Coffee-lovers rejoice. Your daily cup of joe is more than a guilty pleasure…
It’s good for your health.
Recent research suggests that drinking moderate amounts of coffee provides a wide range of health benefits that are as diverse as the flavors of the coffee bean.
Moderate coffee drinking can lower the risk of diabetes, colon cancer, gallstones, cirrhosis of the liver, and Parkinson’s disease.
Other benefits include a reduction in asthma attacks and depression.
Some studies have indicated that coffee contains four times the amount of cancer-fighting antioxidants as green tea.
Today you will learn about the health benefits of moderate coffee consumption. And how you can improve your life through this widely consumed and beloved beverage.
Coffee Wards Off Disease
Coffee is a naturally occurring herbal stimulant. Drinking a few cups a day increases metabolism, boosts circulation, breaks up obstructions, and warms the body.
By stimulating areas in your body that are cold and inactive, you increase your energy level. This improves your memory for both mental and physical activities.
And the increased energy level keeps you more alert. What’s more caffeine is quickly metabolized and excreted.
One of the main elements in coffee is a class of chemical compounds called xanthenes. Xanthenes raise your metabolic rate, suppress your appetite, and enhance both physical and mental performance.
They also act as muscle relaxants and process diuretic properties. All of these benefits work together to reduce the incidence of some severe health problems.
All of these benefits work together to reduce the incidence of some severe health problems.
Let me show you what I mean…
Coffee Helps Repair Your Heart. German researchers showed that caffeine can improve heart function in older people in just 10 days.1i
It works deep down at the cellular level to protect and repair the heart muscle.
The researchers found that mitochondria in the heart need a protein called p27. As you know, mitochondria are the tiny power plants that fuel every cell in your body. When the caffeine moved the p27 protein into the mitochondria, it protected heart muscle cells from death and damage. It helped repair the heart muscle after a heart attack.
And it improved the function of endothelial cells that line the interior of blood vessels.
One study from Brazil found that people drinking just three cups of coffee a day reduced calcification or hardening of their coronary artery by an amazing 67%!ii
Coffee Protects Your Brain. An important study published in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease found that drinking five medium-sized cups of coffee a day could lower your chances of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.iii
The study followed mice that were bred to develop Alzheimer’s. After two months of drinking water with 500 mg of caffeine added – the equivalent of five 8-ounce cups of coffee – the mice performed much better on memory and thinking tests compared to mice that were given only water.
In fact, the memories of the caffeinated mice were on par with mice that didn’t have dementia at all.
Plus, the mice taking caffeine had a 50% reduction of beta amyloid, a protein often found in Alzheimer’s patients.iv
And it’s not just Alzheimer’s.
Separate studies indicate that people who drink coffee on a regular basis are 57% less likely to develop Parkinson’s.v In fact, the newest Parkinson’s drugs contain a derivative of caffeine.
Coffee Lowers Your Risk of Type 2 Diabetes. A study conducted in Finland and published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) revealed a link between drinking coffee and type 2 diabetes.
The researchers surveyed 6,974 men and found that drinking three to four cups of coffee a day decreased risk of type 2 diabetes by 27%. Drinking 10 cups a day lowered the risk by 55%.vi
The study did not prove definitely how coffee reduces the risk of diabetes so drastically. But another study conducted at Harvard University also found the correlation between drinking coffee and a reduced risk of diabetes.
Frank Hu, MD, PhD, an associate professor of nutrition and epidemiology at Harvard speculates that the ingredients in coffee, aside from caffeine, protect against diabetes.vii
Coffee contains antioxidants and minerals like magnesium that are beneficial for blood sugar metabolism and insulin sensitivity.
Another possibility that is that in the long term, caffeine may be beneficial for maintenance of body weight because caffeine can actually increase energy expenditure and basal metabolic rates.
Coffee Reduces Your Risk of Colon Cancer. Coffee has a protective effect against colon cancer. Colorectal cancer is the second highest cause of cancer-related deaths in the US.
A recent study published in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention found that drinking coffee is associated with lower risk of colorectal cancer, and the more coffee consumed, the lower the risk.
This backs up new research from the International Journal of Cancer. In this study, researchers found that colorectal cancer was 32% lower among those who drank four or more cups of coffee per day than those who seldom drink coffee.viii
The most likely reason for a lower risk of colorectal cancer in those who drink coffee is that they experience enhanced colonic activity induced by coffee. Researchers also believe that anti-mutagenic components in coffee and caffeine inhibit the cancer-causing effect of various microorganisms.
Coffee Reduces Fatty Liver Disease. Coffee – both caffeinated and decaf – is exceptionally protective for the liver. It reduces the risk of fatty liver disease, lowers the progression to cirrhosis, and is strongly associated with reduced liver cancer risk.
