Coffee. Whether you’re waking up in the morning or commuting to work, we all need a quick cup of joe to get the jolt. But we all ask ourselves several questions when it comes down to- the consumption of coffee in the long run. Is coffee good for me? How much caffeine influences our body? How much coffee is too much?

While previous studies suggested that coffee is harmful to our health, newer research suggests that it might have health benefits.

So, why the turnaround? Nutrition research is a complex study, and when it comes to constant changes in our body and metabolism, research on a particular substance or its effect needs- concise research. For example, early research on coffee didn’t always take into account that heavy coffee drinkers also tended to use tobacco and were inactive.

Coffee has been associated- with a long history of debate. But now, study after study indicates that drinking our favourite beverage in moderation can provide multiple health benefits. It can help decrease the mortality rate, help prevent cancer, improves your health, and much more.

So, here are some health benefits of drinking coffee:

Improves liver function:

The liver is an amazing organ- it carries out hundreds of important functions, filters blood, removes toxins from your food, builds proteins that circulate throughout your body, and much more. Many common diseases that primarily affect the liver including, hepatitis, fatty liver disease, and many others, can become- serious health conditions if left untreated.

A study published in the archives of internal medicine magazine showed that increased coffee consumption on an everyday basis was associated with lower rates of liver disease or liver disease progression in people with hepatitis C. More specifically, there was a 20% reduction in alcoholic liver syndrome for every cup of coffee a day.

Other research suggests how coffee can also protect you against cirrhosis. In this category, researchers include alcoholic cirrhosis people who drink four or more cups per day, having up to 80% lower risks of suffering alcoholic liver cirrhosis.

Fights off depression:

Depression is a serious mental disorder that causes a significant reduction in our quality of life. Many times, people with depression are unfamiliar with this condition. Coffee is known for boosting energy for most people who drink it. It also positively affects people who have depression.

A Harvard study published in 2011 states that women who drank four or more cups of coffee per day had a 20% lower risk of getting depressed. Another study that involved more than 280,000 individuals found that those who drank four or more cups of coffee per day were 53% less likely to die from suicide.

Lower the risks of cancer:

Cancer is one of the world’s leading causes of death. It comes in second after common heart disease. This disease is characterized- by the uncontrolled growth of cells in the body. Coffee appears to be protective against it and especially against two types of cancer: liver and colorectal. Liver cancer is the third highest cause of cancer deaths, while colorectal cancer comes in at fourth.

Coffee has been known for years to be liver-protective. Many studies have been conducted to prove this, and it shows that coffee drinkers have up to 40% lower risk of suffering from liver cancer. Very similar to this, another study- with 489,000 researchers found that those who drank four to five cups of coffee per day had up to 15% lower risk of suffering from colorectal cancer.

 Improves physical performance:

Coffee contains a lot of caffeine which stimulates the nervous system, signaling fat cells to break down the body fat. Caffeine also increases epinephrine and norepinephrine (adrenaline) levels in the blood activating the fight and flight response, that prepares your body for intense physical activity.

Given these effects, caffeine can also improve physical performance by 11-12%. On average, it makes fatty acids available for cell metabolism and energy production, making the body ready to improve the physical performance overall. Hence, it makes sense to have a strong cup of coffee half an hour before going to the gym or exercising.

Helps you burn fat:

Caffeine is one of the few natural substances proven to aid fat burning, and weight professionals use it to tone muscles. Several scientific studies show that caffeine can accelerate your metabolic rate by an average of 3-11 percent. But some studies have seen that it can increase fat burning as much as 10% in obese individuals. 

Lower the risks of diabetes:

Diabetes has become a disease of epidemic proportions. Millions of people are falling into diabetes every year, and the truth is that you can do many things about it before it happens, and consuming coffee is one of them.

For some reason unknown to science at this specific time, coffee drinkers have a significantly lower risk of suffering from diabetes. Many well-renowned publications state that people who drink coffee regularly- have a 23-50% lower risk of getting diabetes, and one study shows a reduction of almost 67%.

So, if you have a history of pre-diabetes metabolic syndrome or you have a relative that suffers from this disease, coffee might be able to help you. The best type of coffee is that freshly grounded organic coffee that you can drink anytime during the day.

The Biggest source of Antioxidants available:

For people who drink the standard diet, coffee may be one of the healthiest beverages available. Japanese and Chinese cultures, as opposed to western cultures, have the custom of drinking tea and other spices with excellent antioxidant activity. Coffee is quite high in antioxidants, and studies show that a lot of people get more antioxidants from coffee than they do from fruit and vegetables. Coffee is one of the healthiest beverages on the planet.

Improves Energy Levels and makes you Smarter:

Coffee is proven to make people smarter. It increases brain function by increasing their energy levels. Caffeine is the most popular psychoactive substance in the world.

After we drink coffee, caffeine is absorbed in the bloodstream and travels to the brain. In the brain, caffeine blocks an inventory neurotransmitter called adenosine. And when this happens, the number of other neurotransmitters like norepinephrine and dopamine increases, leading to the greater firing of neurons.

This effect found in coffee improves many aspects of brain function including, memory, reaction time, mood vigilance, and general mental function. Perhaps, this is why people unconsciously use coffee to study.