5 Health Benefits of Coffee
Aside from making you overly productive at work or killing the morning grogginess, coffee has a number of medicinal uses too!
1. Boosts Your Metabolism
The rate at which you burn calories when resting is called resting metabolic rate (RMR). The higher your metabolic rate, the easier it is to burn calories and feel energized. Studies show that caffeine can aid in increasing this; caffeine stimulates the nervous system, which sends direct signals to the fat cells, telling them to break down fat. The downside is that long-term caffeine connoisseurs will be affected by this less, as the body has adapted to this usual dose of caffeine. In order to reap the metabolic benefits of caffeine, it’s recommended to take long breaks from caffeine, or alternate between regular coffee and decaf, (we happen to offer an entire subscription box full of specialty decaf coffee at no expense to taste!).
2. Coffee and Diabetes
The findings of a Harvard study revealed that people who drink one to three cups of coffee per day are slightly less likely to contract type two diabetes. For subjects who drank six or more cups of coffee per day, the risk was even lower. There’s inconclusive evidence why, but experts believe it may have something to do with the anti-inflammatory properties found in coffee. However, for people with pre-existing diabetes, caffeine can raise blood sugar and insulin levels.
3. Colon Cancer
According to another Harvard study, two cups of coffee per day slightly reduced the risk of colon cancer. The reason being, coffee may stimulate the production of bile acids and speed digestion through the colon, which can lower the number of carcinogens to which colon tissue is exposed.
4. Heart and Stroke Health
Among 83,076 women in the Nurses’ Health Study, drinking 4 or more cups of coffee each day was associated with a 20% lower risk of stroke compared to non-drinkers. Decaffeinated coffee also showed an association, with 2 or more cups daily and a 11% lower stroke risk. The authors found no such association with other caffeinated drinks such as tea and soda. These coffee-specific results suggest that components in coffee other than caffeine may be protective
5. Parkinson’s disease
This disease is mainly caused by low dopamine levels. There is consistent evidence from epidemiologic studies that higher consumption of caffeine is associated with a lower risk of developing PD. The caffeine in coffee has been found in animal and cell studies to protect cells in the brain that produce dopamine. Researchers are even developing drugs for Parkinson's disease containing caffeine derivatives.
At The Roasters Pack, we're coffee lovers and not doctors, so always prioritize your health practitioner's advice over ours.
