Health Benefits of Coffee

Coffee is a great drink at any time of day to give you a refreshing boost and the effects of drinking too much coffee are well known. However there are many recent studies which show that coffee has some surprising health benefits.

Statistics show that coffee drinkers are less likely to suffer from diabetes, dementia and Parkinson's disease. They also show that among coffee drinkers there are fewer incidences of stroke and heart rhythm problems. The naturally occurring antioxidants in coffee help to prevent the tissue damage caused by oxygen free radicals, Coffee also contains minerals such as Chromium and magnesium which help the body to metabolize insulin. Further studies have shown that people who drink between one and three cups of coffee per day are 20 per cent less likely to suffer from abnormal heart rhythm. Women who drink coffee also have a lower risk of stroke than non-coffee drinkers.

Coffee and Type 2 Diabetes

Some studies have shown that coffee drinkers are less likely to suffer from Type 2 Diabetes than people who don't drink coffee. The evidence also suggests that decaffeinated coffee has the same benefits. Type 2 diabetes is caused by the body losing the ability to process insulin effectively meaning that blood sugar cannot be regulated.

Drinking Coffee May Lower Risk of Parkinson's Disease

Drinking coffee may also lower the risk of developing Parkinson's disease; this is thought to be linked to the effects of caffeine on the brain. Studies in Sweden have shown that people who drink between three and five cups of coffee each day have a much lower risk of developing other disorders of the brain such as Alzheimer's disease and dementia. The results of the study showed that coffee drinkers have a sixty five per cent lower risk of getting these disorders than those who do not drink coffee. A study in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease has shown that coffee can improve brain activity in rodents which have been genetically engineered to develop Alzheimer's disease. Whilst the control group went on to develop Alzheimer's the rodents given coffee did not, or they had a slower development of the disease.

Coffee May Protect You From Breast, Prostate, Liver, Throat and Endometrial Cancers

Statistics from coffee drinkers compared to non-coffee drinkers suggest that coffee may also give some protection against certain types of cancer. Cases of oestrogen receptor negative breast cancer are lower among women who drink coffee each day. Other cancers which seem to be prevented by drinking coffee are prostate, liver and throat cancer. Recent findings have shown that coffee may also prevent endometrial cancer (tissue lining of the uterus) from increased metabolism rates and fat reduction. Further studies are needed to discover which chemicals in coffee produce these great heath benefits of coffee. So whether you drink instant or freshly ground coffee or get your coffee beans online you can feel better about your daily brew.