coffee is a source of antioxidants and a fantastic way to get them in your diet. Antioxidants help prevent cell damage that can lead to cancer,
There’s also some evidence that drinking coffee can help protect against skin cancer. And if you get sunburned, drinking coffee afterward may help ease the pain and reduce redness. Coffee isn’t just good for your insides—it can also be beneficial for your outsides too!
Coffee contains caffeine and other compounds such as lignin, which have been shown to protect against UV light-induced oxidative stress (i.e., sun damage). Even better: Studies show that caffeinated coffee can actually improve skin elasticity!
Coffee is great, drink more of it!
The benefits of coffee are myriad and well-documented. It's good for your heart, it promotes muscle growth and fat burning, it lowers the risk of diabetes, it can reduce depression, and it even helps you live longer! So why not drink more coffee? That way you'll be healthier and happier than ever before.
And don't worry if you don't like the taste of black coffee—you can always add milk or sugar to make it sweeter if necessary.
Conclusion
It’s time to throw away every excuse you have for not drinking coffee. As we have seen here, the health benefits of this tasty little brew are so numerous that it would be irresponsible not to drink more of it. And if you still need convincing? It tastes great!
