1. Coffee wakes you up.
This is the number one reason why we drink coffee in the morning.
Coffee contains caffeine, which is absorbed into the bloodstream and travels to the brain.
Caffeine blocks an inhibitory neurotransmitter which leads to a stimulant effect.
2. Coffee improves your focus.
Caffeine is a stimulant that can also make you feel more alert and focused, so it provides you the need when feeling unfocused. A study published in the research journal, Psychopharmacology, aimed to establish that even at a low dose, coffee can keep drivers more alert and awake during prolonged highway driving. One cup of coffee with 80 mg of caffeine can be enough to help drivers stay awake behind the wheel.
The study was concluded with simulated highway driving and was based on driving performance by those who drank caffeinated and decaffeinated drinks. The results showed better performance and found that sleepiness was reduced among those who drank caffeinated coffee.
So, if you're embarking on a road trip or doing some night driving, drink up before heading out!
3. Coffee helps relieve headaches.
Caffeine can also block certain receptors in your body that can cause you to have a headache or a migraine. Coffee is a key active ingredient in many headache medications (e.g., AnacinTM, CompoundTM, Darvon, ExcedrinTM, FioricetTM, MigranalTM, and MidolTM)
It is believed to boost the effectiveness of pain relievers against headaches by 40 percent. It also helps the body absorb headache medications more quickly. Drinking coffee regularly ensures you have enough caffeine in your system to avoid having a headache or migraine.
However, coffee should be consumed in moderation. Excessive consumption could lead to dependency, resulting to decreased effectiveness in relieving headaches and migraines.
4. Coffee makes you smarter.
Coffee is currently the most widely consumed psycho-active substance in the world. Psycho-active substances have an effect on one's mind and behavior. Some have a negative effect, while some have a positive effect. Coffee affects the brain positively.
According to a study, the caffeine in coffee an block the effects of the inhibitory neuro-transmitter, adenosine, and thereby increase neuronal firing in the brain, release neurotransmitters (e.g., dopamine and norepinephrine), and improve cognitive functions.
5. Coffee is full of essential nutrients.
Coffee isn't just a large source of caffeine. It's packed with several other other vitamins and minerals you need daily to remain healthy. A single cup of coffee contains these essential nutrients.
- 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
Thus, drinking coffee will give you a boost in some essential nutrients.
6. Coffee is a large source of antioxidants.
Antioxidants are natural occurring substances that can help you avoid or delay damage to your cells. They do so by preventing free radicals from developing in your body. Drinking coffee on a regular basis provides a large boost in antioxidants to fight off free radicals. Indeed, coffee is rich in antioxidants. In fact, an average adult gains 1,299 mg of antioxidants a day by way of drinking coffee.
7. Coffee improves good cholesterol.
The antioxidants in coffee can also improve total cholesterol. Coffee raises the high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol in your body. This "good" cholesterol can help you avoid suffering from cardiovascular disease. It also can remove the "bad" low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol from your body.
A study was conducted by the researchers at the University of Minnesota Medical School (UMMS) and the School of Public Health. They found that antioxidants contain an enzyme called glutathione peroxidase, or GPx3, which has critical benefits to those who have low HDL cholesterol. They found out that "people with high levels of GPx3 enzyme and low levels of good cholesterol were six times less likely to develop cardiovascular disease than people with low levels of both. As we know, coffee is a huge source of antioxidants.
8. Coffee reduces inflammation.
Inflammation wrecks havoc on the body and can cause you to feel chronically ill and can lead to serious heart disease, luckily coffee is great at reducing inflammation.
A clinical study published in American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, gathered 47 volunteers in order to examine the claims on coffee reducing inflammation on the body and increasing HDL levels. The results show that drinking 8 cups of coffee daily could improve HDL cholesterol levels of the people who drank by 7 percent and reduce blood levels associated with chronic inflammation by as much as 16% compared to those who had no coffee at all.
The antioxidants in coffee can also lower inflammation, which can be a factor that causes heart disease. Free radicals are one of the causes of inflammation. Since antioxidants prevent free radicals from developing in your body, they also decrease your risk of developing an inflammation related to heart disease.
9. Coffee is one of the lowest calorie drinks
If you're trying to lose weight, or you're doing your best to maintain your current weight, coffee is a good choice. A single cup of about 8 oz. brewed coffee only has 2 calories, and it has no fat. Unless you decide to go all Starbucks frappuccino on it.
This only applies to brewed black coffee. When you start adding sugar, cream and milk to coffee, that's when it starts becoming unhealthy, and has a huge jump in calorie count.
According to Harvard, a tablespoon of cream, sugar and whole milk contains 52 calories, 48 calories and 9 calories respectively. While 9 calories may seem small, we usually pour a lot of milk without actually measuring it, so you may be getting several servings. Every time you add these extras, you're pretty much adding over 100 extra calories to your daily cup.
Ditch the cream and sugar and go for the lower calorie options if you're going to be adding it to your coffee.
8. Coffee reduces inflammation.
Inflammation wrecks havoc on the body and can cause you to feel chronically ill and can lead to serious heart disease, luckily coffee is great at reducing inflammation.
A clinical study published in American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, gathered 47 volunteers in order to examine the claims on coffee reducing inflammation on the body and increasing HDL levels. The results show that drinking 8 cups of coffee daily could improve HDL cholesterol levels of the people who drank by 7 percent and reduce blood levels associated with chronic inflammation by as much as 16% compared to those who had no coffee at all.
The antioxidants in coffee can also lower inflammation, which can be a factor that causes heart disease. Free radicals are one of the causes of inflammation. Since antioxidants prevent free radicals from developing in your body, they also decrease your risk of developing an inflammation related to heart disease.
9. Coffee is one of the lowest calorie drinks
If you're trying to lose weight, or you're doing your best to maintain your current weight, coffee is a good choice. A single cup of about 8 oz. brewed coffee only has 2 calories, and it has no fat. Unless you decide to go all Starbucks frappuccino on it.
This only applies to brewed black coffee. When you start adding sugar, cream and milk to coffee, that's when it starts becoming unhealthy, and has a huge jump in calorie count.
According to Harvard, a tablespoon of cream, sugar and whole milk contains 52 calories, 48 calories and 9 calories respectively. While 9 calories may seem small, we usually pour a lot of milk without actually measuring it, so you may be getting several servings. Every time you add these extras, you're pretty much adding over 100 extra calories to your daily cup.
Ditch the cream and sugar and go for the lower calorie options if you're going to be adding it to your coffee.
[Michael York]
No comments:
Post a Comment