Coffee May Lessen Your Risk Of Developing Type 2 Diabetes
A growing body of research suggests an association between coffee drinking and a reduced risk of diabetes. A 2009 study found that the risk of developing diabetes dropped by 7 percent for each daily cup of coffee. Previous epidemiological studies reported that heavy coffee drinkers had a 50 percent lower risk of developing diabetes than light drinkers or nondrinkers.
How it works: Scientists believe that coffee may be beneficial in keeping diabetes at bay in several ways: by helping the body use insulin and protecting insulin-producing cells, enabling effective regulation of blood sugar preventing tissue damage and and battling inflammation, a known risk factor for type 2 diabetes. One component of coffee known as caffeic acid has been found to be particularly significant in reducing the toxic accumulation of abnormal protein deposits found in people with type 2 diabetes. Decaffeinated coffee is thought to be as beneficial, or more so, than regular.
Note: There is some evidence that coffee decreases the sensitivity of muscle cells to the effects of insulin, which might impair the metabolism of sugar and raise blood sugar levels. The significance of this finding, however, is still unclear.
How Do You Know Whenand How Muchis Best For You
Okay, so coffee definitely has some good-for-you cred. So how much is the right amount to drink for the most benefits? “People metabolize it at different speeds,” Dr. Reardon says. “So there’s a variation when people should consume coffee.” He adds that when too much is consumedâand at the wrong timeâit’s linked to causing high blood pressure.
Some people can order a shot of espresso as an after-dinner nightcap and have no problem falling asleep a couple hours later, while others can’t have any caffeine after 4 p.m. or they’ll be up all night. So how do you know where you fall?
You could get your DNA tested , but a far easier option is just making an educated guess by paying attention to your body post-cup of joe. If you feel its effects almost immediately? That means you metabolize coffee quickly. Whereas if it takes a bit to kick in, you likely metabolize it on the slower side.
Figuring this out impacts more than just the timing of your Starbucks runâone study showed that people who metabolize coffee slowly are at a greater risk for having a heart attack. However, if your body can handle the caffeine, another study conducted on lab mice found that the cells inside your blood vessels benefit the most after four to five espresso shots per day. Meaning, select proteins inside of older cardiovascular cells begin to act like younger ones, improving your overall heart health.
Coffee Could Help You Live Longer
OK, OKso drinking coffee alone won’t necessarily make you live longer. But researchers in a 2017 study published in Annals of Internal Medicine did find those who drink coffee appear to live longer than those who don’t. In fact, one cup a day was associated with a 12 percent decreased risk of death while two or three cups reduced a person’s mortality risk by 18 percent. And for more ways to increase your longevity, check out these 100 Ways to Live to 100.
Recommended Reading: Does Circle K Have Iced Coffee
Coffee May Give Your Workout A Boost
Several studies have shown that in moderation, caffeine enhances athletic performance. The effects include improved circulation, increases in muscular strength, endurance, and power, plus reduced pain. That may help you push just a little bit harder during workouts, resulting in better improvements in muscle strength and/or endurance.
A study published in the Journal of Applied Physiology found that muscle carbohydrate stores are replenished more rapidly when athletes consume both carbs and caffeine following exhaustive exercise. Compared to carbohydrates alone, the combo resulted in a 66% increase in muscle glycogen four hours after intense exercise. This surge in energy reserves ups your ability to exercise harder and/or longer the next time youre ready to get your heart rate up.
Your Coffee Habit Might Be The Key To Keeping You Healthy
All coffee drinkers know that there are long lists detailing both the benefits and negative effects of consuming caffeine. If you’re attempting to quit your coffee habit, the results of a recent study might just make you reconsider!
According to research collated by the University of Southampton from over 200 studies on the effects of coffee drinking, people who drink around three to four cups daily show a lower risk of serious conditions including heart disease, Type 2 diabetes, and liver and skin cancer. While this may be great news for coffee addicts, it’s still a good idea to remember that unless you’re also taking necessary steps to make your coffee healthy, you might be doing yourself more harm than good, especially if you’re on a weight-loss journey.
Recommended Reading: How Much Caffeine Does Folgers Coffee Have
The Latest Scoop On The Health Benefits Of Coffee
- By Robert H. Shmerling, MD, Senior Faculty Editor, Harvard Health Publishing
Follow me on Twitter @RobShmerling
What a difference a few years can make. Not long ago, I was learning about the dangers of coffee how it could raise your blood pressure, make your heart race, impair sleep, and maybe even cause cancer.
Now, the World Health Organization has taken coffee off the possible carcinogen list. And theres increasing evidence that coffee might actually be good for you.
Whats changed? Its all about the evidence.
Is Coffee Good For You
Yes! But it depends on the kind of coffee and the quantity.
Weve come a long way from the cans of Folgers that filled our grandparents cupboards, with our oat milk lattes, cold brews and Frappuccinos. Some of us are still very utilitarian about the drink while others perform elaborate rituals. The fourth most popular beverage in the country, coffee is steeped into our culture. Just the right amount can improve our mood too much may make us feel anxious and jittery.