Doctors specializing in liver health now acknowledge coffee is a liver-supportive “functional food.”
Coffee Helps Prevent Gallstone Formation. Researchers from Harvard University headed a study that monitored the coffee drinking habits and incidence of gallstones in 46,000 healthy men over a 10-year period.
They found that those drinking one cup a day had a 13% risk reduction of gallstone disease. Those drinking two to three cups a day had a 21% risk reduction and those drinking four or more cups a day had a 33% risk reduction of gallstone disease.ix
Coffee Helps Reduce Asthma Attacks. The caffeine and other chemicals in coffee help moderate asthma attacks. The caffeine in coffee acts as a natural bronchodilator, opening airways and easing respiratory fatigue.x
The chemical theophyline exists naturally in coffee. For years, theophyline was the primary pharmaceutical weapon in the battle against asthma. Three or more cups of coffee per day can help relieve the symptoms of asthma.
Coffee Elevates Your Mood. Coffee elevates your mood through very specific, well-mapped neurochemical pathways.
Coffee blocks adenosine – a naturally occurring molecule in your body that slows brain activity and dampens motivation.
But the caffeine in coffee helps in another way…
It indirectly increases dopamine receptor signaling which increases motivation and drive. And caffeine enhances brain energy metabolism to reduce mental fatigue.
Coffee Alleviates Headaches. Many headaches — especially migraines — are linked to dilated blood vessels in the brain.xi
Caffeine causes vasoconstriction, narrowing those vessels and reducing pain. During headaches, adenosine levels rise, promoting inflammation and pain signaling. Caffeine blocks adenosine receptors, dampening pain perception.
Get The Most Out of Your Coffee
The key to receiving all of the benefits of coffee is to drink it in moderation. Three to four cups a day is sufficient in most cases.
Here’s how you can take advantage of coffee’s health benefits:
Drink It Fresh. Grind your coffee at the time you wish to drink it. This maximizes the flavor and prevents against oxidation. Coffee’s healing properties are best when brewed fresh.
Drink It Black. The best benefits of coffee are delivered in its purest state. Adding dairy products and sweeteners may alter the taste, but it will also diminish the rewards.
Don’t Drink Coffee Close to Bedtime. The brain, and your body, both require rest. Caffeine stimulation could negatively affect your sleep patterns.
Steer Clear of Flavored Coffee Drinks. The flavors are most likely artificial (i.e., high fructose corn syrups) and are often laden with unwanted calories.
To Your Good Health,
References:
i Ale-Agha N, et al. “CDKN1B/p27 is localized in mitochondria and improves respiration-dependent processes in the cardiovascular system—New mode of action for caffeine. PLOS Biology. 2018;16(6):e2004408.
ii Miranda AM, et al. “Coffee consumption and coronary artery calcium score: Cross‐sectional results of ELSA‐Brasil (Brazilian Longitudinal Study of Adult Health).” J Am Heart Assoc. 2018;7(7):e007155.
iii Arendash Gary W. et al. “Caffeine Reverses Cognitive Impairment and Decreases Brain Amyloid-β Levels in Aged Alzheimer’s Disease Mice.” J Alzheimer’s Dis.
iv Chuanhai Cao et al. “Caffeine suppresses β-amyloid levels in plasma and brain of Alzheimer’s transgenic mice.” J Alzheimers Dis. 2009;17(3):681–697.
v Palacios N, et al. “Caffeine and risk of Parkinson disease in a large cohort of men and women.” Mov Disord. 2012 Aug 27;27(10):1276–1282.
vi Salazar-Martinez E, et al. “Coffee consumption and risk for type 2 diabetes mellitus.” Ann Intern Med. 2004 Jan 6;140(1):1-8.
vii “A coffee a day keeps diabetes away.” www.clinicaladvisor.com
viii Oyelere A, et al. “Coffee consumption is associated with a reduced risk of colorectal cancer recurrence and all-cause mortality.” Int J Cancer. 2024 Jun 15;154(12):2054-2063.
ix Leitzmann M, et al. “A Prospective Study of Coffee Consumption and the Risk of Symptomatic Gallstone Disease in Men.” JAMA. 1999;281:2106-2112.
x Lin F, et al. “Association of Coffee and Tea Consumption with the Risk of Asthma: A Prospective Cohort Study from the UK Biobank.” Nutrients. 2022 Sep 28;14(19):4039.
xi Mayo Clinic. “Does caffeine treat or trigger headaches?” www.sncs-prod-external.mayo.edu/hometown-health/speaking-of-health/does-caffeine-treat-or-trigger-headaches