Coffee contains caffeine. Caffeine is a stimulant that temporarily increases heart rate and blood pressure in some people. Unhealthy right? Not as much as you’d think. These are only minor health concerns as coffee also contains hundreds of unique compounds and antioxidants, offering numerous health benefits that may well increase your life expectancy.
While coffee isn’t proven to prevent certain health conditions, a report, published by The New England Journal of Medicine, concluded that at least two or three cups a day reduces likelihood of death from risk of dying from heart disease, lung disease, strokes, injuries, accidents, diabetes and infections by 10% — 15%.
The researchers analyzed data collected from more than 400,000 Americans ages 50 to 71 participating in the NIH-AARP Diet and Health Study. It should be noted that the greatest benefits were observed in those who drank coffee for a long period in their lifetime.
While its not a miracle drug and has a few negative side effects, coffee appears to be okay for now. I can’t say the same for all the extra sugar and controversial artificial sweeteners you might add to it. Don’t worry, Splenda only causes cancer in lab rats and no clear link with human cancer has been proven… yet.
Potential Benefits of Caffiene:
- High long-term consumption is associated with a lower risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes.
Heart disease was the cause of 25% of deaths in the United States in 2008
- Research suggests caffeine minimizes cognitive decline associated with aging.
- Caffeine increases levels of neurotransmitters such as norepinephrine, acetylcholine, dopamine, serotonin, epinephrine and glutamate.
- Acetylcholine is associated with attention, concentration, learning, and memory but there is no conclusive evidence yet that caffeine has any effect on memory and cognitive function.
- Low doses of caffeine increase alertness and decrease fatigue.
- Caffeine increases the metabolic rate.
- Caffeine may reduce the risk of developing cancer and delay the average onset of cancer.
- Caffeine may be associated with a reduced risk of Parkinson’s disease.
- Caffeine may lower the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
- Caffeine may reduce certain kind of hepatic cancers.