Recommended Reading: How Does Dunkin Donuts Make Their Mocha Iced Coffee
Is Coffee Safe For Everyone
Caffeine is a stimulant and everyone reacts differently to it. Drinking high amounts, for example in excess of six cups, may cause agitation and anxiety in some people. People who are sensitive to caffeine or who drink a lot of caffeinated drinks may report dizziness, tremors and an inability to sleep well.
Those who drink a lot of coffee every day, may need to drink more of it to achieve the same effect and may experience withdrawal symptoms if they suddenly stop. The factors which influence how well you process caffeine includes your genes, age, gender, whether you are overweight or a smoker and whether you have liver disease. Other considerations include:
- Caffeine acts as a diuretic which may cause the body to produce urine more quickly
- In the UK, the NHS advise pregnant women to limit their caffeine intake to 200mg per day equivalent to two mugs of instant coffee.
- Due to their lower body weight and size, children may experience greater effects from caffeinated drinks
- Certain medications may interact with caffeine, one example being Fosamax, when consumed with a caffeinated drink this medication may be less effective.
If you are concerned about your caffeine intake or you take medication which may interact with caffeine you should refer to your GP for guidance.
This article was reviewed on 9 February 2021 by Kerry Torrens.
Coffee With Lemon Downsides
As is the case with their benefits, the downsides of drinking coffee with lemon are due to the drawbacks of each ingredient.
For instance, evidence suggests that heavy coffee drinkers may become addicted to caffeine, which is recognized by the World Health Organization as a clinical disorder .
Further studies also indicate that regular caffeine intake is linked to sleep disturbances and associated daytime sleepiness, as well as an increased risk of pregnancy loss (
Recommended Reading: Nespresso Decaffeinato Caffeine Content
Why Does Coffee Make You Poop
Many people love their morning cup of joe.
Not only is this caffeine-fueled beverage a great pick-me-up, its also loaded with beneficial antioxidants and nutrients .
Whats more, some people find it can jump-start the other end of their body.
In fact, one study found that 29% of participants needed to use the bathroom within twenty minutes of drinking a cup of coffee (
This article helps explain why coffee can make you poop.
Potential Downsides To Consider
How caffeine affects your body is linked to your genes. People who are genetically slow metabolizers of caffeine actually have an increased risk of heart attack, high blood pressure, and prediabetes after increasing caffeinated coffee consumption, whereas fast metabolizers do not carry these risks. For slow metabolizers, research also shows that caffeine inhibits athletic performance, rather than enhancing it.
Testing your genes for the variants that impact caffeine metabolism isnt something you can typically request from your doctor. But research-based testing is available through a company called Nutrigenomix.
For some people caffeine can also trigger digestive irritation, including heartburn, as well as an upset stomach, anxiety, rapid heartbeat, and rebound fatigue. Finally, coffee consumption during pregnancy is linked to low birth weight, pre-term birth, and pregnancy loss.
You May Like: Amora Coffee Review
Dementia And Alzheimers Disease
In a long-term study of 1,400 people, drinking 3 to 5 cups of coffee per day at midlife could decrease dementia or Alzheimers disease risk by about 65% during their elderly years .
In one review, coffee had a positive effect on brain function. Moderate caffeinated coffee consumption decreased the risk of dementia and AD later in life. However, caffeinated tea had no effects .
In mice, caffeine suppressed amyloid beta production. Amyloid beta contributes to brain inflammation and the onset of Alzheimers disease .
Milk Or Cream May Promote Bowel Movements
Freshly brewed coffee is naturally free of additives and preservatives.
However, over two-thirds of Americans stir in milk, cream, sweeteners, sugar or other additives .
In particular, milk and cream may promote bowel movements, as they contain lactose. Close to 65% of people worldwide cannot digest lactose properly .
People who are lactose intolerant experience symptoms such as bloating, stomach cramps or diarrhea soon after consuming dairy.
This means lactose can trigger the urge to poop in people with lactose intolerance .
Summary Coffee that contains milk or cream may trigger digestive issues in people with lactose intolerance. This may increase gut activity and stimulate the urge to poop.
You May Like: Is There Caffeine In Snapple
It Helps You Stay Focused
When caffeine makes its way to the brain, it affects many different brain cellsfrom the cells that make you feel exhausted and tired, to the ones that help you stay focused and alert. As a natural stimulant, the caffeine in coffee can boost your ability to concentrate and improves your mental alertness. However, for it to have this effect on you, your coffee should contain a dose of at least 75mg of caffeine.
Coffee Is Tied To Lower Rates Of Other Diseases
Studies show that coffee consumption may protect against certain cancers, including breast, colorectal, endometrial, and prostate cancers, as well as heart disease and Parkinson’s disease. Lifelong coffee/caffeine consumption is also associated with prevention of cognitive decline, and a reduced stroke risk.
