I, like so, so many Americans, am a daily coffee drinker. But I don’t just drink coffee, I LOVE coffee.
I look forward to my coffee every morning. I buy local, organic whole coffee beans, grind them myself, and use a variety of different methods to brew my perfect cup, depending on my mood.
When I travel anywhere, my favorite thing to do is to discover as many unique, high-quality (and usually upscale) coffee spots as I can.
Okay, so maybe my love for coffee leans slightly towards a little obsession, but nonetheless, I don’t think I could quit drinking coffee if I was paid to…even writing this post is making me want to go for my third cup…
But, I’m happy to report, coffee actually has some awesome health benefits! If you’re anything like me, this could be some of the best news you’ve heard all week. So let me explain:
Cancer
Coffee has been shown in studies to help reduce the risk for certain types of cancer.
One study found women who had more than 3 8-ounce cups of coffee a day had a 20% reduced chance of developing the most common type of skin cancer- basal cell carcinoma, compared to those who had less than 1 cup a day.
Studies have also found those who drank coffee reduced their risk of getting liver cancer by 40%.
In another study, it was found that those who had 4-5 cups of coffee a day had a 15% lower chance of suffering from colorectal cancer.
Depression
Depression, an unfortunately common and serious mental illness, can also be impacted-positively- by coffee.
One study found women who drank 4 cups of coffee every day were 20% less likely to become depressed over 10 years. This was compared to those who drank an average of 1 cup of coffee or less per week.
Alzheimer’s Disease
A compound found in coffee has been found to help produce new brain cells while also strengthening the connection between the brain cells.
Multiple studies have found the consumption of coffee can decrease the rate of developing Alzheimer’s and similar types of dementia.
In one study, 3-5 daily cups of coffee decreased the risk of Alzheimer’s by 65% for individuals in their 40s and 50s; compared to 2 daily cups or less.
Parkinson’s Disease
Parkinson’s was another disease found to have an association with coffee and a reduced rate in multiple studies.
This reduced rate was found to be between 32-60%.
Interestingly, the decreased risk was NOT found in those who drank decaf coffee.
Life Expectancy
Coffee was found to reduce the risk of death by 20% in men and 26% of women, over the ages of 18-24.
When To Lower Your Coffee Intake
If you’re someone who suffers from insomnia, gastrointestinal reflux disease (or heartburn), or increased anxiety with caffeine intake, it may be best to reduce or limit your intake.
It’s also best to limit or stop your caffeine intake after 2pm in order to decrease any possible effects it could have on your sleep. Sleep is important too!
Happy drinking!
