We receive new information every single month about our health. It becomes almost impossible to know what we should and shouldn't be eating! As soon as we change our diet, scientists tell us we need to cut something else out.
But recently, we've had some good news! The question was raised, is coffee healthy for you? Dieticians gave us the answer we'd been hoping for.
What Does Coffee Contain?
If we want to know if coffee is good for us, we should first look at what's inside a cup of coffee. You'd never eat or drink something, without knowing what's in it, right?! Let's see what your favorite drink actually contains and discover how these impact the healthiness. What does it contain, and what does coffee do to you?
Water
The water content of your drink depends on the way you like it. If you go for black coffee, your mug will contain 98.75% water. When hot, water does a great job of extracting the natural flavors of the coffee beans.
We already know we should keep our water intake high. Keep your body topped up with H2O to flush out toxins, maintain regularity, boost the immune system and more.
Dicaffeoylquinic acid
This acid may sound scary, but your body loves it. Scientists use it to pre-treat cells. As a result, it hugely increases a cell's protection from free-radical damage. Coffee is a solid source of antioxidants, that could keep your body functioning nicely.
Trigonelline
Trigonelline is a major contributor to the taste of your cup of joe. It's a molecule that gives the beans their sweet, earthy flavor. It also fights off a tooth-eating bacterium. This bacterium can cling to your teeth and give you those nasty cavities. This useful little molecule keeps them away and keeps your teeth healthy!
Quinic acid
Quinic acid gives your coffee a slightly sour flavor. Luckily, it's in small enough amounts that it doesn't overpower the good flavors. On top of that, it has some benefits. Quinic acid is also found in some fruits, such as apples and peaches. It helps to metabolize antioxidants, pushing them to do their job more efficiently.
Nutrients and antioxidants
Those coffee beans are loaded with nutrients. Some of these get lost in the roasting process, but many still make it into your cup and your body. In fact, coffee is the main source of nutrients for many American adults. It is packed with Vitamin B5, Vitamin B2, Potassium, Manganese and more.
The Pros and Cons for Your Health
Overall, then, is coffee healthy for you? Everything we eat has its good and bad qualities, and coffee is no different. Let's see what coffee can do for our health, and where it could be harming our health.Pros of Drinking Coffee | Cons of Drinking Coffee |
|---|---|
Caffeine is a stimulant that often gets a bad rap. It has benefits, though, and can actually improve your brain's functions. Caffeine blocks the effects of a chemical called Adenosine. By blocking this chemical, it increases neuronal firing in the brain. This helps to improve mood, brain function, and memory. | It's never a good idea to drink too much caffeine (rather you may choose decaf coffee). A small cup of coffee (8 fl. oz.) contains around 95 mg of caffeine. It's easy to take in more than you realize. Caffeine can cause insomnia and make you restless. You also may find yourself becoming reliant on it. Know your limits and try to stick to it. |
Coffee can help you burn fat. Caffeine stimulates the central nervous system. This raises your metabolism and increases the oxidation of fatty acids. By mobilizing fatty acids from tissues, it can improve physical performance. | Coffee may be bad for those with high cholesterol. Coffee beans contain kahweol and cafestol. Both of these can increase cholesterol level. You can combat this issue by drinking filtered coffee. The filter traps most of these ingredients. |
Coffee could be great for your liver. The liver is a vulnerable organ and we want to keep it healthy! You can cause damage to it with too much alcohol and fructose. This liver damage is known as cirrhosis. Coffee can lower the risk of cirrhosis by a huge 80%. | |
Drink coffee if you want to look after your brain in the long-term. Coffee drinkers can enjoy a much lower risk of developing neurodegenerative diseases. A lower risk of Alzheimer's and Parkinson's could make for a long, happy brain life. | |
Specific Health Requirements
The same rules don't always apply to all of us. You might have existing health conditions or worries about whether coffee is healthy for you. Read on to see if I've answered your concern. You may find that experts encourage you to drink coffee. You may also find that they don't recommend too much coffee for you.
Is coffee good for diabetics, or will it harm them? It could be wise to include coffee in your diet, to avoid getting type II diabetes. The ailment currently affects around 300 million people, and it's not pleasant. Those with diabetes may struggle with high blood glucose levels or an inability to produce insulin. Studies have found that coffee can reduce that risk by as much as 67%.
Those that already have diabetes may want to avoid coffee. Having caffeine before a meal can increase insulin resistance. It can also result in higher glucose levels. Overall, coffee may cause more harm than good to diabetics.
Some people often pose the worry: is coffee bad for your liver? We've discovered that drinking coffee can be a simple way to keep that important organ healthy. No need to worry anymore! Coffee is good at reversing the effects caused by things like alcohol.
Although coffee has a number of health benefits for adults, it's not so good for young people. It is advisable that pregnant women avoid coffee altogether. Some studies suggest a maximum amount of caffeine for pregnant women, but the safer bet is to avoid it completely. The unborn baby is highly sensitive to caffeine.
The Bottom Line
So there you have it. You can drink coffee and be sure that it's doing some good for your health. Don't take it too far, though. I have to remind you that everything in moderation is a good rule to live by. Coffee can be a good part of your diet, but just don't overdo it.
The healthiest way to drink coffee is to take it as it is. Adding milk, chocolate and cream can often add too much fat into your diet! Natural coffee beans and hot water are a perfect way to get some of your nutrients fix and avoid nasty illnesses.
