A coffee a day saves the doctor? Well, not quite. But the delicious pick-me-up has a number of positive effects on your health. Read here why you should definitely drink coffee!
1. Coffee contains antioxidants
Wow: According to a British study, the brown pick-me-up contains more than 1,000 bioactive substances that can have a positive effect on health. As the researchers announce in the “British Medical Journal”, three to four cups a day are ideal, for example to prevent chronic diseases. This amount reduces the risk of heart attack and stroke by 15 percent.
2. Coffee may lower the risk of diabetes
Regular coffee consumption lowers the risk of diabetes – at least for some people. Prerequisite: You are a carrier of a gene variant in which a certain intestinal hormone has only a limited effect. This, in turn, increases your risk of developing diabetes. Coffee stimulates the release of this hormone and can thus compensate for this impairment, according to the assumption of a research group from the German Institute for Nutritional Research. According to their study, the risk of illness decreases by up to about seven percent with every cup of coffee drunk every day.
3. Coffee can protect the skin from cell damage
Some ingredients in coffee can apparently protect against cell damage from UVB radiation. This is shown by a mammoth American study, for which around half a million people logged their dietary habits and UV exposure over a period of ten years. According to the researchers, the evaluations show that four or more cups of coffee a day reduce the risk of skin cancer by around 20 percent.
4. Coffee increases concentration
Can’t get going in the morning? Or have an afternoon slump? Of course: time for a coffee! Because the pick-me-up promotes concentration. This is because caffeine increases the effects and amount of neurotransmitters and thus brain activity. You can increase reaction time as well as general alertness and alertness by enjoying an espresso or cappuccino.
5. Coffee is good for the brain
Mentally fit into old age: According to a Canadian study, coffee consumption reduces the likelihood of developing dementia such as Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s. This is said to be due to certain compounds that are formed when the beans are roasted.
6. Coffee stimulates the metabolism
Coffee is not only healthy, it’s also good for your figure – assuming, of course, that you use milk and sugar sparingly. Caffeine stimulates the metabolism and contributes to the food being consumed more intensively.
7. Coffee contains niacin
Coffee is one of the foods with a particularly large amount of niacin, also known as vitamin B3. This vitamin is involved in vital processes in the body, such as metabolism, cell division and the immune system. A cup of coffee covers about five to ten percent of an adult’s daily niacin requirement.
8. Coffee protects against tooth decay
According to researchers at the University of Ancona, several ingredients kill tooth decay-causing bacteria. Above all, chlorogenic acid, nicotinic acid and trigonelline help to prevent the formation of harmful plaque, as the scientists demonstrated in the laboratory. So coffee can contribute to dental health – unsweetened, of course.
9. Coffee helps hydration
That coffee robs the body of fluid is a myth that persists. It’s true that caffeine has a diuretic effect. But the only effect is that coffee drinkers have to urinate more frequently. That being said, coffee contributes to your hydration just as much as water.
10. Coffee makes you happy
It’s no secret that good coffee makes you happy. On the one hand, it simply lifts the spirits – starting with the delicious scent and ending with the fantastic aroma. Apart from that, the caffeine also stimulates the release of endogenous happiness hormones, among other things it releases dopamine.
