Coffee is known to be the beverage of choice for people who need a little boost in the morning, but the benefits of coffee don’t stop at just being a drink to perk you up. Having the scientific name of Coffea canephora, the origins of coffee trace back to the ancient coffee forests of the Ethiopian plateau where a goat herder named Kaldi discovered coffee beans. After seeing his goats eat berries from a certain tree, Kaldi noticed the sudden burst of energy his goats showed, and that was because they consumed caffeine.
Coffee beans made their way to the Arabian Peninsula in the 15th Century in the Yemeni district and then made their way to places like Egypt, Syria, Turkey and Persia in the 16th Century. By the 17th Century, Europeans got in on the coffee craze as coffee houses were set up as centers for social activity and communication. Coffee firmly replaced tea the favorite drink of the civilized world, according to Thomas Jefferson, in 1773 when King George III placed a tax on tea, which led to American colonists dumping tea into the Boston Harbor.
1) Coffee Can Help Recover from Cancer
It is definitely plausible for coffee to have healing effects for people who just had surgery to remove cancer. 114 patients were examined in a study where one group consumed at least 3 cups of coffee on a daily basis. This group appeared to tolerate and accept coffee consumption very well and, the results of the trial showed that it helped to expedite bowel movement and recovery.
An extensive meta-analysis was also conducted where 2 cups of coffee were consumed. Results indicated that prostate and endometrial cancers could be effectively treated with the help of regular coffee consumption.
2) Coffee Contains Antioxidant Properties
A study was conducted on rats where they would take on a diet that either had water or coffee for 4 weeks. The effects of both water and coffee intake were examined before, during and after the rats had their daily exercise. Results showed that body weight and food intake of the coffee group were significantly lower than that of the water group, and the key factors that are presented in this discovery include the reduction of glutathione and the promotion of antioxidant enzymes.
When looking for a type of coffee, you might want to choose commercial Colombian coffee. This coffee brand was evaluated as it was added to cells for 24 hours at the highest dose without any cytotoxic effects. Results showed that coffee prevented the reduction of cell viability, and in fact strengthened the cells.
3) Coffee Contains Antibacterial Properties
The activity of coffee bean extract was evaluated when it came to treating various forms of bacteria. Particularly pure green coffee was tested against bacteria such as Porphyromonas gingivalis and Prevotella intermedia, and results suggest that coffee can serve as a legitimate therapeutic tool.
Another study involved subjects being divided into different treatment groups. Key times of evaluation revolved around 4 and 7 days of treatment. Due to the positive antibacterial effects of coffee, bacterial lysis was caused in the group that consumed coffee as well as the proper release of calcium into the digestive system. This is mainly effective when coffee is consumed in a concentrated form.
4) Coffee Promotes Brain Health
It is generally safe to consume either 2.5 cups of coffee (200 milligrams) in one sitting or 5 cups daily (400 milligrams). The Food Regulation Authorities claim that it is not harmful to have this much coffee. It has been determined that coffee can help in the prevention of cognitive decline as well as the development of a stroke, Parkinson’s Disease or Alzheimer’s Disease.
A total of 11 different studies were conducted which involved 29,155 participants that consumed coffee, and none of the results showed a connection between coffee and cognitive decline or the development of dementia. 8 of these studies revealed that coffee consumption was associated with a reduced risk of Alzheimer’s Disease.
5) Coffee Can Treat Diabetes
Coffee is a commonly consumed beverage in The Netherlands, and what was discovered was that the caffeine content in coffee can lower insulin sensitivity as long as the coffee is habitually consumed. Whether caffeinated or decaffeinated, coffee was found to substantially lower the risk of type 2 diabetes mainly because of how much contents it has in chlorogenic acid, quinides, lignans and trigonelline.
There is a ton of evidence that supports the idea of those who regularly drink 3 or 4 cups of coffee per day develop a reduced risk of getting type 2 diabetes. The 2 main constituents that play into this reduced risk would be chlorogenic acid and caffeine.
6) Coffee is Good for the Liver
Multiple studies have been conducted on developing the risk of Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD), comparing one group who consumed group with a group that didn’t as well as comparing the groups for their chances of developing the risk of Liver Fibrosis. Those who consumed coffee developed a significantly lowered risk of coming down with any liver disease as opposed to the group that didn’t consume coffee.
An interesting study involved 966 subjects who were either Korean or Japanese immigrants. The quintiles of coffee intake and the dichotomous values of liver enzymes were evaluated, and the groups that were tested were either smokers and alcoholics or those who didn’t smoke nor drink alcohol. Results showed that there was no significant difference in either group after consuming coffee.
7) Coffee May Help Prolong Your Life
Drinking coffee can generally prolong your lifespan. A joint study was conducted by the National Cancer Institute and AARP where 400,000 men and women of the ages 50 to 71 were involved. These participants were evaluated over the span of 10 years, and those who drank coffee on a regular basis developed a significantly lowered risk of death compared to that of nondrinkers.
In a 2013 study, the School of Public Health at Harvard examined the connection between coffee consumption and the impact it has on the risk of suicide. According to this study, those who drank 2 or 3 cups of caffeinated coffee a day cut their suicide risk by 50%, and the main reason for this result is said to be the stimulating effects of caffeine. This stimulant hits the central nervous system and acts as a mild antidepressant by boosting production of certain neurotransmitters in the brain.t
