Why you should pour yourself a cup (or two) of coffee
There’s just something about coffee. It could be the aroma wafting through the air in the local cafe, or the countless relationships that have begun over a nice hot cup of joe. Whether it’s a gourmet roast or cheap sludge at the office, coffee plays starring role in our daily routine, and it deserves better than it’s getting.
While you were refilling your favorite mug, a mountain of research has formed backing the benefits of coffee. And it’s highlighting what every coffee lover has been yearning to hear: Pour yourself another cup.
Natural improvement
Coffee often falls victim to old concepts and preconceived notions, but studies continue to show that enjoying it in moderation can offer significant health benefits.
Consuming caffeine has been shown to wake up the brain, improve concentration, relieve stress, and maybe even help you live longer. And now authors of a new study say it can help support memory and hydration.
Researchers at the University of Birmingham in the United Kingdom studied the fluid levels of 50 men who drank about three to six cups of coffee each day.
To compare the hydrating effects of coffee directly with water, each participant completed two phases of the study. In one phase, they drank coffee as their main source of hydration. In the other phase, they drank no coffee, but an equal amount of water. The researchers found that caffeine and coffee had no impact on their hydration level.
Besides the hydration benefits, coffee fits right into society’s food revolution. It’s natural, and coffee is packed with nutrients like riboflavin, potassium, magnesium and niacin.
“It’s a natural plant, not a processed food,” says the National Coffee Association’s Joseph DeRupo.
Drink up the proof
And something else is becoming clear for longtime coffee lovers. Lots of evidence shows it may help stave off some serious diseases.
According to a new study released in April from the Harvard School of Public Health, people who drank more than one cup every day over a four-year period lowered their risk of type 2 diabetes by 11%. The study also found that people who drank fewer than a cup per day were actually at 17% greater risk for type 2 diabetes.
A study published in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease in 2012 found that coffee and caffeine intake were associated with a lower risk of developing the disease.
And research in 2013 from the American Heart Association has shown that the caffeine in a cup of coffee can help your small blood vessels work better.
It’s all more reason to keep your coffee habit. Be careful not to negate the benefits by loading it up with cream and sugar. But if you keep it simple, it really looks like we can consider coffee a health food.
“The bottom line: Coffee is a powerhouse of antioxidants,” DeRupo says.