In terms of brain health, caffeinated coffee ups alertness and may also improve memory for up to 24 hours after consumption.
RELATED: The Health Benefits of Strawberries
Read Also: How To Clean My Mr Coffee Maker
Health Benefits Of Black Coffee
PintrestIt boosts memoryImproves performance during workoutBeneficial for liverMakes you intelligentCleanses your stomachHelps in weight lossImproves cardiovascular healthPowerhouse of antioxidantsMakes you age gracefullyReduces risk of cancerMakes you happyReduces stress and depressionProtects against goutPintrestSide effects of overdoing black coffee
Coffee May Protect Against Liver Damage
Some more positive effects of drinking coffee include its potential hepatoprotective properties.
First of all, hepatoprotective is a word that means something can prevent liver damage.
As a result, discussions have suggested coffee as having a potential role in the treatment of chronic liver diseases, including non-alcoholic fatty liver disease a condition which processed food fuels, and it is rapidly rising in prevalence.
For instance, high-level evidence from recent studies show that
- In a systematic review, evidence suggests that coffee consumption may protect the liver from damage in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and lower the risk of metabolic syndrome .
- A systematic review examined coffee consumption and liver diseases. This review found that coffee consistently improves lab readings, reduces mortality, and improves overall survival. The authors state that for those with liver diseases, physicians should encourage daily coffee consumption .
- A randomized, controlled trial demonstrates that coffee has a protective effect against chronic hepatitis C. This trial showed that coffee consumption reduces oxidative damage while increasing telomere length and apoptosis rate .
Key Point:
Read Also: Cinnamon Toast Crunch Creamer Amazon
Coffee May Lower The Risk Of Alzheimers
Alzheimers disease is a progressive, neurodegenerative disease that causes a slow decline in memory and cognitive function.
It is devastating to sufferers and their close friends and family.
However, just like other chronic diseases, there are many aspects of our lifestyle that can increaseor reducerisk.
Notably, recent research hints that coffee consumption is one factor that may help us avoid Alzheimers.
Although the evidence we have is not currently conclusive, it is substantial and coffee consumption is likely protective against mental deterioration .
In fact, there was a recent systematic review and meta-analysis on this very topic.
The studys results demonstrated that in a total of 29,155 participants, there was a significant inverse association between highest coffee consumption and Alzheimers disease .
Therefore, as well as coffee making our mornings better, it may help protect our cognitive health in the future too.
This could be the most significant health benefit of drinking coffee.
Key Point:
Control Parkinson’s Disease Symptoms
A number of studies have suggested that consuming caffeine can reduce your risk of developing Parkinson’s disease and research published in 2012 in the journal of the American Academy of Neurology showed that a daily dose of caffeine equivalent to that found in two eight-ounce cups of black coffee can help to control the involuntary movements of people who already have the disease.
Recommended Reading: What Is The Most Caffeinated Drink At Starbucks
Coffee Could Lower Your Risk Of Prostate Cancer
Listen up, boys: According to a 2011 study led by Harvard School of Public Health researchers and published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, regularly drinking coffee could lower your risk of developing prostate cancer because compounds found in that brew do everything from reducing inflammation to regulating insulin. And get this: decaffeinated coffee counts, too!
Coffee Can Help Improve Your Reaction Time
Feeling a little slow lately? All it might take to get your body back to working at a normal pace is a little coffee. A 2005 study from the Radiological Society of North America found it doesn’t take muchjust a couple cupsto improve your reaction time, making you better at everything from noticing something scary like smoke in your home to breaking your car for a stop sign.
You May Like: How To Clean My Mr Coffee Maker
More Reasons To Drink Coffee
New research concerning coffee and health is being conducted all the time. Here are some more of the latest studies.
What Is Instant Coffee
Manufacturers make instant coffee by brewing regular coffee beans to create a concentrated version. The water is then removed to make the dehydrated, dry powder, which you stir into boiling water for your morning cup.
This makes instant coffee quick, easy and perfect when you don’t have a coffee maker. Instant coffee generally has a long shelf-life too, which makes it handy when you’re traveling, camping or just busy and on the go.
Instant coffee is made by either:
- Spray drying, in which thecoffee extract is sprayed into hot air this quickly drys the droplets into a finepowder.
- Freeze-drying, which involves freezing the coffee extract and cutting it into small fragments thatare dried at a low temperature.
You may find instant coffee sold as coffee granules, such as Folger’s Instant Coffee, or marketed as coffee sticks or sachets, like Nestle’s 3-in-1. The instant coffee may be packaged for single servings and some types contain added sugar, palm oil and other additives.
Ready-to-drink coffees can also be grouped into the instant coffee category. These drinks are available in a can or bottle and often contain added sugar and creamers, such as Starbucks bottled Frappuccino drinks.
What About Flavored Coffees?
The warning about added sugar, fats and chemicals also applies to premixed coffee drinks. If you choose instant coffee, go for the coffee and skip the additives. A splash of milk or cream is just fine.
You May Like: Cleaning Mr Coffee Pot