Coffee drinkers can breathe a little easier after they read about all the amazing benefits of their favorite morning pick-me-up. It’s true that coffee in abundance can have some negative health consequences, but in just the right amount, coffee is great for the health. From aiding in weight loss to nourishing the brain, coffee has many incredible qualities. Iced coffee packs in an extra punch by offering a refreshing way to consume this elixir of life. While health is so much more than just drinking a cup of coffee, having a daily dose is a good place to start.
Hydration
Coffee is better than nothing and the truth is, even with the mild diuretic effects of coffee, it’s an excellent way to hydrate your body. Your body needs at least ½ ounce of fluid per pound of body weight, so don’t forget to count your cups of coffee in the mix. With proper hydration your body can function at its optimal state. You’ll have more energy, more focus, and be able to do things like exercise if you have good hydration. You’ll also have better mood control because a hydrated mind is more stabilized.
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Anti-inflammatory
Inflammation is making news these days. More people are learning about the negative effects of inflammation on your body. There are many health conditions linked to it, so it’s important to reduce cellular inflammation and coffee can help. Mild swelling can lead to joint pain, muscle soreness, and more. Major inflammation is linked to brain disease and heart disease. With the anti-inflammatory effects of coffee, it can be part of an overall strategy to reduce your risk of getting these lifelong diseases.
Antioxidants
Boost your immune system with coffee. It’s true. Coffee contains valuable antioxidants that mop up many of the toxins in your body. These toxins impair pathways that make it easier to heal when you’re sick or keep you healthy in the first place. Antioxidants aid the body in brain health, reduce the risk of cancer and more.
When harmful free radicals are left in the body, they damage cellular tissue. Antioxidants remove the free radicals which reduces the damage done to cells.
Energy
Who couldn’t use a little extra energy? While too much coffee will leave you jittery in the high and lethargic in the low, just the right amount of coffee can improve energy levels throughout the day. Whether you take your coffee in the morning when you wake up, or in the middle of the day, you can get more energy when you drink a cup of it. More energy means that your day can be more productive and you’ll feel better.
Boost Your Metabolism
Speaking of energy, wouldn’t it be great if coffee could also boost your metabolism? The good news is that it does. Because of this coffee is effective as a weight loss aid. Trying to lose weight is challenging and many people turn to supplements to help. Coffee is easy to consume and when you don’t load it up with too much sugar, it is a welcome addition to any weight loss plan.
Heart Health
Drinking coffee everyday is excellent for the heart. Many people are looking to reduce their risk of heart disease or heart failure, and it seems that coffee may provide some assistance. Researchers are still trying to understand how it helps. It may be because of the anti-inflammatory qualities of coffee or that the antioxidants help protect the heart from damage. Whatever the case may be, it seems that coffee is excellent for heart health.
Brain Health
Who doesn’t want better brain health? Whether you’re trying to avoid major brain disease, or you just want to function with better clarity each day, coffee can help. Coffee is linked to better brain health. This means that coffee drinkers can enjoy more focus, less inflammation in the brain, and even reduced risk of major brain diseases like Parkinson’s or Alzheimer’s disease.
Reduced Risk Of Parkinson’s Disease
Parkinson’s disease is caused by neuron loss in the brain. This loss leads to an inability to control muscle movements, which causes the signature shakiness observed in people with this disease. It seems that coffee is able to help prevent this loss in some people. And for those with Parkinson’s, coffee helps them to control their movements better. Because of the way that coffee aids in brain health, and the protective benefits it offers, it can be of assistance to people with this debilitating disease.
Strengthen DNA
Why is this important? Broken DNA strands are more likely to cause cancer. While DNA breakage is often repaired by cells, if it’s not, it can lead to big problems. Coffee helps to reduce the risk of DNA breakage. Stronger DNA strands will produce more strong DNA strands. The effects of coffee benefit you at the cellular level.
Digestion
There are many different ways to consume coffee. A fan favorite is to drink it in a form called cold brew coffee. If you haven’t heard of it, it’s very popular amongst 20-somethings right now. For some reason, cold brew coffee is much easier on the stomach than traditional hot brewed coffee. The ways the compounds break down in hot coffee can make it hard on the stomach. But cold brew is known to be less harsh and therefore much more pleasant to consume.
Less Risk of Type 2 Diabetes
Diabetes affects about 1 in 10 Americans. And more than 90% of them more specifically have type 2 diabetes. While type 1 diabetes is mostly hereditary, type 2 is caused by diet and lifestyle factors and develops with time. Americans with type 2 diabetes can often control it through diet and exercise. For those who need more insulin, they can get it through injections. Coffee is powerful and can help reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes. Because of the minerals in the coffee, like magnesium and chromium, it helps to regulate insulin better.